We know that many faculty are interested in getting T&I's recommendations for equipment purchases as you design your classes and plan for remote instruction. This article contains recommended functionality and specifications for the most commonly requested equipment, and links to suggested models that you may be interested in purchasing.
If you haven't already, please start by reviewing our Recommendations for Improving Remote Instruction.
Additionally, many of these recommendations assume a reliable broadband internet connection. If you need assistance in that area, please review our guide on Improving Internet Performance When Working Remotely or From Home.
Please note that due to high demand, we can not guarantee that any of the equipment recommended or linked to in this article will be available for purchase.
Purchasing
Faculty Technology Grants
- Faculty who have complete the Digital Learning Institute, created a syllabus for an online or hybrid course, and participated in the peer review process are eligible for a $500 technology grant to buy equipment to support digital teaching and learning.
Monitors and Tablets
- These devices will be tagged and entered in to our inventory system, and collected should you depart the college so that they may be re-deployed on campus.
- If you are purchasing a monitor or tablet using funds from a faculty technology grant, please submit your order using this form:
- Faculty Grant Hardware Requests for Monitors and Tablets
- Equipment purchased via this form will automatically be routed for approval. There is no need to email a separate proposal.
- Bulk orders for tablets will be placed on Friday, July 24th and Friday, August 7th. Please place your orders with T&I prior to those dates to ensure the fastest shipping possible. Orders placed after those dates will be handled individually, and may see longer shipping times.
- If you are purchasing a monitor or tablet with personal or departmental funding, please contact T&I directly at ti@davidson.edu or (704) 894-2900 so that we may assist in placing the order.
Microphones, Cameras, and Other Equipment
- Please email the Associate Dean of Faculty, Fuji Lozada (erlozada@davidson.edu), with a proposal for any equipment other than the monitors and tablets included on the above form.
- Include specific information about the technology you are planning to purchase, including cost and your reasons for requesting it.
- All other equipment should be purchased directly, and does not go through T&I. If you need assistance placing your orders, please work with your Departmental Coordinator.
Equipment
Cameras
A good web camera should offer high resolution, and one or more built-in microphones. We recommend cameras that have at least 1080p Full HD resolution.
Microphones
An external microphone can greatly enhance audio quality compared to a microphone that comes built in to a laptop or desktop machine. We recommend USB microphones for their plug and play capabilities and the improved audio experience it will offer your audience.
Monitors
We recommend Dell monitors due to a college contract that offers discounted pricing and warranties.
If you would like to order a monitor using faculty technology grant money, please use T&I's order form - Faculty Grant Hardware Requests for Monitors and Tablets. For all other purchases, contact us directly at ti@davidson.edu or (704) 894-2900.
Tablets
Tablets can be useful for digital whiteboarding, use as secondary screens or cameras, and for running specialized applications. We recommend purchasing a stylus to go with your tablet to aid in writing notes and digital whiteboarding.
If you would like to order a tablet using faculty technology grant money, please use T&I's order form - Faculty Grant Hardware Requests for Monitors and Tablets. For all other purchases, contact us directly at ti@davidson.edu or (704) 894-2900.
Document Cameras
A USB document camera can function exactly like those offered in classrooms, and may be used as secondary cameras in Zoom when screen sharing.. A document camera should offer HD resolution, and we recommend considering features such as portability, built-in lighting, and the ability to capture images.
Disc Players
Most modern laptops no longer come with built-in disk drives. Whenever possible, we recommend working with the Library to digitize your media and make it available via streaming sources. For faculty who still need to share media found on DVDs and Blu-Ray disks, these may be necessary.
Lighting
A simple desk lamp or ring light can greatly enhance video quality during video conferences by eliminating shadows and making sure you are the brightest part of the image on screen. We recommend adjustable devices that offer diffuse lighting and brightness/temperature controls.