We will update this page with new communications throughout the semester.

Past Updates

APRIL 7, 2020

We hope this email finds you well. While the road ahead remains challenging, please take time to reflect on the progress you’ve already made in shifting to online instruction. Thank you for your hard work, creativity and commitment to your students’ success.

Please continue to visit the Academic Continuity Resources toolkit, which we will update as needed. In addition to our regular communications each Tuesday and Thursday, you also can refer to our archive of previous messages and follow ITS on Instagram and Twitter for updates and tips.

Today’s topics:

• Fostering a sense of connection online
• ITS goes “Behind the Monitor”
• Syracuse University Libraries still available
• Beware of COVID-19 email scams
• Accessibility playlist on LinkedIn Learning
• Tips and tricks to manage the online transition
• Success story from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

Fostering a Sense of Connection Online

You and your students might be experiencing some feelings of isolation as you adjust to the reality of staying at home. Read about some fun, simple ways to foster a sense of inclusion in online learning communities.

ITS Goes “Behind the Monitor”

Are you looking for some tech expertise with a dose of humor? Check out “Behind the Monitor,” the new podcast from ITS. Experts from the ITS Service Center and Online Learning Services discuss online learning, FAQs and what they miss about campus in this debut episode. You can subscribe to “Behind the Monitor” on Spotify, Stitcher and Soundcloud.

Syracuse University Libraries Still Available

Syracuse University Libraries remain absolutely committed to supporting you online. Learn how you can access the Libraries’ resources and experts, including tips on copyright issues for online instruction and external resources that are being offered either for free or at a reduced rate by organizations and publishers.

Beware of COVID-19 Email Scams

The ITS Information Security department has seen scammers attempting to take advantage of the current COVID-19 crisis. Be suspicious of email that asks you to donate, provide personal information or “click here now” to avoid getting locked out of your account. We also have seen scam emails promising COVID-19 immunity, cures or treatments. If you think you have received a phishing or scam email, forward it to itsecurity@syr.edu. Read more about safe computing at home.

Accessibility Playlist on LinkedIn Learning

Syracuse University is working to integrate accessibility into all levels of technology, from procurement to individual use. Accessibility enables full participation by all people regardless of their individual learning styles and abilities. You can learn more about IT accessibility by watching videos from this LinkedIn Learning playlist.

Tips and Tricks to Manage the Online Transition

We are all experiencing uncertain times that can lead to stress, worry and discomfort. As you study online, we will share tips to stay healthy and successful. Today’s tip: Be positive. We are all in a period of learning and adjustment. If your routine or schedule doesn’t work out, it’s okay to try something different. The goal is to find the combination that works best and be flexible within that. Utilize your community and support system as much as you can.

Success Story from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

Thank you to the Maxwell School Information and Computing Technology (ICT) Group for sending in the following success story:

The Maxwell School administration used Blackboard Collaborate Ultra for work-from-home meetings with staff and faculty. A similar meeting was created for alumni to share their professional experiences and learn how their alma mater is responding.

The standard Collaborate room capacity of 250 users sufficed for staff and faculty sessions. Unsure of how many attendees to expect for the alumni session, we requested the larger room, which accommodates up to 500 users. Although we did not end up needing this capacity, we did learn some important lessons in how this room worked. Notably, most interactive functions (audio/video/chat) were disabled by default but could be enabled selectively.

We found that it worked out well to open the meeting room 30 minutes before the scheduled starting time. This allowed presenters and moderators time to get comfortable and gave participants the opportunity to test their microphones and webcams.

During the meetings, Collaborate Ultra allowed Maxwell ICT staff to assist with moderation tasks such as recognizing a queue of people wanting to speak, using the “raise hand” function to enable participants in the queue to share their microphone and camera as their turns arose, collecting questions via text chat and recording the conversation for those unable to attend. The phone call-in feature proved useful for many alumni to self-remedy any audio trouble with their own system.

Each session peaked at approximately 100 concurrent participants. The ensuing conversations were organized, informative, reassuring and reflective of the sense of community that usually exists in the halls of our campus buildings.

As always, we invite your suggestions for future topics and your success stories. Thank you for all you do for your students and for Syracuse University.

APRIL 2, 2020

We hope this email finds you well. We know you are working to make the best of challenging circumstances while balancing your professional and personal lives. We are honored to serve you, and we invite your feedback for how we can improve. Through our collective expertise and a healthy dose of experimentation, we will all make it through this—together.

Please continue to visit the Academic Continuity Resources toolkit, which we will update as needed. In addition to our regular communications each Tuesday and Thursday, you also can refer to our archive of previous messages and follow ITS on Instagram and Twitter for updates and tips.

Today’s topics:

• Helping students succeed online
• PlayPosit online video tool
• Webinar: Creative assignments and alternative assessments
• Transforming COVID into a learning opportunity
• Adding LinkedIn Learning content to a Blackboard course
• Creating accessible PowerPoint presentations
• Tips and tricks to manage the online transition

Helping Students Succeed Online

University College Dean Mike Frasciello has been at the forefront of online instruction for much of his career. Now, he and his collaborators across campus are working to ensure that thousands of students and faculty members can make the transition to online learning mid-semester. Frasciello recently spoke with Syracuse University News about online education.

PlayPosit Online Video Tool

A new tool available to Syracuse University faculty, staff and students, PlayPosit is an interactive online video tool that allows learners to explore new material at their own pace, increasing long-term retention and learning efficacy over standard video. Learn how you can enrich your video content with a variety of interactions, including multiple-choice questions and fill-in-the-blanks.

Webinar: Creative Assignments and Alternative Assessments

Meredith Martin, assistant teaching professor of psychology, will conduct a workshop on April 7 from noon to 1:30 p.m. EDT to share how she engages in creative course design while considering students’ needs. She also will discuss strategies to make a big class feel small. Distance learning approaches will be included.

Transforming COVID into a Learning Opportunity

The COVID outbreak is disrupting teaching and learning in many ways, and such disruption can provide incredible learning opportunities. Whether using webconferencing, discussion boards or assignments within Blackboard, educating students about COVID-19 may help them to deal with the challenges of the pandemic.

Adding LinkedIn Learning Content to a Blackboard Course

Linkedin Learning offers thousands of courses in a number of different topics and disciplines. Learn how you can integrate these video tutorials into your Blackboard course using a few easy steps.

Creating Accessible PowerPoint Presentations

A PowerPoint presentation should have a thoughtfully chosen theme with good color contrast and legible fonts, consistent structure for ease of navigation by screen reader users, and alternative text on all images and other graphical content. Read these step-by-step instructions for making your presentations accessible.

Tips and Tricks to Manage the Online Transition

We are all experiencing uncertain times that can lead to stress, worry and discomfort. As you transition to the online classroom, we will share tips to stay healthy and successful. Today’s tip: take a break. Devote time to clear your mind and step aside from your computer screen or your work. Take a walk, get some exercise, read for pleasure or talk with a friend. Be sure to set a timer to prevent your break from going on longer than anticipated.

As always, we invite your suggestions for future topics and your success stories. Thank you for all you do for your students and for Syracuse University.

MARCH 31, 2020

We hope you are settling into the online learning environment. If you haven’t already, please check in with your students regarding what is working for them and what is not. As mentioned last week, perfect is the enemy of good—but even a small improvement can make a big difference.

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Are you looking to develop a new skill or take up a new hobby? Syracuse University faculty have free access to thousands of videos and courses at linkedinlearning.syr.edu.

Tips and Tricks to Manage the Online Transition

We are all experiencing uncertain times that can lead to stress, worry and discomfort. As you transition to the online classroom, we will share tips to stay healthy and successful. Today’s tip: time management. Create and maintain a daily schedule that resembles as much of your on-campus academic schedule as possible. Your hours can change as needed each day depending on time zones, course meeting times or workload.

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This is not the semester that anyone envisioned. We realize that everyone’s situation is slightly different in terms of family, resources and more. Even so, please remember that you are not alone—we are all in this together. We look forward to helping you make the best of a challenging situation.

March 12, 2020

To support the transition to online course delivery effective at the end of the academic day on Friday, March 13, we will continue to send regular communications to ensure you have the most up-to-date information related to online teaching and learning. If you haven’t already, please bookmark the Academic Continuity Resources toolkit available at at Syracuse.edu/coronavirus/academic-continuity.

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