The need to keep documentation

• We made documentation for Mt.Calvary that included the hardware and software inventories, the security settings, links, setup information (passwords, account names), and network settings. We also included the computer maintenance printout from Martin’s lecture.
  Link to documentation we provided: http://hive.lis.illinois.edu/download/attachments/4814/MtCalvary+Info+Packet.doc
  Link to the to do list: http://hive.lis.illinois.edu/download/attachments/4814/MtCalvary+To+Do+List.doc

Planning/organization skills for a technical project

• We made an implementation plan and numerous checklists/to-do lists
• The work was divided with the three of us working on individual projects (like finding the links, installing a specific program, etc.), but collaborating on larger issues.
• The need for continuous communication was important, especially with our site coordinators. We ended up calling them a few times to get faster responses.
• Even with the best organizational skills and preparation, sometimes little glitches can cause time-consuming problems. An example of this was when WinXP would not allow certain programs to run in the user/non-administrative accounts.

Technical skills

• We learned many technical skills including:
• How to make cables
• Hardware troubleshooting and replacement
• Software troubleshooting (especially with WinXP)
• Basic networking knowledge and troubleshooting
• Awareness and implementation of computer security measures
• Use of the Confluence Wiki (which was wonderful to use)

Research skills

• We had to research and find software and links that were reliable, trusted, and free for our site. This often meant looking for open source programs.

Interpersonal skills

• This project was a new and sometimes trying experience. We learned that positive motivation and support are essential aspects of technical work – especially when group members are feeling stressed and/or overwhelmed.

Service learning

• We felt that our site coordinators and church members really appreciated our work. They were generous with their time and supportive of our efforts. We were happy that they wanted to be involved with the install, and were grateful for the technical assistance. Getting to spend this extra time with our site coordinators helped us to understand the impact that this lab will have on the East St. Louis community.