Faculty considering using technology to add a credit to a Gen Ed course can contact Academic Computing for help. We can consult with faculty who are just starting to explore whether a given technology will work for them and their course. We offer one-on-one or group workshops for faculty who wish to learn how to use a…
Author: Tony Sindelar
Cyber Security Awareness Month 2009
October is Cyber Security Awareness Month! In support of this national initiative, OIT is sponsoring a number of activities designed to help the UMass Amherst community stay safe online. Each week in October will have its own cyber security theme. Protecting your computer is easier than you think! Week 1: Safe Computing This week, we’ll take…
October Workshops at Academic Computing
This October, Academic Computing is offering many workshops on a range of instructional technologies, including creating effective presentations, working with digital images, learning about emerging technologies and copyright issues, and setting up a Blog with the Blogs at UMass Amherst system. Most sessions are only 50 or 75 minutes long! October workshop topics include: Previews…
Classroom Workshops Fall 2009
As a regular service of Academic Computing, we can visit your class for a demonstration or workshop on a wide range of technology topics. Recent topics include building PowerPoint presentations, creating Podcasts, getting set up with Blogs, and working with Digital Images. Recently, we have had an increase in the number of requests for this…
Departmental Visits Fall 2009
As a regular service, OIT’s Academic Computing staff is available to come to your department and talk to the faculty or graduate students about the teaching technologies available on campus. In particular, we think new faculty or graduate student instructors would find these sessions helpful. Are you and your colleagues interested in learning more about…
Labor Day Weekend Help
Academic Computing’s Instructional Media Lab will be closed for Labor Day weekend, Saturday September 5th through Monday September 7th, but Academic Computing staff will be monitoring email. Contact us at instruct@oit.umass.edu if you need assistance with SPARK or other instructional technology topics. The OIT Help Desk, Software Support, and OIT Account Management will be open…
Start of Semester Tip: When can students access SPARK?
Your students will have access to your Fall 2009 SPARK on Monday September 7th (12:01 AM to be exact.) If you have requested and received a SPARK course, but not yet opened it up and begun building it, your students will see that course listed as when the log into SPARK, but receive a “Course not yet…
Start of Semester Tip: Key requests for AV cabinets in classrooms
Many classrooms across campus are equipped with cabinets of audio visual equipment which including a DVD player, VCR, and the all important laptop-to-projector connection cable. Step 1: Check if your classroom(s) are on the list of spaces with the cabinets installed: http://www.umass.edu/provost/classroom/ Step 2: Request keys for audio visual cabinets through the Provost Office’s webpage: http://www.umass.edu/provost/key-request/ With the…
Start of Semester Tip: Getting TAs into SPARK
As the beginning of the semester approaches and faculty continue to prepare for teaching, Teaching Assistants are also being assigned. Academic Computing would like to remind you of the necessary steps for giving TAs access to your SPARK course: For Graduate TAs: If your TA cannot access your SPARK course, confirm with the Academic Scheduling Representative in your department…
Start of Semester Tip: Create Class Email Lists in SPIRE
Creating a class email list can be a simple way to keep your students up-to-date with announcements on course events. Instructors can use SPIRE to create, refresh, and delete class email lists. This will generate a single email address that lets you email all the students enrolled in the course at once. More information at: http://www.oit.umass.edu/spire/for_instructors/class_information/mailing_list.html Tip: Your…
Start of Semester Tip: Photo Rosters in SPIRE
The addition of photo rosters to SPIRE has been a personal boon to me in terms of learning my students’ names as quickly as possible. Don’t have access to photo rosters for your own courses yet? Take the FERPA quiz and earn your security certificate to activate this feature in SPIRE: http://www.oit.umass.edu/spire/for_instructors/class_information/photo_roster.html
Letting Students Know “How” to EMail You
Teaching any large course inevitably creates an influx of email. Sorting through those messages takes much longer when students don’t provide complete information. Consider sharing some of email these tips with your own students, inspired by Professor Michael Leddy’s guidelines you can find here.) Use your official University email address. This can make determining who you are significantly easier to…