Welcome to our monthly IT@IC update. Each month we will bring you highlights of efforts that we are working on related to the IT services for the campus community. Let’s get started.Welcome to our monthly IT@IC update. Each month we will bring you highlights of efforts that we are working on related to the IT services for the campus community. Let’s get started.
Please watch for our special academic year startup issue coming in mid-August.
AUGUST 2017 CONTENTS
IT STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE
In the fall of 2015 the college’s first 5-year IT Strategic Plan was launched. The plan defines the roadmap that we are following to transform the college’s IT infrastructure and services. Every six months we publish an update showing the progress that we have made to date. The July 2017 update is now available under the heading “Transforming IT” on the main page of our website: www.ithaca.edu/it
DON’T BE FOOLED BY EMAIL SCAMS!
IT wants to remind everyone to be wary of responding to or clicking links in email messages that are vague and/or unsolicited. At times they can even be targeted, and contain some personal information. IT regularly receives reports of email "phishing" scams which use various tactics to get recipients to provide personal information or inadvertently reveal their password.
The fraudulent messages often claim that an account will be disabled or deleted if the recipient doesn’t respond. We have also seen cases where targeted emails appear to be sent from another Ithaca College account and are requesting financial or other sensitive information.
Users should never respond directly (either by sending a reply to or clicking a link in) these types of email messages. For suspicious messages related to any IC account, check with the Service Desk (servicedesk@ithaca.edu or 607-274-1000) if you are unsure if a message is legitimate. For non-IC accounts, verify the authenticity of the message by contacting the company cited in the email via a telephone number or website address known to be genuine, such as one shown on a billing statement or printed on the back of your credit card.
Be very cautious if you receive a message with one or more of these characteristics:
In the event that you are tricked into responding, the best course of action is to immediately change your password for the account in question.
TEACHING AND LEARNING WITH TECHNOLOGY UPDATES FOR FALL
Research on learning technologies continues to suggest significant importance in advancing teaching and learning for students in higher education. As such, the Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT) team in IT are making significant improvements over the summer that will enhance the IC student learning experience. Examples include upgrading the IC learning management system to Sakai 11 and adding VoiceThread. As noted by the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI), “VoiceThread offers a natural online interaction that lends itself to students presenting & defending their work before experts and peers.” On Monday, August 14, Sakai will be unavailable in order to make the enhancements active.
The TLT team are providing several development opportunities to prepare for Fall start-up. To view the Webinars, in-person workshops, or drop-in hours go to https://www.ithaca.edu/it/services/iss/Sakai/calendar/, where you can select the event and register (if necessary). Topics for the start of the term include Windows 10 for Faculty, Sakai 11 for New Users, Media Gallery in Sakai 11, drop-in hours, and more!
As always, faculty can contact the service desk to request individual consultations, or to work with their students in using learning technologies offered to the College.
EDUCAUSE MEMBERSHIP
Ithaca College is a member of EDUCAUSE – a technology association committed to advancing higher education. EDUCAUSE provides a wealth of information related to technology and education, including in-depth research, toolkits, publications, conferences and workshops. As a member of the Ithaca College community, you have access to EDUCAUSE resources, including the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) and research and raw data sets from the EDUCAUSE Center for Analysis and Research (ECAR). You also receive reduced registration rates when attending an EDUCAUSE or ELI sponsored conference or workshop. For more information visit www.educause.edu.
SCREENSAVER TIMEOUT IS NOW 30 MINUTES
Based upon feedback we have received we have made an adjustment to lengthen the amount of time before your IC computer is automatically locked due to inactivity. The time has been increased from 15 minutes to 30 minutes to better balance security and usability. With this change, it is more important than ever to manually lock your screen before leaving your computer unattended - your computer will remain on with your applications open---just type your password to unlock it right where you left off:
WORTHWHILE READING
We will occasionally highlight an article that touches on an area that may be of interest to the campus community.
The N2GDLE Vision: The “Next” Next Generation Digital Learning Environment (EDUCAUSE Review, July 2017)
“Is it possible to have the best of both a networked learning environment and an adaptive learning model implemented in the same system? The authors share their vision of the ‘next’ next generation digital learning environment, the N2GDLE..”
In early July, EDUCAUSE published an article that talks about moving beyond the traditional Learning Management System (LMS), to where learning technology becomes an “exoskeleton” for the mind. As we think about the evolution of our teaching and learning environments, this article provides some interesting perspectives.
THE LAST BIT
As always, if you have any suggestions or comments, please send them to cio@ithaca.edu. Thanks! -Dave Weil, Chief Information Officer, Information Technology, Ithaca College.
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20170801091017900