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.

Optimizing Technology in the School of Management Building

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Since opening in January, 2009, the School of Management and Academic Building has been an important piece of the Simmons commitment to creating a world-class learning environment and building an environmentally responsible campus infrastructure.

What you might not see when looking at the building or sitting in one of its classrooms is the work we’re doing to make it as effective technologically as it is environmentally. Earlier this year, Technology began a project to reduce inefficiencies in the building and to increase the power of presentation and conferencing equipment.

Among the upgrades, conferencing has been improved with the installation of Cisco Telepresence in the School of Management case study rooms (M222/223). This technology provides video and audio connections for meetings and events, and enables real-time collaboration with colleagues across campus or around the world. Additional changes have included installing touch panels, which control projectors, monitors, and video conferencing equipment, as well as new, quieter projectors.

The on-going improvements to the technology infrastructure in the School of Management are part of a larger effort by Technology to help create an integrated and efficient environment for research and learning at Simmons.

Revamping Technology in Park Science Center

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It is no secret that technology goes hand in hand with science courses and it is with this axiom in mind that Simmons Technology has partnered with faculty and staff to make dramatic improvements to the available resources in Park Science Center.

Home to all science classrooms and laboratories, as well as the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, Park Science Center is vital to both education and research at Simmons. In 2011, Technology launched a project to replace old equipment as well as add new tools throughout the building. The importance of this initiative was captured by Professor Richard Gurney, Chemistry & Physics Department Chair. When asked about past issues with technology, he said, “Faculty grew accustomed to not considering the use of IT in their laboratory sections.” Obviously, it was time for a change.

Among the steps taken to make technology available in Park Science Center, more than 80 new computers have been deployed and high-definition projectors and new projection screens were installed in 13 labs along with Blu-Ray players, document cameras, and other resources. In addition, there are two new high-definition microscopes which can connect to projectors for use during lectures and presentations, and three camera systems with digital recorders in the Nursing Simulation Labs. Lastly, Park Science Center has been part of the campus-wide upgrade to multi-function printers with scanning and faxing capabilities.

Like many other recent Technology projects, improved security was a significant part of the project. Controllers have been installed to connect equipment to the network and allow Technology to monitor system and projector statistics and to provide more timely service as well as remote troubleshooting.

While there are further improvements being planned (including additional computer and printer replacements), most of the new technology is installed and has been available during Fall semester. After many years of waiting, these upgrades should help science faculty to mesh technology with pedagogy. As Professor Gurney noted, “Now that [technology] is available, working and supported, many more faculty will incorporate the technology into their teaching in the laboratory.”

Project Management Made Easy with LiquidPlanner

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Last winter, Simmons Technology was asked to recommend a project management tool for the Simmons Strategy team. The goal was to find a solution that would work for not only the Strategy team, but the entire Simmons Community and its varied stakeholders. After considering several platforms, a web-based tool called LiquidPlanner was chosen for its modern approach, easy-to-navigate interface, discounted higher-education pricing, and excellent customer support.

This past summer, members of the faculty and staff participated in a pilot program to begin using LiquidPlanner to manage their own projects. As a result of this successful pilot, LiquidPlanner is now available to any Simmons faculty or staff member who would like to use it to help manage their projects.

To find out more about LiquidPlanner, visit liquidplanner.com. To request an account, send an email to [email protected] and someone will contact you to assist you in getting set up.

Contributed by Emily Chaves

Out with the Old, in with the New: An Introduction to the Computer Replacement Program

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In an ongoing effort to provide the best possible service and support, Technology has undergone significant changes in the last year. Many have been upgrades to existing systems or behind the scenes process improvements, but one of the most visible projects will result in the replacement of every eligible faculty and staff computer.

The Computer Replacement Program was started in January, 2011, with the goals of providing access to hardware and software that support teaching, learning, and administration, and deploying computers through a streamlined process that causes minimal disruption to customers. While new computers are a significant investment, upgrading older computers throughout campus improves performance and security and actually reduces the total cost of ownership over the life of each computer.

To accomplish these goals, Simmons Technology has created a deployment team, headed by Roy Balcom, that handles all aspects of computer replacement. The six-week deployment process starts by determining which computers are eligible for upgrades. The deployment team then works with customers and department technology liaisons to identify each customer’s needs, determine the appropriate model of computer to purchase, and create a data migration plan to move all important information to the new computer. Next, the deployment team works with the customer to schedule a date for the replacement and provides a checklist and support to prepare for data transfer. Finally, the customer’s data is migrated to the new computer and it is deployed. Throughout the process, the deployment team maintains open lines of communication to ensure that the new computer is ready for use immediately and that all previous software and data are available and functioning properly.

The Computer Replacement Program has made great strides in less than a year. As of November 21st, 682 computers have been replaced. By the end of 2011, over 95% of all eligible faculty and staff computers will have been upgraded.

To find out more about the Computer Replacement Program, please visit the CRP website. If you have specific questions about the program, you can email [email protected].

Get Organized with NVivo

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NVivo logoWhen working on a large project, have you ever wished there was one place where you could organize and analyze all of your documents, spreadsheets, PDFs, and other research materials?

There is such a place, and it’s called NVivo and it will soon be available at Simmons!

NVivo is a powerful qualitative research tool that you can use to organize all of your data when writing a thesis or preparing a research paper for publication. It supports various file types including documents, PDFs, spreadsheets, images, audio, and video. It also works well with other software you might already use, like Excel, Word, SPSS, EndNote, and Evernote.

Keep an eye out for more on NVivo in the next few weeks. We will be sending out information on how to get NVivo and how to get started using it soon.

Searching for a Simmons Email Address? Add the Simmons Directory to Your Email!

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At Simmons Technology, we know that our customers access their Simmons email in many different ways: on campus, off campus, via Webmail, Gmail, Outlook, and more. We also know that, until recently, there was no easy way to access the Simmons Directory (the helpful list of all Simmons email addresses) from many of these platforms.

Simmons Technology has now put the directory online in a format that can be accessed by all Simmons students, faculty, and staff. To configure the directory in your favorite email client, check out the step-by-step instructions in this article on the Service Desk website. If you have trouble making it work, you can call the Service Desk at x2222 and a technician will guide you through the process.

Welcome to TechNews

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Thank you for reading the inaugural issue of TechNews, the Simmons College Technology Department newsletter. Each month, TechNews will preview new technology and give the entire Simmons community insight into the projects we’re working on to provide you with the best possible service and support.

Both the newsletter and the TechNews website will grow and become more robust over time. As in all of our projects, we’re follow a set of guidelines described by the Japanese word Kaizen. This philosophy is focused on continuous improvement, constant review, and positive change. These ideas are at the core of technological improvement and advancement and, as a result, they are embedded into our processes. We believe technology to be central to the continued success of Simmons and we want to share our ideas and contributions with you.

If you have any questions about projects featured in the newsletter or need technology support of any kind, please contact the Service Desk.