Web 2.0 Tool of the Week: Flickr

(http://www.flickr.com)
Flickr is an online image management and sharing tool. Users can post images and short videos.

Flickr Features:

• Post pictures and short videos
• Edit pictures—crop, get rid of red eye, special effects
• Organize pictures into groups by themes or topics
  
• Content is moderated and must be flagged as safe, moderate, or restricted.
• Comment on pictures
• Two account types available: Basic (free) and Pro

Using Flickr Professionally:

• Search for Creative Commons licensed photos or video clips for presentations
• Network with others by joining groups with others who have the same interests
• Teach students about intellectual property rights by exploring the licensing types allowed on Flickr

Tell us how you’re using Flickr in this post's comments.

Ready to explore Flickr?
Sign up for an account here.

Voicemail Tip of the Week: Listening to Messages by Phone

TWU has a new voicemail system for all permanent faculty and staff. The new system integrates voicemail with e-mail, delivering all messages to both telephone and e-mail. To request an account on the new system, e-mail voicemail@twu.edu and include your name, campus, and telephone extension.

Listening to voicemail messages

• Voicemail messages are automatically delivered to your email inbox.


• Messages can be accessed by phone or by email, whichever is preferred.


• When accessing your voicemail by phone, the system will offer options to listen to voicemail messages by
• pressing (1) then
• (1) for new messages
  or
• (2) for saved messages

During message playback, there are several features available:

Save current message.......................... 1
Forward message to extension........... 2
Skip to next message............................ 3
Replay current message...................... 4
Rewind message 6 seconds............... 5
Fast forward message 6 seconds...... 6
Delete this message, play next........... 7

Features available at all times:

Return to a previous menu.................. *
Finish a key entry................................. #

Voicemail Tip of the Week: Remote phone access

TWU has a new voicemail system for all permanent faculty and staff. The new system integrates voicemail with e-mail, delivering all messages to both telephone and e-mail. To request an account on the new system, e-mail voicemail@twu.edu and include your name, campus, and telephone extension.

Remote phone access to voicemail allows you to stay connected when traveling, or to be able to change your greeting when out of the office unexpectedly.

Remote access from off campus:

1. Call the voicemail system
   
   • Denton....... (940)898-4646
   • Dallas......... (214)689-6677
   • Houston..... (713)794-2044


2. Press # (system prompt)


3. Enter your six digit mailbox number (system prompt)
   Note: Six digit mailbox numbers are a campus code (Denton: 81, Dallas-Parkland: 82, Dallas-Presbyterian: 83, Houston: 84) + the four digit extension.


4. Enter your security code

Microsoft Office Tip: Set Out of Office using Outlook Web Access

1. Click Options
   


2. On the left-hand navigation, select Out of Office Assistant
   


3. Select  Send Out of Office auto-replies
   


4. To limit the dates of auto-replies, select the option Send Out of Office auto-replies only during this time period and set the appropriate dates
• NOTE:  If this option is not selected, auto-replies will be sent until Do not send Out of Office auto-replies is manually selected


5. In the topmost text box, labeled  Send an auto-reply once to each sender inside my organization with the following message, enter the response you would like sent to emails from within the TWU system
   


6. Just below that text box, make sure the Send Out of Office auto-relies to External Senders box is checked
   


7. Select whether you want auto-replies sent only to senders in my Contacts list or to anyone outside my organization
   


8. In the final text box, labeled Send an auto-reply once to each sender outside my organization with the following message, enter the response you would like sent to emails that are not within the TWU system
   


9. Click on the Save button located near the top of the page

Microsoft Office Tip of the Week: Out of Office Assistant

Application: Outlook 2007

Microsoft Office Outlook’s Out of Office Assistant can be used to automatically respond to email messages in the event of an absence.  The Out of Office Assistant can respond to emails both within and outside of TWU. Out of Office replies can be used to give dates of an absence, an alternative point of contact, and a means of communication to those emailing.

Here’s how to do it:

1. In Outlook, go to the Tools menu and select Out of Office Assistant


2. Select Send Out of Office auto-replies


3. To limit the dates of auto-replies, select the option Only send during this time range and set the appropriate dates
• NOTE:  If this option is not selected, auto-replies will be sent until Do not send Out of Office auto-replies is manually selected


4. Compose a response for Inside My Organization (within TWU) and enter the information


5. Click on the Outside My Organization tab and make sure the Auto-reply to people outside my organization box is checked


6. Select whether you want auto-replies sent only to My Contacts only or Anyone outside my organization


7. Compose a response for Outside My Organization (those outside TWU) and enter the information


8. Click on OK

Web 2.0 Tool of the Week: Animoto

(http://www.animoto.com)

Animoto is an online application that instantly produces videos using pictures, video, text, and sound. Animoto’s technology allows you to drag and drop pictures in the order you want to view them, select a song and the program integrates the two for a professional-looking video production. Animoto takes presentations to a new dimension!

Animoto allows you to:
• Create a picture slide show
• Upload pictures from your computer or from your account on Flickr, Facebook, Picasa, SmugMug, or Photobucket
• Incorporate music
• You are given a choice of licensed soundtracks or you can upload your own music
• Include text for captions
• Share the video
• Send to an email, blog, or website
• Export directly to YouTube
• Download to a CD or flash drive

Things to know:
• Users must create an account
• Free accounts allow users to create 30 second videos. Longer videos require a subscription at the cost of $25/year.
• Videos will be branded with Animoto’s logo at the end.
• Images must be in jpeg or gif formats.
• Apps available for the iPhone and Facebook; providing easy sharing and allowing you to create videos on the go.

Ready to explore Animoto?
View a sample video and sign up for an account.

Voicemail Tip of the Week: Tips for Navigating

TWU has a new voicemail system for all permanent faculty and staff. The new system integrates voicemail with e-mail, delivering all messages to both telephone and e-mail. To request an account on the new system, e-mail voicemail@twu.edu and include your name, campus, and telephone extension.

Tips for navigating in the new voicemail system

The new voicemail system is programmed with the # key as the speed up/ bypass key.

• When accessing voicemail by phone, type # at the end of entering keystrokes (such as your mailbox number or security code) to hurry the system along.
• When calling someone, press # to bypass their greeting.

Disconnecting from voicemail when transferring calls

When transferring a caller to another extension, it is important to stay on the line to be certain the call goes through. If voicemail answers on the destination extension and the caller does not want to leave a message press * several times until voicemail disconnects. You will then be reconnected with the original caller.

Voicemail is available for all permanent faculty and staff. To request an account, e-mail voicemail@twu.edu from your TWU e-mail account and include name, campus and telephone extension.

Microsoft Office Tip of the Week: Track Changes

Applications: Word 2007

Track Changes is a Microsoft Office feature that is useful when collaborating with coworkers on documents. Track changes can show deletions, comments, formatting changes, and content that has moved.

Turn change tracking on or off

• On the Review tab, in the Tracking group, click the Track Changes image. When change tracking is active, the icon will be orange. To turn off this function, click the Track Changes image again.


• To add a Track Changes Indicator to the status bar, right-click the status bar and click Track Changes. Click the Track Changes Indicator on the status bar to turn change tracking on or off.

Track changes while you edit
1. Open the document that you want to revise.
2. On the Review tab, in the Tracking group, click the Track Changes image.
3. Make the changes that you want by inserting, deleting, moving, or formatting text or graphics. You can also add comments.

After you are finished editing
After you’ve finished editing your document, use the Document Inspector to find and remove any hidden data stored by the Track Changes tool. To learn more about it, visit our past tip about the Document Inspector.

Web 2.0 Tool of the Week: Prezi

(http://www.Prezi.com)

Prezi is a web app that lets you author and deliver “zooming presentations.” Prezi embraces a zooming user interface model in which blocks of content are arranged contextually in relation to other blocks of content. The user can zoom in and out of the content, alternating between a “big picture” view and a “detail” view. In addition, you can layer content levels by zooming into a block of content, then zooming into a picture within that block (so it fills the whole screen), and then zooming into the picture, so you can see a specific detail.

To best understand Prezi, check out a sample presentation at their site: http://prezi.com/wesbmcijhqvx/



Prezi features include:
· Free online editor to create presentations with
· text
· framed groups
· lines
· arrows
· images, audio and video
· Presenters can zoom in and out on pictures/ideas as well as rotate them around.
· Presentations may be stored and accessed online through the Prezi site and downloaded for offline presentation.

Considerations for using Prezi:
· A basic account is free but offers limited space, no private presentations, and no offline editing.
· Prezi is for presenting only; printable handouts must be created separately.

Ready to explore Prezi?
Sign up for an account here, or check out a few of their tutorials here.

Voicemail Tip of the Week: Quick Message

TWU has a new voicemail system for all permanent faculty and staff. The new system integrates voicemail with e-mail, delivering all messages to both telephone and e-mail. To request an account on the new system, e-mail voicemail@twu.edu and include your name, campus, and telephone extension.

Voicemail messages can be sent by anyone at anytime, from on or off campus. This feature works regardless of phone forwarding status, and minimizes interruptions since it does not ring the recipient’s phone.

To send a quick message:
1. Call the voicemail system
· From on campus: Denton 4646, Dallas & Houston 814646
· From off campus: (940)898-4646, (214)689-6677, or (713)794-2044
2. Press * (system prompt)
3. Enter the recipient’s six digit mailbox number (system prompt)

Note: Six digit mailbox numbers are a campus code (Denton: 81, Dallas-Parkland: 82, Dallas-Presbyterian: 83, Houston: 84) + the four digit extension.

4. The recipient’s mailbox greeting will play
5. Record your message and hang up

Voicemail is available for all permanent faculty and staff. To request an account, e-mail voicemail@twu.edu from your TWU e-mail account and include name, campus and telephone extension.

Microsoft Office Tip of the Week: Format Painter

Applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook

The Microsoft Format Painter copies the formatting of shapes, objects, or text in a document. This ability increases consistency in a document which may contain many different format styles. The Format Painter is available in Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook.

Example:

Consistent formatting increases readability.

Isn’t this easier to read now?

To make the statements above match in style, use the Format Painter.

1. Highlight the text with the correct formatting.
2. On the Home tab, go to the Clipboard group and select the Format Painter which is signified by a paint brush.
3. Select the text to be formatted.

Now, the statements match in formatting.

Consistent formatting increases readability.

Isn’t this easier to read now?


For specific information about using the Format Painter in Microsoft Office Programs, check out:

Word:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/HA100905271033.aspx

Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/HA102103271033.aspx

Web 2.0 Tool of the Week: Facebook

(http://www.facebook.com)

Facebook is a popular social networking site. Facebook can be used to network with friends, colleagues or classmates. People all over the world are using this application. People can “friend” each other to allow access to content.

Facebook features include:

• The account is free; registration is required.
• Facebook allows picture and video sharing as well as sending public or private messages, and has a chat feature.
• Upload photos, post comments, or reply to messages via computer or mobile phone.
• Privacy settings allow users to control who can see content.
• Facebook users can create personal or public group pages.
• Facebook users can join common interest groups.

This application is accessible via both Mac and PC platforms as long as they have a browser and an internet connection. Many businesses use Facebook to market their products and services by creating groups, fan pages, and advertising.

Some other Facebook applications:

• Post updates and announcements
• Collaborate on a projects
• Share information and photos
• Build better connections with students, colleagues, friends, and family
• Facilitate teamwork
• Search for a job

Ready to join Facebook?
Sign up for an account here. Become a fan of TWU Tech Know!

Voicemail Tip of the Week: Phone Forwarding

TWU has a new voicemail system for all permanent faculty and staff. The new system integrates voicemail with e-mail, delivering all messages to both telephone and e-mail. To request an account on the new system, e-mail voicemail@twu.edu and include your name, campus, and telephone extension.


Phone forwarding is the process by which an end user determines when voicemail answers calls. There are two types of phone forwarding available: all and partial. If all call forwarding is set, all calls to that extension are immediately forwarded to voicemail. If partial forwarding is set, voicemail answers after several rings or immediately if busy.

To set all call forward
Pick up the receiver.
Press * 1 81 4646.
Hang up.

To set partial forward
Pick up the receiver.
Press * 2 81 4646.
Hang up.

When using a display multi line phone, FWD SET will appear.

To clear all call forward
Pick up the receiver.
Press # 1.
Hang up.

To clear partial forward
Pick up the receiver.
Press # 2.
Hang up.

When using a display multi line phone, FWD CNCL will appear.

When calling campus extensions using a display multi line phone, the phone system will display the type of forwarding set.
FDB indicates that voicemail has answered the call due to busy status.
FDN indicates that voicemail has answered the call due to no answer.
FDA indicates that voicemail has answered because all calls are forwarded.

Voicemail is available for all permanent faculty and staff. To setup an account, e-mail voicemail@twu.edu from your TWU e-mail account and include name, campus and telephone extension.
Want more information? Call the TWU Helpdesk (940) 898-3971

Microsoft Office Tip of the Week: Document Inspector

Applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint

Microsoft Office documents often contain data that should be removed before sharing. Word may have editing changes that appear when shared. Excel spreadsheets may contain hidden rows or columns of data that should not be viewed by others. PowerPoint files may have graphics or text that do not appear on the slide, but are available when the file is opened. For final proofreading before sharing a document, use the Microsoft Office Document Inspector.

NOTE: Before running the Document Inspector, save a copy of the document under a different name. Some changes made by the Document Inspector cannot be undone.

To run the document inspector:
1. Open the renamed/copy version of the Office document to inspect.
2. Click the Microsoft Office Button, point to Prepare, and then click Inspect Document.
3. In the Document Inspector dialog box, select the check boxes to choose the types of hidden content that you want to be inspected.
4. Click Inspect.
5. Review the results of the inspection in the Document Inspector dialog box.
6. Click Remove All next to the inspection results for the types of hidden content that you want to remove from your document.

The following links provide more detail on aspects of the Document Inspector for individual programs:

Word:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word/HA100744351033.aspx?pid=CH100996521033

Excel:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/HA100744381033.aspx?pid=CH100648291033

PowerPoint:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint/HA100744371033.aspx?pid=CH100673541033

Looking for more information?
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Web 2.0 Tool of the Week: Twitter

Twitter (http://www.twitter.com)

The world is tweeting with Twitter! Twitter, a micro blogging tool, allows users to post messages of up to 140 characters. Users can post via the web, IM, or a mobile phone. Twitter requires users to sign up for a free account.

Considerations for using Twitter:
· Users can “follow” you and you can “follow” them to receive twitter updates
· Accounts can be public or private - you grant permission to allow viewing
· If you block someone, that person won’t be able to follow you or send you any messages
· Posts can be deleted, but not changed
· Users can post and receive tweets on their mobile phone
· Twitter updates can be incorporated in your blog, website, or Facebook
· By using #hashtags you can sort, search, and filter posts. #Hashtags are commonly accepted search terms with a # sign in front. Some of our favorite hashtags relating to higher education and technology are #edtech, #highered, and #geekpoll

Possible uses of Twitter for educators include:
· Keep up with friends or colleagues
· Share updates or announcements
· Take notes that emphasize main ideas
· Send course updates or announcements
· Teach students to summarize ideas or to teach concise expression of ideas
· Share “aha” moments from conference sessions or meetings

There is a community forum available to users. On the forum you can find information on how to use Twitter, as well as contribute to the forum.

Ready to Twitter?
Sign up for an account here, check out this five step guide to getting started and follow us on Twitter

Voicemail: Out of Office Settings

TWU has a new voicemail system for all permanent faculty and staff. The new system integrates voicemail with e-mail delivering all messages to both telephone and e-mail. To request an account on the new system, e-mail voicemail@twu.edu and include your name, campus and telephone extension.

This tip will give information about how to set out of office status and greeting on the new system.

Setting out of office from your desk telephone:
1. Call the system: 4646 or 814646
2. Press # to access voicemail (system prompt)
3. Enter your security code (system prompt)
4. To set voicemail status to out of office, press 5 (manage personal options) + 1 (change current status) + 7 (out of office).
a. When the system asks you about setting the “until” date for the greeting to play, skip the option. This will not automatically set the greeting on & off. Press 3 to ignore this option. The system will prompt that the status is successfully updated.
5. To record an out of office greeting, press 5 (manage personal options) + 4 (manage personal prompts) + 3 (record out of office greeting).
6. To hear the out of office greeting, press 5 (manage personal options) + 4 (manage personal prompts) + 4 (listen to out of office greeting).
7. When finished, hang up.

Block / unblock message option:
When messages are blocked, voicemail will play the greeting and not allow messages to be left.
1. Press 5 (manage personal options) + 6 (manage announcement only options) + 1 will toggle to block messages or receive messages. The system will tell you if your box is or is not set to receive messages.
2. When finished, hang up.

NOTE: Set the “out of office” on your email. Out of office must be set on both voicemail and e-mail.

Returning to the office & removing out of office from your desk phone:
1. Call the system: 4646 or 814646
2. Press # to access voicemail (system prompt)
3. Enter your security code (system prompt)
4. To set voicemail status to available, press 5 (manage personal options) + 1 (change current status) + 1 (available). By changing status to available, the standard greeting is turned on, and out of office greeting turned off.
5. To hear the standard greeting, press 5 (manage personal options) + 4 (manage personal prompts) + 2 (listen to standard greeting).
6. To record a standard greeting, press 5 (manage personal options) + 4 (manage personal prompts) + 1 (record standard greeting).
7. When finished, hang up.

Block / unblock message option:
When messages are blocked, voicemail will play the greeting and not allow messages to be left.
1. Press 5 (manage personal options) + 6 (manage announcement only options) + 1 will toggle to block messages or receive messages. The system will tell you if your box is or is not set to receive messages.
2. When finished, hang up.

NOTE: Remember to remove the out of office status on your e-mail. Removing out of office must be done on both voicemail and e-mail.

Voicemail is available for all permanent faculty and staff. To setup an account e-mail voicemail@twu.edu from your TWU e-mail account and include name, campus and telephone extension.
Want more information? Call the TWU Helpdesk (940) 898-3971

Tip #16: Welcome to the Tips of the Week

Instructional Support Services welcomes you to the fall semester 2009 at Texas Woman’s University. As the semester begins, we would like to offer information about our services and staff. Each week we will be sending out tips of the week featuring various aspects of technology. Tips will be delivered to your e-mail on Mondays and Wednesdays.
On Mondays, you will receive tips featuring such topics as Web 2.0 tools, Microsoft Office, and the new voicemail system. Upcoming topics include:
Utilizing Web 2.0 tools such as Animoto, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Prezi.
Microsoft Office features in Excel and Word that will assist in work processes.
Voicemail tips and tricks including setting out of office and using the fax options.

On Wednesdays, you will receive tips about Blackboard features. Upcoming topics include:
Embedding video in your course
Customizing the homepage
Using the Test Generator
Using RSS feeds in a course

During the semester, we will be offering training sessions and other opportunities to assist faculty and staff with technology integration. Our team is comprised of several staff including:

Jean Mankoff, Director of Instructional Technology Delivery Systems
Jean received a B.S. from Stephen F. Austin State University with a Double Major in Education and Physics. She earned a M.S. in Kinesiology and Computer Science from TWU. Her teaching experience covers K-12, corporate training as well as adjunct faculty in the Department of Computer Science. As Director of Instructional Technology Delivery Systems, her team supports professional development, Blackboard, voicemail, videoconferencing, Pioneer TV and video production.

Catherine Dutton, Manager of Instructional Technology Software Applications
Catherine earned a B.A. in Family & Consumer Sciences from Utah State University and a M.A.T. from Texas Woman’s University. She holds a secondary teaching certificate and has taught in both K-12 and higher education for the past six years. She is a doctoral candidate in the Family Sciences program at TWU researching educators’ uses of Second Life.

Vicky Johnson, Instructional Operations Coordinator and Blackboard System AdministratorVicky is a Certified Blackboard System Administrator as well as A+ certified. Vicky has an Associate’s Degree in Business, and earned her B.B.A. from TWU. She is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Educational Technology from Boise State University.

Barbara Ritter, Instructional Coordinator and Certified Blackboard InstructorBarbara Ritter is a certified Blackboard instructor the developer of the Blackboard online course for faculty. Barbara earned a B.A and an M.A. in English from University of North Carolina Charlotte. She holds a secondary teaching certificate in English. Barbara has over 14 years of teaching experience in higher education and has been teaching online since 1998. She is pursuing an EDD in Education with an emphasis on Instructional Technology in Distance Education from Nova Southeastern University.

Corin Walker, Instructional Coordinator and Voicemail System AdministratorCorin provides support for voicemail, Blackboard, Microsoft Excel, Outlook and Word, and AllClear Diagramming Software. Corin serves as the Public Relations Liaison for ISS and works with groups for project analysis and outcomes. She earned a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies and a M. S. in Family Studies here at Texas Woman’s University.

Want more information?
Step-by-step tutorials are available at: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard/
Visit our website: http://www.twu.edu/professional-development
or call: (940) 898-3971