Teachers Talking Technology

Category: Software

  • Class Schedule Generator

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    kchamber

    This afternoon I was working on updating my class schedules for the Spring 2013 semester and wondered if others across campus were doing the same. Many things went through my mind during this time, but the 2 most relevant were (1) why are we all doing the same task when one person could figure out…

  • How to view helpline tickets

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    kchamber

    Whenever you contact the GTS helpline (x6111 or helpline@gustavus.edu), a ticket is created in their support suite. You can check to see who has been assigned your ticket and followup on its status by visiting support.gac.edu. When you visit this website, you will be asked to enter your Gustavus username (omit @gustavus.edu) and password.  …

  • Google Forms for Class Waiting Lists

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    kchamber

    Sometimes classes fill up during registration. In the past, I have gotten emails from students asking me to place them on a waiting list. However, these emails don’t always contain information that can be helpful for tracking the requests and establishing priority (e.g., their full name, their graduation class, and their reason for taking the…

  • Google Appointment Slots for Office Hours

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    kchamber

    Over the summer, Google rolled out Appointment Slots for Google Calendar. If you are already using Google Calendar for the Gustavus domain or thinking about making the transition this Fall, Appointment Slots might be an easier way than Tungle to manage office hours or advising appointments. Adria Richards has a nice video describing the process–both setting…

  • Come to our salon

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    kchamber

    The Classroom Salon is a new resource from Carnegie Mellon University that facilitates the online annotation and discussion of a shared text such as a peer’s writing, a speech transcript, or a scholarly article. (New approach to education uses social networking via Joe).  

  • Is anyone using Evernote?

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    dstoll

    I am seriously considering moving to this for organizing my notes, but I’d like to hear stories, good or bad, if anyone is using it for their professional life.

  • Screencasting and podcasting follow up

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    kchamber

    Last week, we had a great session on creating digital content for your classes. Martin Lang demonstrated the use of Snapz X Pro for creating software tutorials, and Karla Marz demonstrated how to use GarageBand to produce digital lectures.  If you would like try screencasting, Faculty Focus suggests some free software options. For podcasting, instructional services has pdf instructions…

  • Changing Moodle themes

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    kchamber

    During our recent Moodle Users Group session, we discussed changing the appearance of Moodle from the default theme to one of Moodle’s other themes. Changing the theme will alter the color scheme and fonts. Compare the Gustavus default theme… …to the “formal white” theme. In addition, themes also affect the styling of the page, and…

  • Tracking recommendation letters using Google Forms

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    kchamber

    I’ve used forms to conduct experiments in class, to collect information about my students, and to create surveys for campus committees, but it just dawned on me yesterday that I could use forms to help track recommendation letters for students. I set up a Google Form (Sean has a nice video tutorial if you have…

  • Assignment step calculator

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    kchamber

    Do your students have a research paper that is due during the upcoming months? The Assignment Calculator can help them stay on track as they research and write an assignment. Just enter the start date and due date, and the Assignment Calculator will suggest tips and deadlines for completing the steps of the research and…