Tag Archives: 2011

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.