Technology Tips for Faculty
Start the semester off strong!
This webpage is a hub of information to help faculty get started in the classroom.
Blackboard Ultra Training for Faculty
Blackboard Ultra is here! Stay current with training opportunities offered throughout the fall semester on the Blackboard Ultra webpage.
Quick Tips to Get Your Semester Started Off Right in Blackboard
- Make sure if you have copied over courses in Blackboard to update dates, gradebook calculations, announcements and your course settings.
- Make sure if you have made your course unavailable during the Blackboard course creation process that you turn on your course for students to see.
- If you need a colleague to have access to your course or to add a teaching assistant or course builder, you can put in a request through the Blackboard Course Generator under the Add User or Elevate Role area.
- Have students use the NameCoach Roster and Recorder. If you want to provide a link in your course, go to the Details and Action panel and select Books and Tools. Click the plus symbol to add Name Coach to your course content.
- Check your Activity Stream notifications to make sure you are getting messages and notifications about your course.
- Make sure to subscribe to the IT outage site for important updates on system outages or issues throughout the semester.
- Don't forget about Blackboard Ally! Students now have access to alternate versions of files added in your Blackboard course. Learn more about Blackboard Ally. Students also have access to download alternate formats of their files by going to the Assist tab in Blackboard.
Panopto (Lecture Capture) & Zoom
- Panopto is an easy-to-use tool for recording multiple events including in-class lectures, events, presentations and tutorials that can be easily distributed to students through Blackboard. Learn more about Panopto.
- Reminder: Zoom cloud recordings are for faculty/staff only and are only stored for 30 days in Zoom and without expiration in Panopto.
Using Panopto & zOOM in the Classroom (pdf)Using Panopto in the Classroom (pdf)
Classroom Support
Classrooms have gone through summer maintenance and are ready for use! We encourage everyone to visit their classrooms prior to the start of the semester to ensure you are prepared to use the resources in the classroom. Additional information about classrooms, including the list of equipment per room and support information, can be found at www.wm.edu/it/classrooms.
*A change from past years is that IT support personnel will be dispatched to your classroom only when remote support cannot resolve the problem and is based on technician availability.
If you are in a classroom and run into a problem, you can contact IT by calling classroom support at 757-221-3011, or the main TSC line at 757-221-4357 (HELP).
Microsoft Teams
Students have access to Microsoft Teams for messaging and other collaborative functions. This is a good way to connect with your students for one-on-one and group discussions. Learn more about Microsoft Teams.
The university also uses Microsoft Teams Calls as its phone system. Learn more about Microsoft Teams Calls.
Semester Readiness Checklist for Instructors
Resources from STLI to start the semester including quick guides and video tutorials for course design and best practices.
Support
If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact our Technology Support Center. Our hours during the semester are Monday - Friday 8am – 5pm with extended coverage 5pm – 7pm Monday - Thursday.
- Phone: 757-221-4357 (HELP)
- Email: [[support]]
- Chat support is also available.
If you would like a consultation on instructional approaches for the coming semester, please request an appointment or email [[stli]].
