Changes to the Bb Traveling Support Schedule

The Bb Traveling Support Schedule has changed slightly.  Below please find the new schedule so that you can find Techwinkle and I at the right times and locations:

Monday

• Ruebush Hall, 11-12p 1st floor seating area (Conservatory)

Tuesday

• Brandt Student Center, 12-2p (students) 
• Gregory - 2:30-3:30p lobby beside snack machines (Arts & Science)

Wednesday

• Cork Street – 12p -1p, Room M155 w/Devon (OT/PT) 
• HPB – 2:00- 3:00p, table outside of library (Nursing, Resp. Care, Pharmacy)

Thursday

• Northern Virginia Campus (NVC) 9a-Noon (Nursing, Education, Resp. Care) - 1st & 3rd Weeks 
• Shingleton Hall – 2:00p-3:00p lobby (Dance, Coaches, Athletic Training) 
• Halpin-Harrison Hall - 3:30 - 4:30 - Room 140  

Friday

• Bowman Building, 12p- 1p - IC office area (Education) -  1st & 3rd Weeks 
• MOB II, 2:00-3:00p – lunch tables (PA)

SU Tech Tips & Tricks

Good Morning Everyone,

Quite a bit going on this week!  Tech news this week includes updates to Google Calendar, a last call for students to change their passwords, changes to the SU wireless network, some nice additions to Google Slides and upcoming Bb changes.

If you have any questions, let me know!Devon.

Where I'll Be This Week
Monday - Bowman Building
11:00 - 1:00 Room 212
Wednesday - Cork Street 
11:00 - 11:00 - Room 142
Thursday - Wilkins Building 
11:00 - 1:00 - Conference Room
Halpin-Harrison Hall
2:30 - 4:30 - Room 140
Friday - HPB -
11 - 1 - In Front of the Library

SU Tips and Tricks

The Times They Are a Changing! Student Passwords Last call for students to change their SUnet passwords is this week.  On April 2, 2014, if a students password is still their id#, they will not be able to access SU services like Bb, 1SU, 3SU, WebAdvisor, etc... Please remind students to change their passwords! Wireless Changing to 1SU 1SU is the new wireless network that will replace 3SU as our campus-wide network. 1SU features better security and is compatible with OS X Mavericks. Everyone will need to switch from 3SU to 1SU by early April 2014. Everyone will need to switch from 3SU to 1SU on any device that utilizes the wireless network (laptops, tablets, smart phones).  For detailed instructions on how to switch from 3SU to 1SU visit the Help Desk 1SU Site

Google Calendar Video Conferencing Your Google Calendar will now automatically add a video chat link to every event that you create. This makes it extremely easy to have a web conference with faculty, staff, students, etc... from other SU campuses.  Go ahead and give it a try. You won't be disappointed.  Check out the link for more information

Edit Images Inside Google Slides & Drawings This is a much awaited update to Google Slides. You now have the ability to crop, mask and add borders to images that you are putting into your presentations. Google Drive just keeps getting better and better.  If you want to see more info on the update, click the link!

Heads Up!  Bb Changes Coming Soon! The Bb Site Layout will be changed on Monday, April 14 to better serve the SU community. The number of tabs will be reduced and the remaining tabs renamed to better identify what is on them.  However, the items being removed from within Bb are going to be available on the drop down "SU Online Portal" located on the login page. If you would like to see what it will look like before April 14, you can visit Tristan during his Bb Traveling Support.  Schedule can be found at the Bb Support Site (su.edu/bb).

bubbl.us: An Online Brainstorming Tool Worth Trying

We all know that there are as many different kinds of learners as there are elements that combine into making Captain Planet... Ok, maybe there are a few more, but, sometimes, as a blogger, you just get the urge to reference 90's cartoons.

Some people write best by browsing their notes, mentally organizing their thoughts and getting straight to work, others need to create elaborate outlines in order to proceed.  Then there are those visual types who like to create "mind maps" that display all of their brainstorming for reference.

If you are one of those visual types that I mentioned, you may want to check out a classy website called bubbl.us.  Once you get an account, you can limitlessly create and connect information in well organized, logical, and visually pleasing ways.  Once your information is created, you can easily export your brainstorming for future use so that you no longer need to visit the website to reference your material.

Though this website is simple in design and use, the depths to which you can brainstorm are incredible. Use this tool to help yourself stay focused through a nice logical progression for your ideas, and most of all, enjoy its ease of use so that you can spend more time writing, and less time time organizing!

Receive SMS Notifications and Voicemail Notifications From Your Bb Courses

Let me fill you in on one of the most valuable tools that is available within Blackboard that can positively impact your learning experience:

You can, once you enable them in your notification settings, receive text messages, voice-mails, mobile learn notifications, and/or emails with important updates including (but not limited to) when new content items become available, when items are graded, when new announcement become available, and when new test become available.

Imagine getting a SMS each time your professor has made an assignment available, and how informed you would feel. That's what is being offered here.  It's not complicated, just simple noninvasive information that can help you stay on top of your education.

A sample SMS showing that a new Assignment has been added to a course

This is what Blackboard is capable of, but you have to take the initiative and setup your notification settings to reflect how you would like to receive these notifications. This is your shot to be informed, and to choose exactly the way you would like to receive information.  You do not need to log into Blackboard and check your course to find out that an assignment is due, or that a new assignment has been created.

Take control of your education, and take control of how you receive information! Edit your notification settings today to fully customize your notification experience, and you will never have to be that student who failed to receive grade altering information!

Student Tech Buzz 3/24-3/28

Internships.com in Blackboard! Though it still feels like winter, spring is actually upon us, and that means that many of you are probably beginning to consider what you will be doing over the summer break. This summer, will you be sitting around playing Titanfall, or are you planning on upping the value of your resume by getting some quality work experience (and maybe still playing some Titanfall on the side)? If you think the latter is more inline with your summer schedule, make sure to check out the Internships sub tab within Blackboard.  You can find it by going to the "Academics" tab (where you land once you log into Bb), and either looking at the module on the bottom right corner of the "courses" sub tab, or navigating to the Internships sub tab. From here you will be able to access valuable information about potential employment/internship opportunities over the summer! PushBullet   An app/browser combo that has so much functionality you'll be wondering, "How have I gone this long without it." Seamlessly transfer information (links, notes, addresses, lists, and files) from any of your devices through the PushBullet app to your computer through the PushBullet extension (Chrome/Firefox).   Check out this IC Tech Blog post for more information!   The new 1SU wireless network   What is 1SU?  1SU is the new wireless network that will replace 3SU as our campus-wide network. 1SU features even better security and is compatible with OS X Mavericks. Everyone will need to switch from 3SU to 1SU by early April 2014. Everyone will need to switch from 3SU to 1SU on any device that utilizes the wireless network (laptops, tablets, smart phones).  For detailed instructions on how to switch from 3SU to 1SU visit the Help Desk 1SU Site If you have any questions regarding the new 1SU Wireless Network, please contact the Help Desk at helpdesk@su.edu or 540-665-5555.

Change in SU Wireless Network - Everyone Must Switch from 3SU to 1SU

1SU is the new wireless network that will replace 3SU as our campus-wide network. 1SU features even better security and is compatible with OS X Mavericks. Everyone will need to switch from 3SU to 1SU by early April 2014.

Everyone will need to switch from 3SU to 1SU on any device that utilizes the wireless network (laptops, tablets, smart phones).  For detailed instructions on how to switch from 3SU to 1SU visit the Help Desk 1SU Site

If you have any questions regarding the new 1SU Wireless Network, please contact the Help Desk athelpdesk@su.edu or 540-665-5555.

Thank you,

Institutional Computing

Want to Push Files Between Devices? Pushbullet!

How often do you want a quick and easy way to take information from your computer and have it instantly on your phone or the other way around? If you are anything like me, then you are probably nodding your head saying, "All the time!"

Are you ashamed to admit that you still send emails to a spoof account with the attached photos you want on your phone so that you can access your sent folder and then retrieving those attachments from your email app? I'm here to tell you that you are not alone, and that there is a better way!

PushBullet is an amazing app/browser extension that allows you to seamlessly communicate between your devices. That's right, sending a message, web link, attachment, addresses, and lists are all just a button press away from being shared to your devices.

On your devices, you are going to need to go to your app store and download PushBullet and sign up using your gmail account. On your browser (Chrome/Firefox) add push bullet as an extension (for Chrome) or an Add-on (for Firefox) and then sign in, and you are ready to push information back and forth!

Bellow is a simple message I created in my browser and then pushed to my mobile phone:

Now that my phone has received the pushed message, here is a screen capture of what it looks like on my mobile phone:

PushBullet Firefox Add-on

PushBullet Chrome Extension

PushBullet Android

PushBullet IOs

 

SU Tech Tips and Tricks

Where I'll Be This Week Monday Bowman Building 11 - 1 Wednesday Cork Street 11 - 1 Thursday Wilkins Building 11 - 1 HHH - 2:30 - 4:30 Friday HPB 11 - 1 Share Tweet Forward to Friend +1 Training Website Facebook Twitter Google Plus Good Morning! This week I've got some tips that will hopefully make your week a little bit better! If you have any questions or would like to know more, let me know! Here is a list of this weeks topics. 1. Student password change deadline approaches. 2. Overview of Google Drive Track Changes. 3. PushBullet now on IOS. Alert Students of Password Change If students are still using their SU ID number as their SUnet password for Bb, WebAdvisor, wireless, etc... they only have till April 1st to change it, or on April 2 they will be required to change it in order to gain access to the aforementioned services.  If you talk to students, please tell them to go towww.su.edu/sunetpasswordand change it ASAP! This will help prevent classroom & service disruption for everyone! Google Drive Track Changes  A feature that many use in MS Word has now made its way to Google Drive. Track changes provides you an easy way to see who has made changes and what they have changed. You can approve and deny these changes quite simply too!  Want to know more.... Click the link! PushBullet Now on IOS PushBullet, an IOS and Android app, allows you to see your phone notifications on your computer.  You can also send links, to-do lists and more back and forth between the two! Very handy extension/app to have. Check out the link for more information!

Copyright © 2014 Shenandoah University, All rights reserved. Technology Tips and Tricks Email - Brought to you by Institutional Computing

Blackboard's Never Stop Learning Tour in North America 2014

 

		Blackboard's Never Stop Learning Tour is hitting the road  again this fall, and we're making stops all across North America featuring sessions led by Blackboard clients in the various regions. The tour provides you with the opportunity to network with peers in your region, join or meet other members of your regional Blackboard User Group (BUGs), and ask questions or share feedback with Blackboard product experts. Also on tour with us are our publishing and digital content partners. We're looking for presenters to share on topics related to your use of Blackboard technologies to solve challenges at your institution and/or showcase innovative programs you've implemented. Consider things that matter most to you in your role and share them with your peers! Here are just some ideas: Blended learning or flipped classroom environments Accessibility in online classrooms Faculty professional development initiatives Click here to see a sample agenda from the Spring tour season. If you're interested in being one of our client presenters and have an interesting and dynamic topic to share, submit your proposal! Thank you for considering this opportunity, and we look forward to meeting you on the road! Sincerely, The #BbOnTour Team *Note: Connect from email received 3/19 from Blackboard Inc.

A Task Management System Worth Your Time! Any.Do

Think you have a wonderful task management system, using that smooth looking Moleskine planner with your homemade batch of pictograms to describe exactly when, where, what, and with whom something should happen?

I do not want to sound like Salacious Crumb (the nagging Kowakian monkey-lizard on Jabba's shoulder), but there could be a better way to go about managing your daily tasks.  

Any.Do!

Any.do is a phenomenal, attractive, and free task management app that you can download on your mobile devices that allows you to seamlessly add and modify tasks via your computer (by way of a Chrome Launcher app), and receive them on your devices and vice versa.  Additionally, if you are a heavy Chrome user, there is an excellent Chrome extension that allows you to quickly add and monitor your Any.Do tasks directly through your browser!

My personal favorite feature of Any.Do is the Any.Do Moment which triggers daily at a specified time.  When your Any.Do Moment occurs, you get the chance to schedule your days tasks so that you can get reminders throughout the day to take care of the things you need to at the times you specify.

Oh, and before I forget, you can sync Any.Do with Google Tasks so that, if you were a Tasks user in the past you do not need to recreate your tasks if you elect to switch!

Take advantage of Internships.com resources within Bb!

Like most incredibly responsible students, I assume many of you have already finished up some much needed spring cleaning. This can only mean a few things, first, and probably most importantly, winter is finally over (cross your fingers just in case I jinxed us), and secondly, you are probably starting to think about picking up some job experience over the summer. 

As some of you may have noticed, there is an excellent module from Internships.com right on the landing page of the "Academics" tab once you've logged into Blackboard.  Additionally, you can go to the Internships sub tab under "Academics" to reach information from Internships.com. These two locations within SU's Bb allow you to access phenomenal free resources that could help you land an awesome internship.

Keep in mind that finding an internship can be stressful, but once you find a quality internship at a company that fits your professional desires and interests, your likelihood of gaining a full-time job at the same company, after college, goes up substantially!  So take some time, and us this tool!  Take advantage of the internships.com information within SU's Bb today!

Student Tech Buzz 3/17-3/21 SU's Bb Login Page Changes to Allow Easy Access to Needed Resources!   If you have logged into Bb recently, you most likely noticed a change to the login page. Now, you can access some of the most valuable SU related resources without having to log into Bb at all!  This means you can spend more time accomplishing your tasks and less time navigating!   Enjoy!

"Academics" Tab is now the Landing page for SU Bb! Like the changes to the login page? Great! You are not done yet, we have another exciting change for you once you log into Bb! Now instead of landing on the "My Bb" tab upon login, you go straight to "Academics." This change allows you to access your courses without delay. That's right, SU's Bb environment just got that much more efficient.  Keep in mind, the valuable information that can be found on the "My Bb" tab is still available to you, it just moved to the next tab over. Now is the time to change your notification settings!    Have you ever wanted to receive an email for an organization's announcements, but then wanted to receive an SMS notifications about a particular course?  That is something that can be done easily in Bb! Choose how you want to be informed about your courses and organizations! Edit your notification settings by following these directions today:  Once in Bb, click in the top right corner on your name (your avatar image will be right next to your name) A dropdown menu will appear, click "Settings" a sub-dropdown menu will appear, click "Personal Information" click "Edit Personal Information" Enter all relevant information including your mobile phone number (if you want to receive notifications via SMS). Make sure to click "Submit" when you are finished Go back to where you found "Personal Information." This time click "Edit Notification Settings." From the "Edit Notification Settings" page you can edit your general notification settings, bulk settings, and individual course/organization settings, allowing you to customize how you receive Bb information. Sure, setting up your perfect notification schema might take a moment, but once completed, you will be informed with the information you want however you want to receive it!

SU Technology Tips & Tricks From Devon

Good Morning Everyone, I hope that you all enjoyed the last vestiges of winter yesterday!  Today I've got news of a phishing email looking to steal your password, exciting new additions to Google Drive, a great update to a popular Chrome extension and a new way to access the SU online portal. As always, if you have any questions, let me know! Devon

SU Tips and Tricks

Be Cautious of a Google Drive Phishing Scam  A phishing email has been making its rounds on the web in an attempt to steal your Google username and password.  It all starts with an email that says a file has been shared with you on Google Drive.  When you click the link to go to the document, it takes you to a page to enter your username and password.  This is not Google Drive, but rather a well done fake site that will collect your username and password.  Please be careful what you open and where you enter your password.  Click the link for more information.

New Google Drive Apps Google Drive updated last week to include a whole new section of applications that you can add to your Google Sheets and Google Documents. Things like track changes, label and mail merges and more! Want the full rundown? Click the link!

TechSmith SnagIt Now Includes Screen Recording This update to one of my favorite Chrome Extensions is pretty awesome!  You have always been able to take a screenshot, mark it up and then share it out via Google Drive. Now, you can also do a screen recording & share immediately via Google Drive OR upload to YouTube!  This is a great tool! Want to know more?  Click the link!