 |
In This IssueWireless network upgrade and improvements Virtual desktop infrastructure pilot Exchange server and Outlook Web Access 2013—now in place User Services/Help Desk—help for faculty and staff Residential Networking—help for students Ellucian Colleague SQL conversion update Adoption of Ellucian Recruiter Ellucian Go—University of Redlands mobile application Internet security—avoiding phishing Alertus and Bulldog Alert System Moodle—our learning management system Integration of library research guides into Moodle Technology enabled classroom update Response cards (clickers) in the classroom Document cameras in the classroom Sustainability efforts continue with print quota Spatial thinking expands with undergraduate minor Connecting to e-mail on your smartphone iPad loaner program for faculty
|
Alertus and Bulldog Alert System
ITS has also recently upgraded the Bulldog Alert System. The Bulldog Alert System is a mass notification system allowing University leaders and Public Safety officers to send time-sensitive notifications in a variety of ways including phone, text, and e-mail messages. Bulldog Alert contact information can be updated from inside the myRedlands portal. Under the General tab, look for Emergency Resources, and click the link labeled UR Bulldog Alert Emergency Notification System (students will find this link under the Emergency Resources tab). From there, click the Update Your Information link. Log in using your RedlandsID (firstname_lastname) and password. On the screen that follows, input and/or update your contact information. Click the Submit button, found at the bottom of the screen, to save your changes. For more information, contact Terry Reed at extension 8318 or Chris Kincaid at extension 8309. Moodle—our learning management system
Moodle’s functions and features support a variety of instructional methodologies. Faculty members can use a discussion forum to engage students in a conversation regarding key subject material. To reinforce previous learning experiences, Web links to Internet- based resources can be posted. Moodle course sites can be used to deliver media files that demonstrate key knowledge, procedures, or processes. The quiz function in Moodle can operate in an adaptive mode that provides instructor feedback with each answer selected. The online text assignment tool can be used as a journal where students reflect on their learning experience. This fall, ITS will begin exploring the next version of Moodle with a possible adoption date of Spring/Summer 2014. As our evaluation proceeds, as part of our practice, we will seek faculty input through open forums and training sessions. We plan to have a limited number of faculty members teach courses utilizing the new version before there is a complete campus roll-out. Information regarding the new release indicates that the My Home page will be customizable with an option to collapse what is shown in terms of assignment due dates and the available discussion forums. Additionally, the steps for adding resources and activities have been streamlined with fewer steps required to complete the process. The ITS help Web site for Moodle is accessible at http://moodle.redlands.edu/support. On this Web site, faculty members and students will find links to printable guides and on-line videos. For more information regarding Moodle, contact Matt Waters at extension 8699 or Catherine Walker at extension 8321. Source: Green, K. C. (2012). The campus computing project. Retrieved from http://www.campuscomputing.net /sites/www.campuscomputing.net/files/ Green-CampusComputing2012.pdf
|
||
ITS has implemented additional technology to be used in the event of a campus emergency. In November 2012, a program called Alertus Desktop Alert was installed on all University-owned workstations. Alertus, when initiated, overrides computer displays across the University-network with a crucial message. Recipients must click an acknowledgment button at the bottom of the screen in order to close the message; this action informs officials of who has received the message. The Alertus Emergency Alert software automatically loads each time you log onto your computer; you will notice a yellow circular icon located on the taskbar. 
Fall 2013 marks the one year anniversary of the full adoption of Moodle as the learning management system (LMS) used by University of Redlands. Moodle stands for Modular Object Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment. According to The Campus Computing Project (2012), Moodle is the leading open-source LMS with 20% of the campuses surveyed reporting adoption. The key feature of any open source application is that there is no license fee to use it. In addition, the growth and support for such an application comes from the community of users who have adopted it. |
© 2013  Information Technology Services 1200 E. Colton Avenue, Redlands, CA 92373 Phone: (909) 748-8063 |