Category: Faculty Resources

The Virtual Reality Lab is Open Again!

Posted on by Josh Moon

We are open!

The Virtual Reality Lab inside the Library’s Center for New Media Design has returned! Students, staff, and faculty are once again welcome to experience our Oculus Rift S headset for education, entertainment, and exploration. We are currently still taking safety precautions so we ask that you limit the number of guests to four individuals per session and clean the VR headset between uses with sanitary wipes. Our staff is available on site to help with any questions.

Book the Lab

The Virtual Reality Lab has a new, easy-to-navigate online booking page where you can reserve up to 50 minutes in the Lab. Walk-in guests are welcome if the Lab is available! Our waiver is now also online. If you plan on visiting the Lab, please complete the waiver on Microsoft Forms before your arrival. We do ask returning users who previously filled out a paper waiver to complete the online form.

Teaching & Learning with Virtual Reality

If you’d like to organize a visit for your class, department, or student organization, please contact Josh Moon, Educational Technology Specialist, at josh.moon@kzoo.edu. We can also discuss options for bringing a mobile VR setup to rooms on campus. In addition, groups may contact us for approval to stream live events using the Kalamazoo College Virtual Reality Lab Twitch account.

3D Printing is Now No-Cost

Posted on by Josh Moon
3D printed purple Octopus sitting on one of the Kalamazoo College 3D printers.

No-Cost 3D Printing

Information Services is pleased to announce that our 3D printing services will be no-cost for students, staff, and faculty effective immediately. We hope this invites new ideas, increased participation, and opens up access across campus. The College reserves the right to limit the size/number of prints for individual use, vet appropriate applications, and prioritize academic projects in the printing queue.

Students in the Center for New Media Design will be operating our MakerBot printers and learning skills in 3D printing. We thank you in advance for your patience as everyone begins training this fall.

Want a Model 3D Printed?

If you’d like to discuss having a model 3D printed, stop into the Center for New Media Design during our business hours or contact Josh Moon, Educational Technology Specialist, at 269.337.7415 or Josh.Moon@kzoo.edu.

3D Printing Questions, Ideas or Problems?

Visit the 3D Printing and Scanning Technology section of our website or contact Josh Moon, Educational Technology Specialist, at 269.337.7415 or Josh.Moon@kzoo.edu.

Welcome Back – Fall 2021

Posted on by Katrina Frank

Welcome Back

Welcome Back!

K Students, Faculty, and Staff,

Welcome back to K! Whether it is your first or last year at the College, the Information Services (IS) team is here to help you get ready for the new year. Please review the resources below to see how to get connected, access your accounts, and who to contact in need.

Tech Support

The Information Services Website

Use the IS Search field on the right sidebar (or near the bottom of the page if on a mobile device) to find the information you need faster.

Contact the Help Desk

Email: HelpDesk@kzoo.edu

In-Person: Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Student Computer Consultants: Generally available in labs Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. If you are seeking help in the library, SCC’s will be working during library hours.

Moodle Support

Are you having issues with Moodle? If so, please inform your professor and they will help direct you from there.

Library Support

Your Librarians are here for you! Connect with your librarians on the Library website!

Student Tools

  • Hornet Hive – The Hornet Hive is the campus hub for announcements, event listings, and links to campus web resources.
  • Office 365 – Free access to Office 365 which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Sway, Teams, Stream, and online file storage space in OneDrive.
  • Moodle – Where you can access instructor course materials, your grades throughout the quarter, and more.
  • Printing – Information on standard laser printing, color and large format/poster printing, 3D printing, printer locations, cost, print credits allotments, and how to set up wireless printing.
  • Connecting to the Internet – Use the eduroam network! Setup takes a few minutes, but it will work all year, all over campus, and at other campuses all over the world.

Visit the Student Tools page for more resources and student IS news throughout the year.

Faculty Tools

Visit the Faculty Tools page for more information on other resources to utilize throughout the year.

Staff Tools

View the Staff Tools page for more information on other resources to utilize throughout the year.

Additional Resources Worth Mentioning

Email & Webmail

Returning students, faculty, and staff should now access their webmail accounts at https://outlook.office.com.

Wi-Fi Issues

  1. Visit the Wi-Fi troubleshooting page to assist you in resolving your issue. Please attempt all troubleshooting tips that apply to your circumstance before completing a report.
  1. Due to the complexities of Wi-Fi-related problems, specific details are needed to help resolve Wi-Fi related issues. You must provide the following in order to submit a Wi-Fi Outage Report.
List of Required Information to Complete the Wi-Fi Outage Report Form
  • Name
  • The wireless network you were attempting to connect to
  • Screenshot of the error you encountered or the exact error message as displayed on your device
    • Note: A full screenshot of the error you are encountering is the most reliable way we can assist in resolving your issue
  • Date of occurrence
  • Time of occurrence
  • Location of occurrence
  • If this issue has happened elsewhere on campus. If so, the location(s) it has occurred
  • If the device was able to connect successfully in any other locations on campus. If so, the location(s) it has been successful
  • Type of device experiencing the issue –
    • Note: If you are using a device running on Android 10 or iOS 14 you will need to disable MAC randomization on your device first. See the Wi-Fi Troubleshooting section for instructions.
  • MAC Address – If you are unsure where to locate your MAC Address please see, How to Find Any Device’s IP Address, MAC Address, and Other Network Connection Details article by How-to-Geek.
  • If there were any other apps running on the device while the issue was experienced. If so, which apps

Microsoft Teams Support Request

If faculty and staff are unable to solve their issue by reviewing the information provided on the Microsoft Teams page, they can submit a Teams Support Request to the Help Desk.

Portable Voice Amplifiers

Posted on by Greg Diment

In partnership with the Academic Planning Task Force, Information Services has procured a number of portable voice amplifiers for use in the classrooms. Here’s a video that demonstrates the unit. We will check these units out to individual faculty that request them; if you’d like one, please send an email to Media Services as soon as possible so that we can appropriately adjust supply based on demand.

The amplifier will be checked out to the faculty member for as long as needed. The user will be responsible for bringing to their classes and for charging the rechargeable batteries.

Greg Diment

Chief Information Officer

Change: eduroam to Require @knet.kzoo.edu in Username

Posted on by Peter Zillmann

Previously, we instructed (but did not enforce) that users include the @knet.kzoo.edu suffix as specified in their eduroam network configuration. Beginning Monday, August 23, we will enforce that change. If you omitted that suffix, please update your devices: here’s how to properly configure a device for the eduroam network.

New Tool Available – Microsoft Bookings

Posted on by Katrina Frank

Hello K College Faculty and Staff,

We would like to share a new tool available to you! Microsoft Bookings may be useful to individuals or departments that offer appointments for services.

Microsoft Bookings logo.

Want to Learn More About Microsoft Bookings?

Microsoft Bookings Support

We are still refining the best ways to support you and welcome your feedback during the process! If you would like to receive additional support for Bookings, please contact the Help Desk at HelpDesk@kzoo.edu with questions.

Welcome Back – Spring 2021

Posted on by Katrina Frank
Information Services Staff

Welcome back to K!

The Information Services (IS) team is here to help get you ready for the quarter! Please view all of the helpful resources below to see how to get connected, access your accounts, and who to contact in need.

Please feel free to connect by sending us an email at HelpDesk@kzoo.edu. Note that we’re open Monday – Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. with staff at the Help Desk from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. beginning the second week of the quarter.

Student Tools

  • Hornet Hive – The Hornet Hive is the campus hub for announcements, event listings, and links to campus web resources.
  • Office 365 – Free access to Office 365 which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Sway, Teams, Stream, and online file storage space in OneDrive.
  • Moodle – Where you can access instructor course materials, your grades throughout the quarter, and more.
  • Printing – Information on standard laser printing, color and large format/poster printing, 3D printing, printer locations, cost, print credits allotments, and how to set up wireless printing.
  • Connecting to the Internet – Use the eduroam network! Setup takes a few minutes, but it will work all year, all over campus, and at other campuses all over the world.

Visit the Student Tools page for more resources and student IS news throughout the year.

Faculty Tools

Visit the Faculty Tools page for more information on other resources to utilize throughout the year.

Staff Tools

View the Staff Tools page for more information on other resources to utilize throughout the year.

Additional Resources Worth Mentioning

Wi-Fi Issues

  1. Visit the Wi-Fi troubleshooting page to assist you in resolving your issue. Please attempt all troubleshooting tips that apply to your circumstance before completing a report.
  1. Due to the complexities of Wi-Fi-related problems, specific details are needed to help resolve Wi-Fi related issues. You must provide the following in order to submit a Wi-Fi Outage Report.
List of Required Information to Complete the Wi-Fi Outage Report Form
  • Name
  • The wireless network you were attempting to connect to
  • Screenshot of the error you encountered or the exact error message as displayed on your device
    • Note: A full screenshot of the error you are encountering is the most reliable way we can assist in resolving your issue
  • Date of occurrence
  • Time of occurrence
  • Location of occurrence
  • If this issue has happened elsewhere on campus. If so, the location(s) it has occurred
  • If the device was able to connect successfully in any other locations on campus. If so, the location(s) it has been successful
  • Type of device experiencing the issue –
    • Note: If you are using a device running on Android 10 or iOS 14 you will need to disable MAC randomization on your device first. See the Wi-Fi Troubleshooting section for instructions.
  • MAC Address – If you are unsure where to locate your MAC Address please see, How to Find Any Device’s IP Address, MAC Address, and Other Network Connection Details article by How-to-Geek.
  • If there were any other apps running on the device while the issue was experienced. If so, which apps

Microsoft Teams Support Request

If faculty and staff are unable to solve their issue by reviewing the information provided on the Microsoft Teams page, they can submit a Teams Support Request to the Help Desk.

Wi-Fi Troubleshooting and Reporting

Posted on by Katrina Frank

K Students, Faculty, and Staff,

The I.S. Team would like to introduce two new resources to help with Wi-Fi:

1. Wi-Fi Troubleshooting

We have provided new information on Wi-Fi troubleshooting that may assist you in resolving your issue. Please attempt all troubleshooting tips that apply to your circumstance before completing a report.

2. Wi-Fi Outage Report Form

Due to the complexities of Wi-Fi-related problems, specific details are needed to help resolve Wi-Fi related issues. You must provide the following in order to submit a Wi-Fi Outage Report.

List of Helpful Information to Complete the Wi-Fi Outage Report Form
  • Name
  • The wireless network you were attempting to connect to
  • Screenshot of the error you encountered or the exact error message as displayed on your device
    • Note: A full screenshot of the error you are encountering is the most reliable way we can assist in resolving your issue
  • Date of occurrence
  • Time of occurrence
  • Location of occurrence
  • If this issue has happened elsewhere on campus. If so, the location(s) it has occurred
  • If the device was able to connect successfully in any other locations on campus. If so, the location(s) it has been successful
  • Type of device experiencing the issue –
    • Note: If you are using a device running on Android 10 or iOS 14 you will need to disable MAC randomization on your device first. See the Wi-Fi Troubleshooting section for instructions.
  • MAC Address – If you are unsure where to locate your MAC Address please see, How to Find Any Device’s IP Address, MAC Address, and Other Network Connection Details article by How-to-Geek.
  • If there were any other apps running on the device while the issue was experienced. If so, which apps

We understand that Wi-Fi outages and slow speeds can negatively impact your academics, work, and home life. Thank you for your patience and collaboration while we solve these Wi-Fi related issues.

Flipgrid Integration is Now Enabled on Microsoft Teams

Posted on by Josh Moon

Information Services has enabled Flipgrid integration for Microsoft Teams as a test of compatible third-party applications and to meet the needs of instructors who are already using this tool in their courses. At the moment our ability to support new adopters of Flipgrid is limited, but we hope this is beneficial to experienced instructors.

Using Flipgrid

Flipgrid can now be added as a Teams tab, and students can “Join with Microsoft” to use their Kalamazoo College login without registering separately for Flipgrid. Be aware that this automatically places users onto the recipient list for Flipgrid promotional emails, but these emails provide an option to “unsubscribe.” For information about getting started, please view Flipgrid’s Teams Integration Help Center Page.

Share Your Technology Needs

Flipgrid is a third-party application but is owned by Microsoft. Information Services agreed to open the availability of this tool after a review and vetting. In anticipation of Fall 2021, we will be studying this third-party integration through the rest of the academic year. We remind everyone that you are welcome to share with us your technology needs and interests by originating a request at our Help Desk. Please review the Information Technology Acquisition policy if you have any questions.

Class Teams from Quarter to Quarter

Posted on by Josh Moon
Joshua Moon, Educational Technology Specialist

Quarter to Quarter – Carrying Over Work on Teams

In addition to Moodle and other resources, many instructors have adopted Teams to organize their online classes.  Teams is designed to put de-centralized control in the hands of owners and users. While offering support and training, this as been the spirit that Information Services has maintained for using Teams. Now that we’ve completed two quarters using this platform, we wanted to share some thoughts about carrying over work on Teams from quarter to quarter.

My List of Teams

As we transition between quarters, faculty should consider how best to manage their growing list of Class Teams. This would include whether to maintain, hide, or delete a particular Team.  Faculty are also encouraged to practice naming conventions that clarify the term of each site to avoid ambiguity.  The convention in Moodle is Department/Course Number/Term (i.e. PSYC 101-02 FA20).

To Hide, Delete, or Do Nothing

It is helpful to know what these options mean in Teams. 

  • If you do nothing with your Team, it will remain visible and available to members in the main “Your Teams” section of the Teams menu. 
  • Individual users, including students/members, can choose to hide any of their teams regardless of their permissions.  This moves the Team to the “Hidden Teams” section at the bottom of the Teams menu but does not restrict access or hide content.
  • Deleting a Team eliminates the Team within the app, the associated Office 365 Group, and the SharePoint site that serves as the backbone to host files and other features.  In other words, deleting a Team gets rid of everything.

Leaving a Team

One difference between a Class Team and other formats (PLC, Staff, etc.) is that it is more difficult for members (students) to leave a Class Team. Currently, members can only leave Class Teams via the app on an Android device. The option will not appear for a Team on the web interface or the desktop application.  This is a current Microsoft coding quirk.

Duplicating a Team

If you are re-using a Team’s Channel and Tab format as the template for your next course, you can duplicate that material into a new Team.  Remember, any user at the College can create a Team by clicking “Join or create a Team” in the Teams menu.  Once you have selected which type of Team you wish to create, “Create a team using an existing team as a template” will appear as an option at the bottom of the “Create your team” window.  You will have choices whether to duplicate the Tabs, Settings, associated Apps, and Membership.  “Members” will be unchecked by default to welcome a new course roster.  You’ll need to rename your new Team as well.

Note: This procedure will not import the Files from you previous Team! While it’s intuitive to drag your course files and readings into the “Files” section of your Team, Microsoft’s intention is for your readings and other course files to be deposited in the “Content Library” section of your Class Notebook. While this requires spending time getting comfortable with Microsoft OneNote, it might be a beneficial step if you are planning on using Teams in your class extensively. Visit the the page on Using the OneNote Class Notebook to get started. Class Notebooks can be imported from one Team to a new one, taking with them the Content Library and other material.

If you already have your documents for the course in a Files tab, you can copy those files to a new Team. Access the Files Tab in a Channel, select the Files you wish to copy, and click “Copy.” This will open a navigation window where you can find the Team where you want to copy the files. Currently, whole folders cannot be copied at once. You can, however, create folders in the destination Team first to receive copied files.

Some thoughts on Managing Your Teams

Hiding inactive or older Teams can be a useful technique for maintaining archival access to course content and conversations while keeping the “Your Teams” menu efficient and organized.  If you’ve ever wished you could easily return to contact or communicate with members of a previous class, this could be one solution. We do not recommend emptying, re-populating, and reusing previous Teams as a best practice.

As a reminder, we have created a Teams-specific feedback form (login required) to field your questions and respond to challenges.  As the College’s use of Teams evolves, we’re interested to hear from you so that we can better support and organize this platform at Kalamazoo.  Don’t hesitate to talk to us about Teams!