Percy Baxter Collaborative Learning Centre transcript
Interview with Debbie Emerson. By Morfia Grondas & Andrea Hurt
Andrea
We’ve come up the spiral stairs to the first floor of the Baillieu Library and we can see the Percy Baxter Collaborative Learning Centre.
Morfia
Debbie Emerson works here in the centre. Hi Deb, what can you tell us about it?
Debbie
Hi Andrea and Morfia – Well the Percy Baxter Collaborative Learning Centre has been open since June 2000 – it is a place where academic staff might bring students to do IT based classes (depending on the subject). Or students can chose to come here by themselves, studying perhaps in small collaborative groups to do project work that requires access to IT.
Morfia
So it must be a very busy environment?
Debbie
There can be hundreds of people in the area on any given day!
Andrea
So what sort of equipment is available in the centre that would help people study?
Debbie
There are around 100 computers with MS Windows loaded – some are in training rooms, but most are set up in individual carrels with plenty of space for students to study and set out their books and papers. Students can book these computers to ensure they have one available when they need it, just talk to the staff to learn how to do this. Otherwise there is a group of computers limited to 15 minute access that students can walk in and use without booking.
Andrea
Which is obviously great if you’ve got hundreds of people coming through the doors.
Debbie
It also means you can just drop in at a moments notice, and check your email or print out the document you need to.
Andrea
That’s great.
Morfia
Fantastic
Debbie
Students with their own computer can set up at one of the powered tables: recharging their batteries while they work. If they need the web they can access this via the wireless network.
Students working with a group might want to talk to the staff in the centre about booking the consultation room. It has a computer with Internet access, a separate large table and a white board, so provides plenty of room to spread out plus some privacy.
Morfia
And what sort of software is available on the computers?
Debbie
All the standard stuff you would expect like word processors, statistics software and web browsers. But some pretty cool stuff too. For example, if you are creating a web site you can write your pages; scan your images; edit and manipulate your pictures; and put the whole thing together without leaving the centre.
Andrea & Morfia
That’s fantastic. Yeah, amazing.
Debbie
You could come here for hours and never leave! [laughter]
Morfia
You probably do have people like that, I’d say.
Debbie
Yeah. But if you’re not up to using the software straight away there’s an online education program called “Pick It Up Online” that students can register to use. This lets students do online tutorials in a huge range of software packages, so it can get you up to speed to start writing your own webpages.
Andrea
Good stuff.
Debbie
Each computer has USB ports, allows you to plug in your own equipment you might bring with you like digital cameras or external storage devices. Some of those images that you’re using on your webpages might start out being fairly large before you edit them. Plus each has a DVD burner, so you can burn anything you create and take it away with you.
Andrea
So what can people expect when the come to Percy Baxter Collaborative Learning Centre?
Debbie
Because the centre is in the library, people often expect it to be a silent area – well it’s not exactly noisy, but it isn’t exactly silent either. It’s a spacious, well lit, clean looking area where people are encouraged to study often in groups and where there is plenty of room at each computer for more than one person.
Morfia
So it really tries to encourage collaborative learning.
Debbie
There is an added bonus too: if anyone using the centre is having difficulties with the technology, staff are on hand to help out during the day and on weekends. The centre is open all the hours that the Baillieu library is open, making it easy for people who work to get access to the computers.
So come on in and give it a try!
Andrea & Morfia
Great. Fantastic. Thanks Deb.