Academic Technology Resources for Spring 2023

Welcome to the Spring 2023 semester! I hope everyone had a wonderful and restful holiday break. The new academic calendar has us springing into the new semester quickly, with the first day of classes on January 9!  Never fear, the Teaching Learning and Collaboration team (TLC) has prepared a collection of announcements, tool updates and helpful links to help you start out on the right foot. 

Before we get started, we’re excited to announce a new addition to our academic technology toolkit this semester. The Ally Accessibility Platform, recently announced by Art Markman and Academic Affairs Links to an external site., will be enabled in Canvas first as an opt-in pilot, then for all courses after spring break.  A major focus of the University's strategic plan is to improve the student experience, and this effort is another step that helps us create a more effective learning technology environment.  With Ally, faculty can quickly identify and remediate content issues, which promotes a culture of inclusion and improves the experience for all learners.  Additionally, when Ally is enabled in your course, it provides students with alternative formats of course content, giving them ownership of how they consume course material.  If you would like to learn more or are interested in participating in early access, please visit https://provost.utexas.edu/initiatives/ally-accessibility-platform/ Links to an external site.. 

 

Getting started in Canvas 

  

New features, tool changes, and highlights  

Canvas - https://canvas.utexas.edu Links to an external site. 

  • The new Course Evaluation System includes a Canvas integration. When course evaluations begin, a pop-up reminder in Canvas will help faculty administer evaluations and remind students to complete evaluations. There will also be a Course Evaluation menu link added to every course to make accessing the evaluation system seamless.
    • Consider adding an assignment to Canvas now to incentivize students to complete their course evaluations at the end of the term. Provide extra credit or a small percentage of their grade if they upload a screenshot of the evaluation completion screen, https://bit.ly/3WYeCAL Links to an external site.. 
  • My Classroom, a new course menu link, will be your classroom technology resource guide. Using the course unique number, Registrar data and the classroom technology database, the tool will list the available technologies in the classroom your course is assigned to. Additionally, you will find helpful in-person teaching with technology strategies created by the Center for Teaching and Learning. 
  • Auditor Role, a new course user role, was created specifically for auditors, so that you can easily filter your roster to identify officially enrolled students and auditors. Previously, the Observer role was used, but access and permissions were limited.  With the new auditor role, auditors can now interact with course content, assignments, and quizzes, but are still unable to create or post to discussions, conversations, or view the course roster.  Access to course integrations has also been permitted for tools like Lectures Online, Piazza and others.  

Box - https://utexas.box.com Links to an external site. 

  • On February 13, 2023, Box data retention will be enforced consistent with UT Box eligibility Links to an external site..  If UT Box data from a departed colleague/student is currently shared with you, you will receive an email.  Please follow instructions for copying the data to an external location 
  • If you plan on departing UT Austin, please prioritize removing your data from UT Box 

 

Zoom – https://zoom.its.utexas.edu Links to an external site. 

 Panopto – https://utexas.hosted.panopto.com Links to an external site. 

  

Microsoft 365 - https://www.office.com/ Links to an external site. 

 Qualtrics – https://utexas.qualtrics.com Links to an external site.

 

Canvas App Store - https://concrete.la.utexas.edu/appstore Links to an external site. 

  

For monthly updates on academic technology tools including those above and more, please subscribe to the Academic Technology Update Newsletter, https://bit.ly/3HD2k9f Links to an external site..    

Thanks very much! 

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Teaching, Learning and Collaboration Services (TLC) 
The University of Texas at Austin | Information Technology Services | it.utexas.edu Links to an external site.