Classroom Technology
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Classroom Technology Tips
Check out our technology tips for the classroom.
Lock Down Browser
Lock Down Browser is a web browser designed to provide a secure environment for online exams in Moodle. ITS installs lock down browser in the campus lab environment. Lockdown browser licensing requires a new version each year, which means for individuals who have it on their laptop, they will need to check their version before use to be sure they have a usable version before they need it.
Interactive Classroom Technologies
Depending on how you are teaching your class, there are several technologies supported at Centre that can be used to add a level of engagement. Listed below are the supported software programs that, if used correctly, can make your class environment more interactive and engaging.
Pear Deck
Centre faculty and staff have access to a software program called Pear Deck using their Centre credentials via single sign on (SSO). Pear Deck allows you to create interactive slides within Google Slides and PowerPoint online and can be used for synchronous or asynchronous lessons. Please use the links below to learn how to login to Pear Deck or to install the add-ons. For additional questions, please submit a helpdesk ticket into ITS.
Highlighting a student response (star next to name)
Highlight or hide student responses
Teacher feedback - leaving a comment
Getting Back to the Teacher Dashboard and Student-Paced Mode (video)
PointSolutions/Clickers
If you are looking for anonymous, in-class student polling, our clickers (student response systems), allow students to participate in presentations or lectures by submitting real-time responses to interactive questions. ITS manages twenty-one sets of 30-40 Turning response clickers and organizes a schedule of these sets in certain classrooms each semester.
We do not have a paid version of PointSolutions, which means this software is only used for anonymous, in-class polling. ITS can assist faculty with incorporating clickers in your class and we can provide guidance on how to use clickers effectively to engage students and/or provide instruction on how to use the PointSolutions software.
If you would like to use clickers in your course, please submit a helpdesk ticket.
Using specialized software in my classroom
Requesting technology for classrooms
ITS tries to keep all classrooms as standard as possible, within reason, to ensure the reliability and ease of use of classrooms. If there is a specific piece of equipment that you will need in any classroom, please contact ITS before purchasing so we can verify that it will work with the classroom technology. We need at least two weeks notice to accommodate request and we will try to accommodate all requests, but there may be times when the technology you requested will not integrate with the classroom technology. In those cases, ITS will do what we can to help you find an alternate solution.
Software availability
The College has some campus-wide licenses, but most software is purchased on a per-user basis, so some software requests may require an account number to charge for the software purchase. If there is a specific software package that you need, please contact ITS to check availability and if it is available, we will coordinate installing it on your office computer.
Requesting technology and software in computer classrooms
Each term ITS will send out an email requesting any changes to the software installed in the computer classrooms around campus. The reason we send this notice is to ensure that there is enough time to get the software installed before the start of the term. We need at least two weeks notice prior to the start of the term to get software installed, so please keep an eye out for this email each term. Requests less than two weeks before the start of each term may not be immediately available (due to room availability.)
Resources for specialized software: