Category Archives: TechNews

GlobalViewer: Keeping Classroom Tech Running Remotely

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As you might have guessed if you read the Quick Tip in the sidebar about projectors, keeping classrooms equipped with the technology necessary to provide a top notch learning experience can be very expensive.

One of the steps we’ve taken to make classroom technology more efficient and to reduce costs is the installation of Extron GlobalViewer Enterprise. This software connects to the Simmons network and to all compatible media equipment in classrooms across campus and allows Technology to monitor the equipment and troubleshoot problems remotely.

While you won’t see this technology just by looking around, you might notice it if you have trouble with a projector in a classroom, for example. If you call the Service Desk because a projector won’t turn on or a touch panel isn’t responding, we can check to see what might be wrong and, in many cases, fix the problem immediately. This means that you don’t have to wait for someone to come to where you are to provide assistance and you can get real-time support while you’re on the phone with us!

In addition to improving support, GlobalViewer also allows us to monitor power usage, check the number of hours a projector bulb has been used, and then plan accordingly for a replacement. It keeps us on top of potential problems and leads to fewer issues and decreased downtime of classroom technology. Right now, GlobalViewer is connected to 20% of classrooms and meeting rooms and we hope to increase this to 45% in the near future.

Reporting a Lost or Stolen Laptop or Mobile Device

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In January, our Information Security Officer, David Bruce, sent out a security bulletin about how to prevent laptop theft and what to do if your laptop is stolen. This is a very important topic and we want to be sure that everyone is aware of how to prevent thefts.

Two steps you can take to keep your laptop and mobile device safe are to never leave them unattended (or to put them in a secure location like a locked office or locker while you’re away) and, for laptops specifically, to attach a security cable to it. If you need a security cable for your Simmons-owned laptop, please contact the Service Desk.

If a Simmons-owned laptop or other mobile computing device has been lost or stolen, you should follow these steps:

• Promptly report the loss to the Technology Service Desk, 617-521-2222, and to your manager.

• The Service Desk will also ask you to provide the following information, if known, so appropriate security measures can be taken:
– Your Simmons username and email address
– Any special services to which you had access (e.g. Datatel)
– Any special applications which were loaded on the device
– What types of data were saved on the device (e.g. Student data, HR data)
– If the device was powered on at the time of loss
– If passwords were encrypted and what software was used for encryption

• In addition to contacting the Service Desk and your manager, you should contact Public Safety, 617-521-1112, if the theft occurred on campus. If the theft occurred off campus, it should be reported to local police.

If you have any questions about laptop and mobile device security, please contact the Service Desk at 617-521-2222 or servicedesk.simmons.edu.

SOPA and Simmons: What do you think?

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Wikipedia blackout image via wikipedia.org

Last year, both the United States Senate and House of Representatives introduced bills intended to prevent illegal electronic dissemination of copyrighted material. These two bills (referred to as PIPA and SOPA) have led to a great deal of discussion about the rights of copyright holders and the ability of the Internet to function as an open and effective tool for continued innovation.

In brief, the bills propose a system under which websites and their owners would be responsible for all content uploaded by users and would have to monitor all uploaded content for copyright infringement. In addition, these companies would also have to remove links, advertising, or search results that point to websites on a government list of blocked sites.

Both bills were expected to come to a vote in the early part of 2012 but, after an outpouring of negative reactions online, as well as a protest “blackout” of major websites such as Wikipedia, and strong opposition from Google, Twitter, Craigslist, and others, they have been shelved for the time being. While this issue will temporarily fall out of headlines, the underlying problems it seeks to address will continue.

While we, as a technology department, respect the rights of copyright holders, we are also keenly aware of need for innovation and advancement in the ways we communicate, learn, and teach others. As such, we are concerned about legislation that broadly and vaguely defines the responsibilities of website owners and end users. To create a law that addresses these issues, we believe that unilateral action is ineffective and only collaboration between all parties involved will lead to an equitable and effective solution.

If you’re interested in learning more about SOPA and PIPA, please see the links provided below. These sources were used in the creation of this article and are a good starting point for learning more about this issue.

We are also interested in what you think about technology, innovation, and copyright.  You can let us know how you view the issue and what solutions you think might work by using the comment box below.

Sources/More Information:

GovTrack overview of SOPA
GovTrack overview of PIPA
CNN Money: “SOPA explained: What it is and why it matters”
New York Times: “In Fight Over Piracy Bills, New Economy Rises Against Old”

Simmons Moodle Is on Its Way!

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If you read last month’s TechNews, you know that Simmons is engaged in a project to replace Blackboard-based Simmons eLearning as the College learning management system (LMS). Because this project will affect most of the Simmons Community, we want to keep you informed of its progress while highlighting some of the exciting things it will make possible.

The new LMS, currently called Simmons Moodle, has been made available this semester to a pilot group of professors who have volunteered to use it in their classes and to provide feedback. During spring semester, there will be ten courses and more than 250 students using Simmons Moodle and sharing their experiences with us. In preparation for these courses, the Simmons Moodle Team has created tutorials, videos, and FAQs for both faculty and students. We will use what we learn from the pilot to help us plan and prepare for the campus-wide roll out.

We are very excited about Simmons Moodle and the capabilities and improvements it will bring to a technologically integrated learning experience. Among these are more customizable features and increased communication between students and professors. In the coming months, we’ll provide updates on our progress and share with you the experiences of some of the students and faculty using Simmons Moodle.

As we integrate our experiences from the pilot into a plan for campus-wide roll out, you can expect to hear more about this project. Additionally, you are welcome to visit lmsproject.simmons.edu, to read our blog and stay on top of updates as they occur.

IT Knowledge at a Discount: Join NERCOMP Today!

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Are you interested in learning more about the impact of technology on higher education? If so, Simmons College would like to make you aware of our institutional membership in the NorthEast Regional Computing Program (NERCOMP). As an organization, NERCOMP strives to disseminate the latest technology information of interest to administrators, faculty, staff, and students at schools in the northeastern U.S.

So what does all this mean for you? Among other things, when you sign up as a member, you’ll receive discounts on all workshops and the NERCOMP Annual Meeting of at least $130 per event! Upcoming events include workshops on social media strategy and the future of library and IT integration. Members can also choose to receive an email newsletter from NERCOMP that will keep you up to date on events and deals available to you.

To sign up, click here. Once you’re there, click “Join with your school” and complete the registration form. You’ll receive a confirmation email from NERCOMP with a user name and temporary password. After that, you can browse upcoming events and sign up at the discounted rate!

Passwords Getting out of Hand? Try KeePass.

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In a world where we have usernames and passwords for many online services, it is important to have a secure way to organize and remember your passwords. To help solve this problem, Simmons currently provides software called KeePass for all faculty and staff computers running Windows. KeePass is an open source password manager that helps you to create and store a database of your passwords and only allows access with a master password.

To get started using KeePass, check out this FAQ on the Service Desk website.

KeePass is automatically installed on all new faculty and staff computers running Windows. There is also a version for Mac that we can install for you. If you do not currently have KeePass installed and would like to get it, please contact the Service Desk x2222 or servicedesk.simmons.edu for a quick and easy installation.

Making Admissions Easier with Intelliworks.

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At Simmons, one of our most important goals is to maintain open lines of communication
with students. Most current students probably recognize the many ways we reach out
to them: email, the Simmons website, Facebook, Twitter, electronic message boards on
campus, and more. What you might not know is that this process starts well before you’ve
applied to Simmons.

Applying to college or graduate school can be a stressful time and Simmons has a dedicated staff to help you navigate learning about Simmons, visiting, applying, and enrolling. Unfortunately, the process of managing prospective student data and communicating with you throughout the application process has long been a manual and time consuming process. Over the last year and a half, Technology has been helping the undergraduate and graduate Admissions Offices integrate and automate many of these functions by migrating to a new enrollment management system called Intelliworks.

Using Intelliworks has helped our admissions teams simplify and tailor the Simmons College online inquiry and application process, giving prospective students the ability to track the components of their applications, and increasing the effectiveness of communication we have with them. This project is just one of many that we are working on to make interaction between students, faculty, and staff a highlight of the Simmons experience.

Behind the Scenes: Simmons College Data Center Tours

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Cloud computing. Virtualization. Servers.

You probably hear these terms frequently, but you might not know what they mean or how they relate to the services you use every day. If you’d like to learn more about how data is stored and transmitted at Simmons, you can be part of a Data Center tour, hosted by David Bruce, Director of Infrastructure & Online Services.

These tours provide an inside look at the Simmons Technology infrastructure and help you to understand how data moves at Simmons. Tours are scheduled as needed and are a great opportunity for students in computer science, GLSIS, and anyone interested in computing.

If you’d like to be part of an upcoming tour or to schedule a tour for a class, please contact David Bruce at [email protected].

TechKnow: Organizing Our Knowledge, Sharing Our Expertise

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If you’ve been at Simmons for even a short time, you probably recognize that our campus is home to some of the best and brightest in many academic and administrative areas. While it is fortunate to have so much skill and knowledge in one location, it can also be challenging to preserve and share that information so it serves the needs of the entire College.

In Technology, we are striving to solve this challenge by creating a database of information that can be used by everyone to improve service and support. This specialized database, called TechKnow, allows us to collect and organize information and then share it internally and with our customers.

Within Technology, we use TechKnow for gathering solutions to common issues and documenting standardized processes for guiding customers through these solutions when you contact the Service Desk. TechKnow is also the guiding force behind the searchable self-service FAQs available on the Service Desk website.

Doug Anderson, Senior Director of Technology Services, spearheaded the creation of TechKnow in early 2011 with the goals of, “strengthening the group culture, documenting most of our repeat issues, and creating self-service.” Throughout the spring semester, TechKnow was installed, tested, and populated with a base of information. During the summer, many solutions for frequent issues were gathered and incorporated into the Service Desk website. We are aware that the majority of students prefer self-service when dealing with technology questions and we are striving to provide as much information as possible in this way.

To date, TechKnow has been a significant factor in improving service and support and changing the way we share knowledge in Technology. The knowledge base that we use internally has more than 1,300 articles and there are more than 120 self-service FAQs available to the Simmons Community, which have been viewed more than 130,000 times. In addition, using TechKnow has allowed us to improve the rate of resolution on service requests and to more quickly train new employees.

Going forward, Technology will continue adding more FAQs for our customers, creating specialized solutions for providing information to partners, and sharing the experiences we have had with other departments at Simmons that might want to organize and share their knowledge.

On the Horizon: A New Learning Management System for Simmons

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Academic technology is a rapidly changing field that increasingly reflects the shifting landscape of platform integration and social networking capabilities. This progress is reflected in the advancement of learning management systems (LMS) that help faculty and students manage course content online.

Currently, Simmons eLearning uses a product called Blackboard. It has been announced that support for the current version of Blackboard will be phased out in 2014. In response, Simmons has begun the eLearning Transition Project in order to assess the needs of students and faculty and to choose, test, and implement an effective LMS. Goals for the new LMS will be improved integration with Simmons systems, mobile access to course material, and a modern look and feel with interface options users have come to expect, such as drag-and-drop and customizable landing pages.

The eLearning Transition Project Team is currently working with faculty and staff to gather feedback and pilot test a new LMS: Moodle-based Joule 2.0 by Moodlerooms. For up-to-date information and more insight into the project, please visit lmsproject.simmons.edu.