October 2022

LMS, October 2022

Canvas: Log on and Learn

ITS is excited to announce that Canvas is now available for all Clarkies to log into and explore, in preparation for full launch in the Spring semester.

Step 1: Log in

There are three easy ways to log into Canvas

To log in

Use your usual Clark account information to log in.

Step 2: Look around

When you log in, you will have access to a number of training options.

  • A welcome tour
  • A welcome message with useful links for faculty and students
  • Enrollment in training classes
    • All users have access to Passport to Canvas: Student training
    • Faculty and Staff have access to Growing with Canvas: Teacher training

Step 3: Learn more

ATS is excited to offer a wide range of training for faculty, staff and students. Click here for more information including dates.

Getting Started and Best Practices Workshops: Multiple dates

ATS is running multiple workshops a week for faculty, staff and students to help everyone get familiar with Canvas. No registration required, and all session are available on Zoom. More dates are being added all the time! Click here for a full listing of dates and times.

Departmental Workshops: At your convenience

We would be more than happy to come and offer dedicated, focused training for your department’s faculty and staff over the next couple of months. Please reach out to canvas@clarku.edu to schedule training.

Asking for Help: Multiple opportunities

Students: Contact the Help Desk (helpdesk@clarku.edu, 508-793-7745) for any questions about Canvas

Faculty and Staff: Email canvas@clarku.edu with any of your Canvas questions, or join us for one of our many ATS Canvas Office Hours.

Data Privacy and Security, October 2022

Stop before you Scan: QR Codes and Cybersecurity

Written by Alex Magid, Information Privacy and Compliance Analyst

You see them on hallway walls, in emails, and in place of traditional restaurant menus. Quick Response Codes, commonly referred to as QR Codes, are machine-scannable images that can be read using a Smartphone camera. Every QR code consists of a number of squares and dots which represent certain pieces of information. When your Smartphone scans this code, it translates that information into something that can be easily understood by humans – often a link to a website.

QR codes surged in popularity during the pandemic because consumers found them easy to use and businesses did not have to worry about contact contamination. QR codes are a great tool for saving space, and quickly directing people to information… and hackers know this!

Users should think about QR codes the same way we think about other phishing tactics like email scamming and social engineering. While most codes are safe, some QR codes can contain links maliciously embedded with malware so that cybercriminals can easily obtain your data such as credit card information or social security number.

How to spot authentic QR Codes

Always check the URL on the notification before clicking to be redirected. If the URL does not look like a trusted source or differs from the known company’s URL, exit out of your browser.

Attackers and pranksters have printed counterfeit QR code stickers and put them on top of existing QR codes, a common tactic that occurs in restaurants on menus, and on shared bulletin boards. So before scanning, take a quick look to see if the QR code looks out of place or seems to be a sticker when it shouldn’t be.

Users should always avoid downloading an app from a QR code and instead once learning the name of the app use their respective app stores for a safer download. Finally, if you scan a QR code, and it prompts you to download a “QR reader,” it is likely a trick used by scammers.

Have Questions?

If you have questions about how to stay safe while using QR codes, please contact the Help Desk at (helpdesk@clarku.edu, 508-793-7745)

October 2022, Tips and Tricks

Ten Minute Tech Tip: What is the Cloud?

Written by Tess Walsh, Technology Training Specialist.

You may have noticed the word “cloud” floating around the internet, news reports or in applications. Messages such as Save your photos to the cloud for more space and Download from the cloud pop up as we’re sending emails, typing essays, or taking pictures. But what is the cloud, really? And why should we use it?

If you like analogies… you can think of files as money—both are valuable and necessary to modern life. You can keep your money in cash in your wallet or under your mattress and you can keep your files saved to a single computer or hard drive. Alternatively, you can keep your money in a bank account, and you can keep your files in the “cloud”.

Once your hard-earned cash is in a bank account, you’re able to access the funds in this account at any store, withdraw them from any ATM with a debit card and a PIN, or login to a website to transfer funds. Similarly, if your files are in the cloud, you can access and edit them from any internet-connected device using your account information. This method also makes sure that your valuables are less susceptible to accidents and emergencies, such as a lost wallet for your cash, or a damaged laptop for your files.

In more technical terms, the cloud is a file storage space on the internet linked to a specific account rather than a specific device. Most well-known tech services, including Microsoft, Google, and Apple, have their own versions of the cloud. Clark University offers community members five terabytes of storage (which is a lot!) on Microsoft cloud storage – Microsoft OneDrive.

There are many benefits to saving files to the cloud, including:

  • File protection if your computer fails or malfunctions
  • Ability to access and edit files from multiple devices, including phones and tablets
  • Integration with your Clark Outlook account
  • Microsoft encryption and security for your files
  • Easy collaboration with colleagues and peers

Interested in learning more? LinkedIn Learning provides lots of information about Microsoft OneDrive and other cloud services free to all members of the Clark community. Staff and faculty can schedule an appointment with Clark’s technology training specialist to learn more.

Get to Know Us, October 2022

Get to Know Us: Andy Voelker

This month, we meet Andy Voelker, Network Engineer, who joined Clark over the Summer from North Carolina.

Andy is clearly passionate about networking, reminding us that while networking and IT infrastructure is often considered purely a business operation, it’s actually “connected to education, creativity and the passion of students”. In fact, mentoring student workers, and getting students excited about networking is one of his favorite parts of his job. While he modestly says that he tries not to bore people about his job, it’s clear that if you’re interested in learning more, Andy will be engaging and excited to chat to you.

Andy is a recent arrival in Massachusetts, and he and his family is excited to visit trails, restaurants and all New England has to offer. When not exploring Worcester and the area, Andy is an eager musician who plays guitars, drums and bass.

Interested in chatting with Andy about music, networking or post-apocalyptic dystopian sci-fi? Click here for contact information.

October 2022, Workshops

Technology Training for Staff and Faculty 

Workshops

The Help Desk and Tess Walsh, our Technology Training Specialist, is excited to invite staff and faculty to attend our upcoming online workshops.  

Check out our schedule below, and look for more workshops in the future on our Tech Training webpage. 

Introduction to Microsoft Teams 

Join Tess online on Thursday, November 15 at 2pm. We’ll discuss how Microsoft Teams can help you and your department: 

  • Improve communication among and across hybrid teams 
  • Increase effective collaboration, project management and file sharing  
  • Support hybrid working environments 

Seats are limited, so click here to register now. 

Getting Organized with Outlook (Windows) 

Join Tess online on Wednesday, December 21 at 11am. We’ll discuss how Outlook can help you and your department: 

  • Increase productivity through efficient communication 
  • Improve personal and group organization and workflows 
  • Support your needs for better work-life balance 

Seats are limited, so click here to register now. An equivalent workshop for Mac users will be held in January. 

Getting Organized with Outlook (Mac) 

Join Tess online on Monday, January 9 at 1pm. We’ll discuss how Outlook can help you and your department: 

  • Increase productivity through efficient communication 
  • Improve personal and group organization and workflows 
  • Support your needs for better work-life balance 

Seats are limited, so click here to register now. An equivalent workshop for Windows users will be held in December. 

Can’t make it? 

If you can’t make these workshops, visit our Technology Training page regularly to see more workshops – both live and virtual, or request custom training. 

Tess is particularly eager to meet with departments to design custom, focused training to address your groups’ needs. Contact techtraining@clarku.edu for more information and to schedule your group training.