Instruction & Research Technology

WPU's Center for Teaching with Technology (CTT) focuses on strategic course design and pragmatic teaching solutions designed to bolster student engagement and retention. The CTT is located in the IRT Suite of the Cheng Library (Room 120). Four highly skilled Instructional Designers are available to help you design your courses, use Blackboard effectively, and assist with other instructional technologies to make your courses more engaging for your students.

You may make appointments with CTT's Instructional Designers and ask questions by entering a Helpdesk ticket at https://wpunj.edu/helpdesk.  Make sure to select ticket either "Blackboard" or "Teaching with Technology Consultations" as the ticket's Request Type.  You may also call the IT Helpdesk at 973-720-4357 for immediate assistance.

Please visit CTT's website for more information.

Overview of Resources
For an overview of teaching with technology resources available to faculty, please visit the Support for Online, Hybrid and HyFlex Teaching page of the ITWiki. 

Bb 101
If you need to brush up on your Blackboard skills, then Bb 101 is for you. This documentation covers everything you'll need to teach using Blackboard. 

Online Teaching Toolkit
The Online Teaching Toolkit, which is available to every faculty member from their Blackboard Home Page (look under "My Organizations" for Online Teaching Toolkit), covers the following:

• Quality Assurance/Quality Matters
• Understanding Online Teaching & Learning
• Blackboard Basics
• Video Conferencing & Video Content
• Online Classroom Management (Zoom)

Faculty can go through the modules in order or focus on the areas they are most interested in incorporating into their teaching. 

Quality Assurance for Hybrid and Online Teaching Video
This workshop video is now available: Quality Assurance for Hybrid and Online Teaching. This video is password-protected, for which the password is: +GM+!3P@

Qualtrics
WP uses Qualtrics for Surveys, available to everyone on campus.  Go to wpunj.qualtrics.com/ to begin a survey or go to our Qualtrics Wiki page for assistance.

Additional Resources

• Center for Teaching Excellence Online Teaching Information
• Bb 101 for Teaching Remotely

IRT has outfitted standard classrooms with teaching stations in the form of a Desk or Lectern with integrated control systems and touchpanels. These stations include built-in computers with a combination Document Camera / Webcam as well as an HDMI cable allowing connection of laptops or other external devices.  Please verify if your device requires an HDMI adapter beforehand as it is generally inexpensive and simple to purchase adapters for your device online. 

In addition, we have outfitted multiple seminar rooms, and lecture halls with the same technology as the classrooms with the addition of speech reinforcement by way of a podium microphone and/or wireless microphone recievers.  Please note that Wireless Microphones must be reserved ahead of time and picked up at Hamilton Hall. 

At the time of this writing we also have 3 auditoriums outfitted with webcams mounted in the rear of the room including the audio from all microphones in the room that can be used for streaming and/or web conferencing using the built-in PC.  To inquire about training on how to use these features, please enter a Helpdesk ticket under the request type “Podium Equipment / Classroom Technology Support / Request Training”. 

If you have questions or problems with the equipment in one of the mediated classrooms, lecture halls, or auditoriums, please call (973)720-4357 (HELP) and press “1” when prompted.  Phone support is available Monday through Friday 7:30AM to 6PM as well as limited support outside those days / times.

If you are outside standard operating hours or simply unable to call, please report the issue as soon as possible using our Helpdesk system at www.wpunj.edu/help under the Request type “Podium Equipment / Classroom Technology Support / Problem”. 

You may use Zoom to facilitate online meetings, webinars, and course sessions. Simply sign into your Zoom account to set up a Zoom meeting at WPU. Please submit a HelpDesk ticket to request one-on-one training assistance with Zoom by selecting “Videoconferencing Support” and then “Zoom Webex Software Support” as the ticket’s Request Type. Make sure to describe your need for assistance in detail. You may also consult our Wiki page for DIY assistance.

In addition, IRT provides all faculty, staff and students at WPU with access to YuJa, an enterprise media platform that enables users to record videos via their webcam, record their computer screen, and upload and host content created elsewhere, such as on Zoom, for long-term storage.  YuJa is particularly beneficial to faculty who wish to incorporate media into their online courses as well as students tasked with submitting multimedia projects and assignments.  Log into YuJa via the web or access it via Blackboard's Tools menu option to get started.

Feel free to visit our Wiki page covering YuJa for in-depth DIY assistance, or submit a HelpDesk ticket via the "YuJa" ticket request type to request one-on-one training or to ask a question. An IRT technician will respond in a timely manner.

IRT's Technical Services Window (TSW), located on the first floor of Hamilton Hall, lends audio equipment, document cameras, portable podiums, projectors, and power cables to faculty and staff.  To view the complete illustrated equipment catalog and make a reservation, please visit Webcheckout.

Equipment catalog at a glance

• Audio: Portable PA Systems, Portable Bluetooth Speakers, Microphones, Classroom Wireless Mics, Mic Stands and Cables
• Projection: Projectors, Screens, Projector Stands
• Video: Video Cameras, Tripods
• Wireless Presenters
• Portable Podiums
• Step and Repeat
• Power Cables
• HoverCams

If you have questions, please call TSW at 973-720-2026, or email TSW@wpunj.edu

Our Design, Build & Learn Lab (DBLL), located in Cheng Library room #120B, facilitates digital fabrication at WPU.  The backbone of this new space is 4 MakerBot Replicator+ 3D printers, capable of printing volumes up to 11.6 x 7.6 x 6.5 inches from PLA (polylactic acid filament). Two computer workstations are available for users to model and print their own projects on available software, such as Auto-desk Fusion 360 and MakerBot Print. With the ability to import STL files from other applications, such as Wolfram Mathematica and PerkinElmer ChemDraw, users can implement this technology across various classes and disciplines. Users can also capture their own real world data with the 3D scanner. Prints can be finished and refined on site at the available work bench. Numerous hand tools are available for use, and there is a small table for group study and collaboration.

Please visit wpunj.edu/3dprint to initiate a 3D print job at William Paterson. Your print-out will be available to pick up in the DBLL, which is open during most hours when the Cheng Library is open from Monday-Thursday and Saturday. Part time staff are on hand to assist. For targeted assistance, please submit a HelpDesk ticket. Select "Printing/Multi-Function Device" as the ticket's request type and "3D Printers" as its subtype type. You may also consult our ITWiki for DIY assistance.

The IRT Video Production team assists with live and pre-recorded video projects for education, promotion, and other communications. The unit can tailor services to the unique needs of a project whether that be in consultation, planning, production, or distribution assistance. We pride ourselves on collaborating with other departments in creative ways to help them achieve their communication goals.

To begin the process, please submit a HelpDesk ticket using the “Video Production” Request Type along with a detailed description of what you want to do and when you need it by. One of our team members will follow-up with you shortly.