Tag Archives: 2013

The Google Apps Migration is Complete!

TechNews,

google_apps_smWe are very happy to announce that the Google Apps for Education migration for faculty and staff is now complete. We’d like to thank everyone at Simmons for your patience and cooperation as we worked to ensure that your email was migrated correctly and that you were provided with the individual attention you needed.

In conjunction with the end of this project, we will be transitioning from project-based training to a sustainable, long-term training structure. We will announce training dates and times as soon as the schedule is finalized. In the meantime, you can get answers to almost any Google Apps question from several sources:

Built-in Google Apps Training – when logged in to Google Apps, click “More” on the black bar at the top of the screen, then click “Google Apps Training.” This will take you to detailed, searchable instructions on almost any Google Apps function.

Google Apps Project Site – You can find instructions here for quickly setting up your mobile devices, as well as guides to advanced functions for administrative assistants, information for new employees, and much more.

lynda.com – Our partnership with lynda.com provides dozens of instructional videos about Google’s products, including Google Apps.

Service Desk – Remember that you can always contact the Service Desk for assistance with Google Apps by calling 617-521-2222 or visitingservicedesk.simmons.edu.

Throughout the summer, we’ll continue providing Google Apps tips in our newsletter to help improve your experience and increase your knowledge of Gmail, Calendar, and all of the other apps.

In Other Google News…

TechNews, ,

Over the last year, we’ve devoted a lot of time to introducing and discussing Google Apps. Today, we’d like to mention a few developments outside of Google Apps that might be of interest to everyone at Simmons.

The first is a significant upgrade to Google Maps. This update will incorporate information from Google Earth directly into Maps, bringing users 3D visualizations of locations. In addition, Google has improved mapping for different modes of transportation, including public transit, which will certainly help us find our way around Boston.

Google has also doubled down on map personalization. If you’re logged in to your Google account, Maps will learn your likes and dislikes, and incorporate place ratings from your friends. You can get the full rundown of new features straight from Google.

In their endless quest to integrate media across platforms, Google has also introduced Google Play Music All Access, a streaming music competitor to Spotify and Pandora. While the product name might leave something to be desired, the service looks to be easy to use and priced similarly to other streaming services. Find out more here.

Beyond these changes, Google is constantly developing and integrating products, many of which are available in Google Apps for Education. We’ll do our best to keep you informed of changes and new features as they come online.

Discounts and More from NERCOMP

TechNews, ,

nercomp_logoManaging technology resources for an entire campus means constantly balancing the need to provide tools and equipment you require with the realities of budget constraints. As a result, many of our services and partnerships are focused on extracting the greatest value possible from the investments we’ve made.

Foremost among these efforts is our partnership with the NorthEast Regional Computing Program (NERCOMP). This arrangement allows Simmons to take advantage of significant discounts on Microsoft products that run on our servers and on-campus computers. These across-the-board discounts lower our infrastructure costs and free up budgetary resources for other projects and services.

In addition, NERCOMP provides frequent technology workshops and seminars in New England. You can sign up as an individual member through our institutional account and access these resources at a significant discount. 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!

 

Improving the Service Desk Website

TechNews, ,

While many on-campus activities slow down after the Spring semester, this tends to be a busy time for the Technology team. We spend the summer months working on projects so they will be up and running by the beginning of Fall semester.

This summer, we’ll be overhauling the Service Desk website, making the most important information easier to find. In addition, we’ll improve the integration between the website, our knowledge base, and the ticket management system we use to track your requests. In the end, these changes will improve your ability to get the information you need and further streamline our process for handling requests.

Keep an eye out for more information as this project moves forward.

 

Online Training Now Available via lynda.com

TechNews, ,

Simmons Technology is pleased to announce our partnership with lynda.com, a provider of online training tools. This investment provides Simmons students, faculty, and staff with 24/7 online access to 1,400 training modules on more than 150 topics, including web design, Microsoft Office, photography, mobile app creation, social media, and much more.

The tutorials include in-depth training and practice exercises that can help you gain new skills or improve existing knowledge. Students and staff can use lynda.com to gain job-related skills and faculty can use it as a resource to supplement or even replace textbooks and online materials.

To get started, visit lynda.com and click log in, then enter simmons.edu on the right side of the login screen. You’ll be directed to a Simmons login page and returned to lynda.com after entering your Simmons username and password. Now you’re ready to learn!

To find out more about lynda.com, please visit servicedesk.simmons.edu. If you need assistance, call the Service Desk at 617-521-2222.

Google Apps Training and a Note About the New Compose Experience

TechNews, ,

google_apps_smAs of Friday, April 18th, the faculty and staff migration to Google Apps for Education is more than eighty percent complete. Because so many faculty members have been migrated in the last month, we want to remind you that we’re holding Google Apps training every week on Tuesday and Thursday. You can find the full schedule here. There’s no need to sign up, just drop in and get answers to your questions about creating, collaborating, and sharing with Google Apps.

Many of you may have noticed that Gmail now has a new compose window that you’ll see when writing an email. The new compose setup features a few advantages, including the ability to minimize drafts in progress and to open the email you’re composing in a separate window. To find out more about the new compose experience, click here.

That brings us to our tip for this month. During training, many people have asked us if you can automatically open a new email in a new window, and the answer is yes. If you hold down the SHIFT key on your keyboard and click COMPOSE, a blank email will open in a new window in front of your inbox. You can find additional tips for making the most of the new compose experience over at the Chronicle of Higher Ed.