Campus Updates

Table of Contents:
1. Cell Phone Discounts
2. OWU Wikis sign-in
3. Blackboard Mobile Learn Application
4. Request for Faculty for Blogs Information
5. Changes in Printer Support
6. Atomic Learning

1.  Cell Phone Discounts:
Information Services is pleased to announce that it has reached
agreements with AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon to offer potential discounts
to the campus community.  Discounts may be up to 18% off eligible
plans and up to 25% off select accessories.  Please see
https://admin.owu.edu/adminserv-telecom-secure/telecommDiscounts.html
(login required) for complete information.

2.  OWU Wiki Sign-In:
You can now sign in to OWU Wikis (http://www.wikis.owu.edu/) using
your OWU BishopApps username and password.  Simply choose another
sign-in method at the bottom of the sign-in screen, and select 'OWU
BishopApps'.  For those who use wikis, this is one less password they
now have to remember.

3.  Blackboard Mobile Learn:
The Blackboard Mobile Learn app for mobile devices (iOS, Android,
Blackberry, and Palm) puts all the online resources of Blackboard at
your fingertips.  This mobile app is now available to OWU since we've
upgraded our Blackboard system to version 9.  The app is free to
download and use over WIFI.  Sprint customers may also use the app
over 3G and 4G cellular networks.  Visit
http://www.blackboard.com/Platforms/Mobile/Products/Mobile-Learn.aspx
for an interactive demo and more information.

4. Request for Faculty for Blogs Information:
Do you use a blog in your teaching or academic work?  Information
Services, in cooperation with Communications & Marketing, is compiling
a list of OWU blogs to highlight at http://follow.owu.edu/ and in
Information Services Success Stories.  Now that Blogger is part of
BishopApps, the ability to blog is easily available to faculty,
students, and administrative staff.  For assistance setting up a new
blog or transferring an existing blog to BishopApps, please contact
the Help Desk at helpdesk@owu.edu or x3120.

5. Changes in Printer Support:
The university has contracted with Modern Office Methods (MOM) to
service campus owned laser printers.  In an effort to identify these
laser printers each printer will receive a MOM sticker.  If your
department has a laser printer that does not have a MOM sticker,
contact Jill Kerins in Print Services at jakerins@owu.edu.  Include
the printer location, make and model number.

Toner will now be replaced by the printer user.  When your toner runs
low you should send an email to Print Services at graphics@owu.edu
providing the MOM ID number and account to be charged.  Print Services
will deliver the toner to your location.  If you need help replacing
the toner email helpdesk@owu.edu or call the Help Desk at x3120 and we
will send a technician.

6. Atomic Learning:
Don't forget that all OWU students, faculty, and staff have online
access to Atomic Learning, a library of short video tutorials on over
130 different common computer systems and software.  Here you can
learn how to build a Blackboard course, or how to use Google Docs
version history feature, or how to navigate an iPad or a SMART Board.
Simply log into your J/CX Web account and select the Atomic Learning
link on the left.

Mobile, Events, and ERP

IS continues to work on a number of initiatives for the OWU community as outlined below:

- We now have over 11 multifunction devices (MFD's - print, fax, scan, copy) in place at OWU.  We continue to have conversations with additional offices who have an interest in the new capabilities provided by this technology, and will place the MFD's as the need arises.  We have been able to reallocate a number of network printers, scanners, and fax machines as a result of this project.

- Blackboard Mobile Central is nearly ready for release.  This software will provide a number of OWU specific services to mobile devices, such as iPhone, iPad, Android, and Blackberries.  We anticipate having the following applications live at launch within the next few weeks: Events, Library Catalog, Places (hours of dining locations and campus offices), Map, Directory, Course Catalog, Images, Videos, News Feeds, Athletics schedules, Emergency Information, and Give to OWU.  The software will be free for download.

- IS continues to work with various offices to implement new ERP applications as part of OWU 2.0.  We are currently focused on PowerCampus (Student System) data conversion and prepping for the launch of Raiser's Edge (Alumni).

- IS is working with Marketing and Communications on an events solution for OWU.  We hope this system will be able to serve as our public facing events solution (as opposed to room reservations).  More information will be available as we work through the installation and branding.

This has been an exciting semester already, and we hope to bring these new services to you at the appropriate time.

Phishing Attack

We are receiving some notices from users who are receiving an email asking for account information.  Please be advised that these are not from OWU and should be marked as SPAM.  Below is an example of the message.  Remember, you should never provide your password or any other sensitive information via email.


-----
Subject: Ohio Wesleyan University,Email Account Upgrade
To: 

Ohio Wesleyan University,Email Account Upgrade

ATTENTION WEBMAIL USER,

We regret to announce to you that we will be making some vital maintainance on our website.

During this process you might have login problems in signing into your Online account. but to prevent this, you have to confirm your account immediately after you receive this notification.

To confirm and to keep your account active during and after this process, please reply to this message with the below account informations.

Failure to do this might cause a permanent deactivation of your user account from our database to enable us create more spaces for new users.

YOUR ACCOUNT CONFIRMATION

Name:
E-mail ID:
E-mail Password:
Departments:

Your account shall remain active after you have successfully confirmed your account details to the email address below.

The above informations should be sent your help officer with the below email address for prompt response

Thanks for bearing with us.
Ohio Wesleyan University,Service Help Desk
Warning Code: 002671

Blackboard Training Scheduled

David has setup the Blackboard training sessions, see his message below:

As announced, Information Services will be upgrading our Blackboard learning management system in January.  Training on the new system, version 9.1, will be available in several ways.  The new system with all historical course content and all spring 2011 courses will be used for training.

• Workshop sessions will be offered by me and/or staff from the University of Cincinnati on the following dates/times:
• Monday through Friday, November 29 through December 3, a morning session from 10:00 to noon covering what's new in the new version--everything except the Grade Center.  There will be a separate session from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. to introduce the new Grade Center.  These sessions will take place in Corns 109.
• Tuesday through Thursday, January 4 through 6, the same schedule as above, a general transition session at 10:00 and a Grade Center session at 2:00 in Corns 109.
• Tuesday through Friday, January 11 through 14, open Q&A sessions from 4:00 to 5:00 in Corns 109.
I will be available for one-on-one and small group trainings sessions at times and locations convenient for you.  To arrange a personalized session please contact me.
Atomic Learning has online video tutorials on Blackboard 9 for instructors.  You may access these tutorials by logging in to J/CX Web and selecting the Atomic Learning link on the left.
In the coming weeks we will be posting documentation on Blackboard 9.1 to the Self Help Site, including basic instructions for how to access it, how to make your course available, how to enroll students or additional instructors, how to copy content between courses, and more.
There will also be online resources produced by Blackboard available within the new system once it is available.

Access to the new Blackboard system will be available by December 1 at a web address (URL) to be announced.  The primary URL for our Blackboard system, bb.owu.edu, will be switched to the upgraded version no later than Wednesday, January 5.  All Spring 2011 courses will be in the new version 9.1 system.

Please direct your questions about this upgrade to me.  We look forward to making this project a smooth success, and taking advantage of the many new features in Blackboard 9.1.

David Soliday Instructional Technologist E-mail: dcsolida@owu.edu Phone: (740) 368-3130

Ohio Wesleyan University Information Services Web: infoserv.owu.edu Facebook: OWU Help Desk

Video Chat

As winter approaches, it may be the right time to check out the video chat feature of BishopApps.  This works as long as the following conditions exist:  You have a microphone and webcam, and you are logging into bishopapps through a web browser (not using Outlook or Thunderbird).  Of course, the person you wish to conference with must also meet these requirements for full functionality.

We have added webcams to our new standard computer models at OWU, so as systems are replaced, this capability will be more widely available.  Please see the IS Self Help page for more information on connecting to users via video chat, and as always, contact the Help Desk if you have questions.

http://helpdesk.owu.edu/BishopMail#videochat

Blackboard Upgrade

After consulting with the Campus Technology Council and TLCCP, we have decided to upgrade OWU's Blackboard Course Management software to the latest version (9.1) prior to the start of the Spring 2011 semester. We are currently running version 7.3, which was released in 2006.  Numerous faculty members and students have requested features that are available in the latest version, and there is no additional cost to the University for this upgrade.

Our new Instructional Technologist, David Soliday, will be conducting training sessions throughout November and December to help faculty prepare for the new functionality and interface changes.  Course content will automatically be converted to the new system.

We will communicate the training schedule and new feature information next week.  Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Help Desk Manager position posted

We recently posted the Help Desk Manager and Technology Trainer position.  Below are the job requirements, please see http://jobs.owu.edu for more information.  Applicants should submit a resume by November 1st for full consideration.

Qualifications: 

• Education: Bachelor’s degree.
• Three years of professional experience in front-line computing user support. Additional experience and training in application support and desktop/laptop systems troubleshooting preferred, particularly in an academic environment.
• Professional experience in technology training for college-aged and adult learners, focusing on application usage such as the Microsoft Office suite.
• Extensive experience with multiple operating systems—including current and recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Macintosh OS—as well as personal productivity applications (e-mail, word processing, spreadsheets, presentation tools, databases, etc.) and other desktop applications plus peripheral devices.
• Proficiency with support call tracking and inventory management tools.
• Basic proficiency with enterprise networking directory services like Microsoft Active Directory preferred.