Davidson College - Computers

Quick Stats

College Prowler Take

Fact: Students check e-mail and Facebook several times a day. This means that it is more convenient to have your own computer. Most students and professors use e-mail as a basic means of communication; the expectation is that you will have gotten the e-mail your professor sent last night and acted on it before class today. As a result, you may become an addictive e-mail-checker like everyone else here. In addition, more and more classes now use the online classroom service Blackboard, which means students frequently have to log on to post assignments and download information. It is still possible to get along without a computer, however, and students who don’t have their own have no problem finding space in public labs. The one exception is during exam time at the end of the semester, when all labs are booked to capacity; however, Davidson has a monitor in each lab that shows which computers are currently available and where they are located, which makes it much easier to find a computer when labs are crowded.

Davidson’s wireless network is generally good, but as students mentioned, it can occasionally be a little sketchy when you venture too far from the buildings. For students that are having problems with their computers, Davidson’s student-staffed ResNet department is willing to help by coming to your dorm room and providing free consultation and repair. As for technology, Davidson just finished constructing two new group study spaces in the Belk computer lab, which makes group projects a lot easier by allowing several students to share a large screen on the wall while still using their individual laptops (or the provided computers). Davidson shows a consistent dedication to providing the most up-to-date technology to its students, and as a result they generally feel that the array of computers and technology is more than sufficient.

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Students Speak Out

DavRB says: Davidson College 2016 Math and Statistics February 16, 2009

Students should bring their own... Students should bring their own computers, just becasue it's easier and most do, but there is no reason whatsoever to bring your own printer. The computer labs here get busy around exam time, but even then, there's always one available to print out your paper on. I just started using the Belk Lab, and I really love it and the computer programs offered there, like Mathematica. The network has never gone down while I've been here, and I get all my bars of wireless everywhere on campus, even the basement of the library. 12345 Report

Anonymous says:

As the lead student consultant for... As the lead student consultant for Davidson’s Residential Networking department, I am confident to say that Davidson has one of the fastest, most secure, and tightly-knit wired and wireless networks that a college can offer. Davidson equally supports PC and Macintosh computers on campus, and offers a host of free software to its students. The labs are very well equipped, and are usually only crowded a few weeks before exams. It would be advantageous to bring a computer, since professors use the network extensively for sending assignments and class information. 12345 Report

Anonymous says:

Davidson certainly keeps pace with... Davidson certainly keeps pace with technology, and the results are quite evident in the classroom. I was in a public speaking course last semester in which the professor filmed each student speaking in front of the class for over 20 separate assignments. Every speech was posted electronically the following day on Blackboard, so we could review from our dorm rooms and judge our progress. While it’s a little scary to see yourself on camera, I think that’s a true testament to Davidson’s commitment to taking technology and learning hand-in-hand. 12345 Report

Anonymous says:

The computer network is fast and... The computer network is fast and efficient, and the labs are crowded only around exam times. I would definitely recommend bringing your own computer if you can, though. 12345 Report

Anonymous says:

Definitely bring your own... Definitely bring your own computer, but there are good labs available. 12345 Report

Facts

Did You Know?

The majority of classrooms on campus are now equipped with computers. Renovations to Chambers included a high-powered digital projection system in each room, allowing professors a full range of DVD, VCR, Internet, and PowerPoint options.

Most Recent Contributing Author

Name: Annie Maietta
Hometown: Weston, MA
Major: Undecided

Annie has four siblings: one of her older sisters went to Davidson, and her younger brother aspires to.

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