Changes and Improvements Coming to Learning Tools Ahead of Autumn 2024
Between spring and summer semesters, the Office of Technology and Digital Innovation (OTDI) and various tool vendors will make updates and improvements to Ohio State’s teaching and learning toolset. Explore new features in CarmenCanvas, learn about new proctoring solutions and get excited for improvements to existing tools. You can also visit the Learning Systems page on the it.osu.edu site to find the most recent updates to teaching and learning tools.
CarmenCanvas Updates
Redesign of Canvas Discussions
The Discussions tool in Canvas has undergone a redesign process. When you click into a discussion, you will see options to sort replies and to view replies in a new split-screen viewer. Among other new features, role labels will make it easier to identify comments from the course instructor and from the person who started the discussion thread. Users can also be “at mentioned” to bring them into a conversation. More details about these and other new features can be found in the Canvas Community.
Explore New Quizzes in Your Courses
The New Quizzes tool is available for you to explore! Activating this feature for your course will allow you to choose between Classic Quizzes and New Quizzes when creating a new assessment. In the Teaching and Learning Resource Center, you can view a release timeline and review accessibility considerations. Shortly after you enable New Quizzes in one or more of your courses, you will receive an email with a brief accessibility agreement to sign, signifying you understand those considerations.
CarmenZoom
Updated Zoom Client
The latest update for the Zoom desktop client includes a visual refresh and new features. When updated to version 6.0, your Zoom desktop app will allow you to select color schemes, customize the in-meeting toolbar, share content simultaneously with other participants, and more! Learn about the latest features and how to update Zoom on your personal devices.
Added Security for Zoom Recordings
When logging into Zoom, users must be authenticated with their username, password, and multi-factor authentication (Duo). Beginning April 30, this same level of security will apply to Zoom recordings by default. If you need to share a recording with someone outside Ohio State, you can change this setting on a recording-by-recording basis.
Proctoring Tools
Changes to Proctoring Solutions
Following an evaluation of new and existing proctoring tools, a committee of Ohio State faculty, staff, and students recommended continuing use of Respondus Lockdown Browser and onboarding a new tool, Honorlock. This change to Ohio State's proctoring solution will be available for use in Summer 2024 courses. Stay tuned for additional resources in the Teaching and Learning Resource Center.
Given the limitations of any proctoring tool, it is still strongly recommended that instructors strive for authentic assessments that are more likely to motivate students to learn and set them up for success in their future careers. You can learn more about designing assignments that encourage academic integrity in the Teaching and Learning Resource Center.
Retirement of Proctorio
Proctorio will be deactivated in CarmenCanvas on Friday, May 3. Summer semester courses that need to use online proctoring should be set up with Honorlock.
Instructors of spring semester courses should plan to review and retrieve any reports they will need for ongoing COAM cases before May 3. If you miss the deadline, please contact us at carmen@osu.edu to discuss options. All Ohio State access to Proctorio reports will end on June 30.
Recording and Proctoring Waiver for Minors
Students under the age of 18 must have a waiver on file signed by a parent or guardian to allow them to interact with instructional tools that use a student’s web camera and microphone, as well as tools that require consent to download and install on a student’s device. If you are teaching a course with at least one student under the age of 18 who does NOT have this waiver on file, you will receive an email from the Registrar’s office with further instructions and considerations.
Mediasite Improvements
Mediasite was recently confirmed as Ohio State’s enterprise media platform—but there is always room for improvement. Based on user feedback, OTDI will be making strategic enhancements to Mediasite over Summer 2024. OTDI has already improved storage capabilities, switched to a more accurate automated captioning service, upgraded Mediasite to the latest LTI integration and enabled quiz grading passback to CarmenCanvas. OTDI is currently piloting browser-based recording and plans to roll out that new feature before Autumn 2024.
Retiring Soon: osuwireless
Ohio State is transitioning to eduroam as the primary secure network for Ohio State students, faculty and staff. Beginning May 5, osuwireless will be removed from select locations on Ohio State campuses, and the legacy Wi-Fi will be removed by building throughout the summer, targeting completion by August 2024. Connect to eduroam today to avoid reconfiguring your Wi-Fi connection every time you update your Ohio State password, and remain connected to eduroam when you visit participating institutions around the world. If your university-managed device is still connecting to osuwireless, you may need to contact your IT department for assistance with moving to eduroam.
Login Update for OTDI Labs and Classrooms
This summer, we will be upgrading lab, classroom, and conference room Windows computers that are managed by OTDI, and this upgrade will impact how users log in to those computers. Students will log into OTDI-managed Windows computers with their lastname.#@buckeyemail.osu.edu and password. Faculty and staff will log in with their lastname.#@osu.edu and password. All users receive a Duo push after entering their Ohio State credentials. Computers will be upgraded beginning in June with completion scheduled for August 1, 2024. Learn more at the it.osu.edu site.