Essential Technology Tools for New Faculty

Many educational technology tools are available for you to use, but as a new faculty member or graduate assistant you may not have the time to explore technologies that may help you. Our goal is to help guide you through some of the standard technologies used by many faculty members on campus. When you are ready to explore other technology options, please be sure to visit our Faculty and Staff Technology Resources link or contact Amanda Evans amevans@d.umn.edu (218-726-7680) or Bruce Reeves breeves@d.umn.edu (218-726-6831) for a technology consultation.

x.500:

Your x.500 is your University Internet ID (e.g., amevans) and password, and is essential for much of the work you will do here. You may hear your ID referred to as any of the following:

• x.500
• Internet ID
• email ID
• user ID
• username

but they all mean the same thing (i.e., amevans).

Email:

Thunderbird, Outlook, OSX Mail: Although you may use webmail the amount of email you will have is more efficiently handled with an email program like Thunderbird, Outlook, or OSX Mail.

Configuration guides and programs

Class list and class email alias:

Your class list is the official list of students enrolled in a class. The class email alias allows you to easily email all of your students using one email address.

• Access your class list: http://www.d.umn.edu/itss/facstaff/class-lists.html
• Request Class Alias: https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/acctmgr/calias/index.html

eGradebook:

You may keep an electronic gradebook online that your students may access to check grades. Request eGradebook (http://www.d.umn.edu/egradebook/)

facultEtools:

facultEtools (http://www.d.umn.edu/itss/facstaff/) is a collection and overview of all the educational technology tools offered by the University.

UMN private data page:

The University explains what is and is not private data (http://privacy.ahc.umn.edu/), and how private data should be properly handled.