Computing laboratories and the small community college: defining the directed computing laboratory in the small college computing environment

ABSTRACT

The small community college faces a unique set of challenges in laboratory implementation. This paper identifies the computing environment at a particular small community college, discusses the instructional content desired by the college, surveys various approaches to laboratories, and offers the approach that the college is using to implement appropriate instructional computing labs. The suggested approach provides for both an “OPEN” and “SCHEDULED” lab, promotes instructor freedom as no one lab approach is dictated by the lab setup, allows directed labs where they are appropriate and documents that class contact hours are set according to standards.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.3 COMPUTERS AND EDUCATION
      K.3.2 Computer and Information Science Education
          Subjects: Curriculum

Additional Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.3 COMPUTERS AND EDUCATION
      K.3.2 Computer and Information Science Education
          Subjects: Computer science education

General Terms:
Human Factors