Sitecore – IT Connect

Web Team Supports Site Refreshes

Using the launch of the redesigned SMU homepage as a catalyst, OIT is moving forward with the largest update to the SMU web experience in years. The Web Team is working with multiple areas to launch new sites and features in the coming months.

SMU Meadows (2021) Starting with the Meadows School of the Arts, the Web Team is collaborating with the marketers to provide a fresh set of templates and features needed by Meadows to permit them to create their site in the new brand. As one of the initial users of the new SMU web brand in Sitecore years ago, their web presence was limited by the features available at that time. The team is striving to provide Continue reading Web Team Supports Site Refreshes

The Fall 2021 Staff IT Training Schedule is Here!

Another academic year is upon us, and that also means we are continuing our in-person training sessions for the fall! Check out our latest offerings and sign up for whatever sparks your curiosity.

Note: In-person sessions may be converted to Zoom webinars in conjunction with SMU’s campus operational level. Registered attendees will be notified in the event of a change in the operational level that would require webinars.

Join Us via Zoom for Fall 2020 IT Training Courses

For this fall, we are offering our usual IT training courses via Zoom webinar. From working on web pages in Sitecore to producing videos quickly with Adobe Premiere Rush, we invite you to take advantage of these upcoming sessions!

Adobe Acrobat Basics

September 28, 1 P.M.: Adobe Acrobat is installed on almost every computer on campus, and you probably use it to view PDF files every day. Have you ever wanted to know more about what Acrobat can do? In this one-hour hands-on course, you’ll learn more about creating PDF files, editing and formatting files, publication methods, and the basics on creating your own online forms. We will also cover why PDFs are a useful file format and different use cases for them.

Collaborating with Microsoft Teams

October 14, 10 A.M.: Microsoft Teams is a next-generation communications and collaboration platform that brings the ease of Skype for Business together with the power and versatility of chat apps like Slack and HipChat. In this course we will go over the foundations of working with teams, channels, chat, file sharing, applications, and more.

Video Editing with Adobe Rush

October 27, 1 P.M.: Learn about Adobe Premiere Rush, the easy-to-use, all-in-one video editing software for online video creators. Join us as we discover the creative possibilities Adobe Premiere Rush can bring.

Sitecore Basics for Content Editors

November 16, 2 P.M.: In this course, we will look at the basics of working within web pages using SMU’s Content Management System, Sitecore. Learn how to work with text, links, images, and publication options.

And as always, stop by smu.edu/ittraining for additional information, including how to access LinkedIn Learning for any time, on-demand training courses!

Academic Technology Webinar Sessions Now On Demand!

During the spring and summer, OIT’s Academic Technology Service Directors worked with faculty and staff to provide massive amounts of online training webinars to prepare for the unprecedented new styles of teaching and learning now in use on campus. If you missed any of these great sessions, we have them available for you to view anytime!

Spring 2020: Remote Learning: From Survival to Exceptional

Fall 2020: Advancements in EdTech Conference – in partnership with the Teaching Effectiveness Symposium

New Video Course for Sitecore Now Available

With the recent upgrades of SMU websites to newer, more streamlined design templates, the need for new training materials became apparent. After several live training sessions with select campus groups, we are now happy to offer a brand-new training video for those of us on campus who do basic editing in SMU web pages. The new Sitecore for Content Editors course is available below and at smu.edu/sitecore.

We also hope to restart live webinars and eventually in-person Sitecore training sessions soon. Stay tuned to smu.edu/ittraining for future sessions!

Setting the Cornerstone: Sitecore Design Upgrades Continue

Sitecore Logo If you work within Sitecore, SMU’s Content Management System for the web, you’ve probably heard about new design templates being designed and implemented across all SMU web pages to improve the look and feel of our web presence as well as improving accessibility for those using assistive technologies. We’d like to provide you with an update on how the conversion to these new “Cornerstone” templates is going! Continue reading Setting the Cornerstone: Sitecore Design Upgrades Continue