Tips & Tricks From Devon - 9/30/2013

Good Morning SU!  I hope that you all had a fantastic weekend and you are ready to start the week fresh!  I've collected some great information today regarding Facebook privacy, advanced Google searches and some changes coming to the black Google bar that we see all the time.  If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!


Where Devon Will Be This Week
Monday - Bowman Building - 11 - 1 - Room 212
Wednesday - Cork Street - 11:00 - 1:00 - Room M155
Thursday - Wilkins Building - 12 - 2 - Conference Room
Thursday - Halpin-Harrison Hall - 3:00 - 4:30 - Room 140
Friday - Health Professions Building - 11:00 - 12:30 - In Front of Library
Always Online @ www.su.edu/training

New Google Navigation Bar

If you haven't seen the new Google Navigation bar, you will soon!  The black bar across the top of all Google sites will be disappearing shortly. Give the link a click to see what the new version will look like and how you can still get to your mail, calendar, drive, etc... from the new version

Secure Your Facebook Account!

If you are not sure what your security settings are on Facebook, NOW is the time to take a peek. Make sure you are showing the world only what you want them to see.  Here is a six-step process for securing your social network!

 

 

 

Better Searches - Better Results

Using a few special characters in your Google searches can drastically improve the reliability of your results. Click the link to see a list of the most useful search operators and the ways in which they can help you search better and faster! You can even print it off and put it next to your computer for easy reference.

 

 

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Google Drive: Creating Dynamic Online Documents

Google Drive has been a pillar of Google's products for a while now, and many people are still strictly using Drive as an online repository for files so that they can be accessed anytime, anywhere. Today, I'm here to tell you that you can use Drive for more.  

If you just think Google Drive is Google's version of DropBox then you're only partially right.  Sure you can store your files here, but did you know you can also create documents and then let your friends, coworkers, and classmates modify these documents as needed? You can also create important documents and share them with people and make it so they can only view the document without the ability to modify the file itself.  Google Drive is not limited to strictly being able to edit text files, you can also create and edit slide show presentations, spreadsheets, forms and you can even draw.  

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A Brief Youtube Tutorial About the New Journals Layout

We have received some questions about the new Journals layout, please take a couple of minutes to watch the following tutorial to get to know the layout just a little better.  

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Student Tech Buzz 9/23-9/27 Winners of the 9/20 Blackboard UX Moose Usability Lab Raffle: 923119 923133 923136 923135 923118 923131 To redeem your gift card visit Tristan Plummer, with ticket in hand, in the basement of the Smith Library (Room 41).  Deadline to receive your gift card isFriday, October 4th at 5:00pm. Virginia Blackboard User Group is Seeking Student Ambassadors:     Blackboard users from across Virginia are gathering on the Campus of VCU onFriday, October 25th, for the fourth annual Virginia Blackboard User Group Conference! SU would be proud to have a student delegation go to share their Blackboard stories or merely observe the day's Blackboard related events. Transportation to Richmond may be provided, and a continental breakfast and lunch will be provided. To register for this event, and to get more detailed information about this conference please visit the official website. If you intend on going to this event, make sure to send me an email (tplummer@su.edu) that way I can begin organizing transportation. Ramifications of iOS 7 for SU Users   Many SU courses currently rely heavily on iTunes U, and once iOS 7 was released we quickly found that the new iOS breaks the iTunes U links.  What this means for you is that your iPad or iPhone is not going to be able to access your courses' iTunes U information (if you upgraded to iOS 7). Additionally, Bb Mobile Learn will not work with iOS 7 through Shenandoah U's app. Keep in mind, this is only going to affect iPads and iPhones.  Your MacBooks will still be able to use iTunes U and Blackboard normally.   If we discover a workaround for this problem, or a patch is released to fix this issue, we will let you know as soon as possible.

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Another Amazing Blackboard Feature: Journals

What a gorgeous collection of Blackboard features

As we all know, Blackboard has a lot of features. that's why Blackboard is so amazing!  Each class can be customized fully so that course material is delivered in the exact way the professor intends.

 The way I have always imagined Blackboard, in a metaphorical sense, is that Blackboard is like a closet filled with attractive, well organized, clothes (the individual items of clothing are features that Blackboard offers).  Courses, in this metaphor, would be akin to the day to day outfit that one puts on from the closet.  Depending on the course, or day's needs, you might want to put on a different set of fashionable threads.  Running?  Sure, the closet has running clothes.  Going to a wedding?  No problem, suits are all the way to the right, against the wall.  Going to work?  Yup, we have khakis and pencil skirts ready for morning coffee at the office.  The point is, Blackboard is exceptionally versatile, and once you know how to use all of its features properly, you can get some really snazzy outfits out of the closet (if you catch my drift).

Today, let's talk about one of those awesome looking shirts in the back of the closet that you rarely wear, but when you do, you feel stunning.  

Blackboard Journals

Each class has various assignments and assessments. Many courses are now incorporating discussion boards into their Blackboard experience to encourage students to discuss, acknowledge, and evaluate the performance and thinking of their peers.  Along this line, is a tool that is available called Journals.  When a teacher wants to track the progress, mentality, and focus of a student over a long period of time, that's where journals come in.  Sure, journal's might be on the periphery of assignments, but sometimes it is peripheral information that can be the most important for contextual purposes.  Where a quiz might test a student if they know something, a journal might explain why they do not know the information and how they are coming to grips with their grasps for knowledge.  

As for the layout of Blackboard Journals, a few things have changed from previous versions to the most current version, and I wanted to take some time to clear up any confusion.  In the past there used to be a section at the top of the Journal feature that would give a description about the journal, and now the description is in the top right corner in an area that says, "About this Journal." You click the drop down chevron and the description of the journal will appear clear as a bell in a nice visual way so you have a lot of space to type without your thoughts being interrupted. 

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Incredible App: Pages

After spending the weekend fiddling with my iPad (though I never updated to iOS 7 because it will break iTunes U links) I was impressed with one app in particular, and that app happens to be free for you if you are a SU student who uses Self Service: Pages.

Pages is a simple, clean, and attractively designed word processor.  Though I used the word "simple" to describe Pages, I do not want you to think this app is lacking capability.  In fact, this app has enough depth to support advanced word processing tasks, providing you have a Bluetooth keyboard to go along with your iPad (without a Bluetooth keyboard, I think writing papers with the on-screen keyboard might prove frustrating for users).

What seems to be the biggest draw for users to Pages is that you get all of the functionality of a more advanced word processor (unless you are doing particularly advanced tasks like creating annotated bibliographies) with all of the mobility of the iPad.

The video below is a great 5 minute Pages tutorial showing you the layout and how some of the features work.

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Winners of the Blackboard @ SU Gift Card Raffle!

Tristan sporting UX Moose gear

Here are the winning ticket numbers from this week's Blackboard Usability Lab:

923119
923133
923136
923135
923118
923131

Student must receive the gift cards from Tristan Plummer, Technology Liaison, in the bottom of the Smith Library (room 41).  Winnings tickets must be in hand. The deadline to collect your gift cards will be Friday, October 4th, 2013.

Make sure to send an email to tplummer@su.edu to make sure he is available. If not, you can generally find him in his office 9-5 Monday-Friday

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iOS 7 Breaking iTunes U Links

If you are in a class that relies heavily on data that is stored in and made accessible by iTunes U, the IC department strongly recommends holding off on installing iOS 7.  The reason being, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO ACCESS iTUNES U. 

I'm sorry for yelling, but I really wanted you to read that last sentence.

Once iOS 7 and iTunes U begin working together (through a fix that our media services department comes up with, or an update provided by the developers) we will notify students as quickly as possible via blog.

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An Excellent App: Penultimate

Are you the type of person who loves taking traditional notes, but dislikes organizing and maintaining lots of paper?  Penultimate could very easily become a game changer for you.

This app is considered to be one of the best apps for blending the versatility of physical notes with the convenience of digital notes. See, with this app, you use your finger or stylus to write down your notes as if your screen was a normal piece of paper. For users who intend on writing lengthy notes, I recommend getting a stylus, as I believe it will enhance your experience and help you achieve the notes that you desire.

Now, I would imagine some of you more difficult to impress readers might be wondering, "That sounds like just another drawing app."  It isn't. What makes this app so great is what can be done immediately after your notes have been taken. With a press of your finger or stylus, you can save, store, export, and email your notes to the appropriate location so that your notes are never lost!  

For example:  

If you are an Evernote user (which you should be because Evernote is probably the best thing for humanity since Amoxicillin), you can easily export your Penultimate notes to your Evernote notebooks with a single press of the finger.  That means your data is stored quickly, efficiently, and with all the organization you could ever dream of across all of your platforms and mobile devices so your information is accessible anywhere in the world within seconds.  2013 is an amazing year for taking notes, am I right?

Did I mention that Penultimate is available in Self Service so that you can download it easily?  Enjoy!

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Student Tech Buzz 9/16-9/20

Blackboard @ SU    This Friday (9/20) The Blackboard UX Moose will be stomping around this campus with Blackboard representatives in tow. This is a great chance for all Blackboard users to receive new information, and provide feedback for everything Blackboard! The events schedule is as follows: 9-11AM @ HPB Private Group Sessions - Closed 1 on 1 sessions 1-3PM @ Henkel Hall (Byrd Board Room) -Prototypes -SU Feedback on Bb 2-3PM @ Henkel Hall (Room 107) -Demo of Social Spaces -Question & Answer session about anything Bb Shenandoah University is supplying over $200 worth of prizes including gift cards to local restaurants and snacks for your attendance and participation!

Editing your Blackboard Notification Settings   The first few weeks of classes at SU have vanished so quickly the History channel is considering making a miniseries.  All the easy stuff is over, and now the real work is beginning to pile up.  Some of you take a tremendous course load, and with that comes Blackboard notifications out the wazoo.  Though Blackboard never fails to notify, sometimes people feel as though they get too many notifications.  The best part is, when it comes to notifications, you get to choose your level of involvement. Let's talk about how you can customize your notification settings: From "My Bb" click in the top right corner on your name A dropdown menu will appear, click "Settings" a sub-dropdown menu will appear, click "Personal Information" click "Edit Personal Information" Enter all relevant information including your mobile phone number (if you want to receive notifications via SMS). Make sure to click "Submit" when you are finished Go back to the third bullet location where you found "Personal Information." This time click "Edit Notification Settings." From here you can fully customize your notification settings (including setting your phone up to receive SMS notifications and/or removing what notifications you think you'll be able to live without).  There are certainly a lot of notification settings here, and it might require a little bit of time to perfect your notification scheme.  Once your Blackboard notifications are customized to your liking, you only receive the notifications that you specified.  Via: IT Blog 9/12 Author: Tristan Plummer   IC Security Alert: Scam E-mail Trying to Steal Your SU Google Apps Password A number of SU users have reported receiving an e-mail with the Subject line: Important Message About Your Shenandoah University Account. This is a spam/scam e-mail.   The e-mail provides a link to "confirm" your webmail details and has a https link to www.su.edu.     If you receive this e-mail DO NOT click on the link. The site it takes you to trys to steal your SU Google Apps password.   If you have clicked on the link you need to change your SU Google Apps passwordASAP.    To do this go to the login page forBlackboard and before you login to Blackboard click on the link, below the login area, labeled Change Google Password.   IC is looking into this e-mail and has worked with Google to improve the spam filters to better block this type of message.  Via: IT Blog 9/11/2013 Author: Melissa Stange

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Make sure to LOG OUT of Blackboard

Are you one of those people who just clicks the X in the top right corner of your browser when you are done with Blackboard? Lots of Blackboard users do, and it is a huge problem.  Logging out properly is easy, and quick. The largest hurdle is remembering to click the log-out button in the top right corner of your Blackboard session.

The thing is, if you leave a session without logging out properly, you are still logged in.  After four hours, the session will automatically log you out and any information that is not submitted will be lost. People have failed to submit tests, blog posts, assignments, and discussion boards in this exact way. This has been an ongoing struggle at SU, and when the solution is so simple, it can be a little frustrating from our end.


Don't become a statistic.  Log out of your Blackboard session.

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Tips & Tricks From Devon's Desk

Lots of great information this week for everyone!  iOS 7 will be available this week, and with it comes much more functionality to your iDevices!  Also, a new update to Google Forms now allows you to add a progress bar, YouTube videos and custom text to the closed survey pages.  And last, but certainly not least, a way to limit your Bb notifications so you only get notified for what YOU want!

Where Devon Will Be This Week
Monday - Bowman Building - 11 - 1 - Room 212
Tuesday - Feltner Building - 9:30 - 11:30 - 3rd Floor
Wednesday - Cork Street - 9:30 - 11:30 - Room M155
Thursday - Wilkins Building - 11 - 1 - Conference Room
Thursday - Halpin-Harrison Hall - 2:30 - 4:30 - Room 140
Friday - Health Professions Building - 11 - 1 - Library
Always Online @ www.su.edu/training

Make sure you stop by for on the spot demonstrations and problem solving for your technology related needs. Now for this weeks Tips & Tricks guest post.
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Add Videos and Custom Text to Google Forms Google Forms is a great tool to use for quizzes, surveys, attendance, etc...  Not very long ago, Date and Time fields were added, and now they've added even more!  This recent update brings a progress bar, YouTube videos and the ability to customise the text of a closed survey page!  Check out the link for more information on the four new features added to Google Forms.

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iOS 7 & New iPhones Apple announced two new iPhones last week with one being a cheaper model (5C) and the other being their new flagship phone (5S).  The big news for us here at SU is the release date of the new version of iOS.  iOS 7 adds many new features to the interface and should make your iDevices even more useful for work and play!  iOS 7 will be available as an OTA update this Wednesday!  Want to see whats in store for you if you update?  Check the link to see an overview of iOS 7 and all its new features!

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Edit your Notification Settings in Blackboard! Tired of seeing those red numbers beckoning to you out of the corner of your eye?  While you can make them go away by actually looking at your notifications, you can also edit the notifications that you will receive. If you only want to receive notifications from a particular Org, you can set that up in your notification settings. Check out the link to see how to make these changes.

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 Blackboard is Coming to Town!
Blackboard representatives will be coming to SU on Friday, September 20th to answer any questions you may have and to show us what is coming down the pipe next for Bb.  The Bb Moose will be walking around campus too!  If you are interested in speaking with Bb about suggestions, problems, or just have a questions, click the link to see the agenda for the day!

What to get Devon's Tips & Tricks in an email also? Email him a request at dtaylor4@su.edu

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Blackboard @ SU

Shenandoah University is proud to host Blackboard representatives, Friday, September 20th.  Please join us for a day discussing, learning, and providing feedback about Blackboard!  Do you want to share your thoughts and opinions with Blackboard?  Want to see what Blackboard is developing next so that you can stay ahead of the curve?  Then leave some time to come and participate on Friday, and for your participation, Shenandoah University is providing snacks and over $200 in prizes!

Schedule:

• 9-11am @ HPB
• Private Group Sessions: one on one closed sessions
• 1-3pm @ Henkel Hall (Byrd Board Room)
• Blackboard User Experience Activities: Come and experience the latest ideas from Blackboard's User Experience team. You will have an opportunity to see early prototypes of what Blackboard is working on and provide your thoughts. Feedback from Shenandoah will directly influecnce the design of new features from Blackboard! Please plan on spending about 10-30 minutes talking with Blackboard about their new design ideas.
• 2-3pm @ Henkel Hall (Room 107)
• Spaces and Other Social Tools: Blackboard will be here to talk with students, faculty, and stadd about the new tools that make up their social learning features, in particular, spaces.  Please come and learn a bit more about these tools and be ready to share your thoughts on how you would use these tools and ideas that you have for making them better.

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Editing Your Notification Settings in Blackboard

The first few weeks of classes at SU have vanished so quickly the History channel is considering making a miniseries.  All the easy stuff is over, and now the real work is beginning to pile up.  Some of you take a tremendous course load, and with that comes Blackboard notifications out the wazoo.  Though Blackboard never fails to notify, sometimes people feel as though they get too many notifications.

The best part is, when it comes to notifications, you get to choose your level of involvement. Let's talk about how you can customize your notification settings:

• From "My Bb" click in the top right corner on your name
• A dropdown menu will appear, click "Settings"
• a sub-dropdown menu will appear, click "Personal Information" click "Edit Personal Information"
• Enter all relevant information including your mobile phone number (if you want to receive notifications via SMS). Make sure to click "Submit" when you are finished
• Go back to the third bullet location where you found "Personal Information." This time click "Edit Notification Settings."

From here you can fully customize your notification settings (including setting your phone up to receive SMS notifications and/or removing what notifications you think you'll be able to live without).  There are certainly a lot of notification settings here, and it might require a little bit of time to perfect your notification scheme.  Once your Blackboard notifications are customized to your liking, you will be able to receive only notifications you really want without any of the fluff.

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Student Tech Buzz 9/9-9/13 Help Us Help You! One of the most common occurrences in the IT field is that people who ask you for help, do not provide enough information for you to solve the problem. When it comes to getting computer help, rarely is there too much information that you can provide. Here's a few things that you should make sure to include in your next visit to the Help Desk or workorder submission: What OS you are running What browser you are working with what version your browser is running date and time of issue course id or course name w/instructor name assignment name  contact phone number If we do not have this information, we will most likely immediately answer your workorder by requesting this information from you because this information is often times critical to understanding the nature of the problem.  Atomic Learning Want to look and feel like somebody who knows everything?  Okay, Faust, I have some great information for you.  Shenandoah University students have access to thousands of online tutorials that teach you all about any kind of software that you might encounter.  From Photoshop to Garageband and anything in between, Atomic Learning is going to have valuable information coming by way of short video tutorials. Atomic Learning has all the information you could possibly need to complete whatever software related task you can think of. There are a few ways to get to Atomic Learning through Blackboard:   Go to the Academics tab and look under "Bb Tools" there will be a link that says "Atomic Learning."   Go to the "Tech Support" tab, and directly under the main tab will be a sub tab that says "Atomic learning." Go to the "24/7 Trainer" tab and click the image on the left side of the screen that says, "Technology Training Tutorials." This way to access Atomic Learning will not have you automatically logged in, so you will have to input your information. Firefox 22 and 23 Bug The newest versions of Firefox have a tiny issue when it comes to displaying some of the sub-tabs in Blackboard (such as the 24/7 trainer, and library tabs), but no need to worry! We have a simple fix that takes seconds to complete When you see a tab that doesn't seem to have any information on it, it's because Firefox is actually blocking it.  Once you arrive at a tab that is blocked, you will see a shield in the left side of the URL bar. You will want to click the "Keep Blocking" drop down chevron and click, "Disable Protection on This Page."  Once you have done this, the tab will show up as normal.  Below is an image that shows exactly what you should see!

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IC Security Alert: Scam E-mail Trying To Steal Your SU Google Apps Password

A number of SU users have reported receiving an e-mail with the Subject line: Important Message About Your Shenandoah University Account. This is a spam/scam e-mail.

The e-mail provides a link to "confirm" your webmail details and has a https link to www.su.edu.  

 

If you receive this e-mail DO NOT click on the link. The site it takes you to trys to steal your SU Google Apps password.

If you have clicked on the link you need to change your SU Google Apps password ASAP. 

 

To do this go to the login page for Blackboard and before you login to Blackboard click on the link, below the login area, labeled Change Google Password.

IC is looking into this e-mail and has worked with Google to improve the spam filters to better block this type of message.

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STUDENTS: ARE YOU INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH COMPUTERS?

The Institutional Computing (IC) Help Desk is seeking new student employees. Students interested in working with computers are encouraged to apply. 

Experience is preferred, but the IC Help Desk staff will train those willing to learn. Students who have their own transportation is a big plus. Working at the IC Help Desk is a great way to meet students, faculty and staff from many different areas on campus. 

This is also a great way to develop and enhance your professional skills. If interested, please contact User Services Coordinator Angela Strahl at astrahl@su.edu or 540/665-5555.

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Guest Blog: Tips & Tricks From Devon

Google Drive IOS Update

The Google Drive App for IOS recently updated to its newest version and the changes are pretty sweet!  A nice, clean, card-like interface with all the same functionality that you are used to in the Google Drive App!  Make sure you update your iPad/iPhone to take advantage of the new features!

 

Apple Happy Hour on Thursday!

You are all cordially invited to join the CTL and IC for an hour of Apps!  Have an iPad app you want to share?  Want to learn about apps that can help you teach/learn/stay organized!  This hour long informal meeting is for you!  Join us on Thursday, September 12 from 3-4 @ the CTL! (3rd Floor of the Smith Library)  Hope to see you there!

Tips for strong passwords

Password security is very important to consider when so much of our time is spent online in various accounts.  Strong passwords prevent the likelihood of your accounts being compromised.  And make no mistake, attacks on your password can and do happen!  Be proactive and keep yourself and your online accounts safe.  Check out the link for some password security tips!

Where I'll Be This Week
Monday - Bowman Building - 11 - 1 - Room 212
Wednesday - Cork Street - 11 - 1 - Room 142
Thursday - Wilkins Building - 11 - 1 - Conference Room
Thursday - Smith Library - 3 - 4 - APPY HOUR @ the CTL!!
Friday - HPB - 1 - 3 - In Front of the Library
Always Online @ www.su.edu/training

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Newest Firefox having minor issues with blackboard. Here's the fix!

The newest version of Firefox is having a small error when it comes to displaying some of the sub-tabs in Blackboard (such as the 24/7 trainer tab), but no need to worry! We have a simple fix if you are using the newest versions of Firefox.

When you see a tab that doesn't seem to have any information on it, it's because Firefox is actually blocking it. 

Once you arrive at a tab that is blocked, you will see a shield in the left side of the URL bar. You will want to click the "Keep Blocking" drop down chevron and click, "Disable Protection on This Page." 

Once you have done this, the tab will show up as normal.

Below is an image that shows exactly what you should see!

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Student Tech Buzz 9/3-9/6 The long weekend ends, and a short week begins! Today feels like Tuesday, which means all is right in the world because Friday will feel like Thursday.  This week's Student Tech buzz is going to help you get even further ahead by focusing on some peripheral tech information that should help you in your day-to-day tasks here at SU.   Self Service @ SU   The first week of school has come and gone, and I have no doubt that many of you have found the time to explore your MacBooks and iPads.  When you were setting up these devices, you should have noticed how our Self-Service program works. If you missed out on that information, no worries, help has arrived. Self-Service is our own App store within iTunes, and it is already installed on your MacBook and iPad.  Just look through your applications and find it. It's great for students because the programs that you have access to, from  within Self-Service, cost students nothing.  Before you buy any additional software, make sure that it is not currently available in Self-Service Where to Find IT Help With our campus being so lavishly decked-out with technology comes the inevitable issue.  When these issues arise they can be frustrating and problematic. The last thing you need to add to your mounting frustration is confusion about how to resolve whatever issue you may have. So let's make sure you are on the same page.  Let's talk about where to find the appropriate IT help. IC Help Desk If you have time to get immediate technology assistance, stop by the help desk.  The IC Help Desk staff is knowledgeable, friendly, and motivated to help you resolve any tech issues you may have.   Location: Howe Hall (Room 112) Phone: 540.665.5555 Email: Helpdesk@su.edu If you happen to be at our Health Professions Building or our Northern Virginia campus, you are in luck because both sites also have a Help Desk! Submit a work-order Are you too busy right now to go to the Help Desk?  No problem.  Just Submit a Work-Order and while you are accomplishing whatever tasks you must, somebody will begin working on your issue to get you back up and running in no-time . If you have issues with Blackboard prior to log in, you need to seek out help from the Help Desk.   If you have issues with Blackboard after log in, you need to submit a work order to receive help. Reporting Weak Wireless Signal   Have you experienced continuous weak wireless connection at a specific location on SU's campus?  We want to know about it!  Please note the exact location and fill out a "Wireless or Network Issue Log" form.  Make sure to be as specific as possible.  For example: Every time I sit at the end of my bed and face South by Southeast while my roommate is playing Fifa and microwaving a bowl of Ramen , my wireless seems to slow down to a crawl and my MacBook indicates low signal strength. To get to the "Wireless or Network Issue Log" form without following the link posted above, follow these instructions: Log into Blackboard Click the "Tech Support" tab Click the "Log Wireless or Network Issue" link from the "Tech Support" home page Keep in mind, this is only for weak wireless connection and/or network issues.  If you are having problems with your computer connecting to the wireless network, or it seems to always want to connect to the wrong wireless network, that is a topic to bring up at the IC Help Desk.

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