Instructional Services » Betsy Langowski http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu A division of Technology Services Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:28:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 Quick Calculations http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/10/29/technology-tip-2/ http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/10/29/technology-tip-2/#comments Mon, 29 Oct 2007 19:10:36 +0000 Betsy Langowski http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/10/29/technology-tip-2/ Included in Mac OS X is the application called Calculator. This is a handy tool for on-the-go calculations and it doesn’t take too much of your computer’s power. Perhaps you would like to check the currency exchange rate for the euro. Open up the Calculator found in the Applications folder. Type in a number, and at the top of the window, click the drop-down menu that says, “Convert.” Choose “Currency.” Choose the appropriate values, and click “Convert.” Now the value in the calculator reads the value of your conversion!

Note, you can use this same “Convert” menu to convert between temperatures, areas, and a number of other options. If you have any suggestions or questions, please email Instructional Services.

]]> http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/10/29/technology-tip-2/feed/ 1 MS Word Tricks http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/10/15/first-technology-tip-of-the-week/ http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/10/15/first-technology-tip-of-the-week/#comments Mon, 15 Oct 2007 20:57:50 +0000 Betsy Langowski http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/10/15/first-technology-tip-of-the-week/ Until we get video media up and running, the Gustavus Technology Tip of the Week will be located on the Instructional Services blog.

Today, I’d like to tell you how to delete whole words on a Macintosh. This can be helpful if you want to delete a word you just typed that is misspelled or inappropriate, or if there’s a phrase you’d like to get rid of, but pressing the delete key over and over is too time consuming. Also, taking the time to use the mouse to highlight text can sometimes be tedious.

To delete a word at a time (rather than a character at a time) hold the “option key” down while pressing delete. This key is located to the left of the space bar, in between the apple key and the control key. Now the cursor will jump back to the previous space, one word for each tap on the delete key.

If you have any suggestions or questions, please email Instructional Services.

]]> http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/10/15/first-technology-tip-of-the-week/feed/ 4 Stay Tuned for the Technology Tip of the Week http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/10/01/stay-tuned-for-the-technology-tip-of-the-week/ http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/10/01/stay-tuned-for-the-technology-tip-of-the-week/#comments Mon, 01 Oct 2007 18:43:01 +0000 Betsy Langowski http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/10/01/stay-tuned-for-the-technology-tip-of-the-week/ Coming soon to Instructional Services is the Technology Tip of the Week. Each week (or so) Instructional Services will be providing you with a video or blog regarding a new tip. These will be in the form of Gustavus-oriented tips, help on multiple computing platforms, and general technological gray areas. Stay tuned for more information as we implement this new project!

]]> http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/10/01/stay-tuned-for-the-technology-tip-of-the-week/feed/ 0 “Clickers” come to Gustavus http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/09/26/clickers-come-to-gustavus/ http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/09/26/clickers-come-to-gustavus/#comments Wed, 26 Sep 2007 21:30:58 +0000 Betsy Langowski http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/09/26/clickers-come-to-gustavus/ New in the realm of education is a technology called “Audience Response Systems,” fondly known as “Clickers.” Different schools use them in different ways, but at Gustavus, we are implementing them for use as anonymous polling devices. Turning Point Technologies developed a program that works along side PowerPoint, allowing users to create presentations that poll the audience and create graphs of the data collected. These slides can be placed within an existing Powerpoint Presentation, or a new presentation can be created to include some (or all) interactive slides. This presentation can be given on any computer that has Turning Point Software installed. This software has been installed on a number of computers throughout campus upon which presentations like these may be played, for example, the banquet rooms and Olin 103. It can be installed onto any campus computer upon request.

It works using a small USB device. This plugs into any computer. Each audience member is issued a small touch pad, known as a “clicker”. Interactive slides are designed to align with the buttons on the touch pad. Thus, the audience is asked a question, and they respond using their touch pad. These responses are detected by the USB device and recorded anonymously into the Powerpoint Presentation. This data is represented in a graph of the designer’s choosing. After the presentation is finished, the data collected from the audience can be exported into an Excel Spreadsheet for further reference. Gustavus Technology Services has 90 “clickers,” all of which can be used on a single USB device. However, they are checked out in batches of 30, with one USB device for every 30 clickers.

Currently these devices can be checked out by contacting Joyce Aarsvold. In the future they might be part of a more elaborate, web-based check-out system. Instructional Services would be happy to provide you with a mini-tutorial if you plan on using the clickers. Please contact Joyce Aarsvold (joyce) or Betsy Langowski (elangows) if you’d like more information.

]]> http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/09/26/clickers-come-to-gustavus/feed/ 0 Video Conferencing in the Nursing Department http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/09/20/video-conferencing-in-the-nursing-department/ http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/09/20/video-conferencing-in-the-nursing-department/#comments Thu, 20 Sep 2007 17:11:05 +0000 Betsy Langowski http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/09/20/video-conferencing-in-the-nursing-department/ The Nursing Department is taking advantage of Apple’s video conferencing to further their classroom learning environment. The Gustavus Nursing department works closely with the Nursing Department at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. To facilitate this connection, the two colleges are experimenting with video conferencing as a means of communication. Video chatting allows two people (or groups of people) to “meet” face-to-face using a camera, computer, and internet connection, but these two groups potentially could be on opposite sides of the world. This process lets the two departments have direct contact with each other, eliminating the commute, which in Minnesota winters is a nice option to have. Apple computers video conference using iChat, the built-in instant messaging device, and an AIM account.

]]> http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/09/20/video-conferencing-in-the-nursing-department/feed/ 0 Media Services: New for Fall 2007 http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/09/18/new-for-fall-2007/ http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/09/18/new-for-fall-2007/#comments Tue, 18 Sep 2007 16:59:11 +0000 Betsy Langowski http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/09/18/new-for-fall-2007/ The Media Services staff worked tirelessly over the summer to design a new, online check-out system. Should faculty, staff, or students need cameras, lights, microphones, or any other equipment offered by media services, they can simply go here and log in with their Gustavus username and password. After reading an agreement, users can check out equipment for which they are approved. To pick up the equipment (between the hours listed on the agreement) students MUST have their Gustavus Identification card. Faculty and staff should bring appropriate identification.

]]> http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/09/18/new-for-fall-2007/feed/ 1 Moodle http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/09/18/moodle/ http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/09/18/moodle/#comments Tue, 18 Sep 2007 16:19:56 +0000 Betsy Langowski http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2007/09/18/moodle/ With the start of the 2007-2008 school year, an increased number of faculty have used Moodle to access and post information about their classes. Moodle is an interactive program that allows faculty to upload syllabi and articles online for student use. They can also monitor online class discussions via the forum and issue quizzes, along with other customizable options. Moodle can be accessed at moodle.gac.edu and users can log in with their Gustavus e-mail username and password. Any questions can be directed by e-mailing moodle@gac.edu.

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