A quick reference guide with suggestions for alternatives to face-to-face lectures, homework, class discussions and more is available online at www.k-state.edu/infotech/helpdesk/contingencyplan.pdf (PDF) . The document was prepared by iTAC to assist faculty with alternatives should class disruptions occur due to the H1N1 flu virus.
Author: Rebecca Gould
Tips for better use of e-mail
An article in the Aug. 3-10 issue of Computerworld provides a commentary on the effective use of e-mail. According to the author who reported the research of Dianna Booher, 58 percent of workers spend up to three hours per day on e-mail. While the hours spent are debatable, the loss in productivity resulting from constantly reading and responding to e-mail is real. Some suggestions posed by the author and others to improve the use of e-mail include:
Craft e-mails carefully that are clear and succinct. The author suggests that e-mails have an action, background, and close. Edit the e-mail before hitting the Send button. (Don’t provide a dissertation in an e-mail when another form of communication is more effective.)
Make the Subject line meaningful. Let the receiver know the intent of the message and if action is needed.
Beyond Google: Other options for searching the Web
At a recent teaching and learning conference, the audience was asked to identify the first search tool they use when looking for information on the Web. Overwhelmingly, the audience listed Google…and was further challenged to consider other search options, including the following:
Bing is the recently unveiled Microsoft search engine. Check out the map features that might show a crystal-clear picture of your home or your vacation spot. The video-search tool allows you to mouse over a video and view a short excerpt before viewing the entire video.
Continue reading “Beyond Google: Other options for searching the Web”
Create a word cloud at Wordle.net
Wordle.net is a free application that can be used to create “word clouds”. Copy/paste any group of words from a text or webpage, and those most frequently listed in the source text appear prominently in the cloud.
Developer Jonathan Feinberg allows for Creative Commons Attribution licensing so word clouds can be shared, used on presentations, etc. — as long as the appropriate citation is given (“www.wordle.net”).
Check out the adjacent word cloud based on support services at the Information Technology Assistance Center (iTAC). Create your own word cloud at www.wordle.net.
Tips on using Twitter for academics
Are you considering using Twitter in your fall course, but aren’t sure how to use it in an academic setting? Check out 100 Serious Twitter Tips for Academics by Jill Gordon. The author provides great tips on how to get started, Twitter etiquette, classroom strategies, Twitter Tools, and more. Gordon includes a link to PollDaddy Twitter Polls, a simple tool appropriate for a quick survey of students’ understanding of a concept.
Make your own comic strip online
Ever wanted to make your own comic strip? Creator Bill Zimmerman developed Make Beliefs Comix and made it available for just that purpose. Check out at www.makebeliefscomix.com and give it a try.
National cybersecurity initiative under way
Friday, May 29, Cybersecurity Chief Melissa Hathaway at the National Security Council blogged about the federal approach to securing the nation’s digital future. The culmination of 40+ meetings and reviews of more than 100 papers is the Cyberspace Policy Review, which outlines the nation’s plan to create a reliable, secure infrastructure.
Get the full scoop at Hathaway’s whitehouse.gov/CyberReview blog site — don’t miss the video — and/or read the summary document (PDF, 76 pages).
Continue reading “National cybersecurity initiative under way”
CHECK conference schedule May 20-21
There is still time to register for the CHECK (Conference on Higher Education Computing in Kansas) on May 20-21. The conference schedule is available and includes 18 sessions plus the keynote speaker, Michael King from IBM Global Education. Don’t forget to register as soon as possible.
Reminder: Mainframe and KATS access suspended
Access to the K-State computer mainframe and KATS will be suspended on May 22. For more information, see the April 28 article in InfoTech Tuesday.
Reminder: Mainframe and KATS access suspended May 22
Access to the K-State computer mainframe and KATS will be suspended on May 22. For more information, see the April 28 article in InfoTech Tuesday.
