Updating Your TurningPoint or PointSolutions Software
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This guide is to provide instructors information about updating their PointSolutions (formerly TurningPoint by Turning Technologies) Software for creating polls, running polls, managing rosters, and uploading grades to Blackboard.
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Rather than upgrade the device on your own, instructors are welcome to stop by the ITS Help Center in the Center for Science and Technology and swap their old drive for one with updated software.
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Who should upgrade?
As of Fall 2017, we are using a new method for users to sign into their TurningPoint Software and the TurningTechnologies Website. Rather than have a separate password, Syracuse users can use their regular campus NetID and Password to access TurningTechnology products using a method called Single Sign-On (SSO). This sign-on method is more convenient and helps keep your accounts safe.
The new sign-on method is not supported by all version of the TurningPoint software. It requires users to upgrade to version 7.5 or higher to download rosters from Blackboard.
Instructors my continue to use an upgraded version of TurningPoint Cloud (7.5 or higher) or install TurningPoint 8. The method for each of these is slightly different—each is outlined below.
There are benefits to upgrading to TurningPoint 8. In testing, ITS and Online Learning Services have found it to be faster, more stable, and to include significant improvements in the ways sessions and rosters are updated.
The disadvantage of upgrading to TurningPoint 8 is that presentations created in 8 are not backward compatible to earlier versions. We have not found any problems with the new presentations, but we recommend that when you import your content to TurningPoint 8, you do so with a copy of your presentation, saving the original in case you need to access it from an earlier version.
If you are unsure about whether or not you should upgrade or how to do so, please email help@syr.edu or calling the help desk at 315-443-2677.
What version do I have now?
On both TurningPoint Cloud and TurningPoint 8, the version number of the software is located in the lower right corner of the launch screen.
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Instructors can always download the latest version by going to their PointSolutions instructor page and using the download icon next to their profile icon in the upper-right hand portion of the screen.
All users are encouraged to keep their software up-to-date by the methods below, but users with software still branded TurningPoint should upgrade immediately.
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What version do I have now?
On both TurningPoint and PointSolutions, the version number of the software is located on the launch screen and inside the application after login.
Updating to the latest version
The following update process is the same for Mac and PC users on Turning Point 8.
Browse to your current version of the TurningPoint or PointSolutions software, launch it and sign-on.
Double-click the TurningPoint or PointSolutions logo in the bottom-center of the application.
A new window will open. Click Check for Updates.
You will be informed if an update is available. If a new version of is available, click on Install Update.
The update will download. When it is ready to install, click Install and Relaunch.
Upgrading Manually on Windows
Use these instructions if you're ready to
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update the software on your
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USB drive/receiver
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manually. You can also use these instructions to put a version of the software directly on your laptop or desktop computer. If your machine is provided by your school or college, you're encouraged to discuss it with your local IT support team who may need to use an administrator login to install the software.
To install the new version:
Open a web browser and go to https://instructor.turningtechnologies.com/#/downloads. It may require you to sign-on if you have not already.
Locate
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PointSolutions desktop (PC — No Install) and click the link to download
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Find the file that you downloaded to your computer which is
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will include "pointsolutions" and the version number in the file name — it should have a
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PointSolutions logo.
Double-click the
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file you downloaded. This will launch a dialog that asks you where you'd like to place the application. Click the icon to the right of the address and browse to the top of the drive (not a folder inside it). Then click "Unzip."
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When the installer is complete, browse to the USB drive and go into the "
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PointSolutions" folder. Double-click the
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Installing TurningPoint 8 on your USB Drive (MacOS)
There is a bug in the current version of the MacOS application available for download that prevents it from launching correctly on the USB Drive. If you need an updated version of the application for MacOS, please visit the ITS Help Center in the Center for Science and Technology to swap your old drive for one with updated software.
Upgrading to the most current version of TurningPoint Cloud
If you prefer not to upgrade to TurningPoint 8, you can use TurningPoint Cloud version 7.5 or higher.
To upgrade your existing installation:
- Browse to the software on your USB drive, launch it and sign-on.
- Double-click the TurningPoint Cloud logo in center at the bottom of the application
- This will launch a smaller screen showing your current version. Click the button labeled "Check For Updates..." to begin the applicaiton update process.
Related articles
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application to launch it.
Upgrading Manually on macOS
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The updated PointSolutions.app cannot launch from the USB drive if it is moved directly there from the downloaded .dmg disk image file—it will produce an error about the software being corrupted. To successfully upgrade the macOS version on a USB receiver, a user must first move PointSoultions.app to a location on their local machine and launch it. This allows the software to complete a configuration step. Once the software has launched successfully from a local disk, that version of the app can be moved to the desired USB location to launch successfully. |
You can always download a version to run from your Apple MacBook by logging into the instructor portal and downloading the version "PointSolutions desktop (Mac)." This will provide a .dmg file with a version of the application inside. You can move it to your Applications directory if you have permissions or place it on your desktop and run it from there. If your machine is provided by your school or college, you're encouraged to discuss it with your local IT support team who may need to use an administrator login to install the software.