The Google Jamboard Has Arrived at Manhattan College

Jamboards can be found in the Library, Thomas Hall, and Leo!

More information about Google Jamboard:

Instructions on how to use Google Jamboard:

Reach out to ITS with any questions:
email:  its@manhattan.edu
Tel:  718-862-7973

Schedule Meetings More Efficiently this semester with Google Calendar or Doodle

Google Calendar Information:

As part of our ongoing effort to spread knowledge about productive new Google Calendar Features, want to let our clients know they are able to be very efficient when using Google Calendar to schedule meetings.  

The easiest way to access Google Calendar is to click on the Google Calendar app from your Google Apps launcher at the top right of your Google Desktop Home screen:

Click here for detailed instructions from the G Suite Learning Center Get Started with Calendar.
The following instructions include how to quickly and easily schedule a meeting with a group of colleagues who are using Google Calendar:

** Be sure to explore the "Find a meeting time" section **

If the other guests have shared their calendar with you, you can use the "Find a time" feature to schedule an event at a time that works for everyone. You can compare up to 20 schedules at one time.

1. Open Google Calendar.
2. Create a new event, or open an existing event (you may need to click Edit event first).
3. Click the Find a time tab. If the other guests' calendars are shared with you, you'll see their schedules.
4. Find a time. Use the arrows at the top to navigate between days.
5. Once you've found a time, click the area within the calendar grid. The time will update at the top of the page.
6. Click Save.

Note: You can only edit the event if you created the event yourself, or if the event organizer gave guests permission to modify the event.

All-day events: All-day events are shown at the top of the calendar grid. If a guest has an all-day event, they will appear available in the "Find a time" tab unless their event is set to show as "Busy." To schedule an all-day event, click the Week button and then click the area at the top of a day column.

Doodle: Another Excellent Scheduling App

Great idea to use as an alternative to Google Calendar

What is Doodle?

Doodle is an online scheduling tool that can be used quickly and easily to find a date and time to meet with multiple people.  First you suggest dates and times for your event participants to choose from, then Doodle creates a polling calendar that can be sent to participants for feedback.  As each participant selects the dates and times from the polling calendar that he or she is free, Doodle aggregates the responses and tells you which option works best for everyone.

Getting everyone on the same page is hard enough with just five other coworkers, let alone fifty new volunteers you may have never met.  Doodle can be a valuable tool for coordinating a large event like volunteer training as well as a small event like a monthly meeting with the board.

Doodle in Action

Part of Doodle’s appeal is that it’s so easy to use.  The site walks you through the four steps of creating a polling calendar:

1. Schedule an Event
2. Propose Times
3. Choose Settings
4. Invite Participants

Each step of the way there are options to make the whole process easier for you and the people you’re trying to meet with.

1. Schedule an Event

The first step in scheduling an event with Doodle is to fill out a simple form with the title, location, and description of the event.  This information will be visible on the poll, letting participants know exactly what the event is.  On this page you will also enter your name as administrator and your e-mail address so that you can receive the link to view, update, or edit the poll.

Notable Features:

• Easy Directions: The location automatically links to Google Maps, making getting directions a breeze.

• Your Own Doodle Account: Although you are free to use the site without creating an account, signing in makes checking up on your scheduling polls a lot easier (especially if you have several out at a time).

2. Propose Times

The next screen asks you to choose days and times that you are considering for the event.

Notable Features:

• Time-Zone Support: If you’re scheduling an online event, such as a Twitter chat or a video conference, you can enable time-zone support to keep participants across the country or across the world on the same page.

3. Choose Settings

In this third step, Doodle offers some options so that you can modify the basic poll to suit your specific needs.  These customizable settings allow you to tailor your Doodle scheduling poll to each event.  Among other things, you can use these different settings to transform your scheduling poll into a registration sheet, or to offer extra options to your event participants such as greater privacy.

Notable Features:

• Yes-No-If need be Poll: In a basic poll, the people you invite can only respond “Yes” or “No.”  This option adds a third possible response, “If need be,” to give you more detailed information on participants’ availability and flexibility.

• Hidden Poll: Perhaps you are looking to schedule times to meet with donors.  This option allows you to keep each donor’s schedule and availability confidential from the other donors.

• Limit Number of Participants per Option: For example, setting the group limit to ten people per time slot would be handy if you are looking to conduct feedback meetings with past volunteers.  Once a timeslot has ten names, it will stop being shown as an option.

• Participant Can Only Choose One Option: This option coupled with limiting the number of participants per option turns the poll into a registration sheet, allowing each participant to sign up for a timeslot on a first-come-first-served basis.

4. Invite Participants

The final step is to send out the invitations.  Doodle has three methods of delivering your poll to participants: email, Facebook, and Twitter.

For smaller or internal meetings, email is the way to go.  But if you are putting together a larger event, like a cookout to thank your volunteers, then a social media platform might be a better choice.  By posting the Doodle poll link on Facebook or Twitter, you can simultaneously advertise your event and find a good day for it.

Notable Features:

Import Contacts: Link your Doodle account to your email account to easily import the email addresses of the participants you’re interested in inviting.

The Poll

For the people you have invited, the finished basic poll will look something like this:

The people that you invite will enter their name or an ID number in the field that says “Your name” and check the boxes in the time slots when they are free.  In the image above, the best time to meet would clearly be Monday at 1:00pm.

Notable Features:

• Load Your Calendar: If you do open a Doodle account, you can sync your Google, Outlook, or iCal calendar to Doodle.  This lets you avoid switching between calendars, making it easier to respond quickly to scheduling requests.
• Comments: There is even a comment section at the bottom of the poll where participants can note dates that they would prefer over others or ask questions about the event.
• Different Viewing Options: The image shown above is the table view, which allows your participants to see which dates and times are popular.  There’s also an option to look at the schedule on a calendar view, shown below.  The calendar view is helpful if you have loaded your own calendar to Doodle for comparison.

Reach out to IT Services with any questions:

• Email: its@manhattan.edu
• Call: 718-862-7973

Google Collaboration Challenge Wrap Up

Congratulations to all who participated in the Google Collaboration Challenge and took the opportunity to improve their Google skills!  We hope the information presented will allow for the community to be even more productive in your work.

If you missed the Google Collaboration Challenge, but would still like to take advantage of the tips and techniques offered and earn a Credly Digital Badge for completion of the course - no worries! The ITS Training Department has turned the 8 week Google Collaboration Challenge into an online Moodle course. The Google Collaboration Challenge link will take you to the online Moodle course.
You will have to self enroll in the course.

Upon successful completion of the course you are eligible to be awarded the #GSuiteCollab Credly Digital Badge.  A digital badge is a way to communicate and track achievement, they make your credentials portable and your skills more visible.  You can put the Digital Badge on your resume or link to your LinkedIn account. These badges or digital certificates, are issued by Manhattan College and they do not expire.

Please contact Anita McCarthy, ITS Training Manager: amccarthy01@manhattan.edu with any questions regarding the Google Collaboration Challenge and the accompanying Credly digital badge.

Google Summer Collaboration Challenge Week 8

Converting Google Apps Files to PDF for Web Print

To download your Google Doc, Sheets, Slides document as a Portable Document Format file (PDF) so it can be printed using Web Print at Manhattan College, select File > Download as and select PDF.

For more information on converting to Google App files to PDF, please see this link: Converting Google App files to PDF

Please see this Knowledge Base Article for instructions on printing wirelessly at Manhattan College using Web Print.

Windows: Converting to PDF in Microsoft Office

To convert a Word Doc to PDF using Microsoft Word on Windows: Select File > Export > Create PDF/XPS Document and select the Create PDF/XPS Document button.

To convert a Powerpoint to PDF using Microsoft Powerpoint on Windows: Select File > Export > Create PDF/XPS Document and select the Create PDF/XPS Document button.

To convert an Excel spreadsheet to PDF using Microsoft Excel on Windows: Select: File > Export > Create PDF/XPS Document and select the Create PDF/XPS Document button.

For more information on converting to Office files to PDF on Windows, please see this link: Converting Microsoft Office files to PDF on Windows

MacOS: Converting to PDF in Microsoft Office

To convert a Word, Powerpoint, and Excel file as a PDF in Office for Mac:
Select File > Save As
Besides File Format you will specify PDF as the File Format that you would like to export to. When you are finished, select Export.

For more information on converting to Office files to PDF on MacOS, please see this link: Converting Microsoft Office files to PDF on MacOS

Assignment: Create a Google Doc and convert it to PDF.

Extra Credit: Print that document using Web Print on campus.

Once you complete reviewing the materials from the last week of the Google Collaboration Challenge take a few minutes to answer these questions: Converting Windows to PDF Questionnaire

Thank you for participating!

Google Collaboration Challenge Week 4

Using Gmail at Manhattan College

Manhattan College provides a JasperNet account to all students and employees that comes with email powered by Gmail. With Gmail you can:

        1. Create and send email
Creating and sending emails is as easy as selecting Compose within Gmail. You can then specify the recipients and the subject, and begin typing the content. Once done, select Send to send the email. You can view sent mail by selecting the Sent Mail section in Gmail.

      2. Organize your inbox

You can manage and organize emails by creating labels and filters. To create a label, select Settings in the top right, and select Settings. Then select the Labels tab. Scroll to the Labels section and select Create new label. Enter the label name and select Create. You can also create nested labels, which are like subfolders. You also have the option to Star emails. You can view any starred emails in the Starred of Gmail.

      3. Search for emails

To search for specific emails, type any keywords associated with the email in the search bar found at the top of the page in Gmail. Once you have entered keywords into the search bar, any emails associated with the key words will be displayed.

      4. Create email signatures

With Gmail, you can also create Email Signatures. Manhattan College provides an email signature generator, which automatically generates email signatures for all employees using the information found on Banner.  Follow the instructions found in the Email Signature Knowledge Base Article to create a Manhattan College generated email signature.

For more helps, tips, and tricks, please see the Gmail section in the GSuite Learning Center.

Assignment: Create an email and send it to yourself or someone else.

Extra Credit: Organize your inbox by creating and applying labels.

Once you complete reviewing the materials from the fourth week of the Google Collaboration Challenge take a few minutes to answer these questions: Week 4 Google Drive Questionnaire

ITS to Launch 8 week Google Summer Collaboration Challenge

Starting Monday June 3rd, IT Services will be releasing a series of weekly tips aimed at improving communication and collaboration within the Manhattan College Community.  

A new tip will be available each week for the 8 weeks following commencement and before the start of the 2019-2020 academic year. Whether you are on campus or at home - student or employee - anyone can participate!

The 8-week Summer Collaboration Challenge will include tips and tricks ranging from basic to advanced topics such as email, Google Apps, ways to communicate to large audiences, better ways to manage time and activities via online calendars, and many more. Participants will have the opportunity to complete each phase of the 8-week challenge at their own pace - all at once, or as topics are released. Track your progress by completing a short questionnaire at the end of each challenge and earn the 8 -week Collaboration Challenge badge at the end of the program!  

GOOGLE COLLABORATION CHALLENGE BADGE

A digital badge is a way to communicate and track achievement, they make your credentials portable and your skills more visible. You can put the Digital Badge on your resume or link to your LinkedIn account.  These badges or digital certificates, are issued by Manhattan College and they do not expire.

Schedule Meetings More Efficiently this Semester with Google Calendar or Doodle

Google Calendar Information:

As part of our ongoing effort to spread knowledge about productive new Google Calendar Features, want to let our clients know they are able to be very efficient when using Google Calendar to schedule meetings.  

The easiest way to access Google Calendar is to click on the Google Calendar app from your Google Apps launcher at the top right of your Google Desktop Home screen:

Click here for detailed instructions from the G Suite Learning Center Get Started with Calendar.
The following instructions include how to quickly and easily schedule a meeting with a group of colleagues who are using Google Calendar:

** Be sure to explore the "Find a meeting time" section **

If the other guests have shared their calendar with you, you can use the "Find a time" feature to schedule an event at a time that works for everyone. You can compare up to 20 schedules at one time.

1. Open Google Calendar.
2. Create a new event, or open an existing event (you may need to click Edit event first).
3. Click the Find a time tab. If the other guests' calendars are shared with you, you'll see their schedules.
4. Find a time. Use the arrows at the top to navigate between days.
5. Once you've found a time, click the area within the calendar grid. The time will update at the top of the page.
6. Click Save.

Note: You can only edit the event if you created the event yourself, or if the event organizer gave guests permission to modify the event.

All-day events: All-day events are shown at the top of the calendar grid. If a guest has an all-day event, they will appear available in the "Find a time" tab unless their event is set to show as "Busy." To schedule an all-day event, click the Week button and then click the area at the top of a day column.

Doodle: Another Excellent Scheduling App

Great idea to use as an alternative to Google Calendar

What is Doodle?

Doodle is an online scheduling tool that can be used quickly and easily to find a date and time to meet with multiple people.  First you suggest dates and times for your event participants to choose from, then Doodle creates a polling calendar that can be sent to participants for feedback.  As each participant selects the dates and times from the polling calendar that he or she is free, Doodle aggregates the responses and tells you which option works best for everyone.

Getting everyone on the same page is hard enough with just five other coworkers, let alone fifty new volunteers you may have never met.  Doodle can be a valuable tool for coordinating a large event like volunteer training as well as a small event like a monthly meeting with the board.

Doodle in Action

Part of Doodle’s appeal is that it’s so easy to use.  The site walks you through the four steps of creating a polling calendar:

1. Schedule an Event
2. Propose Times
3. Choose Settings
4. Invite Participants

Each step of the way there are options to make the whole process easier for you and the people you’re trying to meet with.

1. Schedule an Event

The first step in scheduling an event with Doodle is to fill out a simple form with the title, location, and description of the event.  This information will be visible on the poll, letting participants know exactly what the event is.  On this page you will also enter your name as administrator and your e-mail address so that you can receive the link to view, update, or edit the poll.

Notable Features:

• Easy Directions: The location automatically links to Google Maps, making getting directions a breeze.

• Your Own Doodle Account: Although you are free to use the site without creating an account, signing in makes checking up on your scheduling polls a lot easier (especially if you have several out at a time).

2. Propose Times

The next screen asks you to choose days and times that you are considering for the event.

Notable Features:

• Time-Zone Support: If you’re scheduling an online event, such as a Twitter chat or a video conference, you can enable time-zone support to keep participants across the country or across the world on the same page.

3. Choose Settings

In this third step, Doodle offers some options so that you can modify the basic poll to suit your specific needs.  These customizable settings allow you to tailor your Doodle scheduling poll to each event.  Among other things, you can use these different settings to transform your scheduling poll into a registration sheet, or to offer extra options to your event participants such as greater privacy.

Notable Features:

• Yes-No-If need be Poll: In a basic poll, the people you invite can only respond “Yes” or “No.”  This option adds a third possible response, “If need be,” to give you more detailed information on participants’ availability and flexibility.

• Hidden Poll: Perhaps you are looking to schedule times to meet with donors.  This option allows you to keep each donor’s schedule and availability confidential from the other donors.

• Limit Number of Participants per Option: For example, setting the group limit to ten people per time slot would be handy if you are looking to conduct feedback meetings with past volunteers.  Once a timeslot has ten names, it will stop being shown as an option.

• Participant Can Only Choose One Option: This option coupled with limiting the number of participants per option turns the poll into a registration sheet, allowing each participant to sign up for a timeslot on a first-come-first-served basis.

4. Invite Participants

The final step is to send out the invitations.  Doodle has three methods of delivering your poll to participants: email, Facebook, and Twitter.

For smaller or internal meetings, email is the way to go.  But if you are putting together a larger event, like a cookout to thank your volunteers, then a social media platform might be a better choice.  By posting the Doodle poll link on Facebook or Twitter, you can simultaneously advertise your event and find a good day for it.

Notable Features:

Import Contacts: Link your Doodle account to your email account to easily import the email addresses of the participants you’re interested in inviting.

The Poll

For the people you have invited, the finished basic poll will look something like this:

The people that you invite will enter their name or an ID number in the field that says “Your name” and check the boxes in the time slots when they are free.  In the image above, the best time to meet would clearly be Monday at 1:00pm.

Notable Features:

• Load Your Calendar: If you do open a Doodle account, you can sync your Google, Outlook, or iCal calendar to Doodle.  This lets you avoid switching between calendars, making it easier to respond quickly to scheduling requests.
• Comments: There is even a comment section at the bottom of the poll where participants can note dates that they would prefer over others or ask questions about the event.
• Different Viewing Options: The image shown above is the table view, which allows your participants to see which dates and times are popular.  There’s also an option to look at the schedule on a calendar view, shown below.  The calendar view is helpful if you have loaded your own calendar to Doodle for comparison.

Google for Education Roadshow on campus Dec 8

Representatives from Google’s Higher Ed team were in Kelly Commons on Saturday, Dec 8 and presented to adjunct faculty about the best use of Google Apps for:

Workflow Optimization:  Google Calendar, Classroom & Course Kit

Communication:  Gmail, Google Chat & Google Meet

Collaboration & Teamwork:  Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive & Jamboard

Immersive Learning:  Tour Creator (allows you to make your own Virtual Reality tours)

Google representatives taught the group tips and techniques which enable us to use Google more efficiently. This event was sponsored by the Faculty Technology Committee whose focus is on adjunct technology support. 15 adjuncts attended along with Graduate students. It was a productive and informative workshop, specifically targeting higher education instructors. Attendees left with a variety of ideas of how they can use technology more productively and how to enhance their current teaching methods by blending technology into their current content.

Special thanks to Dr Adam Koehler, Chair of the Faculty Development Committee and Dr Shawna BuShell, Chair of the Faculty Technology Committee for co-sponsoring this event and bringing Google to Manhattan College.

Please contact its@manhattan.edu for additional resources on blending more technology into your courses using Google Apps.

The Google Jamboard Has Arrived at Manhattan College

More information about Google Jamboard:

Instructions on how to use Google Jamboard: