PC Classrooms

Our PC classrooms provide access to a wide portfolio of software across campus for use by undergraduate and taught postgraduate students.

The Classroom Environment

The classroom environment is based on Core 2 duo to Core I5 standard PCs running Windows 7. A significant number of Windows files are located on the hard disk of each system and in order to maintain the integrity of these, we have removed or disabled several Windows facilities.

In general, staff and students cannot install software that attempts to modify the local files on the system. For temporary files, a scratch drive (drive S:\) is available and in some cases software can be installed there. The contents of S: are deleted when you log off or reboot. In addition, access is provided to the user’s home file space, drive H:\.

All classroom PCs are powered off automatically in the evenings and powered back on at 08:00. This automatic power down can be delayed by the user if the PC is in use. Some rooms are available 24 hours a day, 7 days week, with out-of-hours access controlled by an entry system based on staff or student ID Cards.

Printing facilities are available in or near to all PC classrooms.

All PCs have DVD writers and USB ports

Disabled Provision

For full details of disabled provision in PC classrooms and Library study places, please see fact sheets

• Computing Services for Disabled Students
• QG GEN002: Library Facilities and Services for Disabled Students

Classroom Code of Conduct

In brief

• While full-class teaching is taking place (eg a lecture or demonstration), it is permissible for staff to exclude other students from the classroom, and to require that students do not use the classroom printer(s). Staff should indicate that access is not permitted to non class members by posting a notice on the door(s) to the room.
• If full-class teaching is not taking place, then, once staff have ensured that all members of the class have the use of a computer, other students may be permitted to use any spare computers at the lecturer’s discretion.
• When a computer classroom is not booked, the computers in the room are available for ad hoc use by registered users of University of Aberdeen computing facilities.
• Displays located around the campus indicate when rooms are booked for teaching and when they are free.

The full code is available on our Codes of Practice and Policy documents page. Posters displaying the full Code of Conduct are posted in all computer classrooms.

Help

Needing help? First see our Using Lecture Theatre PCs - FAQ. If you don't find the answer in our FAQ, please contact the Service Desk - extn 3636, servicedesk@abdn.ac.uk - for help.

Installation

DIT is responsible for the installation of all PC classroom software. The software falls roughly into two categories: Common Applications, which IT Services provides, and departmental software which individual departments provide. Software is not usually installed for individual use, nor at the request of undergraduate or taught postgraduate students.

It is the responsibility of staff submitting software to us for installation in the classrooms to ensure that it is appropriately licensed for its intended use. Within this environment, software should be licensed for concurrent use, either as a site license or as a limited number of (concurrent) licenses. License limits can be enforced, as can the assignment of the software to particular classrooms. If wish to restrict the availability of your software to particular locations, or youd like help negotiating the licensing of software for classroom use, please email Derek Findlay at d.findlay@abdn.ac.uk.

Applications

Current software

The software available on classroom machines is presented on the Desktop in a College folder format with School sub-folders for ease of use. The Common Applications folder is a group of software provided and supported by IT Services.

For a listing of the software currently available for your College, click on the appropriate link below.

• Common Applications
• Arts and Social Sciences
• Life Sciences and Medicine
• Physical Sciences

Proposed software

The local files on all the classroom systems are usually reloaded during the summer vacation to accommodate software upgrades and any new items of software required for the following academic year. This is a major undertaking and we ask staff to ensure that any changes they wish to make to their software portfolios are submitted to us before the end of June. Failing that, there can be no guarantee that the software will be available as required. Furthermore, it is essential that staff confirm that their applications running to their satisfaction well in advance of their requirement for them.

See details of proposed upgrades to IT classroom software for academic year 2013-14.

For further information regarding the installation of classroom software please contact Stewart Finnie - ext 3349 or s.finnie@abdn.ac.uk.

Virtual Classroom (VNC)

VNC (Virtual Network Computing) is a remote control system that allows you to control a PC. This means you could run an Aberdeen University computing classroom Windows PC from your own Windows PC. Currently there are two classroom machines running VNC to which you can connect.

• See our fact sheet for guidance on using the VNC

Audio-Visual Support

Old Aberdeen: Media Services provide Audio-Visual equipment and technical support across the University and also assist with AV support at King's College Conference Centre. For further information about services, available equipment, booking and charges, visit the Audio-Visual Support website.

Medical School: Medical Illustration provides a comprehensive range of services for teaching, research and publication for the College of Life Sciences and Medicine and NHS Grampian. They also provide a specialist media service for other departments within the University. For further information about services and contact details, visit the Medical Illustration web pages.

Lecture Capture - Camtasia Relay

Use Camtasia Relay lecture capture software to record your lectures. Record everything on your computer screen, along with your voice, from any Camtasia enabled classroom. The resulting video files are published to the University’s streaming media server. Once on the server, you can link to the video files from any web page or the MyAberdeen VLE.

• Fill in the Camtasia Relay service registration form
• You'll find quick start guides, together with an up-to-date list of Camtasia enabled classrooms, on the Media Services Camtasia web page.

For a full list of bookable teaching classrooms, see below.

The Registry is responsible for all centrally timetabled rooms on the Old Aberdeen and Medical School campus.

Course-coded bookings

To make a booking for a course, please complete a booking form and submit electronically or as an attachment to (registry@abdn.ac.uk), Registry, University Office.

One-off bookings
For one-off bookings at all times, ie all bookings (including evening and vacations) that do not carry course codes, please complete a booking form and submit electronically or as an attachment to (roombookings@abdn.ac.uk), Registry, University Office.

A timetable is placed on the door of each of the bookable rooms at the start of each week giving detail of bookings; you can also check our real-time display of where you can find freeseats in the classrooms.

• Old Aberdeen - www.abdn.ac.uk/freepcs
• Foresterhill - www.abdn.ac.uk/freepcs/FH
• Library - www.abdn.ac.uk/freepcs/LIB

Bookable Computer Classrooms

The Library: Bookable PC Classrooms are also available on Floor 2 of the University Library - classrooms 1, 2 and 3. When not being used for teaching purposes, the computers in these classrooms are open access and may be used for individual working. See the Library web pages for details www.abdn.ac.uk/library/facilities/computer/pc-clusters.

Booking PC Classrooms for Conferences, Training Courses, Summer Schools, etc

Computer classrooms

University computer classrooms can be booked for external training courses, conferences, etc, provided they are not required for University teaching. Availability within University term-time is very limited but during vacations, openings are usually available.

Charges are based on the size of the room as listed below. Classroom sizes vary from 8 to 50 - see Booking for Teaching for details. Not all are suitable for external events, but we can advise on suitability as well as availability.

All charges quoted are exclusive of VAT which will be charged at the standard rate.

Charges include issue of guest or temporary accounts for use in the classroom booked - see below.

There will be a cancellation charge of 10% of the classroom booking charge, if cancellation is made less than one week before booking is due to start.

Software requirements

Software requirements should be discussed with IT Services before confirming a booking, to ensure availability and check licensing arrangements. This should be done at least 14 working days in advance of any booking, when we would also require the media to install any software. An additional charge of £180 will be made for the installation of additional software or data for use in the classroom.

Audio-Visual requirements and charges

Charges for additional AV equipment required for external seminars or conferences, together with charges for the hire of Technical support, can be found on the Audio Visual web pages.

Booking individual PCs in a Hall of Residence

For exclusive use of a computer room in a Hall or Residence, charges are as above.

If the whole room is not required, individual PCs in a Hall of Residence computer room may be booked in University vacations. Use of the non-booked PCs in the room remains available to other residents. Charges include issue of guest or temporary accounts - the number of accounts issued is limited to 20 x the number of booked PCs.

Guest and Temporary accounts

Guest and Temporary accounts are for use by visitors to the University, such as conference attendees, participants in short courses or summer schools, and organised groups staying in University Halls of Residence. They are also available to people visiting the University on business, working with an academic department or administrative section. They are not for use by casual visitors to the University or city.

For more information about these accounts, including current charges where applicable, see Computing access for visitors on the IT Services website for more.

Enquiries

To enquire about the availability of a computer classroom, call IT Services on +44 (0)1224 273284.

Bookings for individual PCs in a Hall of Residence should be made by the Conference and Events Office or Hall Management through whom the Hall accommodation is being arranged.