To: Dr. Vincent Boudreau
From: Sarah Khan
Subject: Wireless Projecting Needed in All Classrooms at CCNY
Date: February 28, 2019
The purpose of this memo is to recommend getting rid of the “chords” for projectors in classrooms that still have them, and to propose bettering the VIA App in all classrooms at CCNY.
Summary of “Chord” and App Situation
Throughout the two semesters I have spent at CCNY, I have noticed how many professors struggle connecting their devices to projectors sometimes. This is almost always due to this infamous “chord” that one needs to obtain from NAC in order to connect one’s device to the projector. Although CCNY has the VIA app that allows for wireless projecting, this does not easily connect to just any laptop, if it isn’t a CCNY laptop. Sometimes professors forget to grab the chord before class, and other times the chord is damaged and therefore remembering to obtain it meant nothing. An effective solution to this issue would be to get rid of all chords and updating the VIA App to make it more user friendly, or switching to a new app.
Discussing WHY This is an Issue
At first glance, it is understandable why this “chord” issue may not seem like such a big deal. It is, after all, only a chord, right? What possible damage or inconvenience could it be causing anyone? There are a few instances I have witnessed where this chord disrupts the classroom environment. Firstly, in general, it is a hassle for professors to have to keep remembering to pick up said chord from NAC and have to carry it along with the rest of their belongings. Secondly, the chords don’t always connect right away. Sometimes they’re damaged, or they’re too short to connect from the wall to the laptop on the desk, making it uncomfortable for professors to teach. This short chord may also be considered a safety hazard. Thirdly, if there are projects being presented on a certain day by students, and the students themselves don’t pick up a chord, and the professor forgets to do so as well, then the student may not present that day, class time is wasted, and the syllabus dates get all messed up because projects are now being presented on a day scheduled for something else, all because of “the chord.” Not only are all of these instances a disruption to the classroom learning environment, it also puts professors and students in a bad mood and this overall feeling in the classroom gets in the way of actually learning sometimes.
Potential Solutions to This Problem
While there may be various solutions to this problem, I feel that the quickest and cheapest solution would be to make projecting wireless, or “chordless” in this case, and to switch to a more user friendly app that allows for easy connection to all devices. Although the college claims to have wireless projecting in classrooms through the VIA app, this app doesn’t really connect to non-CCNY laptops. When the projectors don’t work or there is trouble connecting to the VIA app, professors oftentimes try to use the whiteboard or the chalkboard, to no avail because markers and chalk and erasers are usually not available in classrooms. Some may think a solution to this may be to install SMART Boards in classrooms at CCNY, which isn’t a bad idea at all; however, I feel that SMART Boards would cost too much money and would take too long to accomplish, whereas making projecting wireless would cost so much less and be accomplished at a faster rate. If projecting were made wireless in all classrooms and CCNY switched to a more user friendly app, then professors and students wouldn’t have to worry about chords, it would be way easier to begin class, and nobody would be put in a mood due to complications with chords or with the VIA app. This “chord” and app complication is, in fact, an issue at the college that should be solved immediately. Please contact me to further discuss what can be done about this.
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