Category Archives: Announcements & News

Announcements and news on technologies

Canvas Update (05/15/2021)

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On Saturday, May 15, 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.

  • Assignments – Student Annotated Submissions: Instructors can use annotated document assignment type to upload a document for students to annotate and submit directly in Canvas. This assignment type is included under the online assignment types so that instructors can select additional submission options for students unable to annotate onscreen.
  • New Quizzes – Save and Build Button Workflow: The New Quiz creation page includes both a Save and a Build button. When an instructor creates and enters details for a quiz, the page displays both a Save and a Build button. Previously the page only included the Save button, which counterintuitively launched in the New Quiz editor. 

UW-Whitewater Updates

Planned Data Center Outage, May 21: Due to a state-initiated project, a temporary power shut-off of the UW-W data center will be required to complete planned maintenance at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 21st, with a targeted return to full service by 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 22nd. During this maintenance window, all IT services, applications, and web pages will be unavailable so please plan accordingly.

If you have any questions or concerns about the service pack updates, please contact UW-W Canvas Support.

Webex Updates (May, 2021)

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May brings many updates to the Cisco Webex suite! In this post, we’ll summarize the critical updates for Webex Meetings as well as what’s new in Webex (formerly known as Webex Teams).

Webex Meetings

Webex Meetings

On Tuesday, May 11th, Cisco will release the Webex Meetings 41.5 update. The highlights of this release are listed below, with full release notes also available.

Learn More

Webex (Teams)

On Friday, May 14th, Cisco will release the Webex (Teams) 41.5 update. The highlights of this release are listed below, with full release notes also available.

Learn More

Webex Meetings 41.5 Update

  • Web App Attendee Functionality: Attendees, hosts, and cohosts who join from the Web App will see greater parity in functionality for answering Q&A, video layouts, and syncing their stage.
  • Stop Video for Attendees: Meeting hosts can now stop video coming from video devices and mobile attendees. When any of these attendees leave and re-join the meeting, their video will start, even if it had been stopped previously by the host.
  • Share Post-Meeting Content to the Webex (Teams) App: From the post-meeting web page, share meeting content to an existing or newly created space in Webex (Teams) to continue collaborating.
  • Recording Availability Indicator Icon: Your Recorded Meetings page will now display within how much time the recording will be generated, which is typically within 24 hours, depending on file size and bandwidth.
  • Tool Tip for Customizing the Stage: Participants will see animated tool tip in the stage views to quickly show how they can customize the stage by drag and dropping participants from the filmstrip onto the stage.

Webex Events (New) Now Available: This update brings a new service called Webex Events (New), which includes many of the advanced features you’re familiar with from Webex Meetings, as well as some from Webex Events (Classic). When scheduling a Webex Event, you will have the option to use the New or Classic service.

  • This is a new service that has not been available for any length of time. UW-Whitewater staff have not had the opportunity to test it with live audiences. At this time, we recommend you continue to use Webex Events (Classic). Events scheduled from the Webex Events (Classic) scheduler will continue to have the original Webex Events experience.
  • View our Knowledge article Webex Events (New) – Information to compare the two services and to learn about to learn about current known issues and limitations with Webex Events (New).
  • View directions on how to Schedule a Webex Event (New) to try it out.
  • Look for training and additional resources to be available soon!
  • You may see this highlighted next time you sign in to uww.webex.com with a walk-through.
  • Webcast mode is not available on our account.

Webex (Teams) 41.5 Update

  • Full-Featured Meetings: When you join a Webex Meetings scheduled or Personal Room meeting using Webex (Teams), you’ll have access to full-featured meetings, which offers you most of the Webex Meetings features even when you join from Webex (Teams). These features include stage view, breakout sessions, reactions, Webex Assistant, and People Insights profiles.
    • Webex (Teams) meetings from a space will remain unchanged at this time. Mobile users will see Webex Meetings launch when they join.
  • Schedule Webex meetings right from the app: No need to go outside the app to schedule your standard and Personal Room meetings. Add important meeting details, check the availability of the attendees, and send out the invites right from the Webex (Teams) app.
  • Additional In-Meeting features: No more self view when your video is off; shared content is automatically optimized; a new Stop Sharing button for ease; new connection and computer indicators will help meeting quality; and the ability for hosts to turn off attendees videos will improve Webex (Teams) meetings.
  • Messaging Updates: Mark messages as unread, move quickly between spaces you’ve visited with navigation history, and choose your default tab when the app opens.
  • Webex now on Linux: All the core capabilities are in a single app for Linux users, with the full-featured meetings to be added soon.
Full-Featured Meetings in the Webex (Teams) App

If you have any questions or concerns about this update, please contact the UW-W Learning Technology Center.

Canvas to WINS Final Grade Submission

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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. Export from Canvas
  3. Verify and accept grades in WINS

The Spring 2021 WINS Grades Roster will be open on May 10 and close at noon on May 18. We have scheduled 60 minute hands on training sessions if you are interested in receiving live support.

Date/TimeLocationRegister
Wednesday, May 12th
2:00pm – 3:00pm		WebexRegistration
Thursday, May 13th
3:00am – 4:00pm		WebexRegistration
Monday, May 17th
10:00am – 11:00am		WebexRegistration
Monday, May 17th
2:00pm – 3:00pm		WebexRegistration

If you have any questions or concerns about this update, please contact the UW-W Learning Technology Center.

Early Summer Series on Hyflex!

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At the start of the Summer, the Learning Technology Center and the LEARN Center will host a series of discussions and interactive workshops geared towards improving HyFlex instructional practices, managing classroom technology, and developing programmatic strategies for the future.

Lessons Learned from HyFlex: Perspectives from the Classroom
May 25, 2021 at 1:00PM – Register at signup.uww.edu

This event will feature faculty from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and the UW System Collaborative Language Program who will share their experiences (the good and the bad) with course development, program management, and strategies for student engagement.

Collaborative Lesson Plan Development – Moving Towards HyFlex Course Design
Part 1: May 26, 2021 – 1PM – Register at signup.uww.edu
Part 2: June 3, 2021 – 1PM

Work through the iterative process of course design with colleagues from across campus to get started with your HyFlex course! In the first session, you will work through example lesson plans and course materials to better see the different puzzle pieces that combine in a hyflex course. You will work in groups to identify potential challenges (and their solutions!) with a hyflex course model as you consider your own course. Part Two will be dedicated to peer review and sharing of course maps, lesson plans, and other materials needed to help make your course as successful and meaningful as possible.

Even if you have already designed a HyFlex course, we would love to learn from your design strategies and perspectives!

Technology-inclusvie collaboration

Registration open for the LTDC 2021 Virtual Showcase “Transforming the Future of Education!”

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Registration to attend the FREE Learning Technology Development Council’s 2021 Virtual Showcase, themed Transforming the Future of Education is now open! The showcase will be held June 15 and 16, 2021.

2021 LTDC Virtual Showcase Registration Now Open
Registration Open!

Keynote speakers include Bryan Alexander, author of “Academia Next: The Futures of Higher Education,” and Kathe Pelletier, Director of Teaching and Learning with EDUCAUSE. They, along with instructors and staff throughout UW-System, will reflect upon ideas and innovations, lessons learned, the technologies utilized, and the experiments tried over the last year that may shape future educational opportunities.

To register for this free professional development opportunity, please go to the LTDC 2021 Virtual Showcase website: https://www.wisconsin.edu/learning-tech/events-conf/ltdc-virtual-showcase-2021/#about
Be sure to register even if you cannot attend the live sessions to gain access to session materials and recordings after the conference.

We want to hear from you!

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The Learning Technology Center invites you to complete it’s Learning Technology Center’s 2021 Instructor and Non-Instructional Staff Support Survey!

This brief questionnaire should only take 10 minutes of your time and the results will help us better understand campus technology needs, especially following the transition to remote teaching, learning, and administration. Your responses will remain anonymous.

Once you complete the survey, enter to win a $25 gift card from the University Bookstore!

The deadline to complete the survey is April 16, 2021 at 11:59PM.

Thank you!
– LTC Staff

Canvas Update (03/20/2021)

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On Saturday, March 20, 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.

  • Assignments – Webcam Submissions: File upload assignments that allow for the upload of a .png file will allow students to use their webcam to take a photo.
  • Course Settings – Course Availability Date Enhancements: When an instructor views the Participation section in the Course Settings page, the Participation section displays a menu that defaults to Term dates for new courses. This option sets student course participation to the start and end dates defined for the term.
  • Modules – New Quiz Support: When an instructor adds an item to a module and selects a quiz, the Create Quiz option displays both the New Quizzes and Classic Quizzes quiz engines. New Quizzes is the default, but instructors can switch to Classic Quizzes and create a name for the quiz.
  • Outcomes – Learning Mastery Gradebook Student Filters: The Learning Mastery Gradebook includes filters for inactive and concluded enrollments. This change allows instructors to view outcomes data in the Learning Mastery Gradebook for students who no longer have an active enrollment in their course.
  • Rich Content Editor – File Preview Enhancements: Files linked in the Rich Content Editor can be previewed in an overlay or inline. This change allows users to control the display of the file preview. Previously all file previews opened in a new browser tab.
  • SpeedGrader – Submission Reassignments: In SpeedGrader, instructors can reassign an assignment to an individual student and ask them to redo their submission, as long as the student has submissions remaining on the assignment.

UW-Whitewater Updates

  • Resolved Issue – Webex Meeting Password required: Students joining a Webex Meeting from Canvas using the web browser were being prompted for a meeting password. This issue has been resolved. For additional details, please see our post.
  • Additional Canvas Personal Pronoun Options – March 23rd. UW-System will be enabling additional personal pronouns inside of Canvas on Tuesday March 23rd. For additional details and the full list of pronouns, please see this announcement.

If you have any questions or concerns about the service pack updates, please contact UW-W Canvas Support.

Canvas Update (02/20/2021)

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On Saturday, February 20, 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.

  • Courses – MathJax Equation Enhancements & Text Field LaTeX Characters: LaTeX equations can be entered in any Canvas text field, and MathJax is loaded if Canvas detects an equation image added by delimited LaTeX characters. 
  • Rich Content Editor – Pretty HTML Editor: The Rich Content Editor includes a pretty HTML editor in addition to the raw HTML editor.

If you have any questions or concerns about the service pack updates, please contact UW-W Canvas Support.

Spring 2021 LTC Training and Workshops

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The LTC is offering a full roster of learning opportunities ranging from training on Webex and Canvas to rethinking the possibilities of learning, teaching, and working with technology. Please visit the LTC’s calendar to see all sessions, descriptions, and dates.

Can’t join at scheduled times? No problem, email ltc@uww.edu to request a personal or department session. Links to previously recorded sessions are also often available.  

Don’t see a session on something you’d like to learn? Let us know! We look forward to meeting your needs as best we can — email ltc@uww.edu with your request. And, don’t forget, LinkedIn Learning offers on-demand classes on many topics!

Instructional Workshops:

Webex:

Canvas:

General Campus Technology:

If you have any questions, please reach out to the UW-W Learning Technology Center.

Canvas Update (01/16/2021)

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On Saturday, January 16, 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.

  • Notifications – Push Notification Types end of Life: When users open their Notification Preferences page or notifications in a Canvas app, Push notifications are only supported for specific notification categories. Users can adjust their notification preferences by setting up additional supported communication channels.
  • Settings – Feature Option Management: The buttons to manage feature flags at the account, course, and user levels have been updated in design and functionality. This change aligns design consistency with other areas of Canvas (specifically the Permissions page) and allows admins to better manage subaccount- and course-level feature defaults.

UW-Whitewater Updates

  • New Rich Content Editor: The New Rich Content Editor is an update to the previous Canvas Rich Content Editor. It provides a condensed, more intuitive toolbar that is grouped by common icons and interactions. We will be enabling the New Rich Content Editor on Wednesday, December 23rd, 2020. For additional details or training schedule, please see our post.
  • Flash – End of Life: Beginning in January of 2021, the Adobe Flash Player has been uninstalled from campus devices. Previously, in July of 2017, Adobe announced that the Flash Player will no longer be distributed or updated after December 31, 2020. Additional information can be found on the Adobe Flash Player EOL General Information Page. We have details available to help you identify if this will impact you.
  • Respondus LockDown Browser – Chromebook compatibility: Chromebooks will soon be able to launch Respondus LockDown Browser, enabling their use for monitored quizzing across campus. More information to come soon!

If you have any questions or concerns about the service pack updates, please contact UW-W Canvas Support.