March 2012
- As part of our ongoing effort to improve recording keeping and data management, ITS has recently completed a major upgrade to our billing and service management system known as Pinnacle. If you are a fiscal officer, an authorized fiscal officer delegate, or a student living in on-campus housing you would use this system to view your bill for one or more of the following services.
- Voice Communications (IP, Digital, Analog, and Cell Phones)
- Data (Internet and Network access)
- PBN/STAN (Phone authorization code)
- Leased Computers (Tangent)
- This upgraded version of Pinnacle, known as Pinnacle V6 was made accessible to clients with the release of the February 1st bill. Pinnacle V6 will have a new web link for accessing the site and a new user interface to access your information. Basic instructions for navigating through the new users interface will be provided when you log onto the system.
- If you have any questions regarding this change, please contact Terry Meredith by email at tmeredi@siue.edu or by phone at 618-650-5777.
- As part of the commitment to improving teaching and learning technology, SIUE will be upgrading from Blackboard 8 to Blackboard 9.1 at the start of the Fall 2012 semester. At the same time, Blackboard Collaborate will replace Wimba Live Classroom as the synchronous and asynchronous web conferencing tool in Bb. For additional information on these upgrades, consult the Bb 9.1 Resource site.
- In order to become familiar with the upgraded Bb system, ITS encourages all teaching faculty and staff to request Bb 9.1 practice shells. These "sandboxes" will allow instructors to gain hands-on experience with the Bb 9.1 features and functions and also enable them to begin scaffolding the structure for Fall 2012 courses.
- Note that Bb 9.1 is currently running on a pilot server. Therefore, course shells for Fall 2012 are not being created at this time. However, instructors will have the option to migrate their sandbox shells from the pilot to the production system prior to the start of the Fall 2012 semester.
- In addition to requesting the sandbox, Blackboard users are still strongly encouraged to attend the information and training sessions ITS will be offering throughout the spring and summer semesters.
- Click here to access the Bb 9.1 course request form.
- During Spring Break, ITS was able to upgrade equipment in 18 out of date Smart classrooms. The new classrooms feature a high resolution document camera, a 22" SMART Podium, a new DVD/VCR, and make use of the touch panel control system found in many other classrooms. The new equipment is exciting, but you may be unfamiliar with how to use it. Tutorials for the new equipment are available at: http://www.siue.edu/smart. ITS also offers one on one training, which can usually be conducted in just a few minutes before your class begins. To schedule a one on one training session, contact ITS at (618) 650-5500 or via email at help@siue.edu.
