Information for Instructors

Help: Please email help@ideate.cmu.edu with requests and problems rather than sending a personal email directly to one of the staff.  Doing so helps us respond effectively even when team members are away or busy. If you do send a personal email, we will generally convert it into a help ticket anyway, so please save everyone some time and send any requests to help@ideate.cmu.edu.

Classroom access: IDeATe Instructors teaching in Hunt Library have CMU ID access to all IDeATe classrooms but not necessarily all labs or shops. If you have problems accessing your classroom or need access to additional rooms, please email help@ideate.cmu.edu.

Teaching assistants: If you plan to hire a TA through IDeATe, let us know in the semester prior to your class so we can help with the proper hiring steps. Both undergraduate and graduate enrolled students may be considered for an IDeATe Teaching Assistant position.  A typical TA schedule is 8 hours per week.

Please note:

• Language assessment is required for all nonnative speakers of English who want to work as teaching assistants (TAs) at Carnegie Mellon (this is in accordance with CMU policy and PA law).  If your candidate is a nonnative speaking student, please have them contact us.  We will help to coordinate a language evaluation with CMU’s Intercultural Communication Center.  The evaluation needs to occur before the hire can be processed.
• Students should not start work until their hire is processed in Workday.  Assistant Dean Kelly Delaney will confirm when this step is complete. Please consider at least a week of Workday processing time from when we receive the student’s application.
• If you have a TA arranged through another department, please send the names and Andrew IDs of your TAs to help@ideate.cmu.edu before classes start, so we can give them access to the appropriate rooms as well as borrowing privileges at IDeATe Lending.

To request complete both steps below:

1) Send a note, confirming your intent to hire someone, to help@ideate.cmu.edu.

2) Ask your student to apply for a TA position via our Work with Us page.

Lending access for instructors:

All instructors who teach IDeATe courses can borrow items from IDeATe Lending during hours of operation. Please be sure that your returned items are checked in and not just left outside the door to Lending or in a classroom, lab, or shop. If Lending is closed, items may be brought to our Admin Office, or, email help@ideate.cmu.edu, explain the circumstances and return the item when Lending reopens. If you know in advance that you will need an extended loan period on a particular item, please send an email to help@ideate.cmu.edu, and, demand permitting, we can usually make arrangements.

Lending equipment and course reserves:

If IDeATe has specialized equipment that you would like to be used exclusively by the students in your class, you can request the items be put in the course reserve section in Lending by emailing help@ideate.cmu.edu. These items will be loaned only to students on your course roster. If IDeATe is purchasing new equipment, or if you are bringing in gear for lending, it can take us several days to get items properly tagged and entered into the Lending system.  Please work with us in advance so we can have the items ready in time for your students.

Guest Speakers:

If you are interested in hosting a guest speaker in your class and would like to offer an honorarium or set up a speaker fee, notify us at least two weeks in advance by completing the guest speaker request form below.

Please note the difference between honorariums and speaker agreements, and when each of them is necessary. Refer to University Contracts Office Honorarium Guidance (pdf) to understand whether an honorarium payment or guest speaker contract is proper for your scenario or contact us at help@ideate.cmu.edu if you have questions.

An honorarium is considered a monetary “thank you” gift to that individual for their time and expertise after the event has occurred. This business process is used when a speaker provides a lecture or participates in the class unrecorded, and without expectation of compensation. If a guest has an expectation of payment, is being recorded, or payment must be made to an organization, then we must set up a speaker agreement contract in advance of their visit.  Our business office will request our University Contracts Office create a speaker agreement contact. Signatures need to be in place before the visit occurs.  At a minimum, this process needs 2 weeks of lead time, at a minimum.

To request: 

1) Complete a Guest Speaker Request form.

2) We will be in touch to discuss details and arrangements.

Consumable Supplies are no longer available at IDeATe Lending

Accessing Consumable Supplies:

Acrylic, plywood, cardboard, and other flatstock materials are available for projects on the laser cutters. Materials will be distributed, as needed, at the laser cutters, in Hunt A5B, to IDeATe students for projects related to IDeATe coursework. Although our materials are primarily stocked for laser cutting, they may be used for other IDeATe coursework that does not require laser cutting, e.g. IDeATe wood shop projects. IDeATe does not sell or provide material for non-IDeATe projects.  Materials will normally only be distributed during the normal laser cutter hours of operation.

If you need materials for in-class use or at other times when the laser cutter room may not be staffed, please make arrangements ahead of time by emailing help@ideate.cmu.edu. 

If students who do not have laser cutter room access need flat stock materials, they should either go to Hunt A5B and ring the door bell which is placed at the door when the room is staffed -or- email help@ideate.cmu.edu in advance.

Please note:  Consumable materials intended to be used for IDeATe courses are provided at no cost to our students and faculty.  If anyone would like to purchase material for a project outside of IDeATe coursework, they should purchase materials at the Art Store or at other local and online sources.

To ensure adequate stock:

Prior to the semester start, let us know at help@ideate.cmu.edu that you intend for your students to use the consumable materials, the timing of the project assignment(s), and the approximate type, size, and amount of material that will be needed.  This will help us to evaluate whether we need to stock up ahead for your class and if we need to make any special accomodations for distributing the materials.

Other course expenses:

In addition to all of the resources on this page, we know that there may be times when examples of unique expenses may arise to support the course.  IDeATe is able to support up to $500 toward a unique expense for our IDeATe-supported courses. Some examples might be field trip costs, student transportation costs for offsite visits, catering for course presentations or final critiques expenses.  If you have an exceptional request, please let us know about the details via the IDeATe Course Purchase Request form.

To request:

Complete the IDeATe Course Purchase Request form, and we will respond shortly.

New Equipment Requests:

IDeATe has a large inventory of equipment available for courses in the IDeATe Lending Office, as well as within each of the classrooms and labs.  We understand that as technology changes and our classes evolve to support learning, you may have recommendations for us to expand our collection.

How to request procurement of new equipment:

Please email help@ideate.cmu.edu with new equipment suggestions.  Consideration will be made based on a number of factors, including funding, space, safety, and common use amongst IDeATe classes and functions.

Specialized training:

If you expect your students to use equipment such as laser cutters, 3D printers, wood shop tools, etc., and are not planning to provide the necessary training during class time, please send an email to help@ideate.cmu.edu so that we can help your students get the training they need. [service update pending] Some training is available through IDeATe micro-courses.

Laser cutter access:

If your students need access to the laser cutters, please review the latest IDeATe laser cutter policies, and send an email to help@ideate.cmu.edu so we can ensure your students have access to the room. Please communicate this to your students upfront so they have time to complete all requirements before they will need the laser cutter, and emphasize to them the importance of always adhering to the “buddy” system. To qualify for laser cutter login privileges, IDeATe students must successfully complete:

• the online Laser Cutter Safety module offered by CMU Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S),
• the in-person Fire Extinguisher Training class offered by EH&S, and
• an in-person equipment-specific safety training class conducted by IDeATe staff.

Students who have not completed all training requirements will not be granted login access to the laser cutters, and are encouraged to make use of IDeATe’s Open Fabrication Hours instead.

Laptops and software:

As of fall 2024, IDeATe no longer maintains any laptops for general lending purposes.  We encourage the use of Virtual Andrew and the Computing Labs maintained by Computing Services.  Students who are in need of a temporary replacement for a lost or broken personal computer are encouraged to contact Computing Services to arrange to borrow a laptop-style Chromebook.

IDeATe orientation:

If you would like your students to have an overview of IDeATe minors, courses, facilities, and policies, email help@ideate.cmu.edu to arrange for Assistant Dean Kelly Delaney or Academic Coordinator Ryan M. McKelvey to come to your classroom.

Text to include in your IDeATe syllabus

If you are teaching a portal course, you should include your version of the common learning goals in your syllabus. Variations on these learning goals may be suitable for upper level classes as well. The Vice Provost for Education has requested that all course syllabi be available to students during registration and that all syllabi include student-oriented learning goals.

IDeATe Common Learning Goals

Students completing an IDeATe portal should develop creative and critical practices with technology by demonstrating:

• An application of domain knowledge and technical skills in the creation of X
• An ability to productively synthesize ideas in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment
• An appreciation for and ability to participate in a constructive critique of one’s own work and the work of others
• An understanding of the role of reflective practice in learning and design
• An ability to communicate (visually, orally, verbally, aurally…) one’s work and learning attuned to different stakeholders/audiences/publics
• An understanding of the historical, cultural, and social implications of X

*where X depends on the minor

Information about IDeATe

Facilities: Most IDeATe facilities are located in Hunt Library. The Administrative Office, Lending Office, Physical Computing Lab, Media Lab, Fabrication Lab, laser cutters, 3D printers, and Wood Shop are on the lower level. Some of the equipment requires special training, much of which is available via our regular and micro courses. If you are unsure of how to operate any of the equipment or are unsure how to use the equipment safely and effectively, please send an email to help@ideate.cmu.edu.

Safety: Report all fires and emergencies immediately to University Police at 412-268-2323.

• Emergency response: University Police — 412-268-2323
• Building maintenance: Facilities Management & Campus Services — 412-268-2910
• IDeATe-related inquiries — help@ideate.cmu.edu

IDeATe Lending: Once you are enrolled in an IDeATe course, you will have borrowing privileges for the IDeATe lending collection (in addition to the University Multimedia Equipment Collection). If you complete at least one IDeATe courses, you will maintain your borrowing privileges through the rest of your time as a student at Carnegie Mellon. You must present your CMU ID each time you borrow an item. IDeATe students are also able to purchase a limited number of consumable items (such as plywood and acrylic) for projects. Please visit https://resources.ideate.cmu.edu/lending/ for more detailed information on available resources, to review the IDeATe Lending Policy, and to find hours of operation.

Classroom and Lending access: If you are enrolled in an IDeATe class prior the start of the course, you will have access to IDeATe Lending and (if applicable) have keycard access to the classroom door on the first day of class. Access lists are refreshed nightly for those who add a course after the start of classes; please allow 24–48 hours for updates to take effect. If you do not have the appropriate access within 48 hours of enrolling in a course, email help@ideate.cmu.edu with your name, Andrew ID, and course number so we can look into the issue and (if appropriate) add you to our systems.

Laser cutter access: Please review the latest IDeATe laser cutter policies at https://resources.ideate.cmu.edu/equipment/laser-cutter/laser-cutter-policies/. To qualify for laser cutter login privileges, IDeATe students must successfully complete:

• the online Laser Cutter Safety module offered by CMU Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S),
• the in-person Fire Extinguisher Training class offered by EH&S, and
• an in-person equipment-specific safety training class conducted by IDeATe staff.

Until you have completed all training requirements, you will not be permitted to login to the laser cutters and must make use of IDeATe’s Open Fabrication Hours instead. Please plan ahead by signing up early for required training, in order to ensure that you complete all of the requirements BEFORE you will need the laser cutter.

IDeATe advising: If you have questions or need advice about IDeATe minors or courses, please get in touch with Kelly Delaney, the Assistant Dean of IDeATe. Her office is in Hunt A5A and her email is kellydel@andrew.cmu.edu.

Information about IDeATe for your students

You may want to distribute this additional information to your students if you teach an entry-level IDeATe course. Also, you can email help@ideate.cmu.edu to arrange for Kelly to come to your classroom early in the semester to give the students an overview of IDeATe, welcome them to the community, and answer any questions they might have.

IDeATe, the Integrative Design, Arts, and Technology network at Carnegie Mellon, offers undergraduate minors and courses in Game Design, Animation & Special Effects, Media Design, Sonic Arts, Design for Learning, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Intelligent Environments, Physical Computing, Soft Technologies, and Immersive Technologies in Arts & Culture. These areas merge technology and creativity and provide learning opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. IDeATe minors and courses are open to all majors. We welcome students from every discipline to the unique learning environment that exists at Carnegie Mellon.

IDeATe offers several types of courses:

• Portal courses serve as prerequisite, cross-training courses for interdisciplinary work, enabling you to understand the disciplinary competencies and perspectives of the students you will be collaborating with through a design inquiry process.
• Collaborative courses are project-based courses that IDeATe has developed within departments. They focus on creating together in emerging, complex, and unstructured problem-solving domains and are structured to accommodate students from any discipline who have passed the portal courses.
• Supportive courses are departmental courses that existed prior to IDeATe. They have these collaborative elements and are options for your IDeATe work. Please note that the supportive courses tend to have other prerequisites and may have registration restrictions.
• Micro courses are short but intensive skills-based experiences that give you a basic understanding of some of the techniques and equipment used in many IDeATe courses.