MERIT, in collaboration with WCER Technical Services, has launched a School of Education Knowledgebase (http://kb.wisc.edu/education) to provide 24x7 access to technology tips, tutorials and policies at one searchable site. It uses DoIT's knowledgebase application, which provides workflow for document management and the ability to share documents with other campus KB sites. The site also has a News section used for posting service updates and alerts. If you have suggestions for documents or topics you'd like to see online in the KB, please email Brenda Spychalla at blspycha@wisc.edu. 

Thinking about upgrading to Adobe CS4 or Microsoft Office 2007? Wondering about WiscCal? Check out the free BrownBags offered this summer by DoIT's Professional Technical Education (PTE) group. Further training and support is available from MERIT through MERIT's online software tutorials or by contacting Jim Jonas to inquire about help and workshops for specific programs or groups.

Ready to upgrade? Both Adobe CS4 and Microsoft Office 2007 are available for installation on your School of Education computer. Contact our Help Desk, 5-4773, or your IT consultant for assistance.

We would like to remind SoE faculty and grads that you are eligible for access to software, software training and statistical consulting through the SSCC - Social Science Computing Cooperative.  Software access requires a SoE login account; software programs can be accessed remotely from off campus.  Please feel free to contact me (Zach Buehl, zjbuehl@education.wisc.edu) if you have not received access, or have questions about the SSCC, and check the SSCC training schedule for a list of summer workshops.  We will be having training courses aimed specifically at School of Education members in the fall; more information on that to come.

UW Madison offers faculty and staff a variety of ways to considering using podcasts for SoE course and program work.  Links to key resources include:

1. DoIT Engage resources:  What is Podcasting ?
http://engage.wisc.edu/podcasting/whatIsIt/index.html

2. Overview of Apple's iTunes U
http://www.apple.com/education/mobile-learning/

3. Tips for capturing Podcasts
http://engage.wisc.edu/podcasting/deliver/index.html

4. How to distribute podcasts to students enrolled in a Learn@UW course site.
iTunes U integrates with Learn@UW.  Students and instructors access an iTunes U space for the course after they have logged into the course in Learn@UW.  If you are interested in having an iTunes U space set up in this way, complete the form at:
http://engage.doit.wisc.edu/announcements.html#itunesu.

5. Can I link to iTunes U from  a Moodle course site?

Yes, contact Chris Dowling or Catherine Stephens

6. What other ways can faculty and staff contribute to iTunes U?

SoE faculty and staff are encouraged to consider using iTunes U as a way to broadcast SoE program information. Information about how faculty and staff can contribute is posted online:
http://itunes.wisc.edu/contribute.html

MERIT staff are available to assist faculty and staff with setting up podcasts, offer consulting about what type of podcast to use, as well as help with using digital equipment to capture content for podcasts.   Contact Jesse Winters or Zach Buehl for further help or assistance.

With the closing of the Education Building and the formation of MERIT (Media, Education Resources and Information Technology), the School of Education IT Help Desk has relocated. The talented IT Help Desk staff now share the same space as the MERIT Library computer lab help desk. We are working on integrating the staff of both areas so that we can extend IT Help desk hours. To recap, the IT Help desk is now in the open computer lab area of MERIT Library (3rd floor Teacher Ed Bldg - formerly the CIMC). Their phone number remains the same: 608-265-4773. We encourage you to come by and visit!

The School of Education (SoE) is a member of the UW-Madison Social Science Computing Cooperative (SSCC). As an SoE graduate student or faculty member, you are eligible for an account to access the statistical software packages available through SSCC's Winstat service.

SSCC staff will be offering a hands-on computer orientation on Tuesday, November 18th, from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. in the CIMC's PC classroom in the Teacher Education Building, room 348. This instruction is for new members arriving this Fall or for those wanting a refresher on how to use the service. Whatever the reason, you are welcome to attend. Please e-mail Zach Buehl (zbuehl@education.wisc.edu) if you plan to attend so he can create or verify your login for the SSCC service and share the number attending with SSCC staff.

For an overview of SoE's membership in SSCC, see http://www.education.wisc.edu/soeit/tech_support/sscc/default.aspx