As the end of the semester is approaching, technology can either be your friend, or foe. Here are some quick tips for students and faculty on how to ‘tame the tech’.

Students

Backup your work

The last thing you need as finals approach is to lose a semester’s worth of work if your computer has an issue. Backup your work regularly on your favorite cloud provider. Don’t forget that you have access to 1TB of storage in OneDrive with your Clark account.

Check your work and your dates

Using Moodle (if available) and your syllabi, double-check that all of the work that you’ve completed has been correctly submitted and received. Additionally check all your upcoming due dates so that you don’t miss something important.

Don’t leave Technology until the last minute

If your final assignment involves technology, don’t leave it until the last minute. Install and try out any new software now so you can focus on the content in the last couple of weeks instead of working out new tech.

For example, if you’re doing a poster presentation, check out our poster printing guidelines early so that you don’t waste time creating a poster in the wrong dimensions. Or, if you’re doing an in-class presentation, make sure that your presentation software will work well in the classroom.

Faculty

Get a Gradebook Check-up

The Moodle gradebook is great, but it can get complicated. As you start your final grading, feel free to email or call your Academic Technologist so that we can run a quick check on your gradebook. We’ll make sure it’s calculating correctly and you’re comfortable with how the students are viewing grades. We can usually do that in about 10 minutes. Click here to find your Academic Technologist

Submit your Grades

First time submitting grades, or just need a refresher? Check out this handy guide from the Registrar’s Office on how to finalize your courses for the semester. 

Think about Spring

While we hope you get to have a relaxing and/or productive Winter Break, remember that ITS staff, including Academic Technologists and the Help Desk are available on campus for much of the break. So as you begin thinking about those Spring courses, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us and let us know how we can help.