Category: Tech Tips

Tech Tip of the Week: Graduation!

Hello 2021 iSchool Graduates! Congratulations in advance! We know you will do amazing things with what you’ve learned at the iSchool! This Tech Tip is just for you! 

Do you know what happens to your University email once you graduate? 

Your student status will be removed one year after you leave the University. You can continue to use all of your services until your student status is removed. This means that before it is removed, you will want to make sure to set up email forwarding, back up important files, documents, and projects outside of Office 365 and Box, and keep your NetID current by maintaining an updated password when prompted. Once your student status is removed, you will lose access to the following: 
      • University Exchange (Outlook) Mailbox
      • Microsoft Office 365
      • Online courses (Moodle/learn.illinois.edu)
      • U of I Box
      • Linkedin Learning
 

Do you know how to access transcripts of the official and unofficial variety?

If you’re a current student/are graduating this spring:
      • Order an official PDF or paper transcript by accessing the Registration and Records tab in the Student Self-Service.
Don’t have an active NetID?
Both of these options are for electronic transcripts. If you need a paper one, consult the Registrar Transcript page again for more detailed information.
Being able to easily access your transcripts is a great incentive to keep your NetID and password updated regularly!
While we at the Help Desk can point you in the general right direction, any specific transcript questions should go to the Transcript/Records office (217) 333-9778.

For more information about Convocation please see the School of Information Sciences page about Convocation 2021.

Tech Tip of the Week: Windows Keyboard Shortcuts

For this week’s Tech Tip, we have some of the most common and helpful keyboard shortcuts for Windows!
Ctrl+C will copy a selected item to your clipboard
Ctrl+X will cut the selected item
Ctrl+V will paste the item in the clipboard
Ctrl+Z will undo the previous action
Ctrl+P will print the current page/document
Ctrl+S will save the current page/document
Ctrl+F will open the search to find a term in the current page
Alt+Tab will switch between open apps
Windows logo key+H will start dictation
F3 will search for a file or folder in File Explorer
F5 will refresh an active window
Windows logo key+Shift+S will take a screenshot of part of your screen
Windows logo key+period (.) or semicolon(;) will open the emoji panel

 

Mac Keyboard Shortcuts

Here are some shortcuts to make your life using a Mac a little easier. (Windows Shortcuts coming next week.)
Some of the most common and helpful Mac keyboard shortcuts are:
Command+C will copy a selected item to your clipboard
Command+V will paste the item in the clipboard
Command+Z will undo the previous action
Command+P will print the current page/document
Command+S will save the current page/document
Command+F will open the search to find a term in the current page
Command+Spacebar will open the spotlight search
Shift+Command+N will create a new folder.
Control+Command+Space bar will show the Character Viewer, from which you can choose emoji and other symbols.
Command+B will boldface the selected text, or turn boldfacing on or off. 
Command+I will italicize the selected text, or turn italics on or off.
Command+K will add a web link.
Command+U will underline the selected text, or turn underlining on or off.
Option+Shift+Command+V will Paste and Match Style: Apply the style of the surrounding content to the item pasted within that content.

Tech Tip of the Week: Zoom Green Screen

Did you know there is a green screen feature in Zoom?

You may be familiar with using virtual backgrounds, but if you have a green screen, Zoom has a feature that helps you use it to your advantage. Selecting the green screen box when you choose to set a virtual background helps Zoom distinguish between you and your background. It is helpful to have a solid color background that doesn’t match with what you are wearing, and there is a feature where you can custom set your green screen color, meaning you can use any solid color fabric you have. It also does not need to be fully covering your background to work.

To properly use your green screen, follow the same steps you would use to set a virtual background. Instructions on how to use virtual backgrounds can be found on the iSchool wiki. From there, make sure to check the box next to “I have a green screen.”

If you would like to manually pick the color of your background, click the little oval that appears and select the color that you would like to have as your background.

It is important to note that glitches can happen, and mastering green screen can take some practice. For more information please see Zoom’s documentation on virtual backgrounds.

Tech Tip of the Week: April Fools Tech Pranks

Are you gearing up for April Fools tomorrow?
This week’s Tech Tip is all about how to prank your friends and family using some classic tech pranks.
From adding a cracked screen background image to adding a post-it note to the bottom of their mouse, find more ideas on how to trick your coworkers and loved ones here!

Tech Tip of the Week: Changing your Name in Zoom

If you chose to change your preferred name in Self Service, your preferred name will populate to your Illinois Zoom account. However, if you only want to change your name in Zoom or you want to add your preferred pronouns, please follow these steps:

  1. Go to https://illinois.zoom.us/ and sign in.
  2. Click on Profile in the left sidebar area.
  3. Your name should be listed at the top, and to the far right there should be an Edit button. Click on Edit.
  4. Under Display Name, type your preferred name. This is the name people will see when you are in a Zoom meeting with them.
    1. NOTE: You can also add your preferred pronouns in this space as well.
  5. Then click Save Changes.

Here is further documentation on changing your display name in Zoom.

Tech Tip of the Week: Sharing a PowerPoint in Zoom

With midterms underway and preparations for final presentations beginning, you may soon find yourself needing to share a PowerPoint in Zoom.

This week’s Tech Tip will show you how you can share PowerPoint without it taking up your entire screen, which is particularly helpful if you have notes you also need visible to yourself.

Sharing a PowerPoint

By default, your PowerPoint presentation will take up your whole screen and you may be unable to see the Chat and Manage Participants. Follow these instructions to contain your presentation in a window rather than full-screen.

  1. Open the PowerPoint you want to present.
  2. Click the Slide Show tab in the top bar, then Set Up Slide Show.
  3. Under Show type, select Browsed by an individual (window) and click OK.
  4. Open your presentation by clicking the Slide Show tab, then click Play from Start or Play from Current Slide


    Your presentation will display in a window.

  5. In Zoom, start or join a meeting.
  6. Click Share Screen in the meeting controls.
  7. Select the Powerpoint window and click Share.

You can find a video demonstrating these steps here.

Tech Tip of the Week: Scheduling Outlook Emails

Have you ever been writing an email only to realize that it’s the middle of the night and you’d rather not have the email be delivered at that time? This week’s Tech Tip covers how to schedule emails in Outlook!

If you use the Outlook application here are instructions on how to schedule emails.

If you use Outlook in a browser you can still schedule your emails! After composing an email you will have to click on the carat next to the Send button and then you will have the option to Send later.
Screenshot of the Send button on Outlook and the drop down menu that opens after clicking the carrat.

After clicking on Send later you will be directed to a calendar where you can then select a date and time to send the email. Once selected you can click Send and your email will be scheduled!

Screenshot of calendar and time options for scheduling emails

Tech Tip of the Week: Data Analytics Workshops and Consulting

This week we are giving a shout-out to the Center for Innovation in Teaching & Learning’s (CITL) workshops and consulting for data analytics.

CITL’s data analytics workshops cover how to use questionnaire design, statistical software, and qualitative programs and occur in evenings throughout the semester.

CITL’s data analytics consulting on survey construction and implementation and how to find and prepare data for analysis is available to all University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign students, staff, and faculty.