Some of the most important and confidential
information about each of us is stored in electronic
files. Services that allow easy access to this data
make tasks such as entering/checking grades, assignments
and financial aid quick and simple. However, maintaining
the confidentiality of this electronic data is critical.
Miami Students'
TV Favorites
The AV/Technology Services unit of MCIS
recently completed a survey of the television viewing
habits of students living in residence halls. Graduate
students from John Bailer's Mathematics and Statistics
Practicum helped design and provide content for the
survey. Then a randomly selected group of 600 students
received the survey asking them to estimate how much
time during the week they spend watching each of the
MUnet video channels. They were also asked to indicate
what channels they would like to see added by choosing
from a list of the top one hundred cable channels
in the United States.
Virtual Teaching
and Learning Center
Miami University's Virtual Teaching
and Learning Center is a Web site that provides
a rich set of inter-related information centered
on learning strategies and best teaching practices
using technology. The site's mission is to provide
faculty with direct support advocating and leveraging
technology to advance learning. The VTLC provides
users with direct links to articles and web pages
with relevant and timely information and research
broken down into three main sections.
Training Notes
The MCIS
Training page now has a new format; you will
find a link from the navigation bar at the left.
This page gives access to several types of online
training links (including PC and Macintosh computer
based training), information about training and
workshops all over campus and a link to the TRAIN
registration system.
New Interface for
the MU Knowledge Base
On December 19, 2002, a new interface was put in
place for the MU Knowledge Base. The goal of the
new interface is to help Knowledge Base visitors
get to the information they are seeking even more
quickly.
MInE Reporting —
The Truth Is Out There
(submitted by Bill Heck)
Do you need to know how many
undergraduate majors are in your department? Or
whether you are paying for the right student workers?
Or maybe you want to track down an expense that
occurred sometime in the last six months ... but
you don't know just when.
What Does MCIS Do?
Wherever you look on campus, you’ll see evidence
of MCIS and its services being provided to students,
faculty, and staff. Below is a list of some
of the major projects currently underway or recently
completed by MCIS. You might be surprised
at just what goes on beyond plugging your computer
into the wall!
Backing Up Important
Data Files
Some faculty and staff members use floppy disks
as their primary method of data storage or have
important files stored in only one place. One Miami
department recently had problems with an inventory
that was stored on a floppy disk, with no backup.
The file had become corrupted because the disk was
damaged. Even though the inventory file was partially
restored, over a hundred records had to be re-entered.
Much time could have been saved if the file had
been backed up elsewhere.
Gartner Research
Examples of new Gartner research articles are available
from Miami's web site to all Miami students, faculty,
and staff are listed below. You will be prompted
to login using your UniqueID and MUnet password.
Gartner research will be of particular interest
to any student, faculty, or staff member learning,
teaching or using technology. Areas of focus for
Gartner research include E-Learning, Business Management
of IT, Security and Privacy, Higher Education, and
Emerging Trends and Technology. The web site is
updated weekly by Friday with new research articles.
Technology
on the March at Miami
For those of you who like numbers and statistics,
here are a few interesting ones about technology
at Miami. Skip this article if statistics make you
snooze.
Technology Talks:
CART and Remote CART from the Office of Disability
Resources
(submitted by Doug Ledford and Cindy Steidle)
Communication Access Real-time Translation
(CART) is used at Miami to support deaf and hard of
hearing students in the classroom. CART is the instant
translation of the spoken word into text using a stenotype
shorthand machine, laptop computer and real-time captioning
software. Text instantly appears on a computer monitor
for the student to read. At the end of the class,
the hearing impaired student has had the same access
to the material presented to the rest of the class.
One question that is frequently asked is why we use
CART instead of a sign language interpreter. It is
a common misconception that all deaf people know sign
language or read lips.
New Miami ID Card
(submitted by Aniko Synder)
Miami University is moving toward using the Banner
number as our key identifier, so this summer the
Miami University ID Card system will begin using
the Banner number. In the coming months you will
receive more detailed information on just what this
means for you and what you will need to do to get
your new card. All your information (Rec Center,
meal plans, building access, etc.) will be on the
new card.
