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Many
institutions use student assistants to assist in their
computing labs and provide other technology services at a
modest level. A few institutions have built programs that
far exceed most others by simultaneously
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raising the quality and level of technical service
within the institution and
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providing exceptional educational opportunities to the
participating students.
These
outstanding programs differ in many ways, but share most of
these characteristics:
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Demonstrably improve the level and quality of
information technology support services at dramatically
lower cost than any other option;
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Provide a wide range of
services for faculty, staff and students;
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Train
many students in technical, consulting and
organizational skills;
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Rely on (and develop) the ability of students to
supervise, train, and manage other students;
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Include students from both technical and non-technical
majors;
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Provide service learning options for participating
students;
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Allow many students to experience the benefits of
"learning by teaching"; and
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Enable many technology support
professionals to spend more time providing services that
make better use of their expertise.
The
STA Workbook.
This resource contains a
variety of worksheets, examples, and forms useful for
creating, diversifying, and enriching STA programs. (TLT
Group subscribers get a free copy, plus a site license for
legally printing as many free copies as they need.) [If your
institution is a subscriber, you can download the
pdf of
the workbook here -- you'll need the subscriber username
and password -- or you can make copies of your institution's
master copy.]
STA Consulting Services. If your institution needs
assistance in moving to the next step, The TLT Group can
provide several consulting services. We can do quick
assessment of your support services program with an eye
towards building an STA Program; in addition we can do a
complete implementation where we provide the on-campus
leadership to jump-start or improve your STA program.
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If
you're interested in expanding and diversifying your STA
program, your institution should consider subscribing to
the
TLT/Flashlight Network. The consulting
rates are lower, you will have access to the full range
of TLT Group materials and assessment tools, and we will
help you work with other Network members. STA programs
can help stretch resources; a subscription can virtually
pay for itself. If you need to write a grant proposal to
attract internal or external funding, we can supply some
draft text. To contact us, send e-mail to
online@tltgroup.org
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PO Box
5643,
Takoma Park, Maryland 20913
Phone:
301.270.8312/Fax: 301.270.8110
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To talk about our work
or our organization
contact: Sally Gilbert |
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