Faculty & Staff Resource Guide
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Faculty & Staff Resource Guide

We are here to help!

 
Click the green bars below to access support and resources for online learning and communication. Utilizing this webpage and the appropriate avenues for requesting support will help the IT staff tremendously.
 
Employee information related to COVID-19 may be found in the Employee Handbook, Appendices S and T.

 

IT HELP DESK

We are receiving high volumes of requests via phone, email and the automated system. To streamline our efforts, ALL Help Desk requests need to be submitted through the automated IT Help Desk ticketing system.

Follow these steps to submit a Help Desk ticket:

  1. Go to https://midland.teamdynamix.com/TDClient/301/Portal/Home/
  2. Select Request a Service.
  3. To login, enter your username & password (same as email).
  4. Select the appropriate Category.
  5. Fill out the information (the best you can) and include a phone number where we can reach you, since most are working from home. We will get back to you as quickly as we can.

You may email help@midland.edu, but try submitting an IT Help Desk ticket first.

Canvas

Canvas problems must be submitted in Canvas. See next section (Canvas Support) for details. Please do not submit Canvas questions or problems through the Help Desk system - it will slow down the response time.

Requesting a new Canvas course FOR A DEPARTMENT/DIVISiON

Several departments have requested a course to better communicate with each other and offer assistance. If you are a department chair or dean, please submit a Canvas Help ticket. Be sure to include the title (ex: Business Systems Faculty) you would like for the course. This request may be submitted from any Canvas page.

"how-to" Questions

  1. Login to Canvas
  2. Click the Help icon/button in the dark gray toolbar on the left side of the screen
  3. Select the BEST option from the following:

    Search the Canvas Guides

    Find answers to common Questions

    Ask the Community

    Get Help from a Canvas Expert

CAnvas Help Ticket

  1. Login to Canvas
  2. *CRUCIAL STEP: Navigate to the Canvas page where you have a problem
  3. Click the Help icon/button in the dark gray toolbar on the left side of the screen 
  4. Select "Canvas Help Ticket"
  5. Explain in detail the problem you are experiencing
  6. Check your MC email for a response from support
  7. Reply to that email if a response is necessary

*When a ticket is submitted, it captures the page URL, browser and system information that helps troubleshoot the problem. If the Canvas ticket is not submitted from the page where the problem exists, it will increase the time it takes to solve the problem.

Technology Requirements

  • Check your computer to make sure it meets Canvas requirements.
  • Internet stability is critical when working remotely. If you experience network slowness while working from home, you can also try turning off internet-heavy devices or services on your home network, like Netflix streams or video game consoles.

  • Chromebooks are not compatible with some features integrated in Canvas, such as the Respondus LockDown Browser. Check with your students to make sure they have access to a compatible device before using this feature.

BUILT-IN COMMUNICATION TOOLS


Announcements

Should be used when information pertains to all students in the class/section(s).

Announcements Guides

Inbox

Should be used when communication pertains to a particular student.

Inbox Guides

Discussions

May be used to create a dialog between instructor and students.

Discussion Guides

CHAT FEATURE

The Chat tab in Canvas allows students and teachers to interact in real time.

"Canvas Chat allows you to have virtual online office hours in real time, AND it allows the entire class to see questions that have been asked. That means you end up answering the question once via Chat rather than ten times from ten individual students’ emails. Chat is also continuous, meaning that students can log into Chat and see older chats, even after those chats have ended, and even if nobody else is online at that same time. The questions and answers are always there for everyone in the class to see. I highly recommend Chat as a stand-in for office hours, or as an easy sort of class webinar."   -- Allison Gibbons-Brown

Canvas Chat Guides

CONFERENCES

Conferences are primarily used for virtual lectures, virtual office hours, and student groups. They can also be used to demonstrate technologies or troubleshoot technology issues online. Access is limited. 

Canvas Conferences Guides

COLLABORATIONS

Canvas leverages collaborative technology to allow multiple users to work together on the same document at the same time. Collaborative documents are saved in real-time, meaning a change made by any of its users will be immediately visible to everyone.

Canvas Collaborations Guides

MICROSOFT TEAMS

Teams is a resource in Canvas you can use to meet with students. It allows instructors to easily create online meetings directly from Canvas for your classes to meet virtually.

Teams in Canvas: Documentation & Video

Self-paced online training course

The Growing with Canvas course is an online training course for instructors, providing a foundation for teaching in Canvas.

All faculty should be enrolled in the course. If it is not visible in the Dashboard, click the Courses icon, scroll down and click the "All Courses" link. If it is not in this list, submit a Canvas Help ticket and ask to be added to the course.

Growing with Canvas

Teaching & Learning Center

Visit Midland College's Teaching & Learning Center page to see what we have to offer.

Teaching & Learning Center

LINKEDIN ONLINE TRAINING COURSE

LinkedIn released several online courses for free 1-month subscriptions. Learning Canvas is one of those courses.

Learning Canvas

Option to save files

OneDrive allows you to store your files up to one terabyte and access them from any computer/device connected to the Internet. The software is available for computers and phones, Apple and Android.

Download & Install

  1. Go to https://onedrive.live.com
  2. Sign in with your Midland College credentials – same as your e-mail and password
  3. Download OneDrive to your personal computer and install
  4. Access it from any computer connected to the internet by signing in to https://onedrive.live.com

Here is a video showing how to use it:

 

Employee Communication Tool

Microsoft Teams is a collaboration software with robust abilities to facilitate video/audio calls, chats, file sharing, and virtual meetings. This is a great resource for faculty and staff to conference/meet with each other. 

Download Teams

Download the Teams application to your personal computer. Once the file downloads, run the file. Click the link below to go to the website. Then click the "Download Teams" button to start the download.

Teams Download

Login Credentials

Username/Email Address: MC email account (i.e. tsmith@midland.edu)
Password: same as your computer/email password

* If you have problems logging in, please contact help@midland.edu


Training Resources


Integrate in Canvas

Adding students (provided by MC Faculty)

Students must be added as guests to the Team via their MC email address.

Guests have access to most of Microsoft Teams, but not all. For example, they cannot watch recorded lectures. I used a workaround -- I meet live with students on Microsoft Teams and record the lecture. After the lecture is processed by Microsoft Teams (in Microsoft Stream), I download the recorded lecture to my computer. Then, I upload the lecture to Google Drive or YouTube (unlisted) and provide the link to students who need to watch the recorded lecture in Canvas. It all goes more quickly than I expected.

How To

Video, created by UTPB instructor, showing how to use Teams in Canvas.

 

Following the suggestions below will help meetings run smoothly and efficiently. Although online meetings may be more casual than traditional in person meetings, they have their own set of rules and expectations for presenters and participants.
 

Before the Meeting

  • Mute Notifications

    Turn off notifications on your computer and silence your cell phone.

  • Choose a Quiet Spot

    Select a quiet area free from distractions.

  • Find your Light

    Choose a well-lit location so other participants can clearly see your face. Facing a light source (windows, overhead lighting, ring light or a lamp) works best. Avoid areas where light sources are behind you as this can cause a glare on the camera.

  • Adjust the Camera

    If you will be using the camera adjust it so your face is centered and the camera lens is at eye level. If not, turn the camera off before joining the meeting.

  • Mute Your Microphone

    • Before joining the meeting.
    • Do not announce your presence when joining large meetings. Use the “Show Participants” icon to see who is in the meeting.
    • In meetings with five or less in attendance, it is appropriate to greet the others before muting your microphone.

During the Meeting

  • Mute Your Microphone

    If you are not talking, your mic should be muted. Keyboard clicks, handling papers, etc. sound much louder through a microphone and can be very distracting.

  • Use Chat to Ask Questions

    When the presenter asks questions of the group, answer using the chat feature. Only post messages relevant to the current meeting.

  • Say Your Name

    If you are not the presenter, but have permission to share, unmute your mic, say your name, then proceed with comments.

  • Stay Focused

    Do not stare at your phone or work on something else while other people are presenting.

  • Stay Seated

    Use attentive body language, stay seated and present.

  • No Food Allowed

    Avoid eating during meetings.

NetTutor

Online tutoring software integrated in every Canvas course. Remote tutors will give your students feedback, ideally within 48 hours. This is a video that explains how students can upload their papers:

The NetTutor tab is now enabled in every Canvas course.

Language Hub Online

Visit the Midland College Language Hub web page for available virtual services.

Language Hub

Respondus Lockdown Browser & Monitor

Respondus LockDown Browser locks down a students browser when taking a test so they cannot browse other pages, print, etc. Respondus Monitor is an option in the LockDown browser feature that monitors students through a web camera when taking a test. 

Training is HIGHLY recommended before implementing these options in your course. It is also recommended that the first time you use the LockDown Browser, it is for a low stakes assignment. In order for students to use the software, they must download it and install it on their computer or iPad.

The LockDown Browser option is always free for students. The Monitor option usually includes a student fee, but is FREE for the rest of the semester.

NOTE: Chromebooks are NOT compatible with Respondus Lockdown Browser.

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR STUDENTS

If you choose to use Respondus, students will need to install the software on their computer. Instructions for installing the software, including a video is available at www. midland.edu/canvas.

 

Proctor-U

ProctorU is an online exam proctoring solution that offers a powerful, convenient, secure and cost-effective alternative to traditional test centers. Already integrated in the MC Canvas account, it is a good option, but there is a fee for students.

ProctorU Website

Resources provided by MC staff

LINKEDIN LEARNING (FORMERLY LYNDA.COM)

LinkedIn has unlocked the following courses to help students, faculty and staff remain engaged and productive in their daily activities while working or studying remotely. These courses are now free to all:

LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com)

LinkedIn has unlocked the following courses to help students, faculty and staff remain engaged and productive in their daily activities while working or studying remotely. These courses are now free to all:

LINKEDIN LEARNING (FORMERLY LYNDA.COM)

LinkedIn has unlocked the following courses to help students, faculty and staff remain engaged and productive in their daily activities while working or studying remotely. These courses are now free to all:

SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19

An employee showing signs or symptoms of or diagnosed with COVID-19 should immediately inform their supervisor who will immediately notify the appropriate Administrative Council Member and the Human Resources/Payroll department. The supervisor will, to the extent possible, gather the following information:

  • Date and location of suspected exposure;
  • Names of other campus employees who had close contact with the person showing symptoms during the past 3 days;
  • Locations visited/worked on campus in last 3 days.

The identity of the employee will remain confidential. However, information will be shared with persons who had significant exposure to the affected individual by the appropriate Administrative Council Member or designee. Those in close contact (CDC defines close contact as being within 6 feet of a lab-confirmed COVID-19 case for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, starting from 48 hours before illness onset) will be sent home if possible. However, to ensure continuity of operations, essential personnel may be permitted to continue working following potential exposure or close contact to COVID-19, provided they remain asymptomatic and additional precautions are taken as required.

Employees with confirmed diagnosis or who have a family member with a confirmed diagnosis should contact the Human Resources/Payroll department immediately for information regarding leave.

For additional information regarding the College's COVID-19 Administrative Regulations, see Appendices S and T of the Employee Handbook.

Employee Handbook (pdf)


Contact HR

Should you need to contact the Human Resources/Payroll staff, send an email to mchr@midland.edu.

Benefits

Health Insurance & Benefits information is available on the Employee Benefits page. Additional HR information can be found on the Human Resources page.

Join Us - You are Not Alone!

Join us on Zoom as we come together as a community to share common experiences that are happening in our lives. 

  • Kids keeping you busy?
  • Finding yourself stressed and worried about what might happen?
  • Feeling overwhelmed?
  • This too shall pass!

WE ARE AVAILABLE AT THE FOLLOWING DAYS/TIME:

Monday, Thursday
 10 - 11 am via Zoom

Click this link to join the Zoom conversation

Free Online Chatroom for Anxiety During Coronavirus

Questions?

Email Chang Liu at chang.a.liu@ttuhsc.edu or call (432) 620-1193

Provided by Texas Tech Physicians of the Permian Basin, Behavioral Health & Psychiatry

Please visit the following websites for information regarding the coronavirus provided by agencies:

 

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Thank you for choosing Midland College! If you are here to collect a few credits, take courses to transfer, or here to start a new career, we welcome you.

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