As the Fall 2023 semester ends and you prepare for Spring 2024, here are a few things to be aware of:

ChatGPT & Plagiarism

Over the course of the past year, artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT have gone from relative obscurity to now being nearly ubiquitous in academics.

To help you navigate the confusing world of AI and how it fits into your course, here’s a resource that includes 4 specific things you can begin doing (if you’re not already) to ensure students know exactly what your expectations are and how to handle situations that might arise, including plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty.

Canvas Quiz Security

Many of our faculty like to do a “review session” after exams to allow students to see what they missed and ask questions.

But depending on how things are set up in Canvas, you may inadvertently be allowing students to see your quizzes for as long as they want to. And it turns out that the “Let Students See Their Quiz Responses” option in your quizzes might be the culprit.

If you’d like to review how you’re using this setting, or you want to explore other quiz security options, please contact me at your convenience.

Honorlock & Remote Proctoring

Many of you have been using Honorlock for proctoring throughout the Fall semester, and UT will continue support it as the recommended tool in Spring.

If you wish to use Honorlock for your Spring 2024 course(s), please contact me and let me know the course number so that I can make sure everything is set up and working properly before your classes begin.

MS Bookings to replace Calendly

If you’ve been using Calendly for scheduling, you’re likely already aware that UT no longer supports its use or integration in Zoom. However, a replacement is also available called Bookings from Microsoft.

From ITS:

Microsoft Bookings is the University’s preferred platform for scheduling and managing appointments. Bookings includes a web-based booking calendar that integrates with Outlook to optimize your schedule and gives others the flexibility to book a time that works best for them. Automated notification emails reduce no-shows and enhance user-satisfaction. To get started with Bookings, visit https://office365.utexas.edu/getting-started-bookings.

Microsoft Teams meetings are the native web conferencing tool in Microsoft Bookings but Zoom scheduling can still be used within Canvas or Bookings. Directions on how to create Zoom appointments in those apps can be found at https://zoom.its.utexas.edu/booking-calendars-virtual-meetings.

Teams or Zoom?

As many of you likely know, we have access to two similar tools for video conferencing: Zoom and MS Teams. They both do many of the same things, and you’re free to use either, both in your classes and elsewhere.

And, while this is certainly subject to change, the availability of other integrated tools from Microsoft (such as Bookings) as well as the costs associated with duplication, the university seems to be encouraging people more and more to begin using Teams for conferencing and virtual meetings.

So, if you’d like to learn more, let me know if you have questions, and if you’re looking for tutorials, this is a great place to start: https://office365.utexas.edu/teams

Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.