SCOV Technology Club Executive Summary

The SCOV Technology Club provides a variety of technical services for the residents of SCOV. These are, but are not limited to, education and assistance with operation of computers, tablets, cell phones, printers, Wi-Fi, Smart House devices, streaming TV, and theater installation and operation. These are done either through regularly scheduled classes or by direct assistance to residents by phone, help sessions, or in-home visits.

     The Club’s current facility in the Welcome Center is well equipped to provide these services, and the Club’s technical staff is familiar with this equipment. The room is adequately sized to meet our current and growing membership (currently over 200 and over 250 in some years before Covid).

     Therefore, we would prefer to stay where we currently are located and avoid the considerable expense and complexity of moving and rewiring a different facility for proper Tech Club training support.

Tech Club location criteria:

The following is a list of criteria deemed necessary to maintain our present and projected club activity. Our club BOD is available to discuss these criteria should it be necessary.

  1. Room size about what we have now and can be sufficiently darkened so that an overhead projector can be used and seen by the entire audience.
  2. We need a pull-down screen and an prewired overhead projector. The project should have at least 2 HDMI wired inputs from the instructor area to the projector. The projector must be able to be controlled by the instructor and/or be able to “cast” a computer, phone, or tablet image to the projector. Our projector is now over 10 years old and might need replacement.
  3. We would prefer to have desks or tables like we have now, in the same or similar present arrangement, with the instructions desk at the front of the room and from there controlling an overhead projector and instructor microphone. Desks or tables are needed in a training environment for the student on which to take notes, support student equipment or teaching demonstrations.
  4. We no longer have computers/monitors etc. on the desktops because most people bring their own phones, tablets, or laptops. Computers and monitors on the desk get in the way of individuals that bring their own devices and are also a line-of-sight issue for attendees during instruction. The exception is that we will maintain instructor computers at the front of the room.
  5. All lighting must also be able to be controlled by the instructor and be able to be shut on and off within the room depending on the lighting needs of the projector and instructor.
  6. We recommend 2 chairs per desk so it will basically give us seating for 35 people and 2 instructors (line of sight will be better because the computers are gone). 
  7. We would like one instructor’s desk and 2 instructor chairs (as we now have). Like most clubs, many instructors use their own computer but as an alternative, an instructor can use a club-supply computer already attached to a overhead projector.
  8. In addition to the desks, we will need space for printing, scanning equipment, our Flight simulators, and possible x-box gaming area. (Approximately 60 sq ft per simulator)
  9. We have now and would like to keep our own Wi-Fi as it is now (a special agreement with Comcast).
  10. We recommend having our own wiring closet using our own modem, router, switch, NAS, printers, and instructor’s table. (We presently have all this hardware and would still use it unless a new location dictates different network hardware) The network/wiring closet needs a lock to prevent unauthorized access, However, the Club systems administrator would always need access. 
  11. We desire to have each desk location wired so there are electrical outlets and Ethernet connections available for members or customers to use as we presently have. That means extending ethernet wiring from a wiring closet (via a router) to each student location. This would provide them a possible wired connection to the internet which under most conditions is faster than Wi-Fi.
  12. We need some lockable storage area (as we have now). We accept old computers for donation and need a place to put them before cleaning and donating them. We also need locking storage for teaching equipment that is too bulky to be constantly carried in and out of the room.
  13. The door to the room should have a lock so we can control the room use (Like the library).
  14. The room needs the capability to be set up to use an owl so we can zoom classes if necessary. (We presently have and use our own Owl)
  15. There should be a Wi-Fi clock at the back of the room so the instructor can always see it.
  16. Sound proofing – Depending on the room allocation, with up to 35 students and multiple instructors, we would suggest that we have a reasonably well sound proofed room. I do know that at present we are located next to the WC3 and in spite of having 35 people in the Tech Club room for a class next to a crowded WC3, the noise level appeared acceptable to both groups.  

Additional Important issues to consider:

  1. Wi-Fi/ethernet issue:

Whenever any large group assembles (no matter what SCOV area is used), People now often bring their phones, laptops, or tablets. Once they enter a room where free SCOV internet access is supplied, their devices could immediately switch to that SCOV Wi-Fi source (if previously setup). If that Wi-Fi source is also being used by the SCOV administration or another group, tests have shown that all access will be slowed appreciably during any tech class or large help session that uses that internet access (and most do to some extent). For this reason, the Tech Club has our own free Comcast supplied internet via our own dedicated ethernet and Wi-Fi access using our own network equipment. This free access was supplied for primarily one reason: the Tech Club has our own multi-seat adult training facility. Comcast is supporting us as “a training facility”. Should we lose our facility or training designation because we no longer provide some of these services, we run the risk of losing our free Internet access and would end up reverting to the situation where our tech class would have to use the SCOV ethernet/Wi-Fi system and could therefore hinder internet access speeds for anyone else in that building. In addition, if we were to be relocated, our Comcast internet would have to be moved, the room rewired to allow for the reinstallation of our ethernet, routers modem and accompanying network equipment (like our NAS, scanners, gaming equipment and printers.)

  1. Class instruction scheduling:

All our trainers are volunteers and supplying the needs of our club is often time-consuming. Scheduling a room location separate from other louder activities could end up being difficult if we didn’t have our own facility. In addition, if we had to schedule a non-club room, we would be competing with all the other clubs in SCOV for a reasonable date and time. In addition, it would mean adding set-up time to our training, having to transport our needed equipment, and possibly having to settle for a training site that doesn’t lend itself to our use. At present, the Tech Club controls all scheduling access to our Lab. This gives us the first opportunity of securing a date and time for our scheduled training classes or help sessions. It also provides storage for our training tools (so we don’t have to lug them back and forth from home) One outcome of a possible move to an unacceptable location would be a reduction in our training schedule and the type of training and help we could provide. 

Supporting information based on present Club activities and related facilities usage:

The Technology Club efforts are teaching classes, device training, and “tech” help desk type support of all types of hardware and software including networking, printing, TV streaming, Wi-Fi, smart house, application issues, application support, Phone usage, and automobile system issues. We also offer our room and facilities to other groups for their training and teaching activity. The sewing group, AARP Tax training, photography club, genealogy club, and the HOA itself have all taken advantage of our facility, Wi-Fi, hardware, and audio/video capabilities. The following are general facilities needs and equipment requirements based on our various training and device situations:

  1. Large group general meeting held the 2nd Monday of each month October thru April/May:

Prior to Covid, our general meetings were held in the activity center auditorium and attendance was usually around 75 to 200 people depending on the time of year. We normally had in-house presenters but occasionally we had visiting speakers. In each case, we usually used all the pull-down screens in the auditorium, laptop projector access for our presentations, and the sound system and microphones for speaker interaction. We are restarting those sessions fall of 2023. 

  1. General Help sessions for Apple Products, Android Products, Windows PC and Microsoft Products.

These are multiple monthly walk-in sessions where if people need assistance, they attend on a pre-scheduled date and time relative to their tech product. We generally have 2 open sessions per month/product group for apple, android, and windows devices. The attendance ranges from 5 to 12 people per session. If we can’t help them during the general session, we schedule a private session. During these general help sessions, we use the internet via the club installed ethernet cabling or Wi-Fi, and our dedicated, FREE, comcast supplied internet connection. We also use our own installed overhead projector and sound system. If the club were to be re-located, all this equipment would have to be re-installed or purchased new based on the chosen site. We also need a room area capable of darkening sufficiently to use the overhead projector.

  1. Private help sessions for the same product types but in a one-on-one situation (access provided via our help desk phone numbers)

As mentioned, we often reschedule a help session for a person if they need special attention or have more complicated issues. Along the same lines, anyone in the club can call our help desk line and ask for personal assistance. These sessions are generally scheduled to occur in the Tech lab using tech club systems hardware if necessary. We probably do 10 to 30 of these private help sessions a month depending on the time of year. Should we move, we would also request a phone be placed in our location to assist us in screening/scheduling of the help desk calls.

  1. General class instruction for products and software in addition to: TV streaming, Theater hookups, smart house lessons and support, scanning, video auditing, photo editing, networking and internet and cell phone theory classes.

As mentioned, one of the primary Tech Club goals is to provide training on the newest tech equipment and software. To that end, we generally offer 6 to 10 two-hour classes per month in numerous subjects from the simple to the complex. Some examples are Apple software training on Phones, iPads, Tablets, and laptops. We also do similar sessions for window products and Android products. In addition, we offer technical classes like: How cell phones work, How the internet works, Intro to networking, what is a smart house and what devices can be used, what are QE codes, Can I cut my TV cord? What is streaming and how does it work? These are class subjects that would be hard to find at other retirement communities. They also take a lot of instructor effort, equipment, and training facilities area and equipment. These classes are very popular and are attended by 8 to 40 people. Because of facilities limitations, we sometimes must turn some individuals away and maybe offer the class a second time. For some of these classes we use all our seating/facility capacity, our training computers, overhead projector, chalkboard, and sound system, without which we might not be able to offer these classes. Classes are therefore a primary use of our facility area and equipment!

  1. Home Visit Support

Home visits are like the private help sessions mentioned above, the difference being that they aren’t able to bring their hardware/software/networking issue to the Tech Lab, so we go to them. Generally, no Tech Lab equipment is used unless we fix something. If equipment is needed, we will supply it if we have it in our inventory otherwise we recommend that the customer purchase equipment to resolve the issue and will come back to assist in the installation.

  1. Equipment recommendations for members

As part of our training classes, we occasionally discuss and demonstrate equipment and software and make recommendations based on our experience or evaluation. Often this equipment evaluation occurs in the Tech Lab as preparation for the scheduled presentation. These types of classes require various storage capabilities (to store our demo hardware in the Tech Lab) and addition “hook up” scenarios that are available in the lab but would require jury rigging anywhere else and possible experimenting damage in those facilities.

  1. We share our room and internet access with other groups. We also share our facility with other clubs for training. To utilize our facility to the fullest, a few years ago, we instituted the policy of providing access to our room and equipment to as many other clubs and the SCOV admin as possible. To that end the Photo club, Genealogy Club, sewing club, AARP, Library, and our SCOV administration have all utilized our facilities at one time or another. We, however, have maintained the scheduling of the Tech Lab to maintain the equipment, training and access to as many club members and other clubs as possible.
  1. The Future – Gaming and simulator use:

Recently, the Tech Club had assembled a complete Microsoft Flight Simulator cockpit complete with joystick, throttle, foot petals and 180 degrees of monitor coverage in the Tech Lab. This was accomplished via donations of club members and additional club funds. We will be offering demonstrations and the use of the simulator to all club members sometime in the future. In addition, should our venture into simulators and games, we may install an additional simulator and possibly a whole MS Xbox gaming system. The younger generation will look forward to these updated devices as the SCOV residents age out. Each simulator assembly needs about 60 square ft and so will an MS Xbox gaming station. This is one aspect of future Tech Club trends. Should relocation be considered, around 180 sq ft should be allowed for our future endeavors.