Instructional Resources Center

Innovate

Foster 21st-century technology and information literacy among students and faculty and encourage innovative teaching and learning strategies.

VHS/DVD transfer station

Videos can be an excellent teaching tool. Before using the VHS/DVD transfer station to digitize video clips for your class, check to see if the Libraries Media Center has the video you are looking for.

Instructors, staff and students using the transfer station should read and abide by the university’s Fair Use Guidelines.

Course web site

Creating a course web site is a great way to post an updated syllabus, course assignments and notes, while saving on paper and copying costs. Catalyst’s CommonView allows you to create a workspace without any HTML skills. Dreamweaver is also available in the grad lab and in Communication Department media labs.

What to put on a course web site: Syllabus, PDFs of readings you would otherwise print out (be aware of copyright protections), links to articles (UW library proxy server), instructions for class assignments, powerpoint presentations, YouTube videos, supplemental course material, announcements, links to e-reserves.

  • Syllabus – Only one page (front and back) should be used for a printed syllabus. The rest should go on the course web site.
  • Electronic files and scanning – Electronic files can be posted directly to course web sites. PDFs can be created using scanners in the grad lab. To scan: Place document(s) in the automatic document feeder. From the Start Programs menu click Scan Tools, ScanSoft PaperPort, Scan Direct. Make sure Adobe Acrobat icon (fourth button) is selected so scanned image will be created as a PDF. Click left button (Scan a document) to open Scan Manager. Click Scan. Save resulting PDF. Be aware of copyright protections and restrict access so only your current students have access.
  • Supplemental course accounts – You may request a supplemental course account. This is especially helpful if there is more than one instructor.

Course packs

The University Copy Center will copy course packs and obtain necessary permissions for copyrighted material. If permissions are needed, the Copy Center requests course packs be delivered, either in hard copy or electronically, two weeks before the quarter begins. If permissions are not required for your course pack, less time is necessary. Contact the Copy Center if you have a course pack that needs to be done more quickly. If unsure whether permissions are necessary for your course pack, go to the Copyright Permissions Center. There is a Copy Center location in the Communication Building in room B042 (b042cmu@uw.edu).

EReserves

EReserves are handled through the UW library. Materials such as articles, audio files and chapters may be made available through EReserve, which requires students to enter their UWNetID before accessing the material. Reserve lists are processed in the order received and may require up to two weeks for availability at the beginning of the quarter when demand is highest.

Catalyst

Catalyst offers a variety of tools to enhance collaboration and manage files for classes. Among them:

  • Collect It – Online homework turn-in system
  • CommonView – This Catalyst tool is great if you use other Catalyst tools in your classes. It allows you to combine all your tools for a class or project group into one workspace. Can also be used for class web sites.
  • Go Post – Discussion boards
  • GradeBook – Record student scores online, track student progress, calculate grades, and publish them online for students to view. Catalyst recently improved functionality so instructors can export a grade sheet to Excel in order to analyze, print, or archive the gradebook. In addition, GradeBook received performance improvements to make viewing, entering, or publishing student scores speedy regardless of the number of students in a class.
  • Group Manager – Create a group by selecting the class you are teaching or create your own group using UWNetIDs. Use this tool in conjunction with other Catalyst tools to make it easy to provide your students with access to the Catalyst tools you are using for your course. The group updates nightly with current information from the registrar.
  • ShareSpaces – Allows groups to share files online.
  • SimpleSite – Use templates to create a course web page without any knowledge of HTML. Also allows site owners to protect individual folders on their sites. BEING PHASED OUT.
  • UMail – Allows students to send anonymous feedback to instructors.
  • WebQ – Online quizzes can help assess students’ understanding of concepts or get feedback throughout the quarter.

For new releases and regular maintenance, Web Tools are offline Wednesdays 5-7 a.m.

UW Technology's "Tools for Safe and Secure Computing"

All the tools in UW Technology's "Tools for Safe and Secure Computing" can be downloaded for free with a UWNetID and are available for use on your UW or personal computer. The kit includes:

  • Sophos anti-virus software
  • Secure File Transfer products (FTP) to transfer files to your UW space on Dante or Homer.
  • Secure Terminals for certain kinds of web site work, such as installing SQL or PHP.

Adobe Acrobat Pro and Word Reviewing Tool

Whether you’re taking notes on assigned reading, grading papers, or sending a draft to a colleague, just about all documents can be marked digitally like you would on physical paper.

  • In Adobe Acrobat Pro: Tools > Comment and Markup
  • In Microsoft Word 2007: Review tab > turn on track changes or click “new comment.”

If you would like to discuss incorporating other technologies or social media applications into your class, contact Ansel Herz at anselh@uw.edu.

"In the cloud" with UW Windows Live, UW Google Apps

The UW is now offering e-mail, calendaring, and other collaborative tools "in the cloud" through UW Windows Live and UW Google Apps.

Finding images and media for educational use:

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