Tag: resources

Tech Tip of the Week: Take Breaks from your Screens!

Taking a break away from your screens can help with eye strain, sleep, productivity, and breaking the habit of doomscrolling.

Here are some apps you can use to remind you when it is time to take a break.

A good rule of thumb is to get out of your chair for at least 5 minutes each hour.

Another good rule of thumb to help with eye strain there is the 20-20-20 rule! Every 20 minutes, look away from your screen at something about 20 feet away for about 20 seconds. Consider this a stretch for your eyes!

Lastly, this might be a good time to check out our previous Tech Tip of stretches for your hands! check it out here.

Tech Tip of the Week: Online Learning Resources from CITL

With most classes being entirely online, the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (CITL) is an extremely valuable resource. Below, we are going to highlight some of the most prevalent resources and information CITL offers for this unique academic year.

Student Resources

Student resources

Instructor Resources

Instructor Resources for transitioning to online Instruction

To help you develop an online class, CITL offers ‘Online Course in a Box’

CITL also has information for instructors specifically about using Zoom, including potential uses and best practices

While not created by CITL, they do recommend this article on the basics of online teaching

CITL also recommends the Tukam if you are interested in hand-writing notes during lectures, as opposed to using slides. You can learn more about Tukam here.

Tech Tip of the Week: Loanable Technology from the Library

Did you know that you can borrow equipment from the University Library as well as books?

Both the Grainger IDEA Lab and the Media Commons have loanable technologies, including game consoles and virtual reality headsets.

You can find the list of loanable technologies here.

Tech Tip of the Week: Adapting to Being an Online Student

As we kick off the second week of classes many of us are still adjusting to online classes. The University has some tips on how to adjust that you can find here: https://online.illinois.edu/articles/online-learning/item/2020/03/12/adapting-to-online-learning

This article gives tips for success in online classes: https://online.illinois.edu/articles/online-learning/item/2015/09/16/7-tips-for-online-success

You can also find advice on how to connect with your classmates still: https://online.illinois.edu/articles/online-learning/item/2020/03/22/ways-to-connect-with-your-online-classmates-during-a-time-of-social-distancing

This semester might look different than the others, but we are excited to have you at the iSchool!

Tech Tip of the Week: How to Look your Best on Zoom

This week we want to redirect you to this article by Brett Bitnner entitled “Webchat like a Pro-Cinematographer.”

This article includes some fantastic insight and graphics on how to look and sound good on a video call.

One note we want to emphasize is the need for a good headset! This will let you hear and sound much better than your computer’s built-in speakers and mic. We also highly recommend getting into the habit of checking if you are muted when you first enter a Zoom meeting.

Tech Tip of the Week: Preventing Eye Strain

This week’s Tech Tip is all about your eyes!

We use our eyes constantly and the screens we use nearly as often can cause strain to our eyes. There are a few things you can do to prevent this eye strain:

  1. Get an eye exam
  2. Use proper lighting
  3. Minimize Glare
  4. Upgrade your monitor
  5. Adjust your computer settings
  6. Blink more often
  7. Exercise your eyes
  8. Take frequent breaks
  9. Modify your workstation
  10. Wear computer glasses to reduce blue light

Learn more about each of these steps here.

Tech Tip of The Week: Stretches for your Hands!

Sitting at a computer all day typing can really take a toll on your hands. This week’s Tech Tip offers some stretches you can try throughout the day to keep your hands happy.

This article from Harvard instructs on how to perform wrist stretches that will help lengthen the muscles and tendons that can be shortened by daily tasks like typing.

If videos are more your thing, this video was made by a doctor who specializes in treating professional gamers and demonstrates stretches for your entire hand.

And don’t forget to give your hands a well-earned break every now and then!

Tech Tip of The Week: Campus Wellness Resources

The University of Illinois’ Human Resources department offers Campus Wellbeing Services at this link. These services include wellness programs, an online hub and events calendar, online resources, and referrals to services on campus and in the community.

To address our current situation, they have also created a Coping with Covid-19 Toolkit at this link.

Tech Tip of the Week: Digital Storytelling Resources

Gathering Materials
The following sites offer open source and/or public domain materials. In most cases, the materials are free to download.

Images:

Sound Effects and Audio Samples:

Video Clips (for background):

Creation and Editing

Audio editing:

Audio/Video editing:

Hosting Content Online

Tech Tip of the Week: University of Illinois KnowledgeBase

The KnowledgeBase is a database used to manage knowledge documents from many University of Illinois partners. It contains a variety of easily searchable information, including technical directions, documents, procedures, and policies.

The University of Illinois Technology Services is one of the KnowledgeBase’s on-campus partners, meaning there is a wealth of documentation on relevant technologies in the KnowledgeBase. Learn more about the Knowledge Base and its partners here.

And search the KnowledgeBase here!