In higher education, where all of us benefit from a dizzying array of always new and changing technologies, two leaders from Southern Methodist University (SMU) are working to encourage all of us to, at the very least, use tools we already have available to advance the cause of digital accessibility. At this year’s international EDUCAUSE conference, held in Chicago, Associate CIO for Academic Technology Jason Warner and Senior Academic Technology Services Director and Online Education Manager Jennifer Culver took the stage to call our community to action on this pivotal issue in their session: “3x3x3 for Digital Technology Accessibility.” Continue reading Championing ‘3X3X3 Digital Accessibility’: SMU Academic Tech Leaders’ EDUCAUSE Focus
Author: Laurene Klassen
Laurene is the Assistant Director of SMU’s IT Training & Communications Team. She enjoys reading, writing, and enjoying outdoor activities with her family in her spare time.
SMU DataArts: Streamlining Data into a Unified Solution
At the core of SMU DataArts’ operations lies a wealth of information from various sources, notably the “Cultural Data Profile,” a historical repository that is available on the SMU DataArts website. This invaluable dataset is meticulously curated to support grantmakers and cultural leaders, encompassing a comprehensive spectrum of data from organizations. Ranging from ticket sales, financial records, performance analytics, leadership insights, to venue specifics, this amalgamation of diverse data serves as a valuable resource for decision-makers. Continue reading SMU DataArts: Streamlining Data into a Unified Solution
Student Spotlight: Mastering Microsoft Certifications
Ryan Clinton recently caught our eye as we noticed he completed three Microsoft Office Certifications, both as a class requirement and for professional development rather quickly. After seeing he had achieved two out of three exams with perfect scores, we reached out to him to learn more about his desire to get Microsoft Certified. Continue reading Student Spotlight: Mastering Microsoft Certifications
SMU macOS Users, Don’t Upgrade to Sonoma Just Yet!
While Apple has launched Sonoma as their latest update to macOS, we recommend that users wait until the next update before upgrading University-owned computers. We know you may be chomping on the bit to click install, but we are currently reviewing any potential conflicts with other University applications or fixes that might be needed.
While you wait, here are a few features that our Mac users can expect in the upcoming weeks. Continue reading SMU macOS Users, Don’t Upgrade to Sonoma Just Yet!
Empowering Students through Interactive Online Courses
We recently had the opportunity to sit down with one of SMU’s Online Learning Experience Designers, Prerna Munoth, to learn about her efforts to improve online course development at SMU. Prerna collaborates with faculty to transform traditional offline courses into synchronous and asynchronous online courses using quality measures outlined by the Quality Matters (QM) framework. One of her primary goals is to make online courses more interactive and engaging for students. Continue reading Empowering Students through Interactive Online Courses
