Working with Office 2007 Documents
Undoutedly, students buying new computers will also be buying the latest version of Microsoft Office, 2007. Normally this would not present a problem, however Microsoft has changed the file formats for Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Please follow the link below and download the compatibility pack (Microsoft warns to install all High-Priority updates first).

Backing Up Your Files
In order to avoid the loss of important data, Instructional Technology and the Technology Help Desk would like to remind you to back up your data at least once every-other day. In order to help make this a simple part of your daily routine, we’ve created a screencast tutorial to show you how to use the automated script to back up your files.  Please use this process regularly, as some individuals have already permanently lost important data this semester. Follow the link below to find the new tutorial.

Classroom Speakers and Cell Phones
Mobile phones may cause intermittent buzzing sounds in the classroom audio system during your classes. GSM cell phones will send out an electromagnetic burst to try and locate nearby cell towers. The sensitive microphones in our classrooms pick up this rapid burst of energy from the phone and translate it back through the classroom audio system as a series of repeating buzzes. If you hear this sound, ask your students to put their phones into ‘Flight Mode'.   If they have an older phone that does not have this mode, then ask them to shut them off entirely. To learn more, follow the link below.

Mashups: Education 2.0
Mashups are the results of mixing data, works of art or other digital content to produce new, compelling tools and artworks. This Educause article provides an excellent overview of mashups, how they are currently being used, and their implications and possibilities in higher education now.

Second Life Missionaries
Jesuit Missionaries have often been at the forefront of explorations, spreading the word of God. Antonio Spadaro is encouraging fellow Catholics to consider the popular online game Second Life as missionary territory. Follow the link to read the whole story.

Legal First?
Wired reports that a military justice tribunal used unprecendented live internet video in a trial. The format was chosen to accomodate witnesses spread out around the world. The reviews were mixed, saying that without the technology, some of the witnesses would never have testified. Others say that the technology cheated the accused out of a fair trial.

New Instructional Technology Tutorials
Click the link below to find our archive of screencasted tutorials. We will continue to add to these throughout the year, so check back often. Our latest tutorials cover the Format Painter and Cut, Copy and Paste tools in Microsoft Office. Have an idea for a tutorial? Email them here.