Resources

Resources, September 2023

OneCard’s New Home at the ITS Help Desk!

OneCard ID featuring the Clark University logo, a picture of athletics' cougar mascot, and the name Jonas Clark.

At Clark University, OneCards are a little like magic: they can check out library books, grant access to cool campus spots, buy study snacks, and print papers.  

Over the summer, the OneCard office moved to Academic Commons on the first floor of Goddard Library. OneCard operations are now managed by ITS and the new Campus and Card Access Coordinator, Sean Ryder. Sean provided some important answers to frequently asked OneCard questions. 

Where is the OneCard office now?

The OneCard office is now located in Academic Commons 107E, just past the ITS Help Desk. If you need to pick up your OneCard, please check with Help Desk staff.  

Why can’t I swipe into a certain room or building?

Some buildings and classrooms are restricted to certain groups or people during certain times, such as professors or staff. For example, some scientific labs on campus are only available to the professors or researchers working there as a safety precaution. To request access to a certain space, please email onecarddoor@clarku.edu. 

How do I add money to my OneCard?

Students can add funds to their OneCard by logging into their ClarkYOU portal and selecting “OneCard Balances” from the Web Services menu. Deposits may also be made with check, cash, or credit card at the Cashier’s Office. Please allow 1 hour for any deposits to be reflected in your OneCard balance. 

Who should I contact if I have questions or issues?

Please contact the Help Desk by emailing helpdesk@clarku.edu or calling 508-793-7745. 

Resources

Teaching with Technology – Fall 2023

ITS is excited to support your teaching during Fall 2023 and have included a range of services below.

If you have any additional questions, concerns or suggestions, we recommend contacting the Help Desk (helpdesk@clarku.edu) so that we can direct your request to the most appropriate department for the quickest response.

Table of Contents

Classroom Technology

ITS managed classrooms have a range of technology available to support teaching and learning. All classrooms have standard technology including a desktop computer, a projector, and the ability to connect a laptop.

Additionally many classrooms have additional technology including:

    • Smart Monitors that allow you to display and write on a virtual projected whiteboard and annotate displayed files.
    • Cameras to support remote participants on Zoom (either table-mounted OWL cameras, or wall-mounted cameras with microphone arrays)
    • Screen Share technology from Solstice to allow wireless presenting from faculty or student tablets, phones or laptops

Other Technology

We know that faculty have different needs for teaching. We have available a stock of other technology for short and long-term loans where appropriate, including video & web cameras, document cameras, tablets and much more. Please email the Help Desk for more information.

Student Access to Software

Software on Campus

ITS maintains a wide range of software across campus for student use – in classroom locations, and in lab environments.

Software on Personal Devices

Students are able to download and install many useful software applications on their personal devices – including Microsoft Office, Sophos Antivirus and much more..

VLabs

Students with a Chromebook, or Apple-users who need access to Windows-only applications, may be able to access some software via our VLabs service. VLabs is an application streaming service that offers you the ability to connect to a desktop environment and stream certain software from your browser, regardless of your operating system or device specifications.

Other Software

If you’re planning on using a software that is not listed on the webpages above during this academic year (and particularly during the Fall semester), please contact us at helpdesk@clarku.edu as soon as possible so that we can discuss your request.

Communication

Communicating openly and regularly can help minimize an inbox onslaught of one-off questions.

Clark Announcements/Mail

The easiest way to communicate with your class is to use the Announcements forum or Mail in your Canvas course. Faculty and TAs can create a post to an announcement forum, and students will receive the message as an email to their Clark University email address.

ClarkYou Roster

Your class roster in ClarkYou will also give you the option to email all (or select) currently enrolled students in your course.

Canvas

Clark University uses Canvas as a Learning Management System.

Click here to access Canvas, or use the link in the ClarkYou portal.

More Canvas Support

Zoom

All Clark community members have fully licensed accounts (previously called Pro accounts), which allow meetings for up to 24 hours, with up to 300 participants.

Click here for more information on Zoom including how to log in with your Clark account, best practice recommendations, and how to access support.

Panopto

If you’re planning on pre-recording your lectures or having your students record presentations, we recommend considering Panopto, Clark’s internal video streaming service. It allows you or your students to upload or record videos, voice-over Powerpoints, or podcasts.

If you use movies/documentaries as a teaching tool, our digitization service can often make these available to your students in Panopto. This will allow your students to watch material before class discussions, while writing analyses, or when studying for exams. We ask that you first search the library to see if the movie is available through the media databases (click here to search through Kanopy and Academic Video Online). If your media isn’t available through those services, click below for more information on our digitatization service.

Support

Academic Technology staff members Don, Bhagya, and Dorothy, will be available all semester to support you with any pedagogical or technology needs. Click here to learn more about ATS consultations.

For any other technical questions for you or your students, the Help Desk is open daily, including weekends, and late nights. Click here to contact the Help Desk.

December 2022, Resources

Holiday Help Desk Hours

As Winter break begins, please note the Help Desk hours below.

Week 12/19 to 12/25

  • Monday, December 19: 8am to midnight
  • Tuesday, December 20: 8am to midnight
  • Wednesday, December 21: 8am to 5pm
  • Thursday, December 22: 8am to 5pm
  • Friday December 23: 8am to 5pm
  • Saturday December 24: Closed
  • Sunday December 25: Closed

Week 12/26 to 1/1

  • Monday, December 26: Closed
  • Tuesday, December 27: Noon to 5pm (limited services)
  • Wednesday, December 28: Noon to 5pm (limited services)
  • Thursday, December 29: Noon to 5pm (limited services)
  • Friday, December 30: Closed
  • Saturday, December 31: Closed
  • Sunday, January 1: Closed

Week 1/2 to 1/8

  • Monday, January 2: Closed
  • Tuesday, January 3: 8am to 5pm
  • Wednesday, January 4: 8am to 5pm
  • Thursday, January 5: 8am to 5pm
  • Friday, January 6: 8am to 5pm
  • Saturday, January 7: Closed
  • Sunday, January 8: Closed

Week 1/9 to 1/15, and 1/16

  • Monday, January 9: 8am to 5pm
  • Tuesday, January 10: 8am to 5pm
  • Wednesday, January 11: 8am to 5pm
  • Thursday, January 12: 8am to 5pm
  • Friday, January 13: 8am to 5pm
  • Saturday, January 14: Noon to 5pm
  • Sunday, January 15: Noon to 5pm
  • Monday, January 15: Noon to 5pm

From January 17th, the Help Desk will be open usual hours (excepting holiday) as outlined below

  • Monday: 8am to midnight
  • Tuesday: 8am to midnight
  • Wednesday: 8am to midnight
  • Thursday: 8am to midnight
  • Friday: 8am to 5pm
  • Saturday: Noon to 5pm
  • Sunday: Noon to midnight

 

Resources

Teaching with Technology – Fall 2022

ITS is excited to support your teaching during Fall 2022 and have included a range of services below.

If you have any additional questions, concerns or suggestions, we recommend contacting the Help Desk (helpdesk@clarku.edu) so that we can direct your request to the most appropriate department for the quickest response.

Table of Contents

Classroom Technology

ITS managed classrooms have a range of technology available to support teaching and learning. All classrooms have standard technology including a desktop computer, a projector, and the ability to connect a laptop.

Additionally many classrooms have additional technology including:

Other Technology

We know that faculty have different needs for teaching. We have available a stock of other technology for short and long-term loans where appropriate, including video & web cameras, document cameras, tablets and much more. Please email the Help Desk for more information.

Student Access to Software

Software on Campus

ITS maintains a wide range of software across campus for student use – in classroom locations, and in lab environments.

Software on Personal Devices

Students are able to download and install many useful software applications on their personal devices – including Microsoft Office, Sophos Antivirus and much more..

VLabs

Students with a Chromebook, or Apple-users who need access to Windows-only applications, may be able to access some software via our VLabs service. VLabs is an application streaming service that offers you the ability to connect to a desktop environment and stream certain software from your browser, regardless of your operating system or device specifications.

Other Software

If you’re planning on using a software that is not listed on the webpages above during this academic year (and particularly during the Fall semester), please contact us at helpdesk@clarku.edu as soon as possible so that we can discuss your request.

Communication

Communicating openly and regularly can help minimize an inbox onslaught of one-off questions.

Moodle Announcements Forum

Another easy way to communicate with your class is to use the Announcements forum in your Moodle course. Faculty and TAs can create a post in this forum, and all students will receive the message as an email to their Clark University email address.

ClarkYou Roster

Your class roster in ClarkYou will also give you the option to email all (or select) currently enrolled students in your course.

Course Distribution Lists

All courses have email distribution lists. The students registered for your class are automatically subscribed to the list (with their Clark email addresses.) You and your students can use this as a way to communicate with the whole class.

The email address for the distribution list follows the syntax: course-section-semester@lists.clarku.edu (ex. Biology 114, section 01, this Spring translates to biol114-01-S22@lists.clarku.edu). You will also find a link to the distribution list in your Moodle course and in the Address List in your email.  Please note that you must use your Clark University email to send messages using this distribution list.  The students in your course also have permission to use this email address.

Moodle

Clark is in the midst of a transition from Moodle to Canvas. A small number of courses will be available in Canvas in Fall 2022, but all courses will be offered in Canvas for Spring 2023.

Click here to access Moodle (click Clark Login in the top right), or use the link in the ClarkYou portal.

Enable your Course

The first thing to do in order to start working on your Moodle class is to enable your course. Click here to watch a short video on how to enable your course.

Using Moodle’s Import Feature

If you’ve already taught this course at Clark in Moodle, you can use Moodle’s import feature to copy content from a previous semester. Click here to watch a short video on how to use the import feature.

More Moodle Support

Canvas (Pilot Only)

If you are a named member of the pilot, you will have received regular communication regarding the experience of teaching and learning in Canvas.

The information below is only applicable to those faculty admitted into the pilot.

Zoom

All Clark community members have fully licensed accounts (previously called Pro accounts), which allow meetings for up to 24 hours, with up to 300 participants.

Click here for more information on Zoom including how to log in with your Clark account, best practice recommendations, and how to access support.

Panopto

If you’re planning on pre-recording your lectures or having your students record presentations, we recommend considering Panopto, Clark’s internal video streaming service. It allows you or your students to upload or record videos, voice-over Powerpoints, or podcasts.

If you use movies/documentaries as a teaching tool, our digitization service can often make these available to your students in Panopto. This will allow your students to watch material before class discussions, while writing analyses, or when studying for exams. We ask that you first search the library to see if the movie is available through the media databases (click here to search through Kanopy and Academic Video Online). If your media isn’t available through those services, click below for more information on our digitatization service.

Support

Academic Technology staff members Don, Michael, Bhagya, and Dorothy, will be available all semester to support you with any pedagogical or technology needs. Click here to learn more about ATS consultations.

Need even more great support? Clark University’s CETL provides a multitude of resources for teaching. Click here to log into Moodle and visit their Resource site, or email Laurie Ross.

For any other technical questions for you or your students, the Help Desk is open daily, including weekends, and late nights. Click here to contact the Help Desk.

Resources

Teaching with Technology – Spring 2022

ITS is here to support your teaching during Spring 2022 and have included a range of services below.

If you have any additional questions, concerns or suggestions, we recommend contacting the Help Desk (helpdesk@clarku.edu) so that we can direct your request to the most appropriate department for the quickest response.

Table of Contents

Classroom Technology

Over the last two years, ITS has installed new technology into many of our most commonly used classrooms. These include Owl Cameras (360 smart cameras with powerful integrated microphones) to support remote participants on Zoom, and Smart Monitors that allow you to display and write on a virtual projected whiteboard and annotate displayed files.

Microphones and Other Technology

If you’re concerned about your ability to be heard when teaching in the classroom while wearing a mask, ITS can provide a small personal microphone (click here to see a similar device) that is available for long-term check-out by contacting the Help Desk.

We also know that faculty have different needs for teaching. We have available a stock of other technology for short and long-term loans where appropriate, including video & web cameras, document cameras, tablets and much more. Please email the Help Desk for more information.

Student Access to Software

Software on Campus

ITS maintains a wide range of software across campus for student use – in classroom locations, and in lab environments.

Software on Personal Devices

Students are able to download and install many useful software applications on their personal devices – including Microsoft Office, Sophos Antivirus and much more..

VLabs

Students with a Chromebook, or Apple-users who need access to Windows-only applications, may be able to access some software via our VLabs service. VLabs is an application streaming service that offers you the ability to connect to a desktop environment and stream certain software from your browser, regardless of your operating system or device specifications.

Other Software

If you’re planning on using a software that is not listed on the webpages above during the semester, please contact us at helpdesk@clarku.edu as soon as possible so that we can discuss your request.

Moodle

Click here to access Moodle (click Clark Login in the top right), or use the link in the ClarkYou portal.

Enable your Course

The first thing to do in order to start working on your Moodle class is to enable your course. Click here to watch a short video on how to enable your course.

Using Moodle’s Import Feature

If you’ve already taught this course at Clark in Moodle, you can use Moodle’s import feature to copy content from a previous semester. Click here to watch a short video on how to use the import feature.

More Moodle Support

Zoom

All Clark community members continue to have fully licensed accounts (previously called Pro accounts), which allow meetings for up to 24 hours, with up to 300 participants.

Click here for more information on Zoom including how to log in with your Clark account, best practice recommendations, and how to access support.

Panopto

If you’re planning on pre-recording your lectures or having your students record presentations, we recommend considering Panopto, Clark’s internal video streaming service. It allows you or your students to upload or record videos, voice-over Powerpoints, or podcasts.

If you use movies/documentaries as a teaching tool, our digitization service can often make these available to your students in Panopto. This will allow your students to watch material before class discussions, while writing analyses, or when studying for exams. We ask that you first search the library to see if the movie is available through the media databases (click here to search through Kanopy and Academic Video Online). If your media isn’t available through those services, click below for more information on our digitatization service.

Support

Academic Tecnology staff members Don, Michael, Dorothy and Bhagya will be available all semester to support you with any pedagogical or technology needs. Click here to learn more about ATS consultations.

Need even more great support? Clark University’s CETL provides a multitude of resources for teaching. Click here to log into Moodle and visit their Resource site, or email Laurie Ross.

For any other technical questions for you or your students, the Help Desk is open daily, including weekends, and late nights. Click here to contact the Help Desk.

Resources

Teaching with Technology – Fall 2021

ITS is excited to support your teaching during Fall 2021 and have included a range of services below.

If you have any additional questions, concerns or suggestions, we recommend contacting the Help Desk (helpdesk@clarku.edu) so that we can direct your request to the most appropriate department for the quickest response.

Table of Contents

Classroom Technology

Over the last 18 months, ITS has installed new technology into many of our most commonly used classrooms. These include Owl Cameras (360 smart cameras with powerful integrated microphones) to support remote participants on Zoom, and Smart Monitors that allow you to display and write on a virtual projected whiteboard and annotate displayed files.

Microphones and Other Technology

If you’re concerned about your ability to be heard when teaching in the classroom while wearing a mask, ITS can provide a small personal microphone (click here to see a similar device) that is available for long-term check-out by contacting the Help Desk.

We also know that faculty have different needs for teaching. We have available a stock of other technology for short and long-term loans where appropriate, including video & web cameras, document cameras, tablets and much more. Please email the Help Desk for more information.

Student Access to Software

Software on Campus

ITS maintains a wide range of software across campus for student use – in classroom locations, and in lab environments.

Software on Personal Devices

Students are able to download and install many useful software applications on their personal devices – including Microsoft Office, Sophos Antivirus and much more..

VLabs

Students with a Chromebook, or Apple-users who need access to Windows-only applications, may be able to access some software via our VLabs service. VLabs is an application streaming service that offers you the ability to connect to a desktop environment and stream certain software from your browser, regardless of your operating system or device specifications.

Other Software

If you’re planning on using a software that is not listed on the webpages above during this academic year (and particularly during the Fall semester), please contact us at helpdesk@clarku.edu as soon as possible so that we can discuss your request.

Moodle

Click here to access Moodle (click Clark Login in the top right), or use the link in the ClarkYou portal.

Enable your Course

The first thing to do in order to start working on your Moodle class is to enable your course. Click here to watch a short video on how to enable your course.

Using Moodle’s Import Feature

If you’ve already taught this course at Clark in Moodle, you can use Moodle’s import feature to copy content from a previous semester. Click here to watch a short video on how to use the import feature.

More Moodle Support

Zoom

All Clark community members continue to have fully licensed accounts (previously called Pro accounts), which allow meetings for up to 24 hours, with up to 300 participants.

Click here for more information on Zoom including how to log in with your Clark account, best practice recommendations, and how to access support.

Panopto

If you’re planning on pre-recording your lectures or having your students record presentations, we recommend considering Panopto, Clark’s internal video streaming service. It allows you or your students to upload or record videos, voice-over Powerpoints, or podcasts.

If you use movies/documentaries as a teaching tool, our digitization service can often make these available to your students in Panopto. This will allow your students to watch material before class discussions, while writing analyses, or when studying for exams. We ask that you first search the library to see if the movie is available through the media databases (click here to search through Kanopy and Academic Video Online). If your media isn’t available through those services, click below for more information on our digitatization service.

Support

Academic Tecnology staff members Don, Michael, Bhagya and, our newest team member, Dorothy Erickson, will be available all semester to support you with any pedagogical or technology needs. Click here to learn more about ATS consultations.

Need even more great support? Clark University’s CETL provides a multitude of resources for teaching. Click here to log into Moodle and visit their Resource site, or email Laurie Ross.

For any other technical questions for you or your students, the Help Desk is open daily, including weekends, and late nights. Click here to contact the Help Desk.

Academic Continuity, Resources, Teaching in Different Modalities

Teaching in Spring 2021

ITS is excited to support your teaching during Spring 2021 and have included a range of services below.

If you have any additional questions, concerns or suggestions, we recommend contacting the Help Desk (helpdesk@clarku.edu) so that we can direct your request to the most appropriate department for the quickest response.

Table of Contents

Online Synchronous Classes & Zoom

Zoom is our recommended technology for synchronous class sessions. All Clark community members have fully licensed accounts (previously called Pro accounts), which allow meetings for up to 24 hours, with up to 300 participants.

Click here for more information on Zoom including how to log in with your Clark account, best practice recommendations, and how to access support.

Recorded Presentations & Panopto

If you’re planning on pre-recording your lectures, or having your students record presentations, we recommend considering Panopto, which is Clark’s internal video streaming service. It allows you or your students to upload or record videos, voice-over Powerpoints, or podcasts.

Student Access to Software

With many students studying remotely for the semester, it may be important to plan in advance for students’ ability to access software from off-campus.

Specialist Software

If your remote students require access to specialist software that they usually access via on-campus computers (Adobe products, ArcGIS, Microsoft Access, SPSS, etc.), it’s important that we discuss access as soon as possible.

While they may be able to download software to their personal device, or access it via our VLabs service, some software may require a more significant discussion. In order to ensure prompt access, please email the Help Desk (helpdesk@clarku.edu) as soon as possible to begin a conversation around supporting your remote students.

Microsoft Office

If students need access to Microsoft Office (including Word, Powerpoint, Excel, Teams), they can download it to personal devices by visiting: https://portal.office.com/OLS/MySoftware.aspx

Web-Cameras, Microphones or Other Technology

ITS can provide faculty with long-term loans of Web-Cameras and Headsets (with Microphones) on request. Please email the Help Desk (helpdesk@clarku.edu) to schedule a pick-up time.`

ITS also holds a stock of other technology for short and long-term loans where appropriate, including video cameras, personal amplification microphones, document cameras and drawing tablets. Please email the Help Desk for more information.

Remote Movie Screenings

If you usually screen a DVD or Blu-ray movie in the classroom for academic purposes, our digitization service can allow you to provide your remote students access to that resource.

We ask that you first search the library to see if the movie is available through the media databases (click here to search through Kanopy and Academic Video Online).

If your media isn’t available through those services, but we have access to the DVD through your department, through the library, or through your personal ownership, please contact the Help Desk (helpdesk@clarku.edu) to request more information about our digitization service. Please note it can take approximately 2 week for us to process your request.

Moodle

Click here to access Moodle (click Clark Login in the top right), or use the link in the ClarkYou portal.

Enable your Course

The first thing to do in order to start working on your Moodle class is to enable your course. Click here to watch a short video on how to enable your course.

Moodle Template

When you first enable your Moodle course, it’s a blank slate. While some of us thrive on blank pages, others like a little structure. To that end, we’ve created a Moodle template for Spring courses.

Note that if you’ve already taught this course in Moodle, and plan on both requesting the template and using Moodle’s import feature to copy content from a previous semester, some ‘tidy up’ will be required.

Using Moodle’s Import Feature

If you’ve already taught this course at Clark in Moodle, you can use Moodle’s import feature to copy content from a previous semester. Click here to watch a short video on how to use the import feature.

Embedding library-subscribed content in Moodle

When content is available through Clark Libraries, providing a link within Moodle rather than a pdf has significant benefits:

    • Students linking to library content will become more aware of the riches available online through the library.
    • Students can take advantage of automated citation generators as well as specialized search features available on publisher/provider pages.

In order for students to have seamless access to library-subscribed content from off campus, using the EZProxy prefix to prompt a Clark login is a crucial step. Visit EZProxy Permanent Linking for instructions. Contact library@clarku.edu or visit Goddard Library Online Help for further assistance.

More Moodle Support

Check out our Moodle Quickstart Playlist or contact the Help Desk (helpdesk@clarku.edu) for more support.

Classroom Technology

OWL Cameras

ITS has placed Owl (360-degree, smart) Cameras in many classrooms being used this Spring.

Smart Monitor

Many of the classrooms being used this semester include a Smart Monitor that allows you to write on a virtual whiteboard that can be captured in Zoom, annotate PowerPoints with a stylus and much more.

Click here to see if your classroom has a Smart Board (choose the Room Capacities link, and Smart-Monitors are designated as Smart in the Added Technology column).

If you have any questions about how to use the Smart Monitor, please reach out to the Help Desk (helpdesk@clarku.edu).

Standard Technology

Most of our standard classrooms include standard technology, including a white/chalk board, projector, an instructor PC (with Zoom, Panopto, Microsoft Office and many other standard applications) and the ability to connect a laptop. If you have any questions about the technology available in your classroom, please email the Help Desk.

Personal Microphone

If you’re concerned about your ability to be heard when teaching in the classroom while wearing a mask, ITS can provide a small personal microphone (click here to see a similar device) that is available for long-term check-out by contacting the Help Desk.

Teaching Support

In Summer 2020, Clark University presented a course – Teaching in Different Modalities – for faculty to plan and address the challenges presented by teaching online or hybrid. A non-facilitated version of that course is available as a resource for all faculty. Click here to learn more about this resources.

ATS staff members Don, Bhagya and Michael, are also standing by to support you with any pedagogical or technology needs. Click here to learn more about ATS consultations.

Need even more great support? Clark University’s CETL provides a multitude of resources for teaching face-to-face, online and hybrid. Click here to log into Moodle and visit their Resource site, or email Laurie Ross

December 2020, Resources

LinkedIn Learning for Fun

After a crazy semester, we’re all looking forward to taking a break from work and classes. The winter break is the perfect time to pick up some new hobbies, or dust off some forgotten interests, and LinkedIn Learning can help. Whether it’s breaking in your new Drone, re-tuning that acoustic guitar, or upgrading your doodles to drawings, there’s a course for that!

While we’ve curated some interesting hobby-based courses below, there are tens of thousands of lessons and courses available through Clark’s LinkedIn Learning license that was made available to all faculty, staff, and students earlier this year. Click here to learn more about how to access your learning.

Learn a New Instrument

Polish your Photography

Get Creative

Digital and Information Fluency, November 2020, Resources, Teaching with Technology, Tool Spotlight

Who Loves LinkedIn Learning? We Do!

Since LinkedIn Learning, the online learning platform formerly known as Lynda.com, was launched on campus in August it has found many fans. This month we talk to three of our most active users.

Affoue Koffi – Graduate Student, School of Management

Affoue, a student in her first semester of a Masters in Finance graduate degree, was thrilled when she heard that Clark was providing access to LinkedIn Learning. Initially she was just hoping to get a refresher on finance basics prior to taking her Financial Accounting class this semester (click here for Financial Accounting videos), but then became hooked. She has since progressed to more in-depth financial videos, giving her a head-start on important skills and concepts for her dream of becoming a Corporate Financial Analyst (click here videos from the Becoming a Financial Analyst course).

To make time for extra-curricular learning in addition to her regular course work, Affoue sets herself a weekly goal that equates to about 20 minutes a day. When watching the videos she takes notes in a notebook, and takes advantage of the replay option for more complex topics that may require a second watching. By sticking to this reasonable goal, she’s made impressive progress in her learning paths, and is one of our most active LinkedIn Learning users.

John Freyermuth – Faculty, V&PA

This semester saw a new way of teaching and learning for many faculty and students. John Freyermuth, a faculty member in V&PA, turned to LinkedIn Learning to keep his teaching engaging and authentic. For his Computers and Music course, John wanted his students to see and hear complicated concepts covered in class demonstrated in professional environments. A series of curated LinkedIn Learning videos offered this opportunity to students, with John stating “the ability to visualize an auditory phenomenon has been beneficial for a lot of students.” They were particularly excited to watch animations of Microphone Polar Patterns, and on and off-axis microphone frequency responses (Click here to watch videos from the Digital Audio Foundations course.)

For John, the videos offered by LinkedIn Learning don’t offer an alternative to opportunities in the classroom, but actually enrich the learning from a different perspective. He’s excited for other faculty to consider using LinkedIn Learning but warns that with so many wonderful videos it can be easy to post too many!

Michelle Johnson-Sargent – Assistant to the Director, IDCE

Michelle Johnson-Sargent, Assistant to the Director in IDCE is one of Clark’s most active LinkedIn Learning users, and a true life-long learner. “I’m always looking for ways to be more efficient and work smarter not harder…LinkedIn Learning has definitely helped with that.” Michelle has spent lots of time learning more about Excel (click here for the Master Microsoft Excel videos), particularly how to format and present data better and be more effective at using formulas.

While working in a very busy role in IDCE, Michelle makes time for extra learning by multi-tasking. “It’s easy to have a topic of interest playing in the background or with the screen minimized.  When I really want to focus on a topic, I log in and learn on the weekend.” Next on Michelle’s agenda? Project Management – a skill she knows will align well with her work in the department (click here for Project Management Foundations.)

Interested in LinkedIn Learning

If Affoue’s, John’s and Michelle’s stories have inspired you to check out LinkedIn Learning, click here for more information, and get learning!

November 2020, Resources

Mac Users: Big Sur and Purchasing Advice

This week, Apple held its long-awaited One More Thing live stream. During the session Apple announced, as expected the release of its new Operating System – Big Sur (Mac OS11). It also announced hardware lines that will use a new M1 processing chip.

Continue reading to learn more about how these announcements may impact you and your work at Clark.

Big Sur: Don’t Upgrade Just Yet.

As of today (November 12th) users can now install a new version of the Apple operating system, called Big Sur or Mac OS 11.

We know it’s exciting to upgrade your computer and see the new features, but upgrades to operating systems are complex, and may significantly change the way your computer works. Many software manufacturers need time to update their applications to be compatible.

In the past, users who upgrade too soon have experienced problems with applications failing to run, and had difficulties logging in, or connecting to the network.

Faculty & Staff

If you’re using a university-owned Mac, please do not upgrade to this new Operating System until ITS can verify that essential applications are compatible with this new version. We will follow up with an email when we have a better understanding of the compatibility concerns. An upgrade could result in the computer no longer working properly.

If you are a using a personally-owned Mac, we also recommend that you do not upgrade when the new Operating System is released.

Students

As many of the applications and programs that you rely on as a student may not yet be compatible, we are recommending waiting until ITS announces that all critical software is compatible before you upgrade. In the coming weeks ITS will email again with further information.

Purchasing new Apple Hardware

With the introduction of a new processor to their line-up, if you’re considering purchasing new Apple laptops or desktops in the next few months, research carefully which option is best for you. Apple has announced a new type of processor – the M1 – will be included in some of their new devices, while they will also continue to offer their tried-and-true Intel devices. Click here for more information on this announcement.

While this new processor will be extremely fast, it may cause some issues with software compatibility. The M1 is a brand new technology, and all programs and applications will need to be redeveloped to work on these devices. While big companies like Adobe and Microsoft will prioritize that development over the next year, smaller academically-focused companies may take even longer. For example, it’s projected that Adobe won’t have an M1-compatible version of Photoshop for over 6 months.

As a Clark community member, if using a wide range of software is important for your success, we’re recommending waiting before making the switch to an M1 device and looking at Apple’s Intel chip devices in the meantime.

Questions?

If you have any questions about our recommendations, please contact us at helpdesk@clarku.edu.