Below is a list of guides for common applications, technology, and software used at the School of Medicine. You can also request general IT help at Duke University's Office of Information Technology help page or at the Duke Health Technology Systems Service Desk self-help search page.
The Multimedia team has an assortment of loaner equipment to suit your needs as a student of the Duke School of Medicine community, including:
- Cameras
- Microphones
- Wacom Tablet
- A/V cables: HDMI, VGA, audio
Need a loaner? Please contact a member of the multimedia team to discuss availability and options.
Please Note: The loaner program is a service provided to Duke students for School of Medicine (UGME)-related purposes only. The equipment becomes the responsibility of the individual at the time of check-out until the equipment is returned to us.
The Helpdesk team also has an assortment of equipment available to students of the Duke School of Medicine community, including
- Mac Laptops
- Windows Laptops
- Laptop Chargers
- iPad/iPhone Chargers
- Headphones
Contact the helpdesk to request a loaner.
Please Note: The loaner program is a service provided to Duke SOM students for School of Medicine (UGME)-related purposes only. The equipment becomes the responsibility of the individual at the time of check-out until the equipment is returned to us.
Applications
Microsoft PowerPoint
PowerPoint presentations work like slide shows. To convey a message or a story, you break it down into slides. Think of each slide as a blank canvas for the pictures and words that help you tell your story. Usually, a presenter speaks to the audience and uses the PowerPoint presentation for visuals to hold the listeners' attention and add visual information. However, some presentations are created and recorded to provide a digital-only experience using either voice recording or screen & presenter recording. If this is something you are interested in for your lectures, please contact Sharon Kaiser to get started.
Please Note: Microsoft PowerPoint has so much training content on using PowerPoint and how to get the most out of their product; please refer to their website if you cannot find what you are looking for here!
If you are having trouble accessing Microsoft PowerPoint, please contact the Helpdesk!
PollEverywhere
PollEverywhere transforms one-sided presentations into two-way conversations with the audience. This web-based audience response system lets you embed interactive activities directly into your presentation (Available with Microsoft PowerPoint, Apple KeyNote, and Google Slides). The audience responds on the web or via SMS texting on their phones.
The School of Medicine's MD Program (undergraduate medical education) has access to one account for the purposes of using Poll Everywhere. If you are affiliated with the MD Program, please contact Sharon Kaiser if you require access to the username and password in order to use Poll Everywhere.
If you are not affiliated with the MD program (undergraduate medical education) and would still like access to the software, please note that Poll Everywhere gives you the option of creating a free account. It allows an unlimited number of polls and up to 25 responses per poll. To create a free account, simply go to the Poll Everywhere and follow the instructions on the screen.
Playposit
PlayPosit is a web and Chrome-based interactive video and assessment tool that lets teachers add interactive elements, such as questions and pauses, to streaming video content. Data can then be analyzed on the individual or group level, provided powerful insight into educational trends in the classroom.
PlayPosit has excellent resources on their website or e-mail Sharon Kaiser for further assistance.
Qualtrics
Create surveys, polls, questionnaires, and forms using advanced and easy-to-use survey software.
Qualtrics lets you:
- send and track participation, invitations, and reminders
- display survey results in real-time, graphically, and statistically
- export raw data in a variety of formats (to CSV, XML, HTML, and SPSS, a popular statistical package available through OIT software license)
Note: You can quickly sign-up for a Qualtrics account at no cost using your Duke credentials.
Qualtrics provides excellent resources for getting started - browse their extensive tutorial library if you can't find what you are looking for here.
Learning Management Systems
Canvas
The School of Medicine uses the Learning Management System Canvas for a handful of courses throughout the four-year curriculum. The below tutorials are a brief overview of some of the more prominent features Canvas has to offer the students. Canvas has so many great resources on its website, including extensive guides. Click here for a complete list of student guides if you can't seem to find what you are looking for here!
To Log Into Canvas
Step 1: Begin by going to dukemed.instructure.com
Note: When you log in to access services at Duke using your NetID, you will go through an electronic authorization process to confirm your identity. Duke uses Shibboleth for single-sign-on authentication, so when you first land on the canvas log-in page, it will look like a Duke University entity.
Step 2: Enter your NetID
Step 3: Enter your NetID password
Step 4: Click "Log In"
Classroom Technology (for faculty, students, and staff)
QR Codes
A Quick Response, or QR Code, is very similar to a bar code. The image consists of square dots in a unique configuration that provides information for the user just like the one to the left (go ahead, scan it!)
QR Codes can contain text, links (to websites, videos, files), browser search results, PDF files, and so much more. QR Codes are safe to use in the classroom, so there’s no worry about leading your students astray - Students only access what you tell them to via the QR Code.
Why should you use QR Codes in your classroom or lecture? Some of the main reasons include that they:
- Are an easy way to give students relevant content
- Allows students to be more independent in the classroom (and outside of the classroom)
- Reduce student frustration of typing in a web address
Duke recommends using Adobe Express or Duke.is for QR creation.
Wacom Tablet
Transform your static lesson plans into dynamic, interactive classroom presentations that ramp up participation with the Wacom tablet.
With Wacom interactive pen displays, you can write directly on your screen and project it for all your students to engage with. No need to turn your back to class to write on a whiteboard or chalkboard. Mark up and annotate your PowerPoint slides to capture student comments, elaborate on key concepts with drawings, sketches, and diagrams, or add new information on the fly.
The Wacom tablet is integrated into the Learning Hall space in the Trent Semans Center for Health Education building. If you have a lecture or upcoming event in the Learning Hall and would like to utilize the Wacom, reach out to Rick Melges - He will ensure that the Wacom is set up and ready to go for your session.
Zoom
Zoom is an easy-to-use, mobile-friendly, video and audio conferencing service. The ability to host online meetings with up to 300 participants is available at no cost to Duke faculty, staff, and students.
PLEASE NOTE: To SECURE your Zoom mtg - please do not advertise your mtg link, do have participants register, and/or please use a password. Use the zoom app within your LMS if available.
Who is currently eligible for a Zoom account?
Currently, all Duke faculty, staff, and students are eligible for a Zoom account.
Features
- High-quality video, audio, screen sharing with a stable connection for up to 300 participants
- Chat, polling, presence indicators, and break-out rooms
- Display up to 25 video windows per screen
- One-click to start or join meetings
- All features available on desktops/laptops and mobile devices
- Learn more about Zoom’s features
Getting Started
Before you can use Zoom, you must install the Zoom software for your device. You can also find from the Zoom Download Center an Outlook plug-in and Firefox and Chrome extensions that will allow you to start or schedule a meeting with one click. After downloading and opening the Zoom Meeting client, select the option to sign in with SSO and enter duke.
Alternatively, you can visit duke.zoom.us if you would prefer to use your web browser instead of downloading the software to your computer.
Getting Support
Zoom provides around-the-clock technical support by phone, chat, and request form. You can also access the Zoom Support Center, which offers help documents and video tutorials. For additional assistance or troubleshooting, please contact a MedEdIT team member.
Other Media
MediaSite
Mediasite is a presentation tool that allows the School of Medicine to make live digital recordings of lectures and/or presentations. Students can view the lectures and presentations over the internet can access the lecture or presentation for viewing at a later date (or if a live-streamed event, in real-time). In general, Mediasite:
- Makes content available on-demand anywhere over the internet.
- It is useful for review and as a study tool after viewing a lecture.
- It enables instructors to create interactive lectures (more to come on this one!)
Note: these guides are intended for undergraduate MD students, although many of the guides can serve as a point of reference for anyone wanting to view a lecture or presentation.
Please contact Sharon Kaiser should you like to have an event, presentation, or lecture recorded.
Podcast
A podcast is a kind of radio show in your pocket and one of the greatest advantages of education podcasts is the portability and convenience they offer. Podcasts can be downloaded to a mobile device, allowing the student to access the learning resources anytime, anywhere, with very little effort.
So why consider creating a podcast as supplemental material for your students?
One of the great powers of podcasting is the attention it attracts. It's tricky to encourage students to spend 30 minutes reading an article or watching a recorded lecture. That's because text and video require the student's full attention – they need to sit patiently, doing just one thing. As you probably know, this is tricky, not least because of the range of distractions just sitting waiting on the next browser tab.
Podcasting, on the other hand, can be done in otherwise wasted time, or alongside a routine activity. Students are far more likely to listen to consume your material if they can do it on the bus, driving the car, washing the dishes, or in the gym. Because they're already distracted by a rote task, the content gets great attention. While text and video struggle to attract 2 or 3 minutes of viewing, podcasts routinely run an hour or more.
If you'd like to get started creating a podcast, we suggest using Anchor - it's very easy to use, and it's free to use!
Warpwire
Duke University provides secure (NetID-based) video and audio publishing through Warpwire.
With Warpwire, anyone with a valid Duke NetID can easily upload and publish video, audio, and image files and share them with Duke and non-Duke users— anywhere, anytime, on just about any modern device.
Duke OIT has many helpful how-to video tutorials to get you started.In addition, Warpwire has some great resources and guides on their website - please refer to their website if you still have questions on a specific procedure or would like more in-depth instruction.
Recording Content (for faculty, students, and staff)
In order to create a lecture you can use Quicktime, which is pre-installed on your Mac.
Apple has a User Guide for Quicktime if you would like more information or need instructions.
For further assistance or instructions, please contact Sharon Kaiser.
ScreenPal, formerly known as Screencast-O-Matic, is a versatile tool designed for capturing, creating, and sharing videos and images from your screen. Whether you’re recording your screen, editing videos, taking screenshots, or sending video messages, ScreenPal has got you covered.
ScreenPal is available for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Chromebook, and the best part is that no account is required.
Please be aware that this is free software that comes with its limitations, including a maximum recording allotment of 15 minutes per recording. If you plan on lecturing for longer than 15 minutes, be aware that you will have to create videos in 15-minute increments.
For further assistance or instructions, please contact Sharon Kaiser.
Loom is a video messaging tool that enables users to convey their messages through instantly shareable videos. With Loom, you can record your camera, microphone, and desktop screen simultaneously. The resulting video is instantly available for sharing using Loom’s patented technology. Whether it’s for work, education, or personal communication, Loom simplifies the process of creating and sharing video content.
Loom is available for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Chromebook.
Please be aware that this is free software that comes with its limitations, including a maximum recording allotment of 5 minutes per recording. If you plan on lecturing for longer than 5 minutes, be aware that you will have to create videos in 5-minute increments.
For further assistance or instructions, please contact Sharon Kaiser.