Emergencies happen, and it’s best to plan ahead in case you might need to teach remotely, whether due to severe weather, an outbreak, or a personal situation.

When teaching at a distance, you will have the best experience if you use technology and processes that are Drake-licensed and ITS-supported. ITS provides resources to help faculty provide synchronous and/or asynchronous distance learning activities, and offers assistance in using them.

We have created an introductory video covering best practices for distance learning to walk you through some of the available tools.

Additionally, self-paced resources can be found in our ITS knowledge base at Preparing Your Class for the Unexpected and/or Emergencies (Best Practices).

We will be scheduling additional virtual sessions in the coming weeks. Information will be posted on the Drake calendar and in the Blackboard Tips and Tricks section on the Blackboard homepage.

— Karly Good, ITS

Cybercriminals are taking advantage of the increase in electronic payments. According to the 2020 Cybersecurity Report from Check Point Research, mobile banking malware attacks increased 50 percent from 2018 to 2019.

Below are some tips to help you safely use electronic payment sites.

Verify websites before entering important information. Clicking on a link may not take you where you expect. When shopping, banking, or making online payments, manually type in the website name (e.g., chase.com) instead of clicking links in an email, social network post, or text message.

Ignore phone calls from unknown and unfamiliar numbers. If you receive a phone call from someone who is urgently asking for money, there’s a good chance it’s a scam. Most of these calls can be safely ignored, but you can always search for the organization’s website and find out for yourself. Don’t be rattled by threats over the phone.

Public computers aren’t for private information. The computers in a hotel lobby or a public library may contain malware that records your activity, including any passwords you enter. Shop and make electronic payments only on a device that you control.

Don’t use free Wi-Fi when making an electronic payment. The open nature of free Wi-Fi at cafes, airports, and other public venues makes it possible for others who are on the same Wi-Fi network to spy on your activities. If you cannot wait for another time to do your banking, use a VPN when using free Wi-Fi or use data on your mobile device.

Consider getting a credit card just for electronic payments. If you decide to get a credit card or online account just for electronic payments, make sure the credit limit or available balance is low. This will protect you from a large loss if you become a victim of online fraud.

Review your transactions regularly. Online banking allows you to check your account quickly and easily. Take time each day or each week to review your electronic payments. If you see charges you don’t recognize, notify your bank or payment application vendor (e.g., Venmo, PayPal, or Apple Pay) right away.

Check your credit reports to help spot fraud. Credit reporting services Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion are required to provide you with a free credit report once per year, and there are other third-party options.

ITS will continue to simulate email-based attacks and will assign training to individuals who are routinely susceptible. If you’re concerned that you’ve been the target of phishing, see Reporting a Phishing Message (How-to) at https://drake.teamdynamix.com/TDClient/KB/ArticleDet?ID=27919.

—Peter Lundstedt, ITS

Don’t wait.  Nominations for the Madelyn M. Levitt Employee Excellence and Distinguished Community Service Awards are due to Human Resources by Tuesday, March 31. Late nominations will not be accepted. 

Madelyn M. Levitt established the Distinguished Community Service Award to recognize the outstanding contributions of Drake faculty and staff to the Drake community. Recipients are chosen on the following criteria:

• A demonstrated personal commitment to volunteerism and community service.
• An outstanding record of leadership or substantial involvement in community projects, services and activities contributing to the quality of life in our region, state and/or the nation.
• Professional and personal values and behavior that typify the ideals of “giving back to others” and “making a difference in the lives of others.”
• The nominee must be a current faculty or staff member with at least five years of service at Drake.

The Employee Excellence Award is presented to a staff member who demonstrates exceptional commitment to excellence in the performance of their duties. Criteria for the award include:

• Exceptional performance as an employee of Drake University
• Outstanding dedication to providing courteous, prompt and quality service.
• Demonstrated commitment to University programs, initiatives and services.
• Professional values and behavior that demonstrate exceptional service to others and a commitment to Drake University
• The nominee must be a current staff member with at least one year of service at Drake.

To nominate a colleague, submit a letter of nomination to the Levitt Award Committee, care of (c/o) Human Resources. Nomination letters may be sent through campus mail or electronically to drakehr@drake.edu.  The letter should detail specific examples of how the nominee exemplifies each of the applicable criteria. Additional letters of support are not necessary.

The screening committee will review all nominations and make appropriate recommendations to the President’s Council.

The 2020 recipient of the Madelyn M. Levitt Employee Excellence Award and Distinguished Community Service Award will be announced during the Sapphire Awards on May 7 at 1 p.m. in Levitt Hall or during the Faculty Honors Luncheon.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

ITS is making updates to Panopto in order to provide single sign on (SSO) access. As a result, access to Panopto will be unavailable on Tuesday, March 10, from 7 to 8 p.m. During this time, users will be unable to view or upload content to and from Panopto.

We appreciate your patience while we perform this necessary work. If you continue to have any problems after the planned maintenance window, please contact the support center at 515-271-3001 or visit service.drake.edu/its to report your issue.

— Carla Herling, ITS

The deadline for submitting Summer 2020 course material adoptions is March 15. The University Bookstore has a simple tool for you to use this adoption season: Follett Discover.

Adopting on time contributes to course materials affordability. By submitting adoptions prior to the due date or by the due date, your campus store has time to source used and rental inventory which translates to savings for your students. If you consistently use the same book from term to term, partner with the campus store to let them know because this will translate into even larger savings for your students.

Another important aspect that relies on timely textbook adoption is compliance to the HEOA. The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) aimed at making college more affordable and accessible, calls for full disclosure and transparency related to the selection, pricing, and use of course materials when registration for courses begins . HEA was enacted into federal law in 2010. At Drake University, the bookstore is the collection agent for textbook adoptions, posting the adoptions submitted and thus ensuring the University’s compliance to the HEOA.

Follett Discover allows you to easily discover, research, and adopt course materials all in one place. In addition to adopting traditional print materials, Follett Discover makes it easy to search and adopt non-traditional materials such as YouTube videos, open education resources, and MOOC content.

How to access Follett Discover via Blackboard

1. Log into myDrake.
2. Find the Tools channel, scroll down and click the Follett Discover link OR find the Follett Discover channel and click the Launch Discover link.

For questions, contact Donna Hallstrom at donna.hallstrom@drake.edu.

— Donna Hallstrom, University Bookstore

Each month, a faculty member, nominated by their dean, is recognized for their efforts to integrate innovative technology into their classroom. February’s digital faculty member of the month is Heath Henderson, assistant professor of economics, College of Business and Public Administration. Read an interview with Heath below:

What course do you use this technology in? Principles of Microeconomics (ECON 002) and Developing Economies (ECON 135)

What type of technology (hardware/software) do you use? PollEverywhere, an online service for classroom polling

In what context do you use this technology? I use PollEverywhere as part of a semester-long extra-credit competition where I ask student questions related to each week’s lecture. It allows me to gauge student understanding in an immediate and engaging way.

How does this type of technology align with your teaching pedagogy? I try to use a mix of teacher- and student-led instruction, and this technology allows students to actively participate in class. Their responses also help determine how we allocate in-class time.

Where did you get the inspiration to make a change? My inspiration follows from being unsatisfied with student participation, which prompted me to think about creative ways to get students engaged. I’m an economist so naturally I was looking for a way to incorporate incentives!

How long did it take for you to implement this technology? The implementation was easy and immediate, though it took me a couple semesters to figure out the best way to score the competition to maximize participation.

Did Drake ITS assist you in implementing this technology? ITS has not been involved with my implementation of PollEverywhere.

Are you interested in trying out new technology in your classroom? Want help from ITS? Schedule a technology adoption consultation.

Interested in learning more about PollEverywhere? See PollEverywhere Audience Response System (Clickers) for Instructors (FAQ).

—Jon Hurdelbrink, CPHS, and Carla Herling, ITS

Drake University launched its first Drake semester study abroad program, DU Spain, in Alicante, Spain, spring 2020.  As a part of the Drake semester experience, a Drake faculty member will teach and serve in various other capacities to support the program abroad as Faculty-in-Residence.

The DU Spain Faculty-in-Residence application is live through Qualtrics for Spring 2021, Spring 2022, and Spring 2023. Apply and learn more about this opportunity, eligibility, compensation, and responsibilities.

Submissions are due Wednesday, March 25, 2020.  If you have questions, please reach out to Maria Rohach, assistant director of administered programs abroad, at maria.rohach@drake.edu.

— Maria Rohach, Drake International

ITS is working with departments across campus to migrate all shared files into a new software called Microsoft Teams. Microsoft Teams is a product that combines tools and resources such as group chat, calendars, and file sharing into one location using the Office 365 platform. Teams offers a better way to access shared files and work collaboratively. If your area doesn’t have shared files, but you think this could be a useful addition, you can submit a Collaboration Site (Microsoft Team) Request.

As part of the project, we’re offering open sessions for faculty and staff who either want to learn more about Teams, or who have been using Teams and have questions. No need to RSVP, but if you have questions, please contact Carla.herling@drake.edu or Jeffrey.regan@drake.edu.

Session dates and times listed below:

Getting Started with Using Microsoft Teams
Cowles Library, 201
Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2-3 p.m. OR
Wednesday, Feb. 26, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Heard about Microsoft Teams and curious what it’s all about? Or has your area started using Teams and you’re feeling lost? Come to an introductory session to learn more about Microsoft Teams, what it can do for you and your department, and how ITS is rolling it out across campus.

Learn More about Microsoft Teams
Cowles Library, 201
Tuesday, March 3, 9-10 a.m. OR
Friday, March 6, 10–11 a.m.

Using Microsoft Teams and have questions? Want to learn how to use it more effectively? Come to this session to ask questions and learn tips and tricks to help you on the path to becoming a Microsoft Teams expert.

— Carla Herling, ITS