Blackboard Going Down for 5 Days

Blackboard is taking a break for the holidays! It plans a nice rest and then a fun Zoom lunch with its friends and family. Wish it well as it travels out at 11:00pm on December 17. It hopes to return by the end of the day on December 22, but if it's delayed, it promises to be back by Christmas day. We all need a rest, so we encourage you to take one too.

Export a Copy of Your Class

A great feature of having your course content in Blackboard is that you can reuse the content for later semesters. While it's usually easy to find a previous class on the server, if the class is older than 2 years or if something goes wrong, it's possible your work will be lost. Protect yourself by saving a copy of your class on your own computer or OneDrive account. What you want to do is use the "export" feature found under "Packages and Utilities" in the course "Control Panel" area. Need some more detailed instructions? Blackboard has you covered.

What if You Need Help this Winter?

Not a mouse will be stirring on campus during shutdown, but busy edtech elves will still be available to help you via the IDA email account (IDA@wichita.edu) and Blackboard tickets through OneStop. IDA will be operating with a reduced staff, so please be patient if we don't get back to you on the day you email, but we will try! You should also consider joining our Facebook group if you haven't yet. We post updates and address questions there too.

Winter Cooking Anyone?

University Libraries has compiled an extensive list of online cooking resources for you to look over during the break.  If you come up with a great new recipe, post pics in our Facebook group!

• Open Source Recipes to be used in quarantine during a global pandemic: available as a google doc and a PDF
• Barnes and Noble free eBook cookbooks (must created B&N account and download files)
• Good Eats TV show cookbook
• Good Eats recipes also available on Food Network website
• The Stone Soup Cookbook
•  The Food Day 2012 cookbook
• Fast Meals and Quick Snacks: A Cookbook for Teens
• Vegan on a Shoestring (from Concordia University's People's Potato Soup Kitchen)

Prefer Popular Fiction?

A lot of popular fiction and non-fiction e-books and e-audiobooks are available through the Kansas State Library (KSL). "Check out" how to get a library card here. It's easy, but you will need to make time to go to campus to pick up your card. The KSL has a great collection of electronic leisure reading, so it's perfect for vacation time. If you prioritize getting a card before University Libraries close for shutdown, you'll have access to a rich selection of materials (including books/audiobooks for children).

All I Want is a MOVIE!