Smartclasses in AUC

Maintain, Supervise, and Train

50 smart classrooms

at American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt

INTRODUCTION

Name of employer: American University in Cairo
Duration of work: from November 2003 till present
Job Title: Classroom Technologies and Media Services Engineer (CTMS Eng)

BACKROUND

The American University in Cairo is a 90 years old educational institute based in Cairo. Today, it consists of Downtown campus (Tahrir Square, called DT campus) accommodating two active buildings, and another campus located in New Cairo, 260 Hectare area (called NC campus). Almost all classrooms are media equipped (roughly 320 classrooms). In Down town campus, CTMS department, operate, and maintain 46 smart classrooms, 2 video conference rooms, 18 students multipurpose computer room, two meeting room (each around 50 seats), one memorial 950 seats theater (Ewart Hall), and one 150 seats historical hall (Oriental hall). Systems installed in DT campus varies according to functionality, and room usage, ranging from simple audio visual projection system with switching facility to the state of the art video conference multi-purpose room, or professional sound system in the 950 memorial hall. That is beside portable systems to serve non-equipped classrooms and / or outdoor in-campus events.

My job responsibility is:

Purpose: I can translate identified goals through all processes to produce working, maintainable, reproducible, documented, user friendly smart classrooms and learning systems
Dimensions: This is a unique position in CTMS requiring me to take personal responsibility to provide for continuous working smart classrooms. I will directly maintain major systems and supervise the light maintenance of the smart classroom systems, and other CTMS teaching/learning equipment. I will research, identify and evaluate outside suppliers for technology components, repair and maintenance services as required.
Primarily I interact with other CTMS staff. However, I perform a critical interface between other AUC departments such as Facilities and Services and Supply Chain Management. I Work on-site as well as departmental offices and other work areas where needed. I frequently on daily basis in contact with faculty, staff and administrators as service end-users as well as supervise the CTMS technical helpers.

PERSONAL ENGINEERING ACTIVITY

I am responsible for non-stop operation and 1st level for maintenance of current and smart classrooms. This implements daily classroom checking by myself, or instructing technical helpers to inspect our systems according to checklist. I invented three levels of checklists. Operational checklist, maintenance checklist, and first line service (technical/visual) checklist. I scheduled those three levels of inspections As supervising the duties, I personally applied those lists to random rooms to time the duration that the technicians takes to fulfill any of those three checklists, thus knowing the duration to finish the Falaky building (out of DT campus) that have 36 smart classrooms, one video conference, and one general purpose computer classroom.

I supervise installations, major and minor repairs, upgrades, renovations and wiring of smart classrooms. I inspect technical the room under installation, taking into consideration ambient light, location of light fixture, light switch, Air conditioning control, room orientation, for the purpose of newly introduced AV system to a “Classroom” to become a “Smart-Classroom”. I pay special attention to confirm engineering codes, University guidelines and safety regulations.

I am responsible to solve installation and architectural conflicts. For example, the two video conference rooms, were too small and of high profile. So the university agreed to budget rear projection extra costs including mirroring technique. I installed 4 screens with 4 different mirroring techniques in the two rooms (each room acquired two projection screens).

Maintain system documentation; keep master system cabling, wiring, schematic layouts, dimensions, specifications of all CTMS systems. Firstly the design stage, where the room is pictured and measured. I draw (or instruct to draw) the layout of the room, in order to locate the best area for the teacher console, having the best view for all the students seats, and has under his hands all the control for the ceiling lights, and AV system control. I generate as-built drawing after soft starting the system, and testing all functionalities.

I provide timely and up-to-date training and information to CTMS technical staff, including regular refresher sessions and notify to all relevant staff of modification or changes to CTMS systems. I do also provide training to the system users, introduce the newly functions to both faculty and students to make best use of the system and accommodate those equipment to best serve their presentations and education. That includes but not limited to new software programs installed in the room installed computer, and new devices. For example, I made additional use of a document camera. By connecting it to the room pc via USB cable, I used the document camera as video shooting camera to record the class session as per the teacher requirement. By this implementation, I introduced new function to an existing device, saved around 20 minutes that the technical helper used to get a circulating video shooting camera, increased lifetime for the department resources.

I advise and recommend system improvement up-grades or changes. Since October 2003, and each year project is different than the previous one.

In October 2003, I supervised the installation of 6 new smart-classrooms. It was an old system, mechanical AV switcher, and budget constraints.

In August 2004, I supervised the installation of 6 new smart-classrooms. It was the same kind of installation but using a simple, yet electronic, AV switcher.

In August 2005, I supervised the renovation to existing 6 old smart-classrooms. New AV switcher and new kind of installation is introduced with shorter rack. Same year, we installed large venue data projector implementing new technology at that time, which was transmitting the VGA computer signal via UTP cable.

In September and January 2006, I supervised the installation of 6 new smart-classrooms, and renovating 6 old smart-classrooms.

In May to December 2007, I was part in a team to supervise the installation of 240 new smart-classrooms in the New Cairo campus. They are state-of-the-art audio visual systems, with wireless video transmission between the sources and the data-projector, up scaling for composite video signal to XGA resolution, and control system via 14” touch screen. I was responsible to rectifying soft starting the 240 rooms with all the fine adjustments that dictated our presence on campus for more than 16 hours daily for 6 months.

In July 2009, I supervised the installation of 36 new smart-classrooms.

I monitored the installed system, and how my clients (teachers, instructors, faculty, and students) are using and operating the system, or calling us for any kind of help. I first categorized those comments as functionality, or way of installation or software demands. Then I record the incident in my log file (I called it classroom help.

I recommend, identify, and locate potential cost effective smart classroom system enhancements. I do this by keeping up-to-date with newly introduced devices in the international as well as the local market. I am keen to register in technical sites and attending local and international seminars and / or exhibitions that demonstrate new technologies and brands.

I develop equipment life-cycle repair or replacement schedule. I schedule all preventive maintenance and replacements timings over Google documents drive. Using technology to automatically remind designated helpers to their tasks and programming automated equipment for email notification about device status and technical flags.

I participate in short and long range system planning. By analyzing all the collected data and getting the right statistics, that feedback is the major milestone for deciding and fine tuning what is to be done the next time we do it again. For example, This treat was so beneficial, when I, with my department heads, were able to prove factory faults for 23 data projectors that we bought on October 2003. Those projectors were brand ASK, model C105, and C95. The problem existed when the lamps blown after short durations ranging from 90 hours to 700 hours. The normal data projector lifetime is 2000 hours. I went investigating the circumstances. I checked the installation techniques used, collected lamp hour timer daily for those projectors, collected information about how many times the projectors is turned on and off. I installed testing device that reads and records the temperature and humidity 24 hours in some classrooms where those under inspection projectors where installed there. I measured the electric volt feeding the rooms. To execute all previously mentioned, I used testing devices, and made use of supplied software along with internet connections to remotely connect and collect a lot of those data needed. At the end, we replaced those projectors, for free, with another brand. I helped saving to my department EGP250,000.

Of course, my main responsibility is to troubleshoot and problem-solve system malfunctions. After 18 years of hands-on experience, I obtained operational proficiency in all equipment and services. I always involve myself in fixing and solving technical and operations malfunctions. I use all the available testing devices, as well as different maintenance approaches to fix troubles in the minimum duration available. From statistics, rate of help calls is reduced dramatically after one year of my presence, while email complaints have vanished after three years.

Till today, I pursue to learn how to design and program different integrated control systems, other than the major manufacturers in the field of control systems; I keep track of all other manufacturers and market’s approach / introduction of new brands, techniques or technologies. Best example for that is when I realized that Information Technology and computer networking is becoming essential in AV field, so I progressed to achieve CISCO certified network associate (CCNA)

I acquired team management and daily operation skills when I was involved in circulation equipment transactions at the AUC. Planning the circulating packages, and ready-made device with accessories. I invented portable carriage with installed projector, laptop, and video player that moves and serves non-equipment areas or rooms. I helped as well in inventing and installing a “crisis carriage” that serves the smart-classrooms when faulty device accidents occurred which allowed to replace the projector in 3 minutes duration, and then fixing the fault afterwards when the room is not occupied.

I learned event organizing during my job in handling all events held in the memorial hall Ewart, serving international events, and international guest speakers like Noble price holder, Dr. Ahmed Zewail, Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned. Those kinds of events dictated me to implement all kind of audio visual techniques, operations and deployment of backup systems for light current systems serving the events and be in close contact and co-ordinatioon with other department serving the event. Those events usually required audio, sophisticated multiple projection screens and techniques, interpretation, video shooting, feeding audio lines to satellite channels cameras, audio recording, internet access for speakers and attendees, video streaming, and multiple remote viewing areas, indoor and outdoor as well. This variance of needs allowed me to teach myself in practice more system integrations, and to apply those technicalities in a simple, smooth and as well as practicing to minimize installation periods as least as it should in a proper pleasant, and neat fashion.

One of the good examples to demonstrate my engineering capabilities is the introduction of 36 smart-classroom project in “Falaky” building on year 2009.

3 months earlier, I conducted survey for all the available classrooms including furniture, light fixture, electric outlets. Detailed drawings with dimensions and information. CTMS head department chose the most suitable sized.
I then decided the new layout to accommodate the AV system, with new location for the teacher console, light control switch, the ceiling light distribution. I technically designed the projection screen location, size, and the surrounding ceiling light fixtures. Consequently, I identified the projector location, and from which the cable route.
I was member of the team to select the system components. I requested one of each device; and along with the building and grounds workshop department, we both took the decision to how to install the room computer and document camera, insuring the architectural aspects as well as ease of use, handy operation, and securing the equipment as well. I decided to install the 36 teacher consoles (including the DVD, room PC, document camera, AV controller, and network switch) outside the smart-classrooms, and make them ready to plug and play.
After the contractor finished cable pulling, projection screen installation, and projector mount installation, I confirmed the installation as designed and tested all fixtures and cables. In co-ordination with the rooms operations, we scheduled 6 rooms per day to connect and tweak the system after firing up. I finished the project before scheduled.

Summary

Overall, I established other treats than technicalities in the field of system integration, like operations, documentations, asset management, fleet management (circulating equipment), event organizing, and financial budgeting.
After 10 years serving the American University in Cairo, CTMS department has upgraded themselves from a media service department with 10 circulating data projectors, and 50 overhead projectors to a 358 AV equipped areas including 340 smart-classrooms, 2 theaters (1000+ seats), 12 meeting rooms, and 4 auditorium. I can state with confidence, that for the first 2 years during my career within, I was the only engineer in the department and did participate positively in achieving university goals.