Caring for a Community

FAQs

What are the system requirements?

Hardware

  • Pentium® Class with processor speed of 900+ MHz (Program CAN be run at 266 MHz, but performance is not optimal.)
  • Sound card and speakers; headphones useful for computer labs
  • Display settings of at least 800 X 600 at high color (16 bit)
  • CD drive
  • 64 MB of memory
  • Floppy Disk Drive A (to report student progress)
  • 600 MB of free hard drive space for installation

Software

  • Windows® 95 or later
  • Adobe® Reader® version 4 or later
  • Web Browser (Internet Explorer® or Netscape®) version 3 or later
  • Windows Media® Player

For Computer Lab Use

In order to run correctly, this program will need to write a number of small files to the hard disk. Those files must be kept on the hard disk between user sessions.

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How do I install the program?

This program’s SETUP files should run automatically when the CD is inserted. If they do not, browse to the CD and double click on the file “Launch.exe.” This program will:

  1. Run a small program to install the Intel Video Codec (Compressor) Version 5. If your computer already has this set of compressors installed, you may choose to skip this step.
  2. Run the “COPC_Setup.exe” file. The setup program will install the files for the program on your hard disk and will provide you with shortcut icons, one under the Start Menu and one on your desktop.
  3. Questions or problems: (801) 581-8250
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How do I navigate through the program?

Program Order: You must work through this program in order. Once you complete a menu item, the next option becomes available. Available options appear in white; unavailable options in gray.

Menu Details: You can roll your mouse over a menu item to see more details.

Audio/Visual Controls: To stop an A/V segment, click PAUSE. To continue, click PLAY. (Due to technical limitations, you can’t fast forward or back up these segments.)

Data Access: To access some data, you will need to install Adobe® Reader®.

Web Browser: You need a web browser (but not an Internet connection) to use this program.

Computer Display: For best results, set your computer’s resolution higher than 800 X 600. (The program will run at 800 x 600, but features like Notes & Glossary will be more difficult to use.)

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Can faculty track student progress?

Faculty can easily track student progress through the COPC program. Here’s how:

  1. First install the COPC program on your own computer.
  2. When students are ready to report progress, instruct them to:
    • Open the COPC program on their computers.
    • Insert a blank floppy disk.
    • From the Main Menu screen, select the pulldown menu choice “Data / Copy My Data Files to a Floppy Disk.”
    • Wait patiently while the data copies. (This may take several minutes.)
    • Label the disk and turn it in to the instructor.
  3. Insert a student’s floppy disk into the “A” drive of your own computer.
  4. Start the COPC program and go to the Main Menu screen.
  5. Hold down the CTRL and ALT keys and press the “a” key.
  6. Follow the directions on the screen to check student progress.
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The program is really well done with a wealth of information. But it's kind of long. How much time does it take for students to complete the program? Can it be shortened?

Dr. Babitz responds: The main variables regarding the time required to complete this educational program are: 1) does the student choose to watch my optional presentations (three parts, lasting about 1.25 hours) in the Introduction in order to get a better feel for COPC, and 2) how many life cycles (age groups) are you going to ask the student to complete. Now that we have over one year's experience with this program, we have found that our students require about 3 hours to complete one life cycle (not including my optional presentations, which would add 1.25 hours). Since I require my students (seniors doing our required, 4-week Public/Community Project course) to complete two life cycles, they spend about 6 - 7 hours on the program.

I will share that our original goal was that it should take around 4 hours to complete this program (for one life cycle). This arbitrary choice of length was based upon our desire to have students appreciate that a community assessment takes longer than a focused history and physical on an individual. For this same rationale, we do not allow students to "fast forward" through interviews (not realistic) or exit the program in the middle of an interview and have it count as completed (not realistic), or stop in the middle of an intervention and have it count as completed (not realistic), etc.

Interestingly, our students have not complained about the time involved. In fact, they appreciate the fact that they can work on this "assignment" at their convenience (days, nights, weekends) and start and stop (after completing a particular section) and return to where they left off. Furthermore, our students have said that this program has helped them plan their required project for our course. They have encouraged us to tell future students to complete the program during their first week of the course.

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Does this program work on a Mac?

This program is only available on the PC. See System Requirements.