1. How do I get technology support?
a. Start here, you may find the answer to the most common requests at http://ischool.syr.edu/it/
b. After that, the absolute best method is to submit a request to our Help Desk. The advantages are numerous; #1 your request doesn’t sit in an individual’s inbox, multiple IT Services personnel are made aware of the incoming request, we can assign it to the most qualified and/or the most available person, you have a record of the request and can track its progress and add additional information. Click the big button
at http://ischool.syr.edu/it/
2. What if I need immediate help in a classroom?
a. If our classrooms are new to you we strongly encourage you to request training asap. Schedule training by submitting a request, see 1b above.
b. If something is not working in a Hinds Hall classroom you may either go to or send someone immediately to Hinds Hall room 014 or 109 and request assistance or call 443-4490 the iSchool’s IT Services main office.
c. If something is not working in a campus classroom other than those in Hinds Hall you should be able to pick up the phone/intercom and request assistance from the central support unit for classrooms or by calling 443-5660 Learning Environments & Media Production (LEMP) additional resources for campus classrooms, including training may be found here: http://its.syr.edu/instructsvc/resources/roomresources.html
3. What other hardware or software resources are available to me or my students?
a. iSchool hardware and software resources are itemized and can be found via links published on our home site http://ischool.syr.edu/it/including software, and their version, available in labs and on teaching stations or available for download and hardware available for loan to faculty. iSchool systems are in a locked state to prevent unlicensed software installations. If you have licensed software that needs to be installed please submit a request, see 1b above. Campus classroom equipment and software information may be found here: http://its.syr.edu/instructsvc/resources/roomresources.html
4. What if I need help with my online class resource, BlackBoard?
a. As you’re probably aware, as of Summer 2011, all our courses are hosted 100% on the University’s BlackBoard environment (http://blackboard.syr.edu). A number of BlackBoard 9.1 resources, as well as faculty requested information, are listed here: http://ischool.syr.edu/blackboard
b. Whether technical or pedagogical, your first resource for assistance is still the iSchool’s Instructional Design Staff. Please submit a Help Desk request, see 1b above. Your requests for Blackboard assistance will be seen by the Instructional Design Staff and IT Services staff, and can be easily routed (and tracked) to central IT should your request require their intervention.
5. I need to do some recording, what are my options?
a. Lecture Capture and Video Recording offer additional tools for you and your students, but which technology, for which format, and for which audience proves to be a challenging matrix to navigate. IT Services has published documentation on “Answers.syr.edu” that guide you on the process, How to’s and scheduling forms, based on the choices you make: https://answers.syr.edu/x/2wCF Scheduling should be done at least a week in advance.
6. What about classroom, conference room and lab schedules, where do I find them and how do I reserve one?
a. All of our classrooms, labs and particular conference rooms are managed by individuals. The complete list and link to their current schedules (iCals) are published on our home site http://ischool.syr.edu/it/ under Facilities as well as information on how to request a reservation.
b. Conference rooms are equipped with LCD projectors; the remotes may be picked up in and returned to:
i. Dean’s suite reception for 300-level rooms
ii. Hinds Hall 014 for 100 and 200-level rooms
7. How do I incorporate a technology lab into a course I teach?
a. You may still submit a help desk request which creates a record of the request. The request will be assigned to our Instructional Technology Analyst who will follow up with you personally. We find this type of request is best facilitated by discussion often coordinated with a scheduled visit to review our technology installation. It’s never too soon to begin designing your next lab, please provide us enough time, a minimum of three weeks, to provide a good experience for you and your students.
8. How do I stay informed as things technology and/or processes change?
a. We will send out the occasional email when we have a number of items to address. We also forward pertinent ITS downtime notifications to the listserv. But for more timely information you may choose to follow us
i. Check out what’s new on subnet: http://subnet.ischool.syr.edu/
ii. on Twitter you may follow us @suischoolit
9. What “Service Level Expectations” can I expect?
a. Obviously the answer to this is, “It depends” and indeed your request is important to us but due to volume and the specific request we must evaluate and prioritize. iSchool core services, primarily our production websites are monitored 24×7 by our staff and ITS, an automated notification system is in place. However, a number of our systems are hosted on central resources and therefore additional communications are involved. BlackBoard is an ITS core service and we are subject to their service level arrangements. All other services are not considered core and are handled during normal business hours. We attempt to keep our queue as low as possible and you’ll often find us responding to requests during off hours and weekends. Blackboard requests and classroom assistance is available after hours for scheduled classes with support from student staff. If necessary student staff know how to escalate requests to regular staff. If you know you will need after hours or weekend support please submit a request and include dates and times. When we do prioritize, we apply these general principles:
i. Is it a stop work scenario affecting multiple students, faculty or staff?
1. Acknowledge within an hour with hourly updates
ii. Is it a stop work scenario affecting individual students, faculty or staff with an imminent deadline involved?
1. Acknowledge within an hour with regular updates
2. If no imminent deadline, negotiated resolution schedule
iii. Is it a request for services or resources we currently provide based on delivery date?
1. Acknowledgment, response based on delivery
iv. Is it a request for services or resources we do not currently provide?
1. Acknowledgment, negotiation
10. You haven’t answered my question where does that leave me?
a. There are an abundance of resources available, including detailed documentation and step by step tutorials. For those that like to do-it-yourself we recommend:
i. http://ischool.syr.edu/it/
ii. https://answers.syr.edu/x/cwAF
iii. https://answers.syr.edu
iv. http://its.syr.edu
b. If all else fails please trust us to help
Click the big button at http://ischool.syr.edu/it/
