Technology for Educators

3 people smiling together

Welcome to the Spring 2025 Semester, 

A special welcome to our new and returning instructors! We hope you had a relaxing and rejuvenating break. To help you start this semester, Enterprise Technology has curated a list of important announcements, tool updates, and helpful resources to ensure you are set up for success from the very start.

The update to Canvas email addresses (changing them to IID emails: EID@eid.utexas.edu), announced last semester, has been postponed until the end of the spring semester to allow for further testing of its impact on external tool integrations. A new timeline will be shared later this semester.

Finally, we are very interested in hearing your thoughts on our learning technology ecosystem. Help us prioritize our work and improve your experience with our services. Please drop us a note about what’s working and what isn’t working on this feedback form.

For monthly updates on learning technology tools including those above and more, please subscribe to the Academic Technology Update Newsletter.

UT canvas icon

Canvas

Canvas for teachers is a centrally supported learning management system (LMS), where your students will have access to course related work and communication.

zoom video conferencing icon

Zoom

Centrally supported video conferencing tool that empowers you to connect with your students, teach, and collaborate. Fully integrated with Canvas, it allows you to host and join sessions seamlessly from your mobile device, desktop client, or the web.

Burnt Orange Icon representing Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365

At UT, everyone has free access to Microsoft 365, including tools like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive, Teams, OneNote, and more for communication and productivity.

panopto logo in burnt orange circle

Panopto

Teachers can easily record, stream, and share video content with students, supported by hosting, analytics, and LMS integration for seamless management and impactful learning.

Canvas

male hands typing on a computer while sitting at a desk

Getting Started in Canvas

Canvas for teachers is a centrally supported learning management system (LMS), where your students will have access to course related work and communication.

Beginning of Semester Module
The beginning of semester module will guide you through common tasks, including merging multi-section courses, adding TAs, posting your syllabus, and publishing your course.

Workshops
Canvas offers workshops, vendor webinars, and/or you can schedule a consultation.

Extending Courses
The Fall 2024 term will end in Canvas on Friday, January 31st at 11:59pm. Visit the tutorial for help extending courses.

Canvas Updates

Use Policy

New minimum Canvas use policy launched in Fall 2024. Full details and FAQs are available on the Academic Affairs Canvas Adoption Policy page.

Simple Syllabus

Learn more about Simple Syllabus on the Academic Affairs website or attend a workshop. The link to the workshops is located in the Getting Started with Canvas area above.

Student Inactive Status

Students who q-drop courses will now be kept in the roster but set to “Inactive”, which filters them from course participation, the gradebook, and group assignments. Drops ahead of the 12th class day will be deleted as normal.   

UT Canvas Apps

Do you wonder what learning tools are approved? Check out the UT Canvas Apps page! We’ve made it easier to find and install approved apps in Canvas. Look for the ‘UT Canvas Apps’ course menu link to get started.

External Apps Approval

If you’re interested in a new technology tool and want to integrate it with Canvas, ISO (Information Security Office) approval and a business contract are required. Check our External Apps page for a list of approved tools/vendors.

Course Evaluations Link

Instructors, be sure to keep your Course Evaluations link active in the Canvas navigation menu to ensure student access at the time of evaluation. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact the Service Desk.

UT Student Success Tool

The UT Student Success tool is an easy-to-use reporting and messaging tool that allows instructors and TAs to respond to student inactivity in the Canvas course and remind students about upcoming due dates, all in one place. For more information, check out the UT Student Success Tool Quick Start Guide.

My Classroom Course

The My Classroom course menu link will be your classroom technology resource guide. Using the course unique number, Registrar data and the classroom technology database, the tool will list the available technologies in the classroom your course is assigned to. 

LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning is now integrated with Canvas, allowing faculty to incorporate videos from LinkedIn Learning’s massive catalog.

Zoom

female on a zoom conference call

Getting Started in Zoom

Centrally supported video conferencing tool that empowers you to connect with your students, teach, and collaborate. Fully integrated with Canvas, it allows you to host and join sessions seamlessly from your mobile device, desktop client, or the web.

Zoom Updates

Minimum Client Version

Zoom Minimum Client Version was raised to 6.2.10 during the winter break. We encourage everyone to update their Zoom client regularly.

AI Companion

AI Companion Meeting Summary and Smart Highlights can be enabled in your settings.

Record Retention

All Meeting or Webinar recordings saved to Zoom Cloud storage will follow a 365-day retention schedule as per the Zoom Retention Guide.

Microsoft 365

black male standing smiling in front of a chalk board

Microsoft 365 for Educators

Educators at UT enjoy free access to M365, offering powerful communication and productivity tools like Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, Teams, OneNote, OneDrive, and more, including advanced features like Loop, Power Platform, Whiteboard, Class Notebook and more.

Microsoft 365 Updates

Bookings

Microsoft Bookings is the University’s preferred platform for scheduling and managing appointments. Microsoft Bookings is a great option for scheduling meetings, office hours, and services.

Consultation

Looking for some hands-on help? Request a M365 general consultation or a tool specific consultation.

Integrations

If you are interested, we are continuing to expand the Teams/Canvas integration with M365.

Panopto

female sitting at a desk on her computer

Getting Started in Panopto

Teachers can effortlessly record lectures, create engaging video content, and securely share it with students. The platform supports live streaming, video hosting, and detailed analytics to track engagement, making it easy to connect with students both in and outside the classroom. It is a user-friendly interface and integration with learning management systems simplify video management, enabling educators to focus on delivering impactful learning experiences.

Guides and tutorials for instructors and students can be found at Panopto Made Easy by the iSchool.

Panopto Updates

Video Assignments

Video Assignments allow you to assign students to create and submit video content that can either be visible to the whole class or just instructors.

Live Stream

Live Stream lectures from a personal devices using live webcast.

Automated Lecture Capture

Schedule automated lecture capture in UTC, BSB, CBA, CTM and RRH classrooms.

Additional Resource Updates

close up of a persons hand taking a servey

Qualtrics

On December 20, 2024, the campus Qualtrics survey service (utexas.qualtrics.com) was updated to a modern license. You will have access to everything previously available in the University’s Qualtrics environment along with powerful new tools, most notably for data analysis

Simple Layout, the accessible theme for Qualtrics surveys, has been rebranded as the New Survey Taking Experience 

group of 3 people sitting around using a laptop

AI Detection Software Guidance

Our colleagues in The Office of Academic Technology have engaged with multiple stakeholders across campus to provide official guidance on the acceptable use of AI Detection Software on campus. Instructors seeking assistance with this guidance may contact the Office of Academic Technology

The Center for Teaching and Learning also maintains helpful resources related to generative AI and assessment

open book with FERPA typed in it

FERPA Questions

Working in partnership, University Compliance, CTL, Enterprise Technology, and the Office of Academic Technology (OAT) are collaborating to develop a new FERPA training for instructors and teaching assistants. The team is soliciting feedback from faculty, assistant instructors, and teaching assistants on questions they have about FERPA and technology use. These questions will help inform the development of this resource. 

Please submit your questions using the OAT's FERPA open comment form