Resources

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.

November 2020, Resources

Working from Home: Advice from an Expert

Don Lutz, ITS’s Manager for Online and Instructional Technology, joined Clark in December 2019 and had been on campus less than 12 weeks when the college’s COVID response moved the Academic Technology Services group to remote work. However, prior to Clark, Don had decades of experience working fully remotely with his previous employer, leading teams of more than 14 remote workers, and completing a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree fully online.

As staff, faculty and students prepare for more remote work in the coming months, Don offers some of his invaluable advice. He believes that the following tips can make all the difference when working, learning and leading from home.

Create Space for Work – both Physical and Mental

Balancing work and home during COVID times is different to remote work prior to 2020. However, especially with these additional strains, creating space can make all the difference.

Physical: If possible, find a space in your home that can be defined as your workspace. While many of us aren’t lucky enough to have the space for a dedicated home office, finding a corner of your living room, bedroom, or kitchen that can serve as a workplace can make a difference in creating boundaries. Even if that space is repurposed in the evenings and weekends, the defined area can help to create structure. This is even more important if you have multiple members of your household trying to work, teach or learn in the same home.

Mentally: Where possible try to preserve some of your workday rituals. Showering, dressing, and brewing your morning coffee creates routine. Some of ITS are even continuing to enjoy a morning ‘commute’ by heading out for a 5-10 minute walk around the neighborhood before sitting down to work and repeating that at the end of the day. Similarly, taking a regular lunch break, closing your laptop at the end of your regular work day, and setting aside time for chatting to colleagues can help.

Use Technology Thoughtfully

While there have been many times when we’ve felt Zoomed out over the past 9 months, the ability to connect, collaborate and meet with each other is important during these difficult times. However, by being thoughtful about our choice of communication, we can help create a better learning or work environment for everyone.

Just like when we’re on campus, before scheduling a zoom meeting, consider if it is the best choice for that particular discussion, or would an email, phone-call or teams chat be more appropriate. Additionally, consider if everyone you’re inviting needs to be present.

And don’t just use technology to connect for formal work purposes. Working remotely can feel isolating, so be sure to reach out to classmates, colleagues and managers to chat, check-in or just say hi.

Ask for Help

As we all move back to a more remote version of Clark, remember that there are many groups to support your work and your mental health and wellness. Take advantage of some of the social outreach being offered by HR, Staff Assembly, Faculty groups, and student organizations.

And finally, from a technical perspective, remember that ITS is here to help. The Help Desk will continue to be available by phone and email throughout the Winter Break and Intersession semester. Please don’t hesitate to reach out us, or your favorite ITS person, if you have any questions, challenges or projects that we can help with.

Academic Continuity, Resources

Resources: The Goddard Library

As you consider plans for Academic Continuity, don’t forget the Goddard Library.

University Librarian, Laura Robinson and her wonderful team have published, and are keeping up-to-date, a list of services and resources that can support your teaching, and your students’ learning, whether on or off campus. Everything from online consultations with librarians, digital access to collections, and support for Open Education Resources, the library should be one of your first stops in this process.

Click here to visit the Goddard Library’s Academic Continuity web page.