Author: Sarah Rusnak

Meet anytime option in Zoom

| Sarah Rusnak

When creating a recurring meeting, Zoom includes a Meet anytime option when you select a recurrence with No Fixed Time. This is an excellent option if you’d like to host office hours or a class session multiple times, but you do not want to see every instance of a recurring meeting in your upcoming meetings list when you login to Zoom.

Why bother with this, when you could just use your personal meeting room?  By hosting a separate recurring meeting for each task or class, you can set different permissions for participants on each call. If you are using Zoom during class, you can also set your Echo360 account to automatically copy all recordings from Zoom, and if they are organized by recurring meeting, you can map Zoom recordings to be organized by class in Echo360.

Whatever your reason, here’s how to create a recurring meeting with No Fixed Time.

  • Sign in to CarmenZoom.
  • In the navigation menu on the left, click Meetings.
  • Click Schedule a Meeting.

Carmen Zoom Meetings page with an arrow pointing to the Schedule a Meeting button

  • Below the Time Zone option, select the check box next to Recurring meeting.
  • Edit the recurrence. Select No Fixed Time option in the Recurrence drop-down menu.

Carmen Zoom schedule a meeting dialogue box with an arrow pointing to the recurring meeting check box. The resulting dropdown is displayed which includes the recurrence options for Daily, Weekly, Monthly, No Fixed Time

  • Click Save.

Carmen Zoom Schedule Meeting dialogue box with an arrow pointing to the Save button.

Accessing OSU Teams when you’re at OSUWMC

| Sarah Rusnak

Too long; didn’t watch

Transcript

To work as part of a university team and you are a College of Medicine or medical center user, you’ll need to be added to that team as a guest. So the first step is that the team owner for the OSU team must add you to the team using your medical center email address. Once they’ve done that, you will receive an invitation to the team. It will look something like this that you see here. And with that, you’ll be able to go into Teams. and now up in this top right corner, you can see it’s got my medical center ID, the same image as appears on my badge, and says The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. And if I click here, you’ll see I have two accounts I can now toggle between the med center account and the university guest account.

As I click here on the guest account, you’ll notice as it loads that I don’t actually have any teams for which I am a guest, but I do have some missed activity here. There are some things in the chat that I didn’t know happened. So another thing you can do, that’s how to toggle back and forth is click up here and choose which account you want to see, but other things you can do to help make sure you’re receiving those notifications from the teams for which you are part of. If you come up here and click these three dots you can go to settings and within settings I would suggest going to accounts. You should have both accounts listed here and then if you click these three dots notice, you could also use this to switch accounts. But what I want you to look at is notifications.

If for some reason you have notifications turned off for your guest account, then it’s very easy to miss messages or miss mentions on those university teams. So I would check and make sure that your notifications are turned on for your guest account, and then you can also have Teams notify you in different ways. So if you navigate over to the notifications section, I have set my Teams to email me any time I miss activity as soon as possible. If you click this drop down, you can see you can have notifications set to every hour or once a day. But what this will do is send you an email that basically lets you know you’ve missed something in Teams and you need to go into Teams and see what that was. So with my accounts set so that both accounts are receiving notifications and with my notifications set to email me as soon as possible if I’m not currently logged into Teams, that has helped me stay on top of things.

Another thing you can do if you would like to have your medical center Teams up and working at the same time that you also have your university Teams up and working, you can run two instances of teams by running one in the desktop application, which is what you see here, and running another in a browser. So I’m going to open up Edge. So this is now the browser and because I am working off of my med center owned device, if I go to teams.microsoft.com, it’s going to automatically recognize me as my medical center identity. So you see, it looks substantially the same as the Teams running behind it here. And now I can toggle back and forth and switch back to my university guest account, and now I can have my university guest Teams up and running in this browser window while at the same time I can have my desktop application Teams on the medical center running. So it’s not, strictly speaking, two instances of Teams because one is the desktop application and one is the browser based application. But that is a way that you could sort of access both sides on the same device at the same time.

Time savers when updating syllabi

| Sarah Rusnak

For more great syllabus tips, check out this Twitter thread by Angela Jenks

Too long; didn’t watch

Transcript

Here are a few tips to help reduce the time you spend updating your syllabus. Step number one, start with the HRS syllabus template. There have been some slight changes from last year, so be sure you’re using the most up to date version of the syllabus template by downloading it. You can download it from Teams under the HRS Office of Academic Affairs team and go to files. Look for the syllabus templates and related materials folder. If you’re not in teams or don’t want to go to Teams, go to our HRS teaching site at u.osu.edu/hrsteaching. Scroll down a bit on that page and you’ll find a link to our syllabus template. Once you’re here to this page, just be sure to click to download and save a copy before you begin editing.

Another huge piece of time is updating all of the dates. Here are a couple tools to help reduce that time. The generic syllabus maker is an amazing free website where you can come in, specify the dates of the semester, the days of the week that your class meets and hit, submit and instantly get a list of exactly those dates for the semester. This is also great if you need to have a list of recurring dates for whatever reason, for a committee or group or series of meetings, it’s a really easy tool to use. I would say for a bonus tip, generate one day of the week at a time. So for example, if you need to know all of the Mondays of the semester for an online-only asynchronous course, when is your content going to update? You can make a list of all the Mondays, but then if all the assignments are due on Sundays, you can make a separate list of all of the Sundays of the semester. Or, as you see here, if you have a Tuesday, Thursday class, I like to have one list of Tuesdays and one list of Thursdays. It’s a really easy tool to use. Do, you do you! But this is one that saves me time.

Also, be sure to check an inter-faith calendar. For example, here are the lists. Here are the dates for October 2022. This may or may not change your plan for the semester, but it does give you a chance to think about what your policy should be around flexibility on certain dates.

Finally, check out this course workload estimator. This course workload estimator is set up to let you go through, you can see the columns going across here to go through and really sort of try to get your best estimate of how much time it’s going to take students to complete your course. It is an estimate, although it is fairly detailed. And you can read more about how Betsy Barre and others made this at this particular website. But it’s a terrific tool and it helps you get a sense of are you providing enough or too much for your students to do? Or you could even use it to include for students to let them know about how much time they should expect to spend on a particular assignment. Thanks for watching. Let me know if there’s any other content you’d like to see.

Recommended listening

Creating a course and copying content in CarmenCanvas

| Sarah Rusnak

This video covers the many steps required to begin getting your courses ready in CarmenCanvas, with a few tips and tricks along the way.

Too long; didn’t watch

Skip ahead to these timestamps or click the links if you prefer written tutorials:

Recommended reading

Adobe Creative Cloud

| Sarah Rusnak

Adobe Creative Cloud is now available to all Ohio State faculty, staff, and students. This includes popular desktop software like Photoshop, as well as the full suite of desktop and mobile apps for creating videos, photos, websites and more. If you have a specific app in mind, check out Adobe’s Learn page to filter and find user guides and tutorials by app.

Read more about how to get started, and here are some examples of ways instructors and students can put these tools to use.

Remove background

Login to the web tools at express.adobe.com with your name.#@osu.edu to quickly and easily remove the background from images:

Red apple in front of a gray background
Original image from Unsplash.com
The same red apple, now with a transparent background
A few clicks, and Adobe Express removes the background.

Edit video

Adobe Express also has the ability to trim, resize, merge, or crop videos, as well as convert a video to the MP4 file type. These browser based tools are great for editing or creating short clips. For longer videos or more robust editing options, download Premier Rush or Premier Pro.

Learn more about Premier Rush

Learn more about Premier Pro

Create print or digital content

Students can start from scratch or adapt any of the hundreds of templates available in Adobe Express. Have students create infographics to convey their understanding of a topic, or create brochures for patient education.

Minimum technology requirements for students

| Sarah Rusnak

Updated May 17, 2024

Prior to the start of the semester, faculty in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences should review their course plan to determine what devices and/or accessories students will need to fully participate in all activities. Note, technology requirements for students enrolled in the College of Medicine are provided by the COM Office of Curriculum and Scholarship Help Desk.

Prior to the start of the semester, faculty in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences should review their course plan to determine what devices and/or accessories students will need to fully participate in all activities. Note, technology requirements for students enrolled in the College of Medicine are provided by the COM Office of Curriculum and Scholarship Help Desk.

BuckeyePass

BuckeyePass is multi-factor authentication (MFA) service provided by Ohio State’s Office of Technology and Digital Innovation’s Digital Security and Trust team. It helps protect your account even if your password is stolen. Learn how to add and use these MFA options by viewing the Adding a Device and Authenticating with BuckeyePass job aids.  Get started or manage your registered devices.

Students are required to own a smartphone or tablet to use the Duo Mobile app, or they may purchase a security key or hardware token.

BuckeyePass Options Is a tablet or smartphone required? Can it be used for all Ohio State Duo systems? Can it be used for 2-Factor accounts outside Ohio State? No Additional Cost
Duo Mobile Push Yes Yes Yes Yes
Duo Mobile Passcode Yes No Yes Yes
Touch ID Passkey No Passkeys and Security Keys may be used to generate an alternative passcode for some systems that do not natively support these factors. Yes Yes
Face ID Passkey Yes Passkeys and Security Keys may be used to generate an alternative passcode for some systems that do not natively support these factors. Yes Yes
Android Passkey Yes Passkeys and Security Keys may be used to generate an alternative passcode for some systems that do not natively support these factors. Yes Yes
Windows Hello Passkey No Passkeys and Security Keys may be used to generate an alternative passcode for some systems that do not natively support these factors. Yes Yes
Security Key No Passkeys and Security Keys may be used to generate an alternative passcode for some systems that do not natively support these factors. Yes No
Hard Token No Yes No No
Passcode via Text Yes No No No

Internet connection

HRS strongly recommends all students have internet access off campus. Minimum WiFi speed of 3 Mbps is required for using CarmenCanvas to submit assignments, while a minimum 4 Mbps is recommended for Zoom classes, streaming lectures, etc. While on campus students can connect devices to eduroam, our campus wireless internet, by navigating to wireless.osu.edu.

Minimum Device Recommendations

We recommend that students have personal access to a device or combination of devices that enable them to communicate and take notes, temporarily store files offline until they can be added to OneDrive cloud storage, and use multiple applications simultaneously. Students taking required core biology, chemistry, and/or math courses (required courses in our undergraduate majors) will need a device that can engage in digital inking with a touch screen and stylus. The recommended singular device to meet all of these needs is a 2-in-1 laptop. A 2-in-1 laptop is a portable device with a keyboard and a touchscreen. TechHub offers a selection of Dell and Apple devices that support digital inking. Read more about how to get tech ready.

As part of the Buckeye Technology Equity Commitment, Ohio State offers a limited number of loaner devices for short and long-term loans. Students can request to borrow a device with digital inking capabilities through the Student Technology Loan Program (STLP). The STLP offers Surface Go and iPad Air technology kits, and most loans can be renewed at the end of each semester. Learn more and request a device.

General requirements

  • Camera, microphone, keyboard, earbuds/headset
  • 256 GB hard drive storage (512 GB recommended)
  • 8 GB RAM (16 GB recommended)

Windows PC: i5 processor, 12th gen, P series or better; touchscreen and stylus.

Mac Computer: M2 processor. Additional device with touchscreen and stylus (i.e., iPad/digital pen)

Minimum technical skills for success in our programs

Recommended technology skills include the following internet and computer competencies:

  • Ability to use a web browser—such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox
  • Knowledge of search engines and how to search efficiently
  • Ability to download and view files in Adobe PDF format
  • Competence with using e-mail and protecting against viruses
  • Competence with Microsoft Word and PowerPoint
  • Competence with Ohio State’s CarmenCanvas and CarmenZoom platforms. If you need basic instruction and troubleshooting assistance, please refer to the Teaching and Learning Resource Center guides for getting started with CarmenCanvas and for CarmenZoom.

Requirements for CarmenCanvas

All courses in HRS use the university’s Learning Management System (LMS), CarmenCanvas. CarmenCanvas works best with a computer that supports the most recent browser versions, is five years old or newer, and has at least 1GB of RAM. The Canvas mobile apps require Android 8.0 or later and iOS 15.0 or later. Visit Instructure for more information about requirements for CarmenCanvas.

Requirements for using Microsoft 356

Microsoft Office 365 is the office suite software subscription available to all enrolled students. The BuckeyeMail Office 365 license provides Office 365 business-class email (and Outlook Web App access). This license also provides current students with access to Office 365 ProPlus services, including the ability to download and locally install Microsoft Office applications on up to five (5) computers that the student personally uses; 5 TB of cloud storage through OneDrive for Business; online versions of the Office applications; mobile applications where the student can access, edit, and view Office documents on mobile devices; and regular access to the latest software updates.

Device Required operating system
Windows computer Windows 10 or 11
Apple computer One of the three most recent versions of macOS. When a new version of macOS is released, the macOS requirement becomes one of the then-current three most recent versions: the new version of macOS and the previous two versions.
iPad iOS 16 or higher
Android Android OS 7.0 or higher

Students can login to Microsoft 365 via microsoft365.osu.edu. Check the university’s IT Service Desk knowledge base article KB04728, FAQ on Office 365 for Students, for additional information on hardware requirements.

Requirements for using Honorlock

Honorlock secure exam proctoring requires the use of a camera and microphone, as well as Google Chrome version 120 and internet speeds of at least 1.5Mbps download, 750 Kbps upload. Honorlock is compatible with the following operating systems:

Device Required operating system
Windows computer Windows 10 or 11
Apple computer macOS 10.14 (Mojave) or higher
Chromebook ChromeOS

Note, Honorlock is not compatible with iPads or with Android based tablets.  Honorlock is also incompatible with Walmart branded camera (Onn), Amcrest cameras, Logitech C920 and Logitech C270 cameras. Visit Honorlock Minimum System Requirements for the most up-to-date information.

Requirements for using Examplify

Windows Mac iPad Tablet devices
Operating Systems 64-bit versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11 MacOS 10.15 or later iPadOS 14 and iPadOS 15 ExamSoft does not support tablet devices other than Microsoft Surface Pro.
Processor Non-ARM based processor supported by your operating system Intel or M1 processor. Devices using Apple’s M1 processor and Apple Rosetta 2 are supported.  Integrated in device Not applicable
Free Disk Space 4GB 4GB 500 MB of free space required to commence an exam, 2GB or higher required for exams with ExamID or ExamMonitor enabled Not applicable
Free RAM 4GB 4GB Not specified Not applicable
Upload Speed 2.5 Mbps 2.5 Mbps 2.5 Mbps Not applicable
Screen resolution 1280 x 768 Not specified Integrated in device Not applicable
Microphone Microphone (no headphones, no virtual mics) Microphone (no headphones, no virtual mics) Integrated in device Not applicable
Webcam Integrated camera or external USB camera supported by your operating system. Virtual cameras are not supported. Integrated camera or external USB camera supported by your operating system. Virtual cameras and Microsoft Lifecam Series cameras are not supported. Integrated in device Not applicable
Specific Device Not applicable Not applicable iPad 5+, iPad Air 2+, iPad Mini 4+, iPad Pro Not applicable

Internet connection is required for download, registration, exam download and upload.

If you are using a Microsoft Surface device, please read this article for important instructions on Windows 10 and 11 “S mode” versus the standard Windows 10 or 11.  S mode is not compatible with Examplify.

Examplify is not compatible with virtual operating systems such as Microsoft’s Virtual Machine, Parallels, VMware, VMware Fusion or any other virtual environments.

Examplify is not compatible within virtualized environments or environments that require persistent network (local or otherwise) connections during secure exams. This includes, but is not limited to, VMWare, Parallels, Citrix workspace, virtual disks, streamed images, etc.

Check Examplify’s minimum system requirements online for the most up-to-date information.

Mediasite to Echo360 Migration

| Sarah Rusnak

The College of Medicine is moving to Echo360 for video hosting, you can find full details from the Office of Curriculum and Scholarship.

The short version is, download and save a copy of the Mediasite Video Inventory Excel file, fill it out, and email it to OCS@osumc.edu when you’re done.

Read through for more information or jump to:

Getting started

1. Download and save a copy of the Mediasite Video Inventory Excel file. Change the file name by adding the your last name (e.g., “Mediasite Video Inventory for Migration_Rusnak”) and save.

2. Open the file, click to Enable Editing, and the move to the Instructor tab

Screen shot of the Excel workbook with circles around the text "Enable Editing" and "Instructor"

 

3. There are drop-downs for both Department and Program. If you teach in more than one program, just choose one for this page. After completing the Instructor information, return to the Videos tab.

Screen shot of the Excel workbook showing the drop-down options for Department

 

4. On the Videos tab, fill out row three for your first video.  Course Code is the abbreviation and Course Title is the full name of the course as listed on the registrar. If you’re uncertain of either, you can check this information at classes.osu.edu. For Term, the spreadsheet is asking during which term this course will be taught next.  Select the correct term from the drop-down, then select whether course is taught in Carmen, also a drop-down.

Screen shot of the videos tab highlighting the drop-down features of specific cells

 

5. Once you have the first four columns complete, you can save yourself some time by copying down the course code, name, term, and Carmen status. For example, I have dozens of videos in HTHRHSC 5900.  Rather than answer these questions for each video, I’m going to copy-down or fill-down this information.  Starting with the cells you wish to copy, highlight the cells where the data should be copied.  In this case, I’m going to copy the contents of cells A3-D3 into every cell down to A23-D23:

Excel spreadsheet with specific cells highlighted, and the text "select cells then press Ctrl + D

 

6. The result appears with identical information in each row. Repeat this process as many times as needed, or each time you begin listing videos for a different course.

Excel spreadsheet showing the result of the fill down shortcut

Finding video titles and links in Mediasite

If you prefer video tutorials, here’s a step by step video for finding videos in Mediasite.

1. If you know which videos in your Mediasite catalog you need to migrate, login to Mediasite and navigate to the page with the videos you need.  Here is one way to find the titles and URLs (links) to each video, without leaving the page on Mediasite.  First, the Title of Video is the first line in the description to the right of the video thumbnail. To get the Video URL, click on the View button at the bottom of the video’s info:

Mediasite page with arrows pointing to the video title and the view button.

 

2. In the resulting window, copy the link text from the URL bar. You can use keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl + C on Windows or Cmd + C on Mac) or right click and select Copy.

Mediasite page with the URL bar highlighted and the right click context menu shown.

 

3. Paste the video title and URL into the spreadsheet, and save the file. If you haven’t already, be sure to rename the file to include your last name at the end.

Excel spreadsheet with the first row complete and the filename specified

4. When finished, email the completed spreadsheet to OCS@osumc.edu

Finding video titles and links in your Carmen course

If you prefer videos, here’s a step by step video for finding videos in Carmen.

It may be easier to find your active videos by going through the pages of the most recent instance of your course in Carmen.  Here’s how to find the video titles and links for videos embedded in a Carmen course.

1. Navigate to a page with an embedded video, and wait a few moments for the videos to load. Once the video preview appears, you’ll see the Video Title in the bottom left corner of the frame:

Carmen course page with an arrow pointing to the video title

 

2. Though you cannot copy the video title that appears on this screen, you can type this information into the Excel spreadsheet.  To find the URL for this video, begin playing the video and click on the Pop Out icon in the bottom right corner:

Carmen course page with a circle around the pop out icon on the video

 

3. In the resulting window, copy the link text from the URL bar. You can use keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl + C on Windows or Cmd + C on Mac) or right click and select Copy.

Pop up window of the video with the URL bar highlighted

4. Paste the video title and URL into the spreadsheet, and save the file. If you haven’t already, be sure to rename the file to include your last name at the end.

5. If instead of embedding videos in your course, you have the URLs to the videos in your course, simply copy the URL and paste into the spreadsheet.  In this case however you may need to open the videos to find the video title, which appears in the bottom left before the video is played.

6. When finished, email the completed spreadsheet to OCS@osumc.edu

Class minutes

| Sarah Rusnak

“Class minutes” is an idea I copied from the university’s Writing Center, and among their fantastic list of critical thinking activities. I’ve done this activity primarily in the in-person setting, and I had students report out at the following class time.  Students commented that they loved the reminders of what we had talked about in the last session, and were really pretty good about it overall. I’ve done this as an assignment in Carmen with a Word document and as a discussion post in Carmen.  The advantage of the discussion post is that it becomes a running thread of the semester, that all students and instructors can access at any time.  Here is the description of the writing activity as provided by the Center for the Study and Teaching of Writing:

Assign a class scribe for the day who will be responsible for summarizing class discussion and activities during the first five minutes of the next day’s class. Or have two people serve as independent scribes; invite the class to discuss the differences in the minutes they produce. This activity can help students to think more carefully about what you are trying to achieve in a class session, and can give you a clearer sense of how they are responding to your teaching.

When we moved to remote instruction in spring 2020 my class kept doing minutes and it was amazing because the students were creating a class record for me, something I really needed at that time and still benefit from now.  All of this has been built into a template discussion post in our CarmenCanvas HRS Instructor Sandbox, contact me if you would like to be added to the sandbox. Or if you prefer, copy/paste and adapt the description of the assignment I use in classes:

Preparation

The best minutes are a product of paying attention and then reviewing what you have as soon as possible after the fact.  I always have a sloppy copy of minutes, and the sooner I can get back to it after a meeting is over, the more coherent and helpful I can make the minutes.

On the date you signed up, you create typed or handwritten minutes for the class.  At the following class, you will present your minutes to the class, and post your written minutes here.  If you take minutes by hand, you may take a picture of your hard copy page or scan it to upload.

Instructions

Choose whichever format works for you, but to receive full credit your minutes must include:

  1. Date
  2. Announcements
    1. List all announcements made during class.  For example, upcoming deadlines, changes to assignments, basically anything announced at the start of class. Action items fit here.
  3. Lecture
    1. Summarize the lecture.  What were the key points?
  4. Discussion
    1. Summarize the in-class discussion (if applicable)
  5. Ah-ha moment(s) or Muddiest Point(s)
    1. What (if anything) was new information for you?  Did something “click”?  Or on the flip side, what did not make sense?
  6. OPTIONAL – Recommendation(s)
    1. Did you find a great restaurant? A helpful study tool?  The greatest thing since sliced bread? This doesn’t have to be related to class in any way, it’s just something you like that you’d like to share.

(Note that the recommendations piece is optional, but arguably students had the most fun with recommending coffee shops, discount tickets, events,  etc. to each other.)

Checklist for course set up

| Sarah Rusnak

Whether you are #New2OSU or have been teaching here for years, there’s lots to do to get your courses ready. The Teaching and Learning Resource Center has a Start of Term Checklist, which I have rearranged and added to for instructors-

  1. Start by logging in to the Carmen landing page, which is separate from your Carmen dashboard.
  2. Once logged in, you’ll need to create your courses. This step activates your course, and only instructors can see the content.  You can (and should!) wait until you have the course built before you make it visible to students.
  3. If there are multiple sections to your course, you may wish to merge them. Use the Carmen support contact form to “Request to merge or split a Carmen course”. Your request may take a few days to process.
  4. If you have taught this course previously, you can copy content from another course to populate this one.
    1. If the course was previously taught by another instructor, ask them for help with course content. If that instructor has left OSU, contact our Carmen Affiliate for help.
  5. You may also want to use the HRS Carmen Course Template, as it comes with template pages and assignments from ODEE, and images specific to HRS.
  6. As needed, add other instructors or teaching assistants to your course using Manage Participants.
    1. Note, students enrolled in your course will be added automatically. Enrollments process overnight, so it may take a day for the student’s name to appear under the People tab.
  7. Before you publish your course, be sure to:
    1. Add your syllabus to the Syllabus page in Carmen.
    2. Hide navigation links for tools you are not using.
    3. Review the Carmen Common Sense Top 10 Tips.
  8. When you’re ready, publish your course to make it visible to students.  Publishing a course means that students will be able to click on your course on the Carmen landing page or dashboard, and once they’re in your course, they will be able to see any content within the course that you have made visible to students.
  9. Use Student View anytime you want to see the course from the students’ perspective.

Need more? Check out the CarmenCanvas Instructional Guides. There are so many great guides, type Ctrl + F on Windows or Cmd + F on Mac to search the page for key words about what you want to do.