|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Academic Computing at MIT fosters and supports a rich environment to promote varied uses of instructional technology for teaching and learning. The Athena system is a centrally managed, scalable, secure campus-wide computing environment consisting of networked client workstations, servers, and printers available to MIT students and faculty to help them achieve their academic goals.
Athena Clusters, Tools and Software
There are 17 general-purpose clusters on campus – over 400 UNIX workstations. Athena course tools include:
• electronic "course lockers" for storing course materials
• electronic tools for delivering course materials, including Web pages, mailing lists, and conferencing systems
• software for use by students and faculty in doing the actual work of the course
• software for communication among students and between students and instructors
• cross-cutting and specialized applications -- FrameMaker, Matlab, Maple, Molecular Simulations, SAS, Tecplot, and Xess
• standard compilers, Web browsers, communication tools
A comprehensive list of Athena software can be viewed at http://web.mit.edu/acs/www/whereruns.html.
Classroom Facilities
Facilities for preparation and delivery of instructional technology include:
• three fully-electronic classrooms, with an Athena workstation at each desk
• over 10 classrooms with an instructor's workstation and projector
• 24 classrooms with an MITnet drop and projection for a carry-in computer
• over 60 additional classrooms with an MITnet drop
• two New Media Centers: Faculty Development Lab, Project Lab
Note: Although centrally managed Windows or Macintosh clusters are not as yet available to students, many academic departments provide facilities for classes requiring software that runs on these platforms.
Information on classroom locations, equipment, reservations can be found at http://web.mit.edu/acs/www/eclassrooms.html. Information on the New Media Centers is available at http://web.mit.edu/nmc/.
Faculty Liaisons
Faculty Liaisons help faculty and other instructional staff use information technology in their teaching. They will help you:
• get started learning about educational media, the Athena computing environment, and the campus network (MITnet)
• find appropriate software for your courses
• write courseware
• create multimedia and hypermedia materials
They can also offer expertise to support the use of computers and other technologies in your teaching, including use of the WWW and other network-based applications.
You can reach the Faculty Liaison in the following ways:
Home Page http://web.mit.edu/acs/www/f_l.html.
Offices: N42 lower level (211 Mass Ave)
Phone: x3-0115
E-mail: f_l@mit.edu
For information on the Electronic Teaching Toolkit see http://web.mit.edu/faculty/ett/.
Resources for Students
In order for MIT students to successfully use Athena, Information Systems offers a comprehensive series of short courses (called minicourses) on a variety of Athena-related topics. These courses are offered frequently throughout the academic year.
During Orientation week, incoming freshman, graduate, and transfer students had the opportunity to attend four basic courses: Intro to Athena, Working on Athena, Basic Word Processing and Electronic Mail, and Advanced Word Processing with EZ. These courses are offered before classes start, so new MIT students can become familiar with the system before they receive their first problem sets and paper assignments.
During the coming year, IS is offering minicourses for all levels of users. Minicourses are held the first six weeks of each semester, the week after Thanksgiving and spring break, and during IAP. The courses are offered Monday through Thursday at noon, 7 pm, and 8 pm in Room 3-343. No registration is necessary, and they are free.
We would like to encourage you to remind your students to take advantage of this excellent opportunity to learn more about the computer system that will be part of their MIT experience.
Click here for a listing and brief description of the courses offered. Current and future schedules are available at http://web.mit.edu/minidev. Contact information for the Athena Training Group is also available on this page.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|