Educational Technologies for Spring 2024

Posted in Announcements

Welcome back! As we start a new semester, we invite you to take a look at new developments in educational technologies at Georgetown.

On this page you will find following topics:

• Technology Updates
• Classroom Technology Contacts
• Consultations on Teaching, Technology, and Teaching With Technology

Technology Updates

Join the pilot to use Gradescope

If you are teaching large courses you can leverage Gradescope (new window) to help sort through large numbers of handwritten exams. Gradescope uses AI to read graphs, diagrams, math proofs, econ equations, and lab summaries. The tool, integrated into Canvas, has features that allow a team of teaching assistants and professors to divide up work, practice horizontal grading (new window), and help develop grading rubrics and policies while you are grading, automatically and instantly regrading all previously graded exams.

Canvas courses can now be set to display letter grades only

It is now possible for instructors to set their course(s) to restrict the view of quantitative data (new window) (numeric) data for students to view. When enabled, students can no longer see traditional points and percentages associated with their grades. Learn more about using Letter Grades in Canvas (new window).

Canvas Collaborations

When instructors create “Collaborations” in their course(s) it is now recommended to use the new Google Assignments LTI 1.3 (new window) option. Learn more about Collaborations (new window) in Canvas.

Archived Zoom Cloud recordings in Panopto

Archived Zoom Cloud recordings in Panopto older than two years will be deleted monthly starting January 2024. As we shared in a previous message (new window) over the summer, Zoom Cloud recordings that were automatically copied into your Panopto account and have not been viewed in over 1 year have moved (and will continue to be moved) into your Panopto archive. If you wish to prevent recordings in your Panopto archive from being deleted, then you (or other viewers) will need to restore them and watch them in Panopto annually. The process to restore recordings in Panopto can take up to 48 hours, so don’t wait until the last day to restore them!

Third-party tools installed in Canvas 

Do you want to use a tool that’s not on the list or in the Canvas App Center? Check out the list of tools installed in Canvas (new window) or submit this Google form (new window) and we’ll work with you to make it available.

Update your system and software 

The start of the semester is a good time for a fresh start. When’s the last time you restarted your computer and updated your operating system and software (new window) so that it’s protected with the latest security updates?

Classroom Technology Contacts

Georgetown schools and campuses have the following separate points of contact for classroom technology needs (new window):

• Main Campus: Classroom Education Technology Services (CETS) can meet with you for one-on-one instruction in your classroom, ideally before the first day of class. Contact cets@georgetown.edu (new window) or call 202-687-7491. Check this list to find out which CETS technician to contact (new window) for the building where you will be teaching.
• Law Center: lawhelp@georgetown.edu (new window). The Law Center is issuing its own communications to faculty and students available on their website (new window).
• McDonough School of Business (MSB): msbhelp@georgetown.edu (new window). 
• McCourt School of Public Policy: help@georgetown.edu (new window)
• School of Medicine and Biomedical Graduate Education at the Medical Center: help@georgetown.edu (new window).For urgent issues requiring immediate classroom assistance call: 202-687-4949, Option 6
• School of Continuing Studies (SCS): scsavsupport@georgetown.edu (new window).
• School of Health and School of Nursing: cets@georgetown.edu (new window)

Consultations on Teaching, Technology, and Teaching With Technology

Faculty and staff can reach out to CNDLS for help witheffective and practical teaching techniques ranging from pedagogical choices to implementing technology tools. For quick help, “Ring our Doorbell” by filling out this form (new window), and a CNDLS staff member will reach out to schedule a consultation within the hour. More information is available at cndls.georgetown.edu (new window). 

If you have questions or require support:

• For technical support (new window) with Canvas, please email canvas-help@georgetown.edu (new window),
• For general tech questions, including issues with MyAccess, Zoom, NetID, or classroom technology at the Medical Center please email help@georgetown.edu (new window),
• And if you need help with classroom technology on campus, please email cets@georgetown.edu (new window).

Best wishes for the upcoming semester!

The Canvas Support Team

Ken Mayer
Director of Educational Technologies, University Information Services (UIS)

Molly Chehak
Director of Digital Learning Pedagogy, The Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship (CNDLS)