January 2025

January 2025, Training, Workshops

Technology Training Workshops Spring 2025

The technology training specialist is pleased to announce the Spring 2025 tech training workshop schedule for faculty and staff. Sharpen your skills and connect with different people across campus in these hour-long sessions, hosted both in-person and virtually.

New this year! Attend any 2 workshops and complete 1 pre-selected LinkedIn Learning module to earn a Digital Learner badge to add to your email signature or LinkedIn profile to showcase your skills. Click here to register for this program and receive a list of applicable LinkedIn Learning modules.

If you’re interested in scheduling a training session for your department, please contact techtraining@clarku.edu.

Windows 11 Office Hour

Thursday, Jan. 30 at 11 AM on Zoom

Click here to add to your calendar

Drop in with any questions or curiosities you might have about Windows 11! This will be an informal hour-long session dedicated to providing you with information and demonstrations so you feel confident about updating your PC to the latest and greatest operating system.

In this session, we can discuss:

Focus Mode

Changes to File Explorer

Snap Layout

Taskbar

…and more!

PowerAutomate Basics

This image was partially generated using Adobe Firefly

Monday, Feb. 17 at 2 PM on Zoom

Click here to register

PowerAutomate is a secret weapon within the Microsoft arsenal of tools: as the name suggests, you can use it to automate simple tasks that utilize different Microsoft apps, such as Outlook, Excel, Teams, Forms, and more.

In this workshop, we’ll go over:

PowerAutomate navigation and access

Potential use cases

Creating your own PowerAutomate flows

…and more!

Digital and Information Fluency, January 2025, Tips and Tricks

Tech Tips: Common Tech Acronyms

Computer on a desk with a plant and coffee, screen showing tech acronyms

This image was generated using Adobe Firefly

Since the very beginning of the internet (the predecessor of which was called ARPANET, or Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), acronyms have abounded in our digital spaces and in the devices we use to get there. Below, ITS has included a list of some of the most used around campus. Some of these are specific to Clark, while others are universal within the world of technology.

AIS: Administrative Information Systems. This team at Clark University works with many departments across campus to manage Banner and its many uses, including course registration, budgets, and more.

ATS: Academic Technology Services. This team at Clark University assists faculty in utilizing educational technology, including Canvas, Panopto, Turnitin, and more.

GB: Gigabyte. This is a metric of data storage. Most computers on campus have either 256 or 512 GBs of storage. To put that amount into context, 100 GB is enough to hold “around 25,000 high-resolution photos, 30,000 songs, or 150 hours of HD video.”

HDMI: High-Definition Multimedia Interface. This is another type of port/cable commonly used at Clark to connect devices to larger displays. For example, most classroom podiums have an option for connecting a laptop to the projector via HDMI. This cable can be used to transmit both audio and video.

MFA: Multi-Factor Authentication. This process involves attaching multiple factors, such as phone numbers, email addresses, or apps, to an account to verify your identity to help protect your account it from unauthorized access.

OS: Operating System. An operating system is the way your computer interface appears to you and organizes data such as documents, user profiles, and more. Windows 11 and Sequoia are two examples of current operating systems for PC and Mac devices respectively.

RAM: Rapid Access Memory. This is fast, temporary storage used for applications to run and not to store your files. The amount of RAM a device has usually impacts how quickly applications can run, and a slowdown of a device may be due to not enough RAM for all the work we ask our devices to do.

RDC: Remote Desktop Connection. This is an app within Windows devices that allows you to “remote into” a campus computer while working remotely.

SSO: Single Sign-On. This involves using your login information for one platform or account, such as Microsoft or Google, to log into a different platform, app, or account. For example, you can use your Clark account information to sign into LinkedIn Learning.

SSPR: Self-Service Password Reset. This process allows you to reset your password on your own without involving ITS. You can read more about SSPR at Clark HERE.

USB: Universal Serial Bus. This is a type of cable and port found on many different devices, including Clark-managed laptops, which helps you connect external drives or accessories such as mice and can also charge many devices. There are different types of USBs; the most common are USB-A and USB-C.

VPN: Virtual Private Network. This is a tool that allows you to connect to a specific network (in our case, Clark’s network) even if you’re not physically on campus, which provides extra security and stability no matter where you are working.

Have any questions about tech acronyms? Contact the ITS Help Desk!

Digital and Information Fluency, January 2025, Windows 11

Winter Wonderland: Embracing Windows 11

Once upon a frosty winter, in a small town blanketed with snow, there was a cozy little office full of hardworking, cheerful employees. The office hummed with the sounds of typing and the occasional clink of a coffee mug, but as the winter deepened, a sense of anticipation filled the air. The arrival of a new year brought with it new opportunities – including an exciting upgrade to Windows 11.

Holly, the office’s IT manager, had been eagerly preparing for this transition. Once the new year was underway, she decided that it was time to share her enthusiasm with the rest of the team.

Gathering everyone around the conference table, Holly began to explain the advantages Windows 11 would bring. “Imagine,” she said, “a winter wonderland where everything runs smoothly and efficiently. That’s what Windows 11 promises. Its sleek new design makes multitasking a breeze, with customizable desktops and Snap Layouts that allow you to organize your work just the way you like it.”

The team listened intently as Holly continued. “But it’s not just about aesthetics. Windows 11 is built with security at its core. Your data will be better protected against sophisticated cyber threats. So in that winter wonderland, you’ll have your own personal ice fortress, keeping intruders at bay and your information secure.”

Jack, the office’s graphic designer, asked, “Does this mean my design software will run faster?”

“Yep!” Holly replied. “Windows 11 leverages your device’s hardware to reduce load times and improve performance. Loading will be like gliding across a frozen lake – smooth and seamless.”

“What about the accessibility features?” Chelsea, the copywriter, asked. She often used voice typing and speech-to-text to do her work.

“Windows 11 is designed to make the digital world more inclusive for everyone,” Holly said. “Whether it’s voice typing, magnification, or closed captions, there’s something to help each of us work comfortably and efficiently.”

By the end of the meeting, the team was buzzing with excitement. They understood that updating to Windows 11 was not just a technical necessity but a step toward a more productive, secure, and harmonious work environment. It was like embarking on a winter adventure, where every update was a path to something better.

In the end, the upgrade to Windows 11 was not just an update – it was a transformation. And as the snow began to melt and spring approached, the team knew they were ready for whatever challenges and opportunities the future held, all thanks to the power of Windows 11.

Click here to update to Windows 11!

Click here to learn more about Windows 11 at Clark University

Get to Know Us, January 2025, Our Favorite Apps, Tips and Tricks

New Year’s Resolutions by ITS

The start of a new year often inspires us to make new resolutions. Maybe you’d like to learn a new language or take care of your health. Keep reading to learn more about ITS’s resolutions and how we’re planning to keep them.

Stretch every day

Tess Walsh, the technology training specialist, is determined to stretch more in 2025 for increased flexibility and improved athletic performance. She recently downloaded Bend, a free app available in the App Store and the Play store. Bend has different stretching routines based on goals, body part, or situation—her current favorite is the six-minute desk stretch.

Click here to learn more about the Bend app.

Increase daily step count

Michael Krikonis, ITS’s manager for client support, is planning to get in more steps this year by using the pedometer feature already installed on his phone. For most Androids, you can find your steps in the Google Fit app; on iPhones, this information is in the Apple Health app. Start stepping now so you’re ready for the walkathon challenge Clark University HR hosts each summer!

Click here to follow directions to find steps & activity on Android phones

Click here to learn more about how to use Apple Health

Read new books

Help Desk Technician Jarrod Evans is excited to read more using the Kindle app on his phone (no Kindle device necessary!). The app is easily installed on phones or tablets and allows him to read on the go whether he’s waiting in line at the pharmacy or taking his lunch break. The Kindle app can also be used with Libby to borrow ebooks from your local library.

Click here to get the Kindle app.

Click here to get started with Libby.

Create a video game

Lev, ITS Help Desk Student Supervisor, hopes to create a video game this year. Currently, he’s developing the storyline for his game, which revolves around a young frog on a quest to reconnect with an old friend. Using Unity as the game engine and Aseprite for art, Lev is eager to dedicate more time to passion projects in 2025.

Limit screen time

Help Desk Coordinator Sharon Griffin-Edson looks forward to reducing screen time on her iPhone to focus more on cooking, walking, and spending time with family. There are many available options, including apps like ScreenZen and Forest, designed to encourage better screen and scrolling habits, as well as the Focus function built into iPhones.

Get to Know Us, January 2025

Get to Know Us: Efrem Sidi-Shire

College student smiling at the camera on a boat wearing a rain jacket and glasses

“My favorite part of working here is definitely the people. I’ve made a lot of friends at the Help Desk. It’s a good working environment.”

This month we meet one of ITS’s incredible student workers: Efrem!

Efrem is a senior at Clark and one of ITS’s Help Desk Student Supervisors. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he is a dual citizen of the United States and England studying political science and Spanish. Last year, he studied abroad in Argentina and highly recommends a visit there for the food, culture, and natural beauty.

At work, Efrem enjoys spending time with his coworkers and solving technical problems. If you’re having an issue, his number one tip is to ask him (and yourself) how to prevent it from happening again.

Outside of his work at the ITS Help Desk, Efrem co-runs Clark’s squash club and plays Spiderman video games.

Check out Clark Squash on Instagram or stop by the Help Desk to say hi!