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Technology Tools for Faculty

The following webpage outlines technology resources for faculty, including information about videoconferencing, learning management systems, and other technology services and systems.

 

Communication Tools

If you are using a Learning Management System (LMS), it includes tools to communicate with your students. Each system has different tools and instructions. Quick links to information about using those tools can be found in the LMS section.

If you are not using an LMS system, you can communicate with students directly through email. You can use an established mailing list or obtain a list of all addresses from a central system.

The Rutgers Automated Mass-mailing System (RAMS) will automatically create a mailing list that contains all your student email addresses that will be automatically updated. Please review the documentation for requesting a list and using RAMS.

The Rutgers Electronic Grading and Information System (REGIS) and Banner (RBHS) allow instructors to view their rosters and export them to your spreadsheet software. The export includes the student email addresses that can be entered into your email software of choice. Please review the following documentation on how to access and export your roster:

Many departments have their own email lists for classes. Please reach out to your department for more information about lists that they may have available.


Learning Management Systems (LMS)

A note about these systems: Concerns have been expressed about the ability of the learning management systems to handle the additional activity. While the current situation is unprecedented, the Blackboard, Canvas and Sakai systems have significant additional capacity and are being monitored to ensure the services are reliable. For status alerts and updates, please view the Alerts page at the Rutgers Information Technology website.

If you would like to use the LMS to communicate with your students, record videos and presentations, or have online web conferencing, see the information below for each LMS at Rutgers.

Blackboard

All course sections for the Rutgers–Newark schools are automatically created in Blackboard during the semester so you will need to just login to access your students.

Canvas 

Sakai 

Webex Web Conferencing and Virtual Meetings

Webex has two different offerings that are available to the university, Webex Meetings and Webex Training. Webex Meetings is primarily used for smaller, face-to-face meetings while Webex Training has additional features that make it easier to handle large numbers of participants. For example, it allows the instructor to manage student feedback more effectively and includes polling functions.

Webex is useful if you’re trying to replicate a live lecture online, however, if Rutgers is closed, this may not be the ideal solution. Consider that some students may be in different time zones around the world, sick, or otherwise unable to attend at the regularly scheduled class time. Students in certain countries also may not have reliable internet connectivity so recording a lecture through the LMS may be a better solution to deal with these issues. 

Instructions on how to create an account and use Webex.

 

Software

The University Software Portal features software from major vendors, including Adobe, IBM/SPSS, Microsoft, Qualtrics, SAS, and more. In addition, OIT has worked with vendors to get students the software they need to work effectively from home. View a list of products that are newly available for free or have temporary free licenses.

 

Cyber threats in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic

As Rutgers continues to respond and adapt the ways in which we work, teach, deliver services and conduct business in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, we must all be reminded that cyber threat actors are also hard at work. The Office of Information Technology wants to encourage all members of our community to exercise caution to avoid scams and other cyber threats that seek to exploit this global health crisis. View the tips on how to avoid these scams.

 

Questions?

Do you have questions not addressed by this webpage? Please reach out to help@oit.rutgers.edu.