News

How to prevent spear-phishing

You may be familiar with phishing—scam emails (or direct messages, or social posts) that try to con you into giving up a password, downloading malicious software, or otherwise opening yourself up to a cyber-attack. But have you heard of spear-...

Introducing the New IT Self-Service Portal

In an effort to better support the University of Iowa community, Information Technology Services (ITS) has deployed a new IT self-service portal called Enterprise Service Center (ESC). The self-service portal provides faculty, staff, and students a...

Four ways to protect yourself from phishing

The University of Iowa email system receives more than 2.5 million messages per day, but about 69 percent never reach inboxes. Screening systems flag them as spam or scams—they’re discarded before they can do harm. But some deceptive and dangerous...

Presented by:

Office of Teaching, Learning & Technology

The Student Technology Panel Is Back

Tuesday, March 1, 2022 - 12:00am

How are students using technology to learn, engage with course materials, and connect with their instructors and peers? These topics have been at the forefront of higher education in recent years.

Presented by:

Office of Teaching, Learning & Technology

ITTA Recipients Investigate Gamification, Virtual Instruction, and Artificial Intelligence

Tuesday, February 1, 2022 - 12:00am

Funded through student technology fees, the Innovations in Teaching with Technology Awards (ITTA) support significant, innovative projects that show the potential to improve teaching and learning at the Universi

Presented by:

Office of Teaching, Learning & Technology

Grading Made Easier with Gradescope

Tuesday, February 1, 2022 - 12:00am

Reduce the time associated with grading while consistently providing detailed feedback with Gradescope, an academic technology designed to streamline and standardize grading exams, homework, and other assignments.

Presented by:

Office of Teaching, Learning & Technology

RedShelf eReader Adds Interactive Features and Increases Accessibility

Tuesday, February 1, 2022 - 12:00am

Students and instructors who use eTexts through the ICON Direct program will soon experience exciting new features, like flashcards and student-generated study guides. Beginning in summer 2022, the Unizin Engage eReader will be powered by Redshelf.

Avoiding identity theft

Monday, January 31, 2022 - 8:34am

January 31-February 4 is Identity Theft Awareness Week . Take a minute to how consider how identity theft works and what you can do to protect yourself. Staying safe requires a mix of mindset and practices. Be aware—even skeptical—of every request...

Protecting your privacy

Sunday, January 23, 2022 - 10:00am

Jan. 24-28 is Data Privacy Week, a National Cybersecurity Alliance initiative that encourages individuals to secure their personal information and urges organizations to use customer data with respect and transparency. To mark the week, we talked...

Close up of door with mail slot and sign reading "PRIVATE"

How to Keep Scammers from Spoiling Your Holidays

Monday, December 6, 2021 - 10:03am

Not every holiday tradition brings comfort and joy. The busy, end-of-year season typically prompts a surge of phishing attempts and other online scams. The University of Iowa has already seen the work of digital Grinches this year. Phishing-related...

Close-up of evergreen tree branches strung with white lights.

Protect yourself from tax-season scams

Wednesday, December 1, 2021 - 1:51pm

Be vigilant of unexpected or suspicious emails, text, or phone calls requesting personal or financial information this time of year, when cyber criminals develop income tax scams.

Presented by:

Office of Teaching, Learning & Technology

Join Us for an Anniversary Event Featuring Randy Bass

Wednesday, December 1, 2021 - 12:00am

The OTLT Center for Teaching invites you to a virtual 25th anniversary celebration from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022.

How to Think Like a Cyber Pro

Tuesday, October 26, 2021 - 10:03am

As Cybersecurity Awareness Month closes, we talked with members of the University of Iowa’s Information Security and Policy team to learn how they manage cybersecurity threats in their daily lives. Read on to discover how you can do what the pros do...

Graffiti of the word "safety" on an urban wall

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Five Simple Steps to Stay Cyber Smart

Wednesday, October 6, 2021 - 1:12pm

Ransomware attacks. Hacked social-media accounts. Phishing and other email scams. Online threats—from the merely annoying to the potentially devastating—seem to be virtually everywhere. But some relatively simple steps can dramatically reduce your...

Padlock laying on a laptop computer keyboard

Presented by:

Office of Teaching, Learning & Technology

ICON Direct Experiences Continued Growth

Tuesday, October 5, 2021 - 12:00am

ICON Direct continues its rapid growth, with a 13% increase in orders in fall 2021 over fall 2020. This semester, approximately 14,800 students have at least one ICON Direct digital material in their classes.

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Free tech resources and things you should know

Tuesday, September 14, 2021 - 1:23pm

Information Technology Services (ITS) offers students a variety of free services and software. Here are some of the most popular technology resources available to you: Help Desk support Students having trouble with any and all devices can get free...

Student wearing a yellow shirt looking down at an open text book with an open laptop next to the book

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Tech updates you might have missed

Tuesday, September 7, 2021 - 10:32am

Welcome back! As you settle into a new semester, here are some updates and resources you may have missed: Hybrid meeting resources Check out this helpful guide containing tips for running more effective hybrid meetings . More and more departments on...

zoomed in on three sets of hands holding and typing on laptops. The focal point is of a man's hands wearing a silver watch holding a macbook pro

Microsoft Ending Office 365 Support for Internet Explorer

Thursday, May 13, 2021 - 8:20am

IE users should switch to another web browser to keep using Office 365, other tools.

ICON to show pronouns

Wednesday, May 12, 2021 - 8:43am

Starting May 20, ICON will show pronouns for students, faculty, and staff who’ve set public pronouns using the MyUI or Employee Self Service systems.

DIY service retirement and redirects to occur April 1

Monday, March 29, 2021 - 9:45am

The DIY collection of applications will be retired on April 1, 2021. The component services, PowerUp and Calendar Combiner, will be moving to their own, independent websites. Please see the following pages for more information on the component...

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Stay Safe from Ransomware

Tuesday, February 9, 2021 - 8:25am

Ransomware is malicious software designed to encrypt files on a computer or other device and render them unusable until a ransom is paid. Ransomware attacks target both organizations and individuals. Victims of ransomware attacks may lose their data...

Close up of a yellow padlock on a locked door

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Take Charge of Your Privacy in 2021

Monday, January 11, 2021 - 8:00am

January 28 is Data Privacy Day , and the start of a new semester is a great time to check some online-privacy essentials off your to-do list. Review these steps you can take right now: Update privacy settings Check privacy settings for websites,...