BY TASHA LUNNY
Your assignment is due in an hour and you need to find a computer lab on campus to work on it. You have no idea where to find that information and your deadline is quickly approaching. To help you out, Conestoga has produced a new mobile app dedicated to a problem just like this. “Conestoga Lab Search” helps students find available computer space on all campuses using only their phone.
Andrew McGivery, who works in Conestoga College’s systems integration and innovation department, said the app aims to make it as easy as possible to not only find open computer space, but also certain software packages and locations.
“It allows them to search through different ways, like you can say that you want to search for computers specifically on Doon campus, or you can say specific software packages like Photoshop,” McGivery said.
The app also allows students to distinctly choose common landmarks on campus such as the bookstore or Tim Hortons to help them pinpoint computers close to their location. This is helpful for any student who may not be familiar with the school.
The app was created after the department received student feedback that said finding available computer lab space was a common problem. McGivery said multiple parties identified that the college needed to do more IT work to make life easier for students.
“… So we kind of try and have a focus on projects like that.”
Conestoga Lab Search may just be the beginning of tech improvements for the Conestoga student body. The department is currently researching other ways to help make students time on campus as stress-free as possible.
“I think pretty much every student goes through the experience of being brand new and not knowing where their classes are, how to get to them, if they need to work on homework what labs they can go to or if they are even allowed to go in certain labs,” McGivery said. “There are all kinds of issues that we are looking at how to solve and make things easier for students.”
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