In the spring of 2019, DoIT's AV Services department engineered and installed a software-based video conferencing system in Engineering 025 as a pilot project. Based on the success of this project, the Provost's Office has funded the creation of four more systems to support HyFlex learning, typically defined as letting students choose between online or face-to-face (F2F) delivery, and in "real time" (or synchronously). These systems will improve the total student experience for those in-person and off-site, enjoying vastly better audio and video quality and fostering student engagement.

In our current COVID-19 environment, HyFlex classrooms and pedagogy present a real opportunity to facilitate learning with groups of students who may not be able to gather in person. 

As Dr. Zupan and Professor Cook mentioned in the above video, HyFlex teaching is the way of the future. The AV Services department will be upgrading the classroom technology in four campus locations - AD101 (LH3), SOND105, ITE227, and ITE233 - to better accommodate hybrid learning in the spring 2021 semester. HyFlex technology in classrooms includes multiple video cameras to capture the instructor and the class, microphones in the ceiling to capture student audio, and control equipment to provide a more seamless experience for users in the classroom. Any software-based video conferencing client such as Webex and Blackboard Collaborate can be utilized in these new classrooms. 

Although there is a learning curve with the technology, DoIT staff will be available to assist with using the technology and adjusting to teaching in a new method. These instructional spaces will be enhanced, but the operation will be familiar to those who have used them in the past. 

We look forward to working collaboratively with faculty as they adapt their courses to work in a HyFlex environment and adjust to the new technology. 

 -  The AV Services Team, x52461

If an instructor would like to use one of the four rooms that are being upgraded, they should proceed as follows:

For approved HyFlex/in-person classes where instructor and some or all students will be in the classroom:

Instructors should work with their departmental scheduling coordinator, who will submit a request to the Registrar's Office through RT. The Registrar's Office will work with the scheduling coordinator to reserve the space and update the Schedule of Classes.

For online courses where the instructor would like to use the space to broadcast to remote students:

The instructor or the departmental scheduling coordinator should submit a request including the course information (ex ENGL 100, section 2). If one of the spaces is available during the class time, the Registrar's Office will reserve the room. There will be no changes in the Schedule of Classes as students should not be attending in person. Please note that the instructor will also need to complete the Return to On-Campus Work Approval Process if not already approved to be on campus during the semester.

Administration 101 (LH3) - Traditional lecture hall seating, capacity 32

Sondheim 105 - Active learning space with flexible seating, capacity 17

Information Technology & Engineering 227 - tiered traditional classroom with ample student table surface, capacity 17

Information Technology & Engineering 233 - tiered seminar style classroom with ample student table surface, capacity 17

By Ally Hepp

In the coming weeks all UMBC faculty, staff and students will have Webex Assistant enabled by default for all Webex Meetings. Webex Assistant is a suite of features that improves meeting management as well as providing auto-captioning and meeting transcription highlights, which provides an important step towards meeting the needs of everyone in the UMBC community. We will send a follow up message once this suite of features is enabled. In the meantime, for more information on Webex Assistant and its capabilities, please visit this site.

Ray Soellner

Assoc. Director - DoIT

rays1@umbc.edu

Shared drives allow a group of people to maintain a set of files and folders inside Google without having them owned by an individual. This means no more worrying about a person leaving and losing access to that critical document since everything is stored and owned by the group. You can easily add/remove people within a shared drive, and you can create them for a department, organization, workgroup, committee or any other type of collaboration. If you have a Google group you can even add the entire group to a shared drive, and manage permissions through the Google group. 

To create a Google Shared Drive, please review our documentation here - https://wiki.umbc.edu/display/faq/Google+Shared+Drive 

If you would like to setup a Google group for your team/organization to manage calendar meetings/shared drive access, please fill out the form here - http://doit.umbc.edu/request-tracker-rt/listgroup/

If you have any questions about google shared drives, please feel free to email me directly or call or contact our Technology Support Center at rt.umbc.edu or at x53838.

Thank you, 

Damian Doyle

Associate Vice President

DoIT - UMBC