Below are the most commonly asked questions about Technology on campus.
Classroom Technology, Teaching & Software
Q: Can I find what technology is available in a particular classroom?
To schedule a classroom or to find out what technology is in a particular room, contact Vince Pellegrini in the Scheduling Office at (570) 577-1116.
To schedule other locations on campus or to find out about technology in a particular space, contact Events Management (for Events staff contact information click “Policies” on the left of the page).
Q: How will the technology be set up in the classroom to support remote students participating synchronously?
We are aiming for three demo classrooms to be available beginning the week of June 22 to try out the technology. We’ll be working to install the systems in as many classrooms as possible before the start of the semester. The Scheduling Office (Vince Pellegrini at (570) 577-1116) will have the latest information on what is available in any particular room.
Q: What support would I have if I am teaching remotely this fall?
Technology Support will continue as it has, providing general support for your computer hardware and software and assistance with Zoom and other tools. You can find us on the web using our Client Portal where we have links to our knowledge base, where you can enter a ticket, and find the latest news.
As always, you can contact us at (570) 577-7777; TechDesk@Bucknell.edu; Client Portal
Q: How would I request technology to meet my teaching needs for the fall semester?
Tech for teaching from home
Tech for classrooms on campus
Tech for my special lab/studio/kinesthetic needs
Q: Where can I find general information on teaching remotely?
Bucknell Teaching Continuity Guide
Network
Q: Does Bucknell have enough internet bandwidth to handle the new normal? Is the WiFi able to handle the load of remote and in-person instruction?
Our internal WiFi network and our connection to the Internet are sized to support a full contingent of students on campus and all of their typical use cases, including coursework, on-line gaming, video chats, and streaming movies on Netflix. We are confident that the capacity exists to support what may come in the fall. In the event of performance problems, non-critical workloads (i.e. Netflix) could be disabled to make more resources available for core-use cases.
Q: Can faculty and students access the BisonNET (high-performance computing) from off-campus?
In order to use BisonNet remotely, faculty and students need to first connect to the Bucknell VPN. Information for connecting to the VPN can be found here: https://bucknell.teamdynamix.com/TDClient/40/LIT/KB/ArticleDet?ID=300. General BisonNet documentation can be found here: https://bisonnet.bucknell.edu/.
Q: What is the Bucknell VPN and why would we use it?
Bucknell's VPN secures your traffic while you're online and can provide some access to Bucknell resources that you would not otherwise have if you're off-campus. For instance, you will need to use the VPN to access Netspace, administrative systems (i.e Banner 9 Admin, Cognos, etc.), access Bmail from locations that restrict Google applications, and to remote desktop to a Bucknell computer on campus. For more information on Bucknell VPN, please check out the VPN FAQ Ask L&IT article.
Software and Applications
Q: What is a Remote Lab? What software is available in the Remote Lab?
Bucknell Remote lab is a virtual lab using VMware Horizon that can be accessed from Bucknell-owned and personal computers both on and off-campus. A list of software can be found in the Bucknell University Remote Labs FAQ.
Q: Will the class recordings be secure so students can’t download and/or alter the recorded session?
Yes. Library and IT has recommendations for recording, managing recordings and uploading to Moodle using Mediaspace. For more information on those recommendations, please refer to How do I record a Zoom session and make the recording available on Moodle?
Q: Can our Moodle instance support the load of all faculty and students using the platform?
Our Moodle environment performed admirably during the spring of 2020 under greater demand than we experienced in the past. To provide additional capacity and flexibility, including the ability to expand quickly to meet higher levels of demand, we moved Moodle to our Amazon Web Services cloud environment in the summer of 2020.
Q: Where do I direct my questions about how to best use Zoom and other video things?
Contact Technology Support at (570) 577-7777; TechDesk@Bucknell.edu; Client Portal to enter a ticket, or check out our knowledge base for Zoom FAQ
Q: Where can I find out more information about Zoom?
Q: Where can I find out information about Kaltura and MediaSpace?
Kaltura / Mediaspace FAQ
Training
Q: When will training start to assist me with my fall courses?
It has already started! We created a self-paced, interactive Moodle site that functions as an asynchronous training course. It will be supplemented with two-day intensive workshops, office hours, consultations, teaching circles and additional tech-focused seminars. To sign up for workshops, email susan.musser@bucknell.edu. If you need access to the Moodle course, email dps@bucknell.edu.
Q: What training and support is available to design my Moodle course?
Self-paced Moodle instruction is available through the Moodle Quick Start Guide. Moodle will be discussed in the two-day intensive workshops offered this summer by TLC and L&IT. We will also be scheduling some specific technology sessions over the summer, and we will offer drop-in office hours and consultations upon request. Do you have other ideas? Email dps@bucknell.edu with suggestions or questions.
General Technology Questions
Q: How are we supporting faculty/staff/students with special assistive technology needs?
Faculty & Staff should contact Human Resources for assistance with accommodation requests. Faculty & Staff Accessibility Resources
Students should contact the Office of Accessibility Resources
Q: What technologies will help our international students who cannot return to campus?
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Bucknell’s Virtual Private Network (VPN) provides ‘full tunnel’ access to students, meaning all of their internet activity is routed through Bucknell’s network providing them the same Internet access as if they were on campus. VPN FAQ
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Bucknell Remote Lab: Bucknell University Remote Labs FAQ
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Zoom: Zoom FAQ
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Remote Desktop to an on-campus computer
Additional resources can be found in the Off Campus Access Guidelines and Resources Ask L&IT article.
Q: What tech do we have to support my specialized language needs/laboratory needs/studio needs/research needs? In other words, what if Bucknell's current technology offerings don't meet my needs?
Consult with us, and we will help! A great starting point is Digital Pedagogy & Scholarship, email dps@bucknell.edu
Q: Do students need to bring a computer to campus?
While most do bring a laptop, they do not need one. Students can use any of the computers located in open computer labs on campus.