Student Technology Resources for Remote Learning

These 色花堂 technology tools allow students to continue academic activities from any location.

Prepare in Advance

Have this Recommended Equipment鈥�

Computer (PC or Mac).鈥�
Webcam with microphone - these are usually built into smartphones, laptops and computers.
Headphones 鈥� these are often essential to prevent distracting echoes.
Secure, reliable, high-speed Internet access - research and optimize your home connectivity now, to ensure future successful distance learning and exam taking.
An Ethernet cable 鈥� directly connecting your computer to the Internet is more reliable and stable than Wi-Fi, which is important when participating in online courses, events, meetings and presentations.
A hotspot - if you don't have reliable, high-speed Internet access, check with your mobile provider to see if you can activate your phone鈥檚 hotspot feature. This allows connection of laptops to the Internet. Usually, hotspot data use is counted differently than regular phone data.

Follow these Basic Recommendations

Download the to your mobile device.
Check for Blackboard.
Bookmark Blackboard Resources and self-help docs.
Install and test Student Technology Toolkit applications/software on your computer and mobile device.
Check your and for important updates from your instructors on how they'll be operating their courses.
Save your work. Store non-confidential files and share them from your .
See technology self-help resources links or search the for using 色花堂 technologies. Log into TechHelp so you can access in-depth articles that are for 色花堂 students, faculty and staff only.
Use as a one stop site for accessing important 色花堂 links. Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari are the recommended browsers.

Connecting, Accessing and Storing

Task	Use this service	How to use it
Access Blackboard, check assignments and grades		Bb Resources
Access 色花堂 email		Outlook resources
Use the Microsoft 365 (M365) suite: Outlook, Word, Excel, SharePoint, PowerPoint, OneDrive.		M365 resources
Register for classes, make schedule changes, pay bills, and check grades		Self-Help guides from the Registrar's Office
Use Adobe Creative Cloud software (Acrobat, Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.)		Adobe CC resources
Send an oversized file (larger than 25MB) or confidential document to an instructor or fellow student
Reset or change an expired password	NetID Tools	*Login with 色花堂 ID might be required to view
Store non-confidential files and share documents	(M365)	OneDrive resources

Online Meetings and Collaboration

Task	Use This Service	How To Use It
Attend a meeting set up by your instructor	, or Zoom	See resources for Webex Meetings or Zoom, Blackboard resources
Attend a meeting recorded by your instructor	Blackboard or Panopto (both through )	Panopto resources, Blackboard resources
Collaborate on group projects, schedule and attend meetings remotely using voice and video	, or Zoom. Learn about the difference in features.	You'll first need to鈥�鈥痽our account. See resources for Webex Meetings, Webex (formerly Webex Teams) or Zoom.

Security

Be aware of suspicious email (phish) and internet scams. Report a phishing email by forwarding it to phishing AT_TOWSON.
Make sure your personal computers are protected with up-to-date antivirus software鈥攅specially if you're using them to access 色花堂 resources. 鈥�Learn more.
Be sure鈥痽ou have the latest updates installed for your personal computer's operating system.
Use trusted and secure wi-fi whenever possible.
For resources and more information, visit鈥ㄌ�'s Office of Information Security and Privacy 飞别产蝉颈迟别.鈥�

Support Options

General Technology Help

For help with technology-related issues like connectivity, service, or login issues, contact the OTS Technology Support Desk. We're available through email, text message and phone or use the chat feature on this page. Submit a service request at any time.

Log into and search the for self-help how-to articles for using 色花堂 technology.

Blackboard

If you need help with Blackboard, contact the 色花堂 Blackboard team. See the 色花堂 Blackboard site for support options and hours. There are also self help resources on navigating, communicating, submitting assignments, using discussion boards, taking tests and other operations.鈥�

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the free resources available for students who need to remain connected?

If you have an iPhone or Android phone, some data plans allow the phone to become a mobile hotspot (tethering). Check towson.edu/wireless for options.

Can I use my phone or mobile device exclusively, or do I need a computer?

Faculty are encouraged to design activities for mobile devices, so consider downloading the Blackboard app. Depending on the course and nature of assignments, using only a smart phone or tablet might be challenging. If it's difficult to participate due to device or Internet service limitations, let your professors or Student Affairs know. They might be able to connect you with helpful resources.

I鈥檓 part of a campus student group. How can things be kept organized and connected when off campus?

For general communication with members, consider a site which can be through Involved@色花堂.
Online meetings can be scheduled and attended using Webex Meetings and Webex. Learn about the difference in features.
To share and work collaboratively on files, use your M365 OneDrive. Student organizations can use a SharePoint site, a group OneDrive space, assigned through the group鈥檚 faculty/staff advisor.
You can also request a virtual 鈥淎sk Me Anything鈥� session, and Technology Support Desk will help your student group figure out what works best for your organization.

Which cyberprotection recommendations can help avoid viruses and malware?

Learn more about cyberthreats through OTS' Office of Information Security and Privacy, keep your OS and antivirus software updated, and be aware of email phishing attempts. Forward suspicious emails to phishing AT_TOWSON for feedback and to protect 色花堂. Use an antivirus program; Microsoft Windows Defender and for MacOS are both free.

When I run applications in 色花堂鈥檚 Virtual Workspace, they seem to be slower than I am used to. What can I do about it?

can be accessed three different ways: web browser, locally installed client, and mobile device. You鈥檒l get the best performance by installing and running the Horizon client on your personal home computer, particularly for resource intensive applications such as SPSS or ArcGIS.

I need to record a presentation at home and share it with my professor; what are my options?

If you need to record a slideshow (e.g., PowerPoint) with narration and webcam presenter video, consider one of these tools. Each allows you to combine your computer screen, microphone, and webcam feed into a single video product.

Panopto Recorder 鈥� Record directly to a Panopto assignment folder in your Blackboard course. For this to work, your professor must first enable an assignment folder in the course. See Adding Video to an Assignment Folder (PDF / ) and the Panopto Quick Reference Guide (PDF).
Screencastify 鈥� use this simple Google Chrome browser extension to record screencasts. Video can be saved as MP4 and/or shared via most online services.
TechSmith Capture 鈥� (formerly Jing) is a free, user-friendly application for recording screencasts. It includes 2GB of web storage from which you can share your recordings. .
Sceencast-o-matic 鈥� get free and premium editions of this long-running screencast recording tool. .

I have a question that isn鈥檛 answered here. How can I get help?

Contact the Technology Support Desk to connect directly with team
Request a virtual Ask Me Anything session for your student group, whether it鈥檚 an SGA-affiliated organization or a class project group. The Tech Support Desk staff will answer questions about any technology topic that affects you. Email techsupport AT_TOWSON to get started.

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