Category Archives: Announcements & News

Announcements and news on technologies

Canvas to WINS Final Grade Submission – Spring 2023

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The Spring 2023 WINS Grades Roster is open from Wednesday May 10, through noon on Tuesday May 16. The eGrading process allows instructors to transfer final grades from their Canvas Gradebook directly to their WINS Grade Roster.

Each semester, grades need to be entered into WINS. While many instructors do this manually, Canvas can help automate some of the steps for you. The Learning Technology Center is providing training on the three steps needed to push grades from Canvas so they can be accepted in WINS.

  1. Finish grading (including entering 0s) and setting the Grade Scheme
  2. Transfer grades from Canvas to WINS
  3. Verify and accept grades in WINS

Please be mindful that any ungraded items can result in different final grades showing to Teachers, Students, and/or the Student Information System (WINS), depending on the settings used by each individual. Check here for information about ensuring Total Grades are as intended: https://kb.wisconsin.edudle/page.php?id=91483

In person support sessions on this process are also available: https://my.uww.edu/SignUp/Registration/Details?id=17479

If you have any additional questions, please contact Canvas 24/7 Support. 

Canvas Update (Spring 2023)

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On Saturday April 15, Instructure deployed the latest release to the Canvas environment, and the final one before Summer 2023. The highlights of this release are listed below. The full release notes are also available.

  • Gradebook – Submit Assignment on Behalf of Student: instructors can submit a file upload assignment on behalf of a student in the Gradebook. The submission includes the timestamp and who submitted the assignment. Additionally, the instructor can submit multiple files at a time for a single student and submit beyond the availability date.
  • Gradebook – Sort Assignments by Excused Submissions and Unposted Grades: In the Gradebook, instructors can sort individual assignment columns and rows by excused submissions and unposted grades.
  • Equation Editor – Equilibrium Button: In the Rich Content Editor Equation Editor, an Equilibrium button is available.
  • Pages – Schedule Page Publication:  When editing an unpublished Page, instructors can set a publication date. Scheduled pages remain invisible to students until the publish date and time.

      New Quizzes Improvements: While New Quizzes has been available for several years now, many instructors still opt to use Classic Quizzes. Multiple updates have been made to improve New Quizzes, which will not be made in Classic.

      • New Quizzes – Allow Clearing of Multiple Choice Question Answers: In the New Quizzes settings, instructors can enable Allow Clearing Selection (Multiple Choice) allowing students to clear multiple choice answers.
      • New Quizzes – Fill in the Blank with Multiple Word Bank Improvements: In New Quizzes, when building a Fill in the Blank question with multiple word bank choices, distractor words display in a separate section for instructors. Also, word choices can be used more than once when Allow Word Bank Choices to be Reused is selected and duplicate answer choices are graded correctly. Additionally, for students, Fill in the Blank questions with multiple word banks display all word bank choices in the answer blank drop-down menu.
      • New Quizzes – Grade by Question in SpeedGrader: SpeedGrader supports grading one question at a time in New Quizzes. When in Grade by Question mode the question navigation bar is available and the Update score button location has been updated. Additionally, hyperlinks have been added to questions requiring manual grading
      • New Quizzes – Share Item Bank to Current Course Checkbox: When creating a new item bank in the New Quizzes Build page, instructors can share the bank to the current course. This change reduces extra steps to share an Item Bank and improves instructor workflows when building New Quizzes.

      If you have any questions or concerns about the service pack updates, or even just curious about how they can help you, please contact UW-W Canvas Support.

      Canvas Update (11/19/2023)

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      On Saturday November 19, Instructure will deploy the latest release to the Canvas environment. The highlights of this release are listed below. The full release notes are also available.

      • Outcomes – Outcome Alignment Summary Tab:  Instructors can quickly view a summary of alignments to the Outcomes in their course. Additionally, instructors can use a filter to view all Outcomes, view only those with alignments or those without alignments. 
      • Pages – Schedule Page Publication: The Schedule Page Publication default status has been updated. Instructors can delay pages for publication on a specific date and time. Scheduled pages remain invisible to students until the publish date and time.
      • SpeedGrader – Multi-File Submission Display as Single Submission for Third Party Tools: When using third-party tools to upload assignments, multiple files submitted together will display as a single submission in Speedgrader. This update allows instructors to view submissions with multiple files together in SpeedGrader.

      If you have any questions or concerns about the service pack updates, or even just curious about how they can help you, please contact UW-W Canvas Support.

      April 2022 @ LTC – General Campus Technology

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      Google Workspace

      “Google Drive and Apps Essentials” – April 8 at 9:00AM

      Learn about how to effectively use Google Drive and Apps for collaboration and file-sharing. This workshop offers an overview of Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Presentations, Forms, Drawing, and Sites. Learn the basics of each program to get you up and running quickly with Google applications as well as some helpful tips and tricks!

      Interactive Polling with Slido

      April 12 at 9:00AM

      Webex Meetings now has an interactive polling feature built right into the meeting so you can easily engage with your participants. In this session, you will learn: how to create, activate, and share content; view results; add collaborators; and more!
      Access your Slido account from https://slido.com 

      Suggestions for Effective Online Meetings & Webinars

      April 19 at 9:30AM

      Do you know how to schedule a Webex Meeting and/or Webinar, but are looking to make them more smooth, efficient, productive, and comfortable? We’ll cover some pre-meeting details that can help as well as and facilitation techniques to help you and your attendees have better virtual meeting experiences. We’ll focus on tips and tricks for Webex Meetings and Webinars to take your baseline skills to the next level.

      New to Campus? Need a refresher?

      “Campus Technology: Resources to Help You Succeed” – April 14 at 1:30PM

      The goal of this session is to create awareness of the campus-supported communication, collaboration, and work productivity tools that apply to all staff and introduce participants to support resources.

      Can’t make it at the scheduled time? Check out our on-demand technology orientation!

      Getting Started with Webex

      April 26 at 10AM

      Webex, formerly known as Webex Teams, is ideal for ongoing communication and collaboration among teams, departments and work groups. Interested in learning how to utilize Webex? This session will help you understand the basics of Webex (Teams) including the new Calling features, best practices for use, and how to get others on board with using it.

      Microsoft Outlook – Tips and Tricks

      “Outlook Email/Calendar Basics (and Tips & Tricks)” – April 27 at 9:30AM
      Open to both Windows and Mac users, this training will cover strategies to manage email messages, calendar scheduling, and more!

      April 2022 @ LTC – The Student Experience

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      What is the student experience in your course? How do they view their interactions with reading assignments, discussions, and assessments? This April, join the Learning Technology Center as we re-center the student experience!

      Starting April 1! Universal Design for Learning

      Universal Design for Learning (UDL) encourages us to improve our teaching and students’  through a philosophy of “multiple means” of representation. This collection of workshops will explore the fundamentals of UDL as a means to engage all learners.

      What Students Want in Canvas

      April 5, 2022 at 1:00PM (via Webex)

      This training will focus on making a series of small, easy, and optional, shifts from your current course design to a setup backed by feedback from student panels conducted right here at UW-Whitewater. The goal is not to change how you teach, just how students view the course. This training session will focus on four areas:

      • Matching your Assignments and Grades area to your course syllabus
      • Reorganizing Modules to a chronological layout
      • Getting assignments and tasks populated to student calendars
      • Utilizing the description area of Quizzes and Assignments

      A recording of this training is already available!

      UW System Administration “Digital Learning Environment” – Student Survey

      April 15, 2022 at 1:00PM (via Webex)

      In 2021, a student usability study of the UWS digital learning environment (DLE) was conducted. This workshop reviews those results and discusses ways to improve your classroom and teaching to incorporate specific suggestions from the research.

      Building Better Syllabi

      Join us on either April 19 (1:00PM) or April 20 (9:00AM) – Register by April 13, 2022!

      What makes a good syllabus, and what makes a good syllabus better? This session will talk about what can be done to improve an existing syllabus, and interesting reworks from the ground up. You can get started on your own with these great resources.

      More Information

      The LTC offers individual and small group consultations on a variety of topics and services.

      If you require assistance or have questions on campus technology, please feel free to contact the Help Desk. Outside of Help Desk hours, we invite you to search our Knowledge Base for helpful articles on using and troubleshooting campus technology.

      Canvas Update (03/19/2022)

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      On Saturday March 19, Instructure deployed the latest release to the Canvas environment. The highlights of this release are listed below. The full release notes are also available.

      • Gradebook – Enhanced Gradebook Filters:  When the Enhanced Gradebook Filters feature preview is enabled for a course, instructors can create filters that can be saved or used one time.
      • Rich Content Editor – Equation Editor Update: When a user creates equations in the Rich Content Editor, the Equation Editor displays an updated user interface.
      • New Quizzes – Item Bank Filtering Terminology Adjustments: In New Quizzes item banks, the All My Banks and All My Course Banks filters have been replaced as the All Banks and Banks Shared to Course filters. Additionally, the This Course filter has been added to the filter options.

      If you have any questions or concerns about the service pack updates, or even just curious about how they can help you, please contact UW-W Canvas Support.

      2022 Cisco/Presidio Teaching with Technology Honorarium

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      The Cisco/Presidio Teaching with Technology Innovator Honorarium is a recognition that will be bestowed upon an instructor who displays an outstanding commitment to leveraging learning technologies to solve common teaching challenges related to creating rich learning experiences to increase student success.

      For 2022, finalists for this award need to be willing to present at the Celebrating Teaching and Learning Conference on Wednesday, May 18, 2022.  The instructor selected as the Teaching with Technology Innovator will receive a $1000 honorarium.  The other finalists will receive $250 honorariums.  These awards are paid for by private donated funds.

      Eligibility and Expectations

      There is an open call for applicants for this recognition. Any individual who applies must have taught at least six credits for the past year to be eligible. If selected as a finalist for the Teaching with Technology Innovator, the individual will receive a $250 honorarium and must agree to present an interactive session at the Celebrating Teaching and Learning Conference (May 18, 2022), where they will also be recognized.

      The individual selected as the 2022 Teaching with Technology Innovator will receive a $1000 honorarium (instead of the $250 for finalists) and must also agree to the following conditions:

      • Have their name and picture highlighted in a Learning Technology Center blog post and in the ConnectIT newsletter;
      • Have their name and photograph displayed in the Learning Technology Center
      • Partner with the Learning Technology Center to highlight their work during the Fall 2022 and/or Spring 2023 semester.  

      Please note: this honorarium counts toward the 20% base salary overload maximum. 

      Submission of Application Materials

      • Application packages must include a: Personal reflection (1-2 pages) that includes the applicant’s teaching philosophy and the role technology plays in it, specifically discussing how they have demonstrated the innovative and effective use of learning technologies to create rich learning experiences for students that work to increase retention and success. 
      • Portfolio of 3-5 items that serve as evidence of their teaching philosophy and the role technology plays in it, as well as ways their use of technology contributes to student learning and success. Possible items include, but are not limited to: 
        • Letters of support from students, colleagues, or leadership.
        • Course evaluation data. 
        • Evidence of student impact (e.g., grades, learning, etc.) after trying a technology intervention. 
        • Examples of how the instructor contributes to their college, campus community, and beyond related to teaching and learning with technology.

      Materials must be submitted through Qualtrics (http://uwwhitewater.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3eflnjKb810emUt) by March 27, 2022 April 11, 2022. If materials are missing, an individual’s application may not be considered.

      Selection Process

      Application packages will be reviewed by a committee composed of Learning Technology Center (LTC) Staff and members of the LTC Advisory Group (which is composed of 1-2 instructors from each college) after the deadline.  Notifications of the selected finalists will be made by April 11, 2022.  Finalists will be expected to submit a description of an interactive, synchronous session to be presented at the Celebrating Teaching and Learning Conference in the University Center on the Whitewater Campus.

      About the Sponsors 

      This award is sponsored by Presidio and Cisco Systems in conjunction with UWW’s Division of Instructional, Communication, and Information Technology (ICIT) and ICIT’s Learning Technology Center (LTC). Presidio and Cisco are proud of their work with institutions of higher education to inspire learning and connect campuses to enhance student outcomes. ICIT and the LTC are dedicated to working with instructors to understand teaching challenges, explore solutions, implement strategies, and evaluate their effectiveness.

      Questions? If you have questions, please reach out to the Learning Technology Center

      March “Teaching and Learning” Madness @ LTC

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      March will be another busy month at the LTC as we reach the mid-point of the academic You’re at the mid-semester! This March, the LTC will focus on assessment and student feedback which are critical components of any course.

      Faster, Easier Grading

      Grading can take a long time, but it does not always have to. Learn how to easily create and consistently use rubrics in Canvas to streamline evaluation of student work, especially compositions and mid-term papers.

      Canvas Lab: Rubric and Quiz Building, March 2, 2022 at 9am (online)

      Canvas Open lab: Check Your Gradebook Settings!

      Meet with our team to verify the numerous settings within your Canvas Gradebook to make sure everything is set as intended. Drop in to our any of our Canvas Grading Labs:

      Learning Analytics to Support Student Success

      A screenshot showing the banner of Canvas New Analytics

      Learn the basics or dig deeper with Canvas Learning Analytics. Canvas Learning Analytics offer instructors detailed insight into student performance and engagement, especially useful to connect with under-performing students before it is too late.

      Rethinking Design with “Universal Design for Learning”

      Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guides the design of learning experiences to proactively meet the needs of all learners. When you design through UDL, you assume that barriers to learning are in the design of the environment, not in the student. 

      Read more about this series and register in advance for a presentation session!

      More Information

      The LTC offers individual and small group consultations on a variety of topics and services, please email ltc@uww.edu to learn more and get started! Subscribe to our blog for frequent technology updates and information about our workshops, campus events, and other announcements.

      If you require assistance or have questions on campus technology, please feel free to contact the Help Desk. Outside of Help Desk hours, we invite you to search our Knowledge Base for helpful articles on using and troubleshooting campus technology.

      March 2022 @ LTC – General Campus Technology

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      Whether you’re new to campus or need a refresher on general campus technology tools and resources, the LTC is here to support you!

      Transition from Cisco Jabber to Webex

      With the upcoming transition from Jabber to the Webex App (formerly Webex Teams), you may want to learn how to Get Started with Webex!

      General Campus Technology

      Join our Campus Technology Orientation (in-person or online) to learn about the wealth of resources available to you. Can’t make it? Check out our on-demand technology orientation to get you started strong at UW-Whitewater!

      Microsoft Outlook

      Learn time-saving strategies to manage email, add attachments, create calendar appointments and more! This session is useful for both Mac and Windows users.

      More Information

      The LTC offers individual and small group consultations on a variety of topics and services, please email ltc@uww.edu to learn more and get started! Subscribe to our blog for frequent technology updates and information about our workshops, campus events, and other announcements.

      If you require assistance or have questions on campus technology, please feel free to contact the Help Desk. Outside of Help Desk hours, we invite you to search our Knowledge Base for helpful articles on using and troubleshooting campus technology.