Some things are best left unknown

or private at least.

This article states “It’s easy to forget that convenience can also leak information about you to anyone who can touch your iPhone or iPad.”

Here are some of the tips the article offers

“Although Apple generally positions itself rightly as privacy conscious vis-a-vis the information about yourself that it allows itself and others to see, there’s no one-stop-shop for dialing up or down what appears on the lock screen. You have to visit several places in Settings:  Read more

Our own Easy button! or what to do when students are out sick

Well it is not as big as Staples but it is just that Easy.  Apparently the flu has decided to roar it’s ugly head again and students are missing class.  As we are getting into mid-semester they may miss some crucial information.  So make it a little easier for them to catch up and when in one of our general classrooms press sources on the small Crestron panel, select Mediasite and press the round button to start a recording.  One caveat please put the microphone on and press the button on the front until it is blinking green.  We do have ceiling mics but the microphone gives a much better audio experience.

When class is over, press the square button on the Mediasite source window to stop the recording and let me know what room you recorded in and I will publish and send you the link or place in your course.  Or just ask me to press the button before class starts!

It is that EASY!

Same question, new semester, how do I print my Blackboard Test?

This question pops across my desk every semester and the best answer I have found is to follow these steps –
1. Open Blackboard using the Chrome browser (if you don’t have it you can download it) 
2.  In test options set your test to “Open in Own Window”
3.  Open the test as if you were taking it.
4.  Go to customize Chrome settings, found on the far right 
chromeprint
5.  Select Print and print as PDF so you can save and print or send directly to your printer
Questions contact OET!

First down, 3 to go PIRATES!

No it’s not football season and the baseball team has just started back practicing.  But many of you are giving first exams and/or projects and now it is time to grade.  Rubrics help and Blackboard enables you to add rubrics for grading.  You can also use inline grading directly in Blackboard.  Perhaps you would rather give more personal feedback using audio and video then try one of the newest tools available directly in Blackboard, Voice Thread.

Need information on any of these tools contact this office for a demo.

Found your own tool that works, share it here!

What else will 2017 bring?

As Spring Semester is in full swing I have been exploring the technology buzz of 2017, in between recordings, that is!

This is a long article from Campus Technology but raises some interesting possibilities, one of which is in the last suggestion one that I particularly like “Consider moving toward team-based methods of creating and delivering content — including the use of students on such teams.” (https://campustechnology.com/Articles/2017/01/18/11-Ed-Tech-Trends-to-Watch-in-2017.aspx?Page=7)

Another article on the 10 most-needed apps for 2017 mentions a neat collaboration app called Trello.

Please share any apps you may have discovered that may help your colleagues or students.  “What’s in your wallet?”

 

 

 

Clicker Technology is Alive and Well!

With the change from Turning Point to Turning Cloud I have not had many requests for use of this neat technology.  I still have many clickers that can be borrowed and  the latest version of TurningPoint Cloud will allow for anyone to pass out clickers to get anonymous responses that they can display immediately on the screen. Clickers only have to be licensed now if you want to collect the response data (quizzes, attendance, etc.).

If you would like to collect responses there is a free app called Socrative!  I posted about it last year and one of your colleagues is using it this semester.  From their website “Socrative is your classroom app for fun, effective classroom engagement. No matter where or how you teach, Socrative allows you to instantly connect with students as learning happens.

Quickly assess students with prepared activities or on-the-fly questions to get immediate insight into student understanding. Then use auto-populated results to determine the best instructional approach to most effectively drive learning.”

Want a demo?  Contact this office.

Blame it on Mike!

So usually I post on Wednesday’s and I am a day late but I am blaming that on Mike Kennedy.  For those of you who were unable to attend his farewell reception yesterday that’s where I was instead of writing my weekly blog.  Some of you may know him well others not so well but I have worked with Dr. Kennedy since he came to our college and will miss him.  As one of the early adopters of many technologies offered here at the university he has been one of my “best” customers.  Not only did he try many tools but provided great feedback on their use within his course delivery as well as in the classroom.  So today I challenge all to try something new this semester!

OET offers training sessions here and ITCS offers training via Cornerstone on both East Campus and occasionally on West Campus.  Don’t see anything you are interested well then let’s talk!

Happy New Year and Spring To Do!

Some quick reminders and links as we start a new semester in a new year!  Startup tips from BB can be found here. 

Course Copy, Merge, – Merge and Copy

Make Available –

  • Control Panel > Customization > Properties > Set Availability > Yes

Add instructor, TA to course –

  • Control Panel > Users and Groups > User > Find User to Enroll > type username only in the box > change role if needed, and then Submit.
  • If that does not work, please send an email to ecublackboard@ecu.edu with the username and role (TA or instructor). The Blackboard team will add your TA or instructor.

Mediasite Desktop Recording – click here

Embed Mediasite into Blackboard – click here

Saba Web Conferencing – click here

Turning Point Cloud – click here

Using Turning Point 5 in Allied Health – contact OET

Tegrity – click here

Yammer – click here

Lockdown Browser – click here

Some new tools to consider Voice Thread  and Blackboard Collaborate, Collaborate is a web conferencing program which enables a group of people to interact with one another in a virtual online meeting environment. Collaborate can be accessed “live” anytime from anywhere attendees have access to a computer and an Internet connection. Meetings in Collaborate can be recorded, so those unable to attend the live meeting are able to play back the meeting at a later time.

Anything else?  Contact OET for assistance!

Welcome back!