News for the IT Community from Information Technology Services at The University of Iowa

UI recognizes ifolio and e-COI teams with IOWA Awards

Ken — Fri, 11 May 2012 19:05:15 +0000

The University of Iowa honored Information Technology Services and Research Information Systems staff members with Improving Our Workplace Awards this spring. IOWA Awards recognize UI employees who demonstrate initiative and innovation that has a positive impact in their workplace.

ITS recognized the recipients at a reception April 19. Associate Vice President and CIO Steve Fleagle thanked and congratulated the winners, noting that ITS and RIS are proud of the staff and partners involved with the projects, and that their hard work and accomplishments will benefit many people.

The ifolio team created an electronic portfolio for students. The University of Iowa and University of Northern Iowa partnered on the project, and the efficiency of this collaboration saved the state thousands of dollars. The UI had developed and deployed ifolio just as UNI was looking to replace its vendor-supported product. UNI found that ifolio was customizable, included more features, and saved the school about $20,000 per year in licensing fees. The two universities worked together to provide appropriate integrations to identity management systems, training for support staff and faculty, ongoing support for students, and local branding for each of the schools and departments.

Members of the ifolio team were: Annette Beck and Sue Almen-Whittaker of ITS-Instructional Services; Andrew Rinner of ITS-Enterprise Services; Chris Pruess, Nick Roy, Gary Rogers, Greg Nims, and Rebekah Ahrens of ITS-Administrative Information Systems; and UNI staff members Aaron Thompson, Lori Seawel, Jason Vetter, Jeffrey Ries, and Donna Vinton.

“The ifolio project involved collaboration within the university community and across boundaries to UNI,” said ITS-Instructional Services Senior Director Maggie Jesse, who nominated the ifolio team. “This was a nice way to start that collaboration. It exemplifies cross-Regent communication, careful long-term planning, and measurable results. Congratulations to the staff from both universities.”

The eCOI Applications Team developed a consolidated electronic system to disclose potential conflicts of interest. Many faculty and staff face internal and external reporting obligations, and a new regulation increased the time involved with meeting federal-level reporting requirements. The Conflict of Interest in Research Office reached out to other university units responsible for complying with the reporting obligations, and together the team developed eCOI. The solution will eventually impact about 10,000 faculty and staff members by standardizing the process and saving them time.

Members of the eCOI team were: Charlotte Talman of the Conflict of Interest in Research Office; Jose Jimenez, Gayle Elliott, and Ashok Vijayendra of Research Information Systems; Denise Krutzfeldt of UI Hospitals and Clinics’ Conflict of Interest Office; Diane Finnerty of the Provost’s Office; and Susan Zollo of the Continuing Medical Education Office.

“The award is well deserved, and I am thrilled that the group won,” said nominator Jim Walker, an associate vice president for research. “It’s a challenge to coordinate IT and personnel components of a project of this scope at a large institution. We were under a tight time frame, and I was impressed by how smoothly the team moved forward to create a consolidated system that meets diverse needs.”

Walker noted that the project could not have been successful without contributions from many other employees in Health Care Information Systems, ITS, and RIS. He thanked them for their efforts.

IOWA awards are given out each fall and spring. A committee of staff members from across the university reviews the nominations. Many excellent people and projects are nominated for IOWA Awards, and the nomination process is rigorous. Two ITS efforts won in the fall. Chris Pruess won an individual award for her work developing campus IT communities at the UI, and the Bus on the Go (Bongo) project won a team award. A campus-wide IOWA Award reception will take place May 22.

Debunking the Myth: Macs Don’t Get Viruses

Ken — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 18:30:33 +0000

For the second time in the past year, the Mac operating system has been the target of widespread malware attack. (See Debunking the Myth Part 1 from May 2011.) A recent article from the Sophos Security Blog asks and answers the question “Are Macs safer than PCs?“, in light of the recent “Flashback” malware outbreak.

Learning Commons to provide ‘intellectual hub’ for UI students

Ken — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 17:38:09 +0000

The layout of the proposed Learning Commons

In fall of 2013, University of Iowa students will have a tech-infused, 24-hour, comfy study space and one-stop academic help center … with good coffee.

Designed with significant input from students, the new Learning Commons will provide an “intellectual hub” with space for 500-plus students. The 37,000-square-foot space in the UI Main Library is the product of a unique partnership among Information Technology Services (ITS), University Libraries, and the Office of the Provost.

“The Learning Commons is focused, first and foremost, on furthering the academic success of students,” says University Librarian Nancy Baker. “The staff will provide students with a ‘concierge’ experience. They’ll answer common academic, library and technology questions and point students to the resources they need to succeed, like help with their research, writing, or tutoring.”

Features of the project include 18 group study spaces, 200 desktop and laptop computers, a 45-seat TILE (Transform, Interact, Learn, Engage) classroom with glass walls and sliding doors, printers and scanners, TVs and projectors, and multimedia resources.

“Our design team spent a lot of time watching how students study, and particularly noticed how much they leveraged technology in their daily work habits. This space, with its multimedia resources, collaboration technologies, and wall-to-wall wireless, is reflective of the way today’s students integrate technology into their lives,” says ITS Learning Spaces Director Chris Clark.

Of course, the design team also considered students’ stomachs, because students can’t concentrate on their studies when they’re hungry. The Food for Thought café will offer an expanded menu that includes hot Panini sandwiches, fruit, and other snacks as well as espresso and gourmet coffees.

“We want to create an ambiance that welcomes students,” Clark says.

According to Associate Provost Beth Ingram, the most important feature of the space is its flexibility.

“The Learning Commons is many different kinds of study spaces and services rolled into one,” she says. “With technology, information, and expertise combined in one location, it’s a space where students can study with a group or by themselves; where they can have a coffee with friends and then go to a workshop on stress management; where they know they can get answers to questions about information resources, technology, or tutoring services.”

Of course part of the challenge in creating such a massive space for students is minimizing the impact the construction process will have on daily student life. Associate University Librarian Hope Barton says the impact on current study spaces will be minimal. The area being remodeled was office space, and most of the construction will take place during the summer.

The total project cost is estimated at $14.5 million. The primary funding source is the UI General Education Fund, but that doesn’t cover the entire cost of the renovation. Private support is also critical to creating learning spaces for students. For more information about how private support benefits students, contact Randy Rumery, UI Libraries liaison for the UI Foundation, at randy-rumery@uiowa.edu, 319-335-3305 or 800-648-6973. You also may visit www.uifoundation.org/libraries.

“This will really be a fantastic resource for University of Iowa students,” Ingram says. “We’re excited to see the project come to completion so students can start making the most of the new space.”

ITS connects artists in transnational theatrical performance

Ken — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:35:10 +0000

Information Technology Services recently partnered with the University of Iowa’s Department of Theatre Arts, International Writing Program, UITV, and the Moscow Art Theatre to present a live transnational theatrical performance. Technology and the expertise of ITS staff members brought together actors for a collaborative bilingual performance – despite the fact that they were on two separate stages, 5,000 miles apart.

The first performance took place on March 9, and more events of this kind will be arranged as the three-year Book Wings project continues. Funded by the Bureau of Cultural and Educational Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, Book Wings is a creative exchange among American and Russian writers, actors, directors, and new media professionals in a virtual environment. The project aims to foster a cross-cultural conversation, spark new literary and dramatic ideas, and create an enduring body of work.

Les Finken, innovation strategy manager in ITS-Instructional Services, is leading the tech aspects of the project, utilizing high-speed IP networks, high-definition video projection and cameras, professional-grade microphones, and external audio and video mixing consoles. Audio and video signals are captured into DV format for web streaming, and videoconferencing brings performers together in a virtual environment.

“High-speed IP networks are creating opportunities for new types of real-time applications that connect artists and audiences across the world,” Finken says. “These networks were initially used almost exclusively by researchers to collect, process, and share large data sets. Now, more and more academic institutions are using professional audio and video technology integrated with high-definition videoconferencing to create high-performance virtual learning environments.”

Finken says projects like these have significant implications for teaching and learning. People who are not directly involved with a videoconference can still benefit by accessing the live stream to observe the learning exchange. During the March 9 Book Wings event, UI students were able to witness the performance at the Theatre Arts Department’s Theatre B while classes at Towson University in Towson, Maryland, and Columbia College in Chicago watched online.

Other fine and performing arts fields are taking advantage of HD video conferencing as well. Much broader audiences are able to participate in public lessons or classes in a concert hall setting. The technology also opens up opportunities for musicians and dancers who can audition affordably from their home state or country. ITS implemented this capability for the UI Department of Dance in 2011.

For more information on the project, contact les-finken@uiowa.edu in ITS, or nathanael-brown@uiowa.edu in the International Writing Program.

New web-based survey tool fuels spike in usage

Ken — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:25:54 +0000

A new web-based survey tool deployed by Information Technology Services last summer is proving to be a successful solution for the University of Iowa. Using Qualtrics, over 130,000 people have responded to more than 4,000 surveys since last June. Since the transition to this new online survey software, the number of web survey users at the UI more than doubled, from 600 to nearly 1,500.

The UI uses online surveys to conduct research, evaluate faculty and staff members, and gauge customer service. Event organizers create Qualtrics surveys for registration, and service managers use it to gather information from customers as they assess demand and preferences.

Ben Earnhart, who handles technology for the Department of Sociology and the Iowa Social Science Research Center, has worked with Qualtrics on a dozen or so projects, including one that garnered about 1,400 responses.

“For the most basic functionality, it’s really simple to use. For more advanced users, the flow control, randomization capabilities, and presentation of questions can be incredibly powerful,” he says.

Earnhart says Qualtrics meets researchers’ needs for security and compliance, and that collaboration capabilities allow them to easily edit surveys. He can maintain control over the technical aspects of the survey but still allow clients to view results in real time. Another plus is the presentation options, which range from built-in templates to custom colors, spacing, and graphics.

UI technology experts say in most cases, people can create, test, and deploy a survey in less than 30 minutes. Users can log in using their Hawk ID, and Qualtrics is hosted and fully supported by the vendor. Users receive help directly from Qualtrics by phone or e-mail, Qualtrics provides a wealth of support information, and training is available in a number of formats at no additional cost to users.

Prior to Qualtrics, the UI had used WebSurveyor since May of 2005. The Survey and Desktop Applications Group in ITS-Enterprise Services investigated what the market had to offer and guided the transition once Qualtrics was selected. The Directory and Authentication Group hooked Qualtrics into the university’s Shibboleth to allow enterprise authentication. By January of 2012, everything was shifted over and ITS was able to retire the old tool.

Campus IT partners such as Earnhart complimented ITS on keeping clients informed and seeking feedback about users’ needs. Qualtrics staff members were impressed by the smooth transition.

“I have never worked with a university that more effectively and efficiently rolled out a university-wide solution,” says Bryce Winkelman, a Qualtrics representative. “It has been an absolute pleasure working with your university.”

Qualtrics is one of the first cloud-based services ITS has deployed for the entire campus. In evaluating future cloud possibilities, the UI will look at this as one of the successful transitions for campus.

For more on Qualtrics, including training and support information, visit http://its.uiowa.edu/apps2/support/qualtrics.

ITS upgrades webcam to provide live HD view of Pentacrest

Ken — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 16:30:36 +0000

If you’re curious what’s happening on the University of Iowa Pentacrest at any given time, you can now tune into a live high-definition view at http://webcam.iowa.uiowa.edu/. Information Technology Services upgraded the camera to HD this month. It features a wide-angle view of the iconic Old Capitol and neighboring buildings, with west-campus structures in the background.

The UI installed the first Pentacrest webcam on top of Phillips Hall in 2000. Alumni, prospective students, and others check in to see what’s happening or to get a feel for the campus. It’s also used to view rallies and other events. Weather events are a big driver of traffic to the site; on Feb. 1, 2011, a record 2,692 people logged on to view a major snowstorm. Thousands of people followed the feed on Nov. 20, 2001, the day of the Old Capitol fire.With the camera upgrade, ITS also changed the behind-the-scenes technology so the site will be able to handle more traffic. The feed typically attracts 300 hits per day and more than 100,000 per year.

SITA program helps launch ‘Ignite a Dream’ blog

Ken — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 21:11:42 +0000

The Daily Iowan recently featured a story about the “Ignite a Dream” blog, which grew out of support from the ITS-Instructional Services-based SITA (Student Instructional Technology Assistants) program. As the DI reports, Ignite a Dream allows students to post their dream job or long-term goals in an open forum where people can respond with relevant advice.

SITA James Bechtel took the lead on the project, working with David Gould, a College of Liberal Arts and Sciences associate director for student professional development.Gould was referred by another client who had worked with SITAs on online content and publishing. He has been a frequent user of SITA services for media and web projects. The conversation began with a paper pile of students’ dreams; the idea was to enlist people with UI connections to help students fulfill those aspirations.

Gould and Bechtel settled on WordPress.com space as the engine for the proof-in-concept. It was selected for its simplicity, configurability, openness to the campus and general public, and affordability. They incorporated clean design standards to give the site an uncluttered look, but the bulk of the effort took place behind the scenes to establish a framework for sustaining engagement.

“Because it is a new idea, there was very little culture of connecting campus individuals in a forum like this,” Bechtel says. “David did a great job of connecting people to gather experience and advice from both alumni and people who are currently on campus. He also identified students to advocate the site to their peers, and the combination of those efforts really helped spur interest in the project.”

Moving forward, Gould and Bechtel plan to evaluate what worked with the pilot space and which features would be key for the future of the “Ignite A Dream” concept.

“I fully encourage anyone who is interested to stop by the space and browse the dreams,” Bechtel says. “New dreams are released throughout the semester, and anyone is welcome to leave comments that could contribute to making dreams a reality for the students. I’m amazed with the comments and connections that have already been made and am excited for those to come.”

SITAS are UI graduate and undergraduate students who combine technology resources to create forward-thinking solutions for ITS clients. They are innovative problem-solvers who work individually with instructors and departments to enhance student learning, and provide training and support to larger groups. Currently, 12 UI students are employed as SITAS through ITS.

For more information on the SITA program, visit its.uiowa.edu/sita.

UI scholars win Innovations in Teaching with Technology Awards

Ken — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 20:52:02 +0000

Five University of Iowa scholars will receive a total of $100,000 in support of their innovative approaches to teaching with technology. The 2012 Innovations in Teaching with Technology Award winners are: Cornelia Lang and Robert Mutel (Physics and Astronomy, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences), David McGraw (Theatre Arts, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences), Ibrahim Ozbolat (Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering), and Justin Sipla (Anatomy and Cell Biology, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine).

The Innovations in Teaching with Technology Awards help fund instructional technology projects that impact student success and retention. This year, the Academic Technologies Advisory Council encouraged applicants to focus proposals on collaborative learning and student use of emerging technologies for teaching and learning. The council selected four proposals from a pool of 13.“This award program, which is funded through student technology fees, has a longstanding history of putting innovative technologies into the hands of students in order to improve future opportunities for instructional technology,” said Maggie Jesse, senior director of Instructional Services at Information Technology Services.McGraw was awarded $17,000 to develop a stage manager calling simulator. The simulator enables students to improve their calling stamina and stay focused through possible disruptions during a performance. They will learn to recover quickly after errors, rather than dwelling on mistakes and missing additional cues. At the end of the lesson, the simulator will give extensive feedback and allow the student to go back and practice sections that caused them difficulty. More details…

Mutel and Lang were awarded $32,000 to revise the introductory astronomy laboratory curriculum to implement active learning methods and a more hands-on approach. Classroom technology will be updated with furniture and displays that are more conducive to team use. Standard box-type PCs will be replaced with iPads and notebook computers. More details…

Sipla was awarded $25,000 toward a major renovation of the gross anatomy lab. The project involves adding movable stainless steel workstations and installing digital video equipment. The workstations will serve as mobile workbenches for laptops and video cameras, with storage for teaching materials, anatomical models, and specialized dissection equipment. Video cameras will broadcast difficult aspects of live dissections to other students or the entire lab via monitors, enabling instructors to deliver content in ways that were previously impossible. More details…

Ozbolat was awarded $26,000 to develop an Internet-controlled bio-additive manufacturing system. An industrial dispensing robot and digital fluidic dispensing equipment, purchased using a grant from the Provost Office, will be used to develop the system in a clean-room facility. Students will use cameras remotely controlled through the Internet to enhance their process-visualization capabilities. The online system will alleviate safety issues, such as exposure to biological and chemical substances. IT will also serve as a tool for supporting classroom instruction. More details…

Proposals for the 2013 Innovations in Teaching with Technology Awards will be accepted in the fall, but applicants are encouraged to get started on them now. The ATAC committee is willing to provide feedback and assist in development of projects. For more information, contact maggie-jesse@uiowa.edu or les-finken@uiowa.edu, or visit the award program’s website.

ITS staffer provides clues in ‘herdbook mystery’

Ken — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:50:35 +0000

Most UI faculty and staff members have heard of “the Herdbook” (AKA the university directory), but no one seems to know how it came to be known as the Herdbook.

As it turns out, ITS staff member Jason Wolcott has done some research on the topic and was able to provide a few clues in this unsolved university mystery. Read the full story in fyi.

UI recognizes Chris Pruess and Bongo team with IOWA Awards

Ken — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:29:31 +0000

The University of Iowa honored several Information Technology Services staff members with Improving Our Workplace Awards this fall. IOWA Awards recognize UI employees who demonstrate initiative and innovation that has a positive impact in their workplace.

Chris Pruess won an individual award for her work developing campus IT communities at the UI. The Bus on the Go (Bongo) project led to a team award for ITS staff members Mark Ahrens, Romy Bolton, Steve Tomblin, Brad O’Meara, Steve Troester, Mike Jenn, and Lance Bolton (now with CLAS IT); Parking and Transportation staff members Brian McClatchey, Janelle Beswick, and Pat Smith; and University Communication and Marketing staff members George McCrory and Christopher Clair. Additional project partners for Bongo were the City of Coralville’s Vicky Robrock and Jenn Coleman, and the City of Iowa City’s Chris O’Brien and Scott Amlong.ITS recognized the recipients at a reception Dec. 13.

“We’re very proud of the ITS staff and our campus and community partners involved with these efforts,” said Associate Vice President and CIO Steve Fleagle. “This honor is well deserved. Their hard work and accomplishments have benefitted many people.”

ITS Senior Systems Architect Guy Falsetti nominated Pruess, noting that she developed a foundation for campus IT community that few universities have achieved. In 2002, the UI began deployment of its Active Directory. As the university moved away from Novell NDS, a significant amount of information needed to be shared with campus. Pruess took the initiative to form a group called the “OUADmins,” developed a regimen for the group, and provided constructive feedback to presenters during preparation sessions. The assemblage evolved to the group that’s now called ITADmins.

“Chris took a small group, gave it focus, and challenged them every month. Excellence in presentation was the standard. Covering timely IT events to campus was the hallmark,” Falsetti said. “Her leadership has grown the group from a few dozen people in 2002 to a packed seminar room with over 80 people at each meeting in 2011.”

Bongo is a mobile smart phone application that uses GPS to locate buses and to predict arrival times at bus stops. In an average week this fall, 30,000 users accessed the website, half from mobile devices. The project resulted in a 67 percent reduction in phone calls to transit agencies, along with increased or record ridership for all three of the transit agencies. You would be hard pressed to find a bus rider that doesn’t use Bongo on a regular basis.

Tim Evans, senior director for ITS Enterprise Services, nominated the Bongo team for the IOWA Award. He said the real innovation and uniqueness of the Bongo project was not in the technology. It was in the team that was able to get together and make this happen.

“They realized early on that to add the most value, this project could not be isolated to the University of Iowa, but had to include the whole community,” Evans said. “The team was able to bring together Cambus and the Coralville and Iowa City transit systems, along with UI folks from ITS, Office of Sustainability, and University Communication and Marketing to complete this project. This is quite an extraordinary accomplishment.”

The awards are given out each fall and spring. A committee of staff members from across the university reviews the nominations. Many excellent people and projects are nominated for IOWA Awards, and the nomination process is rigorous.

This fall, ITS performed exceptionally well. Across the entire university, only eight awards were given. ITS earned two of the eight. Fleagle noted that five of the eight IOWA Awards given out this fall went to IT-related projects.

“I believe this is a testament to the value of technology in the workplace, the university, and the community,” he said.

INNOVATIONS IN TEACHING WITH TECHNOLOGY AWARDS: Call for Proposals

Ken — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:43:11 +0000

The Academic Technologies Advisory Council is calling for proposals for the Innovations in Teaching with Technology Awards. The goal of the Innovations in Teaching with Technology Awards program is to raise the level of teaching and learning at The University of Iowa by supporting significant and innovative instructional technology projects that have the potential to directly impact student success and retention. Projects that call for the use of collaborative learning strategies and student use of emerging technologies for teaching and learning are encouraged. These projects should be considered “proof-of-concept” projects that are new to The University of Iowa.

Priorities: In the spirit of innovation, all new ideas are welcome, but the focus must be on instruction. Priority will be given to projects that, if proven successful, can be replicated throughout the University. Cross-disciplinary projects are encouraged, but not required.

Audience: Projects that primarily improve the instruction of undergraduates are encouraged. However, this program is not limited solely to undergraduate education.

Awards: A total of $100,000 is available for awards. The number of awards will be determined by the quality of the applications. A single award or multiple awards may be made. Applications can be made to support the costs of hardware, software, and personnel. Funding is not available to support faculty salaries.

Process: During the preparation of proposals, applicants are encouraged to contact Les Finken at 335-5467 or les-finken@uiowa.edu for assistance in determining whether your project is suitable for the funding program.

The steps for the 2011 Innovations in Teaching with Technology Awards are as follows:

October 18: Applications uploaded to ITTA proposal submission website.
November 15 & 16: Interview selected applicants
Mid December: Award winners notified and funds made available

For more information on the Innovations in Teaching with Technology Awards program and awards granted in previous years visit Academic Technologies Advisory Council website.

Helium supercomputer featured in the Iowa City Press Citizen

Ken — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 19:35:36 +0000

The University of Iowa’s new supercomputer, Helium, was featured on the front page of the Sunday, June 26th edition of the Iowa City Press Citizen. ITS’s Director of Research Services, Ben Rogers, guided the tour of Helium that led to the article. “I was very surprised by the prominent placement of the article on Helium.” Rogers said. “It’s not often that we get such good press for a project and seeing a collaboration such as the Helium shared cluster succeeding is outstanding.”

Data center infrastructure work scheduled for June 11

Ken — Mon, 16 May 2011 20:05:38 +0000

On Saturday, June 11, from 4 a.m. to 7 a.m., a network switch in the primary data center on the UI campus will undergo hardware and software updates.

Although the work will not take very long, it will result in services being disconnected from the Internet.

For a list of Frequently Asked Questions about this work, please visit the ITS Help Desk website: http://its.uiowa.edu/apps2/support/article/2331

June 13 is deadline for all wireless users to reconfigure devices

Ken — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 14:23:45 +0000

On June 13, ITS will make changes to the UI Wireless service that will require all users to reconfigure the devices they use to access the campus wireless network. Wireless network users who do not reconfigure their wireless devices (e.g., laptops and mobile phones) will lose connectivity to the UI Wireless service on June 13.

The simplest way to reconfigure a device is to connect it to the UI-Wireless-Setup network and run through the setup procedure (click on the link labeled “Reconfigure my device to access the UI Wireless network”). To get started, follow the instructions that appear on the ITS Help Desk website.

The UI-Wireless-Setup network can be used to configure your Windows, Mac, Ubuntu and iOS devices. Other mobile devices may be able to connect to the UI Wireless service, depending on their technical capabilities, but will need to be manually configured. More information about other mobile operating systems will be provided as it becomes available.

Read on for more information about why this change is necessary to maintain the security of the UI’s wireless network:

The UI Wireless service uses an electronic “certificate” to prove to your wireless device that it’s connecting to the proper authentication server. Your wireless device uses a locally installed certificate called a “root” certificate to verify the authenticity of the authentication server’s certificate.

This is similar to the process web browsers use when they connect to secure websites (https://). Using certificates helps prevent “man in the middle” attacks, where a malicious person sets up a fake authentication server to harvest usernames and passwords.

On June 13, ITS will upgrade the existing certificate to a newer, more secure server certificate. This new certificate requires that a new root certificate be installed on a user’s device, and this process will require wireless network users to reconfigure their wireless devices to “trust” the new root certificate.

Connecting to the UI-Wireless-Setup network will automate the process of downloading the new root certificate and automatically reconfigure your wireless device to trust the new root certificate.

If you have questions, please contact the ITS Help Desk at its-helpdesk@uiowa.edu, or at 384-4357.

Online learning: Just in time, just the way you want it

Ken — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 21:25:52 +0000

Keeping up with rapid changes in technology can be challenging.

So Information Technology Services (ITS) is pleased to announce that Lynda.com is now available to University of Iowa students, faculty and staff (with the exception of UIHC employees).

Lynda.com is a free online training library focused on technology-related content. It features more than 900 courses and over 55,000 tutorials on a wide variety of tech topics, including:

Microsoft Office products
Web design and graphical software
Apple products
Developer languages and tools
Photography and video courses

Lynda.com is an excellent way to stay updated on the latest computer technology and software. The easy-to-use format allows you to pinpoint the exact training you need without taking an entire course. Learn a new skill in minutes, not hours.

Students: Take advantage of Lynda.com to help with your coursework, learn new skills, and get a head start on your career. Lynda.com can also help you find personal enjoyment and satisfaction in learning something new: explore photography and music applications, create cool videos, and much more.

Faculty and staff: Use Lynda.com to help you stay current in your job with The University of Iowa and give you the skills you need to advance to the next level.

To learn more, watch the video overview of Lynda.com:

To get started with Lynda.com, please visit http://lynda.uiowa.edu and click the “Login” button near the upper-right corner of the screen. Then login with your HawkID and password.

If you have any problems using this service or need technical support, please contact the ITS Help Desk at its-helpdesk@uiowa.edu or 384-HELP.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this service, please contact Mary Grabe at its-training@uiowa.edu.

Applications being accepted for May TILE Institute

Ken — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 20:03:21 +0000

The University of Iowa is committed to transforming education and increasing opportunities for student success.

The TILE project supports these goals through transformed teaching practices, lively interaction, enhanced learning and increased faculty/student engagement. As a hallmark of this support, new TILE learning spaces are being developed on campus.

ITS-Instructional Services and the Center for Teaching will offer a yearlong TILE Faculty Institute, beginning with an intensive training event May 23-25, commencing the evening of May 22. The Institute will provide support and training for faculty who seek to implement TILE-based teaching strategies into their courses. Institute fellows also will learn how to effectively use the TILE spaces and technology.

The event will be conducted by Dr. Jon Gaffney, post-doctoral fellow in physics, University of Kentucky. Dr. Gaffney conducted the fall 2010 TILE Institute and has worked closely with Dr. Bob Beichner, who directs the SCALE-UP program at North Carolina State University and conducted the summer 2010 TILE Faculty Institute. The nationally recognized SCALE-UP program is a resource for institutions that want to create and assess classroom environments that support interactive, collaborative learning.

We welcome applications from University of Iowa tenured, tenure-track and clinical faculty members.

More information and an application can be found online.

SCIT to provide support for instructional technology community on campus

Ken — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:48:55 +0000

A new user community focused on instructional technology will have its first meeting Feb. 3.

The Support Community for Instructional Technology (SCIT) will meet from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in UCC 2520-D. Anyone who has an interest in instructional technology is welcome to attend.

Annette Beck, Interim Manager of Enterprise Instructional Technology and the chairwoman of the SCIT core team, will co-lead the first meeting with Annette Griffin, representing the Carver College of Medicine. “We hope to provide this venue so that instructional technology support persons from all over campus have a place to share issues and ideas with those who are in similar positions of supporting instructional technology,” Annette Beck says. “It will provide a networking opportunity, as well.”

The group includes a representative from every college on campus. “We’ll do approximately six meetings a year with every member helping to facilitate at least one meeting,” Annette says. “Though SCIT is chaired through ITS, the group is really a campus group, and we’ll involve each core team member throughout the process.”

A list of core team members and information about the group’s goals and schedule can be found on the SCIT website. At the Feb. 3 meeting, attendees will find out more about the major ICON upgrade coming later in 2011. Registration is required.

Data center infrastructure work scheduled for Jan. 8

Ken — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 16:30:31 +0000

On Saturday, Jan. 8, the firewall and VPN infrastructure in the primary data center on the University of Iowa campus will undergo hardware and software updates.

This work should not impact any services in the primary data center. There is a small chance of a very brief interruption in network connectivity resulting in a dropped connection for customers.

For a list of Frequently Asked Questions about this work, please visit the ITS Help Desk website at http://its.uiowa.edu/apps2/support/article/1911.

Do you BONGO? Here’s how …

Ken — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 22:08:18 +0000

BONGO, the new GPS-based passenger information system for public transit and Cambus riders in Iowa City and Coralville, is accessible from your smart phone or computer or via telephone.

BONGO, or Bus on the Go, gives riders current bus locations as well as predictions for upcoming bus arrivals – all in real time.

Don’t stand around in the cold waiting for your bus! Watch this short video about the benefits of BONGO, then go online to learn more.

Students: Top prize in security awareness contest is $1,500

Ken — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 21:12:17 +0000

Students have a chance to win cash, gain experience and earn recognition by creating a poster or a short video that focuses attention on information security issues and how best to handle them.

Posters and videos must explain information security problems and specific actions students can take to safeguard their computers, mobile devices or personal information. Two categories of videos are being sought: videos of two minutes or less for use in training or instruction, and 30-second public service announcements (PSAs). Posters should be submitted separately.

Cash prizes of $1,500, $1,000 and $500 will be awarded in each of the video categories and in the poster category. Honorable mention prizes also will be awarded.

The EDUCAUSE/Internet2 Higher Education Information Security Council (HEISC) is conducting its fourth contest in search of security awareness media developed by college students, for college students. The contest is sponsored by CyberWatch, the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and Chapman University.

The posters and videos will be featured on the EDUCAUSE website, as well as the contest’s YouTube channel and Facebook page, and may be used in campus security awareness campaigns.

The deadline for all submissions is March 11, 2011.

For more information, including official rules, visit the contest website.

You can view previous winning videos on the contest’s YouTube site.

Still have questions? Contact the HEISC staff at 202-872-4200, or via e-mail at security-video@educause.edu.