Hello! In this video we’re going to take a look at updates from Summer 2022
to various academic technologies in use at Case Western Reserve University,
including Canvas, Echo360, Zoom, and Google Workspace.
Let’s get started!
To start things off, there’s been an improvement to the Canvas Wizard.
When creating Canvas courses,
you’ll now have the option to choose whether you want your courses to be published or unpublished when created.
Previously, all new courses were published by default,
but now you can set your preference using the selection buttons in the Wizard.
We’ve also been busy this summer updating third-party tools in the system.
You’ll notice new features for the Linkedin Learning, JoVE, and Poll Everywhere integrations in Canvas.
The largest change has been the switch to the Google Assignments integration,
which brings a new interface to assignments created in the tool and the option to grade
either in Google’s grading tool or Canvas’s SpeedGrader.
Moving on to Echo360,
you can now add, remove, or replace tracks when editing Echo360 videos.
This is a great option that furthers the editing options in Echo360,
giving you the power to customize videos for your classes.
There’s also a new experience for recording videos,
using Echo360’s new Browser Capture tool.
The tool runs from within your web browser without the need to download extra software,
and records your audio, webcam, and screen.
This feature is still in beta mode,
so if you notice anything odd, please report it to us at echo360@case.edu.
All videos uploaded to Echo360 will now receive an automated transcript.
Previously, only content that was published to an Echo360 course section
received automated transcripts.
Finally, there are two updates to the Zoom integration in Echo360:
first, there is a 3 minute minimum duration for recordings that get copied from Zoom to Echo360.
Any captures that are shorter than 3 minutes will not automatically be brought into Echo360
and must be uploaded manually instead.
Second, for Zoom recordings where the Pause button was used in the meeting,
all parts of the recording will be brought into Echo360.
Previously, just the longest section of a meeting was brought into Echo360.
Speaking of Zoom, please ensure that you are running the most recent version of the software by checking for updates.
A new minimum version is required to join CWRU Zoom meetings.
You’ll also now have the option to search breakout rooms for participants,
or find breakout rooms by name, allowing you to quickly view, assign, or move participants between breakout rooms.
Finally, there have been plenty of updates to Google Workspace products this summer.
In Docs, you can now leave a quick emoji reaction.
You’ll also notice new chips, which can be accessed using the @ shortcut when typing in a Doc,
or from the Insert menu.
Specifically, the new Dropdown chip and table templates are a quick way to customize Docs to meet your needs.
A long awaited change has finally arrived for Google Forms: formatting!
You can now add text formatting when adding descriptions and questions in Google Forms,
so feel free to bold, add lists, or insert links!
Moving on to Google Tasks, you can now add a task from within a Google Chat message,
using the three dots icon to locate the option.
You can also mark important tasks with a star to help prioritize and sort your tasks.
Finally, there’s a major update to Google’s storage policy.
Starting in July 2024, Google will be ending its unlimited storage feature.
Although this change is two years away,
due to the magnitude of the reduction,
please examine your storage in your Google Drive, Google Shared Drives, Gmail, and Google Photos,
and delete anything that is no longer needed.
And that’s it! All of the highlights for the best new feature and updates to our academic technologies.
If you have any questions about anything mentioned here,
or want more information about a particular technology,
please contact the [U]Tech Service Desk at (216) 368-HELP,
help.case.edu, or help@case.edu.
Thanks for watching!