Instructional Technology

Canvas Outage 2021-03-25

By March 25th 2021

UPDATE

Instructure reports that the issue causing the Canvas outage has been resolved. If you are still experiencing issues with Canvas, please first clear your browser history or restart your Canvas mobile app. If that doesn’t resolve the issue, please contact the InfoDesk at infodesk@allegheny.edu or call 814-332-3768.

Users nationwide are experiencing issues with accessing Canvas. LITS is aware, and Instructure has been notified of the issue. We will provide updates here as they become available.

Many thanks to those in our Allegheny community who have alerted us to the issue.

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VLC Player for DVDs in Classroom Presentation Spaces

By October 7th 2020

VLC media player software is now available on all presentation space computers on campus. This software is intended for use by faculty to present DVDs as part of a classroom session.

When you insert a DVD into the tower, you will see a prompt asking you what you’d like to do with the disc. Choose “VLC”. To allow students who are attending remotely to view the video, remember to share the presentation computer’s screen in Zoom or Meet.

Note: Discs played in the separate Blu-Ray player will not be viewable by remote students.

Please reach out to the InfoDesk at infodesk@allegheny.edu or call 814-332-3768 with any questions.

For Faculty: Google Meet Training

By March 23rd 2020

Additional training sessions for Google Meet have been scheduled for Tuesday, March 24th, at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm. The training will be conducted online via Google Meet. If you would like to attend one of these sessions, email Helen McCullough (hmccull@allegheny.edu). Please state whether you will attend the morning or afternoon session.

Classroom Webcams

By March 19th 2020

LITS worked with department chairpersons and building coordinators to identify up to four classrooms per building to equip with webcams to allow for live streaming or recording lectures. In assessing the need the following rooms will be equipped to support live streaming and recording lectures:
  • Alden Hall – 109
  • Arnold Hall – M106
  • Arter Hall – 007, 101, 113, 205
  • Carnegie Hall – 105, 110, 112
  • Carr Hall – 120
  • Doane Hall of Art – ALIC, A103
  • Doane Hall of Chem – 103
  • Montgomery Gym – Performance Space
  • Oddfellows – 105B
  • Quigley Hall – 123
  • Ruter Hall – 201, 203, 109, 106
  • Steffee Hall – B103
  • Vukovich Center – 202

The work of equipping the rooms started on Thursday 3/19 and should be complete by late afternoon on 3/20 to give faculty time to practice the techniques outlined on the Preparing for Remote Course Delivery page of the LITS website. Faculty should work with their building coordinator for scheduling the room.

In the event that additional rooms need equipping, LITS will prioritize that work accordingly. Please direct requests for additional rooms to the InfoDesk.

For Educators: 9/25 and 10/2 Learning Management System Demos

By September 20th 2019

The Academic Support Committee invites faculty to join us in the Collaboratory for lunch on September 25th and October 2nd for demonstrations of the Canvas (September 25) and Brightspace (October 2nd) learning management systems (LMS). [Please note: the dates for the two demos have been switched.] Allegheny has been using the Sakai LMS since 2008, and the LMS landscape has developed considerably during this time. In response to requests from faculty, ASC is investigating alternatives to Sakai. The Committee feels strongly that any decision  to move systems will require broad, informed input from the community. If you’d like to join us to kickoff this review, or just to get a free lunch with colleagues, please join us at noon on September 25th and October 2nd in the Collaboratory. Lunch will be available at noon, and the presentation will start around 12:20. Please RSVP at this link so that we can have an accurate count for lunch. We will ask participants to complete a brief survey after the lunch and presentation.

For additional information contact Rick Holmgren.

Sakai unavailable May 23rd from 8:30 am to noon

By May 21st 2019

Due to a system update, Sakai will be unavailable on Thursday, May 23rd, from 8:00 am until noon.
Sakai will be updated to version 19. The new version will have some tool enhancements and a new Rubrics tool that will integrate with Assignments, Tests & Quizzes, Forums, and Gradebook. Questions? Please email Helen McCullough at hmccull@allegheny.edu or call 332-3364.

Switch to Drive File Stream before May 12th

By April 23rd 2018

The Google Drive desktop app is shutting down on May 12th. If you are still using Google Drive, you need to switch to Drive File Stream to keep your files backed up and secure.  File Stream is an easy way to move and organize your data, and much easier to use than the Google Drive sync app.

With File Stream you can:

  • View and organize files in your computer’s native file system, such as Explorer in Windows or Finder in Mac OS X.
  • Open files in their native applications installed on your computer.
  • Mark specific files or folders for offline use so that they are accessible when you know you will be without internet access.
  • See all of your files in Google Drive without using storage space on your computer.
  • You can stop using MS Office and begin using Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.

Is this important to you? Yes. Keeping your data secure and backed up is your responsibility–ITS will no longer transfer or restore data during computer upgrades, repairs, or replacements.  For more information see the File Stream tutorial or contact the InfoDesk.

For Faculty: Teaching Tidbits/Teaching with Technology Lunch–March 12

By March 5th 2018

For Faculty: Monday, March 12th

Teaching Tidbits/Teaching with Technology Lunch
Flipped Classrooms without Problem Sets

Where: Pelletier Collaboratory
When: Monday, March 12th at noon
Register here

Are you interested in flipping a class but don’t know how to start?  Lee Coates will discuss his recent experience of flipping his Animal Physiology (Bio 380) course without using problem sets.  He’ll discuss the format for the flipped class, technology for pre-class assignments and videos, in-class activities, and assessment data comparing student learning before and after flipping the class.

Lunch will be served at noon and the presentation will begin at 12:20 pm in the Pelletier Collaboratory on Monday, March 12th. Register at this link.

Get (H)appy in the Classroom

By January 25th 2018

Please join us for the first Teaching with Technology lunch of the spring semester, co-hosted by Teaching Tidbits. We will meet on Monday, January 29, in the Pelletier Collaboratory to discuss the use of smartphone apps for teaching. We will cover apps to help with grading multiple choice tests and quizzes (ZipGrade), collecting audience responses (PollEverywhere), and managing class-relevant web content for offline access (Pocket). Please feel free to share your experience with other apps you might use for teaching including, but not limited to, Kahoot, GoodNotes, Hemingway, Socrative, etc. Lunch will be served at noon and the presentation will begin at 12:20 pm in the Pelletier Collaboratory on Monday, January 29th. Register at this link.