Tech Update 7/14/21: Productive Meetings, Personalized Pronouns, Course Material Requests

Colleagues,

Welcome to the latest Tech Update. The information in this Update highlights resources to help keep meetings productive, collaborative, and inclusive. And for educators beginning to prepare for the fall terms, there are training and other technology resources available below to assist you.

As always, technology support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week throughout the summer months. Call 617.373.HELP [4357], email help@northeastern.edu, or visit the Tech Service Portal at services.northeastern.edu/tech.

Cheers!
– M

Marcus P. Robinson,

Associate Vice President, Engagement and Experience

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Tech Update: July 14, 2021

Introducing Webinars, the New Option for Hosting Events in Teams

Webinars, a newly launched web streaming feature in Microsoft Teams, enables all faculty and staff at Northeastern to organize and hold interactive webinar presentation sessions for up to 1,000 attendees or broadcast to up to 10,000 participants. With Webinars, one or multiple presenters can share content, video, and audio, while participants can view the content and engage with the presenters through reactions, chat, or answering polls. Unlike Teams Meetings, Webinars participants cannot share their own audio, video, screen, or content.

Webinars are best used when presenting material that needs to be shared with groups outside of Teams channel meetings, or when large presentations require participant interactions. In Webinars, presenter mode provides flexible options to customize and control the presentation and expands on the in-channel features of Meetings.

Alternatively, Teams Live Events can still be used to schedule and produce events that stream to large online audiences up to 100,000. Live Events is a great choice for individuals interested in creating virtual spaces designed for a one-way broadcast that facilitates little to no interaction with participants.

Learn more about Teams Webinars and Teams Live Events at Northeastern’s Team Meetings and Collaboration Page.

Tips for Productive, Flexible, and Collaborative Meetings

Maximize your meeting productivity by leveraging technology to support a collaborative workspace for all meeting participants, regardless of location.

• Plan for Meeting Technology
  Bring a device such as a laptop or a tablet to every meeting, even if on campus, to participate in chat and Whiteboard sessions with all the other attendees. Additionally, departments can schedule a Collaborative Space Consultation with a Northeastern digital solutions engineer to learn more about designing on-campus spaces that enhance the meeting experience for both in-person and remote participants.
• Establish an Agenda
  Effective agendas set clear expectations before and during meetings to build engagement. Leverage Meeting Notes in Microsoft Teams to capture agendas and document participant action items in one centralized location.
• Be Inclusive
  Encouraging discussions in both virtual and on-site rooms gives everyone a chance to speak and to participate online together. Use the chat window to take or ask questions, leverage the hand-raising feature in Teams meetings, or hold a brainstorming session where everybody can contribute ideas using the meeting’s Whiteboard. The new Teams Whiteboard can provide visual, seamless interactive meeting participation.

Add Preferred Pronouns to Zoom, Canvas, and Outlook

Both Canvas and Zoom have made it easy to display your personal pronoun information. And while Teams does not yet include a similar personalization feature, you can opt to include your pronouns directly in your Outlook signature.

Update your profiles with pronouns >

Using Technology to Enhance Student Learning

Prepare for the new academic year with new opportunities to learn about leveraging technology for teaching.

• Transforming Teaching with Tablets Pilot
  Attend an online information session on Monday, July 19, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. ET to learn more about a new pilot program for instructors interested in leveraging tablets in their courses as an educational work surface. The pilot includes the use of a Microsoft Surface Pro or Apple iPad Air, training, support, and a community of academic specialists. Learn more about the program and how to apply on the Academic Technologies website. Proposals for the pilot are due by July 30.
• Hands-on Classroom Technology Training
  Attend one of several hands-on training events between August 26 and August 31 that are focused on using classroom technology to engage learners. Topics include Crestron touch panel operation, using digital surfaces, Panopto, Canvas, screen sharing, and more. More information and registration information are available on the training website.

Barnes and Noble Course Material Requests

For Summer 2, Summer Quarter, or Fall 2021 terms, it’s time to request course material adoptions with the bookstore. FacultyEnlight has recently been retired in anticipation of the July launch of a new user-friendly and more flexible platform for submitting course materials, Adoptions and Insight Portal (AIP).

Before the AIP launch, and so the bookstore can stock required course materials for upcoming terms, please submit all adoptions via email to the Bookstore’s Course Material team at TM656@bncollege.com.

Please include in email requests:

• all relevant course information (term, department code, and CRN)
• title of book/material and ISBN
• recommendation code
• any additional notes, such as requirement of an access card or if a book is not utilized until later in the term

Access the Faculty Adoptions Bookstore Resource Page for more information on submitting course material adoptions and to get updates on the upcoming AIP launch.

An Invitation from CIO Cole Camplese

Interested in the role that technology plays at the university? Join the new community for updates and discussion about digital transformation, hosted by Chief Information Officer Cole Camplese and the rest of the IT Leadership Team. Now happening on Communities at Northeastern.

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