Mac computers to retire from classroom teaching stations in Fall 2019

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Published March 13, 2019 This content is archived.

By Joe Ferguson

Due to extremely low utilization, UBIT will retire MacOS computers from centrally scheduled classroom teaching stations prior to the start of the Fall 2019 semester. Less than 2% of time that instructors spend on UB's teaching stations is spent on the provided MacOS computers, and that number continues to fall.

In 2017, only 10% of UB faculty members reported ever using the Macs in the teaching stations. By contrast, 40% of instructors reported using the teaching station’s Windows computers.

Faculty members can continue to connect their own devices through UB's teaching stations. UBIT’s goal is to provide better support to more instructors, by refocusing efforts on the teaching technology that UB instructors prefer to use.

Looking ahead

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In addition to providing better support for existing teaching technology, retiring Mac computers from technology classrooms will also allow UBIT to standardize and modernize teaching technology in UB’s classrooms.

Among other projects, UBIT is focusing on providing more Webex-enabled conferencing in classrooms, as well as bringing wireless connectivity for personal devices to teaching stations. Both these features will be implemented in more UB classrooms over the next few years.