Behind the Scenes with WIT June 14, 2006
Posted by admin in : Behind the Scenes , add a commentWeb and Instructional Technology (WIT) is a division of ITS dedicated to keeping up-to-date in new web technologies as well as advances in technology for learning and teaching. This past semester has once again proven to be an eventful one for WIT with many changes.
WIT recently welcomed its newest team member, Tim Todd, who was hired as webmaster to assist University Relations with updates to the school website. Tim will also be assisting with the campus-wide deployment of a new Content Manager System(CMS), called Interwoven.
WIT has added support for several new web technologies including homepages for students and blogging. Students can now create a homepage, using the space provided on their H: drive, and share it with the campus community by registering it at the Homepage Gallery. Blogging with the mBlog pilot was recommended to faculty, staff and students by WIT. The SharePoint Collaboration tool continues to be supported by WIT for departments on campus. It provides departments with convenient intranets and a secure place for committees to share documents and hold discussions.
Anyone can now view the Technology Brown Bag sessions online. WIT collaborates with the Office of Extended Learning and the Thompson Center for Learning and Teaching to hold technology brown bag sessions each semester, highlighting new technologies which are useful to the campus community.
The popularity of the Video Production Center (VPC) continues to grow, serving over 100 customers from 2005-2006. In the VPC, students, faculty, and staff have access to tools that can assist them in campus-related video projects. Check out all of the equipment available in the VPC by visiting ITS’s page dedicated to the popular center.
WIT provides several other services to the campus including equipment check out for faculty and staff and a duplication service, which allows for creation of multiple copies of one cd or dvd (for campus-related projects using non-copyrighted discs) for a good price.
Behind the Scenes with DCS March 30, 2006
Posted by admin in : Behind the Scenes , add a commentCalling the Helpdesk to place a workticket? Then you may see a new face visiting your office to fix your computer. Please welcome a new student employee in our Desktop Computer Support (DCS) division, Galen Booth, who has been working as a Lab Consultant for several semesters.
For computer issues that DCS fixed in the past, it is now possible that the Helpdesk could take care of it in a shorter period of time and without requiring a technican to visit your office. The HelpDesk is now using Altiris remote tools which have the capability to remotely control your computer, pending your permission, to assist in solving your computer problem.
DCS has been testing the Windows operating system, Vista, which Microsoft plans to launch in November 2006. Vista shows promising functionality with new technology and has new features such as a “Spotlight Like” search functionality and built-in full voice recognition capabilities. For a closer look at Vista, please visit the Windows Vista site.
You may have heard the buzz about Apple moving away from the PowerPC brand CPU’s and adopting an Intel architecture for its laptops and iMacs. For more information on the improved functionality and performance of the Intel CPU, please visit the Apple Intel site. DCS has an Intel Mac and can provide full support for University-owned Intel Macs. In the future, we may see more innovations from Apple; perhaps one day your Windows applications will run on a Mac.
Speaking of Mac, DCS is fully prepared for the new Apple viruses that have arrived on the scene. It’s rare to see a virus written to attack a Mac, but with Apple gaining in popularity, the viruses are multiplying! We have added a Mac virus-scanning utility to the Mac image for any new Macs that departments purchase. This will help keep technology safe to use on every platform.
