Blackboard Outage May 8-11 to Pave the Way for New Online Learning Tools

Faculty, staff and students using Blackboard will enjoy new functions this summer after the system is upgraded from our current version of 6.3 to 7.2 in May. To allow for this upgrade, the Blackboard system will be unavailable from Tuesday, May 8 at 6:00 p.m. through Friday, May 11 at 6:00 a.m. During this time, all Blackboard content will be unavailable. Services normally accessed via myMiami, including e-mail, BannerWeb, Kronos and others, will be provided via a special web page that will display when users attempt to access myMiami.

Preventing Plagiarism and Improving Student Writing — TurnItIn Educational Suite to be added to Blackboard

Can technology be used to help instructors prevent plagiarism and improve students’ writing skills? To answer this question, the university Academic Integrity Committee conducted a pilot study, subsequently recommending the TurnItIn Educational Suite for campus-wide adoption.

New Confidential Information Policy Emphasizes Faculty/Staff Responsibilities

Many faculty and staff work with confidential information on a regular basis. On March 19, 2007, the University Senate adopted a Confidential Information Policy for inclusion into the next update of the Miami University Policy and Information Manual (www.muohio.edu/mupim) to reinforce the responsibilities of faculty and staff related to protecting confidential data.

Survey Tool Pilot Now Planned for Summer 2007

As reported in previous issues of TechTalk, the university has purchased and is implementing two survey tools – Prezza and Snap – for faculty/staff use. The project team has made great strides in implementing these tools and is planning a pilot release to interested faculty and staff this summer.

Computer Big Buy Saves Miami Big Bucks

Miami turned 1.6 million dollars into 2.16 million dollars worth of Dell and Apple computers for faculty and staff on the Oxford, Middletown and Hamilton campuses this spring. Through a comprehensive bulk purchase dubbed the "Big Buy," IT Services helped provide much-needed equipment updates while not increasing the total cost to the university.

Gaskill Hall Computing Lab Transformation Underway

Students visiting Gaskill Hall this spring might wonder if they’ve wandered into Extreme Makeover: Technology Edition. A redesign and renovation of the Learning Technologies Center, located in 200 Gaskill, is underway to better serve the needs of students by adding collaboration and multimedia resources. Construction is expected to be complete by June 1, 2007.

Student Technology Advisory Committee (STAC) – Diverse Responsibilities, High Impact
By Marcus Fischer, Student Co-Chair, and Sean Weaston, member, STAC

There has been a great deal of technological growth on campus this year. As part of Vice President Reid Christenberry’s initiative to reach out to the student population for insight into IT development, the Student Technology Advisory Committee (STAC) was created last year. This year, the committee of thirteen members has seen tremendous growth and taken on many responsibilities.

Banner 7 Navigation Workshops for New “Internet-Native” Banner Users

Are you just starting to use Internet-Native Banner? IT Services has a workshop to help you master the basics of using Internet-native Banner quickly.

University Adopts “Fixed Camera” Policy to Ensure Appropriate Use

The use of digital video recording devices and digital video monitoring at Miami University has increased steadily in recent years. These devices are primarily used to protect resources, enhance safety and assist in the educational mission.  The Camera Installation Policy governs the use of authorized cameras on campus and ensures that such cameras are used judiciously.

Microsoft Office 2007 and Windows Vista for University Computers: Coming Soon?

Microsoft Office 2007 and Vista project teams (consisting of IT Services and divisional/departmental technology support staff) have been carefully evaluating Microsoft’s latest products and how they work within Miami’s computing environment. Now the teams’ recommendations on timing for roll-out to faculty and staff are in...

Before You Leave for the Summer, Tips on Passwords and E-mail

Before leaving for the summer, it is important to perform some basic account maintenance. The number one problem that is fielded by the IT Services Support Desk during the summer is that of forgotten passwords. Resolving password problems is much more difficult when you are away from Miami. A little planning can make a big difference.

Do You Work With Web Pages?
IT Services & University Communications Want to Hear from You!

IT Services and University Communications are actively collaborating to enhance the university's web environment and have prepared a brief survey to gather input from those who work with university web pages.

IT Services Support Desk to Maintain Round-the-Clock Schedule throughout the Summer

To better assist faculty, staff, and students with technology problems and questions, the Support Desk will maintain its academic year hours through the summer months:

Sunday, 9 am through Friday, 8 pm
Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm

SkillPort Web-based Training Now Available on a Mac — Full Course Library Coming Soon

You may already be aware that Miami provides a great online learning resource for software, advanced technical topics, and business skills in SkillPort. The good news – it just got even better!

Document Imaging Works Hand-in-Hand with Banner

IT Services is pleased to announce that the document imaging service, using the Sungard Xtender product integrated with Banner, has been operating successfully in six pilot offices since the Banner 7.3 upgrade in late January and is ready to be rolled out to other campus offices.

FullShot 9.5 Makes Screen Captures a Snap!

Windows users, do you need to create a quick, accurate snapshot of a computer screen for your print or online project? How about a small screenshot of a button, command bar or desktop icon? No problem! FullShot makes taking high-quality screenshots a breeze.

IT Services Support Desk offers 15-minute Microsoft Office Guarantee

In anticipation of the roll-out of Office 2007 and the conversion to the new e-mail system this summer, the IT Services Support Desk is preparing to assist faculty, staff, and students with questions or problems they might encounter with these new applications.

Laptops Transforming the First Year College Composition Classroom Experience
by Kerrie Carsey, Assistant Director, College Composition in 2007-2008

During the 2006-2007 academic year, 15 percent of first year College Composition courses on the Oxford campus were held in a new state-of-the-art, wireless laptop classroom (Bachelor 256).  Nearly 800 students brought their own laptops to class, such as those purchased through the Miami Notebook Program (www.muohio.edu/miaminotebook).

Now Available on New Miami Notebook Models

Students looking to purchase a new computer need look no further than the Miami Notebook program for great hardware, new operating systems, and value-added services.