IPFW to Migrate to Blackboard for Hosting Blackboard Learn
(June 7, 2011)
 | | Blackboard Release 9.1 |
IPFW will soon have our own hosted Blackboard Learn 9.1 environment.
IT Services, CELT, and faculty have been anticipating moving to the next generation of Blackboard, Blackboard Learn 9.1.
Faculty will be reconstructing their courses in the new environment which will make many course management tasks easier for faculty and students. Blackboard Learn adds a community driven experience allowing social media and access via mobile devices.
With the upgrade, IPFW's Blackboard environment will no longer be hosted and managed at Purdue. The learning environment will be hosted by Blackboard and IPFW will have a dedicated support group at Blackboard.
As many of you know, IT Services was authorized to begin discussions with Blackboard for an learning environment that would be directly hosted by Blackboard and with links to IPFW users via the Web. These discussions included Dr. Bill McKinney (VCAA), Walt Branson (VCFA), Bob Kostrubanic (CIO), Joseph McCormick (IT Services) and Samantha Birk (CELT). A proposal was presented to ACITAS and ITPC which received overwhelming support in favor of moving IPFW to our own hosted solution. Initial plans are for the new application to be a pilot during the fall semester, with full conversion to the new application in the spring semester. Approval has been received by the VCFA office to engage Blackboard and get both a contract signed and a project management team assembled. IT Services will manage the setup and implementation of the hosted environment, with close support from CELT and faculty members. Workshops in Blackboard Learn will offered by IT Services Training. Announcements about this project and progress reports, and training will be sent via brief updates to our existing Blackboard email listserv (elearning-l). If you would like to be added to that listserv simply email Scott Vitz (IT Services) vitzs@ipfw.edu. If you have questions you are welcome to contact Joseph McCormick (IT Services), mccormij@ipfw.edu
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Report Card - Student Printing
 | | PaperCut - Print Management Software |
IT Services has spent several years improving student technology for printing in student labs across campus. The latest solution was the implementation of PaperCut software at the start of the 2011 academic year.
We wanted students to be accountable for their printing and environmentally conscious; and as a result we saved enough money to purchase hardware and software that benefits the students. You might be surprised as we were by the statistics.
This news article explains how/why PaperCut was implemented and what the results were.
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Print From Anywhere Using WebPrint
 | | WebPrint |
Students no longer have to be in a student lab to print, they can now print from anywhere via the Web and IPFW's wireless network to a limited set of printers on campus. Pages that they print count toward their print quota.
Instructions are available in the IT Services Knowledge Base. |
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GroupWise Sync Enables Mobile Phone Users Easier Access to E-mail and Calendar
 | | GroupWise Sync - Calendar |
Employees interested in a new service to conveniently check their GroupWise e-mail and calendar events from their cell phone or mobile device, can now do so with GroupWise Sync.
You will need to contact the IT Services Help Desk and request to have your GroupWise account modified for mobile access.
You will need to allow 12 hours for the change to activate.
While waiting, employees are advised to back up their phone contacts to eliminate any potential for data loss.
The IT Services Knowledge Base has articles for configuring GroupWise Sync for Android, iPhone, iPod, and iPad.
Previously only the Blackberry phone could sync to GroupWise using a purchased BES license. GroupWise apps for iPhone, iPod, and iPad also had to be purchased separately for the GroupWise calendar and e-mail or by using Internet message access protocol (commonly known as IMAP). IMAP does not sync the GroupWise Calendar and is available for use only on certain phones. GroupWise Sync is a free service available to IPFW employees and works reliably on most mobile devices.
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