IRT: News & Events: TechUpdates: Wednesday, October 1, 2008

1. IRT is Upgrading DragonFly This Fall
IRT is upgrading Drexel’s wireless network again. The new DragonFly3 network has a much stronger signal than the old DragonFly, transfers data up to six times faster, and is millions of times more secure. Dragonfly3 is already active in more than ten University City buildings, including most residence halls and many common buildings. The rest of the main campus will be upgraded this term; the Center City campus will follow later in the academic year.

During the fall term University City transition period, you may see three networks: DragonFly, DragonFly2, and DragonFly3. DragonFly3 is the replacement for DragonFly – if you can connect to it, do so for the fastest service. DragonFly2 has been set up solely for non-computer devices (i.e., game consoles, old cell phones and PDAs, etc.) and older computers that can’t handle the new security standards used by DragonFly3; it is not meant for computers running Windows XP, Mac OS X, or other recent operating systems. DragonFly is still available in many buildings, but is quickly disappearing as each building is upgraded.

To learn how to get started with DragonFly3, visit http://drexel.edu/dragonfly3.

2. New Life for Old Versions of Microsoft Office
Drexel users should take advantage of the University's site license to stay up-to-date with the latest versions of Microsoft Office 2008 for MacOS and Office 2007 for Windows. Users who aren’t up-to-date cannot open files created by the new Word and Excel. This incompatibility can have a substantial impact on faculty who work with freshmen, who typically have new software for their new computers.
Fortunately, there’s an answer. Microsoft offers a set of file translators that allow the older versions of Office work with the newer file formats. The Open XML File Format Converter is available as a free download from Microsoft by clicking here.

3. Impatica for Students - License Codes Updated
Impatica is available to all Drexel students (as well as faculty and staff) via IRT’s Computer Marketplace. Recently, the license codes for the student versions of Impatica (for both Mac and PC) have been updated. The updated license codes can be found in the “readme” files accompanying the Impatica program on the Computer Marketplace site at http://www.drexel.edu/irt/computers/software.html.
Impatica is an application that converts PowerPoint files into a compressed format that is optimized for streaming over the Internet. Students who would like to learn more about Impatica can attend a one-hour demo, to be held in Korman 116 from 1:30 to 2:30 pm on Wednesday, October 8 and Wednesday, November 5. Sign-up is required; just send an email to the Online Learning Team at olt@drexel.edu. Students can learn more at http://www.drexel.edu/irt/impatica_for_students.html.

4. New Telephone Prefixes for Drexel Phone Numbers
Drexel continues to grow – and now we’ve grown into a new telephone exchange.

Offices on the University City campus typically have phone numbers in the 895 exchange while residence halls use the 571 exchange. As the 895 exchange fills up, Drexel needs to begin using the 571 exchange to accommodate further growth. Fortunately, there’s excess capacity in the 571 exchange because its usage has declined as students have switched from landlines to cell phones.
Starting immediately, requests for new phone numbers for employees or services will be accommodated by assigning a 571- phone number. However, four-digit dialing between 895- and 571- phone numbers on-campus will be preserved for everyone’s convenience. For example, those with 571- or 895- prefixes can dial just the four-digit extension, i.e. x2020, for the IRT Help Desk.

5. Introducing Google Chrome Beta
Google’s new Web browser, Chrome, is now in beta! Chrome’s minimalist style is designed for easier and faster Web browsing. Chrome features a box for Web page addresses as well as search keywords, thumbnails for favorite sites, easy access to Web applications, and samplings of most visited pages and search engines when a new tab is opened.

Users can gather tabs or split them into new windows, control browser crashes, be warned of dangerous sites with pop-ups, import settings, bookmark pages instantaneously, and enjoy fewer distractions--a download manager no longer pops up.

Browse without the clutter of toolbars and extra buttons!

Note that since Chrome is in BETA, it might NOT be compatible with all Web applications or sites, such as DrexelOne and Blackboard Vista. Only certified browsers should be used for these sites as they have been tested for compatibility.
For more information or to download the Google Chrome beta, visit http://www.google.com/chrome. Chrome is compatible with Windows XP and Vista.

6. Help Us Spread the Word!
Fall term always means new faculty colleagues -- full-time, part-time, adjuncts, etc.

Instructional Technology Support, part of IRT, offers a variety of services and assistance to faculty who are using technology in the classroom or managing web-enhanced, blended, or online classes.

New faculty can call us at 215-895-1224 or email us at olt@drexel.edu for assistance or more information.

7. Coming Soon: New IRT Website
IRT has been working on a redesign of its site. The new site will be up and running soon, so be sure to check it out once it's up at http://www.drexel.edu/irt.

Tips & Tricks

Tips & Tricks are helpful articles that address a variety of Windows and Mac applications. Click on one of the links below:

Tip: Spruce Up Your Blackboard Vista Profile
Identifying Duplicate Values in Excel 2007
Customizing the Quick Access Toolbar
Spell Check in Word 2007
Out of Office Assistant

News & Notes on Online Learning

13. Bb Vista Class Availability
For the fall term, Bb Vista classes are available to students until the following date and time:

• Saturday, December 13, 2008 at 11:59 PM

Instructors have the capability to extend the timeframe when their course is available to students. For step-by-step instructions, visit:
http://www.drexel.edu/IRT_new/services/Bbvista/howToChangeDates.html.
For assistance, email the Online Learning Team at olt@drexel.edu or call 215-895-1224.

14. Wimba Classroom for Virtual Polling
Wimba Classroom, which is available through Bb Vista, allows instructors to conduct anonymous, virtual polling in their classes. Instructors can ask multiple-choice or open-ended questions to reinforce the material that was taught in a particular class or unit of the course, find out which topic(s) need to be covered in more depth, or ask students for overall feedback about the course. Results are presented instantaneously (and anonymously, if desired by the instructor), so students can see how their input compares to that of their peers.

Wimba Classroom offers unlimited opportunities for formative and summative assessment of both the learning and teaching processes. Instructors who are interested in learning more about using the polling feature in Wimba Classroom should email the Online Learning Team at olt@drexel.edu or call 215-895-1224.

15. Create Quizzes and Surveys in Camtasia
Did you know that you can add Flash-based quizzes and surveys to your Camtasia presentations? Here are the steps that you can follow:

1. Select the location in your timeline where the quiz or survey should appear.

2. In the left menu, select “Flash Quiz and Survey.”

3. Click “Add Quiz” or “Add Survey."

4. Select your options.

a. You can add as many multiple choice, fill in the blank, and short answer questions as you'd like.

5. Be sure to click “Finished” when you are done adding questions.

Don't have Camtasia? Members of the Drexel community can attend Camtasia workshops in room 116 of the Korman Center (33rd Street between Market and Chestnut Streets, facing the Quad) and receive a free copy of the software. A demonstration for beginning users of Camtasia will be held on Wednesday, October 8 from 2:45 to 3:45 p.m. and again on Wednesday, November 5 from 2:45-3:45 p.m. Hands-on workshops for intermediate-level users will be held on Tuesday, October 14 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and again on Tuesday, November 11 from 10 am - 12 pm.

Sign-up is required; send an email to the Online Learning Team at olt@drexel.edu.

To view up-to-date information on future sessions, visit http://www.drexel.edu/irt/services/workshops.

16. "Hidden" Tools in Bb Vista Sections
When you elect to "hide" one or more of the 19 tools available in your Bb Vista course, if the tool’s feature indicates on your Course List that you have a "new item" in that area, this visual indicator will NOT be seen.

For example, you have the Discussions tool available but hidden from students. If you have new discussion postings in that section, you will not see the Discussions alert icon (which looks like a pushpin) in the Course List area of your Bb Vista Home page.

To read previous issues of the IRT Technology Update, go to http://www.drexel.edu/irt/news/technews/.

To manage your subscription options to the IRT Technology Update and other Drexel Announcements, go to http://www.drexel.edu/irt/subscriptions. If you prefer to receive a plain text version, please email your request to mailreq@drexel.edu.

Modified: 07/31/2009

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