Tag Archives: 201111

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.