February 14, 2020

Update: As of Spring 2020, TurningPoint 8 is supported by UMBC. Turning Technologies no longer supports the software TurningPoint Cloud. All main lecture halls are up-to-date with the new software. TurningPoint products are not affected by the transition to TurningPoint 8. Clickers and subscriptions are compatible with the new software. Students will not need to purchase another clicker or subscription if it is still active. Rebates are no longer being issued. To learn more about pricing, visit the UMBC TurningPoint Pricing pdf. For more information on what is needed to participate in TurningPoint polls, visit our FAQ.

On Thursday, November 19 a Faculty Town Hall was held to discuss the current status of clicker software and to share survey results. Turning Technologies, our current clicker vendor, announced that they will no longer support our current software starting in June 2016. This announcement prompted DoIT to re-evaluate our current clicker software and conduct a market survey of other response systems available.       

Q: What is happening with clickers at UMBC?

A: Current clicker software will no longer be supported starting in June of 2016. UMBC will have to update from TurningPoint 5 to TurningPoint Cloud before this support period ends, or decide to use another response system.  It is important that our campus stays up-to-date with our software so we offer students and instructors the best classroom experience possible. A comparison chart of current clicker system is publicly available.

Q: What will be the cost to UMBC students?

A:  If we stay with our current vendor, TurningTechnologies, students who currently have a clicker will need to purchase a license for a Turning account after the TurningPoint Cloud upgrade in order to register their clickers for UMBC courses. The cost of this license is $34.99 plus tax; however, the $34.99 will be fully refunded to UMBC students through a mail-in process.

Students who do not have clickers will purchase a clicker bundle in the bookstore. The bundle will come with a physical clicker and a 4- or 5-year subscription to ResponseWare, the mobile version of the clicker. All bundles come with a $15.00 mail-in rebate.

Q: When is this change going to occur?

A: The transition from TurningPoint 5 to TurningPoint Cloud will begin in Summer 2016.  

Q: Where can I provide my feedback about this transition?

A: Please complete this survey and give detailed feedback about this transition.

Q: Where can I view the clicker survey results presented at the Faculty Town Hall?

A:  Survey results presented at the Faculty Town Hall have been shared here.

**This position is no longer accepting applications.**

The DoIT Technology Support Center is looking to hire additional consultants to work during the Fall. Please see our job description below and visit our job posting on UMBCWorks to apply. 

(Search for TSC Student Consultant.)

TSC Student Consultant Job Description

Technology Support Center (TSC) student consultants are the first points of technical contact for the UMBC community and those who do well often go on to work in other areas of the Division of Information Technology (DoIT). Minimally, consultants are expected to provide initial triage and support for a wide-range of information technologies including accounts, hardware, instructional technologies, networking, software, telecommunications, and basic web development.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

• Provide technical assistance to users by phone, online and in person;

• Answer TSC phones in a professional and courteous manner;

• Create, update and resolve tickets in the Request Tracker (RT) ticketing system;

• Create, update, suggest and recommend relevant FAQ articles to users (www.umbc.edu/faq);

• Provide direct assistance to users on technical issues they cannot easily resolve on their own;

• Complete in-person or online training about quality support as defined inumbc.edu/go/ticketrubric;

• Respond to all work related communications in a timely manner;

• Escalate urgent problems to the Full-Time staff, as appropriate.

Required Skills and Experience

• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate by phone or in person.

• Demonstrated writing ability.

• Demonstrated ability to achieve successful outcomes in handling difficult situations and customers.

• Demonstrated analytical and troubleshooting skills.

• Ability & willingness to learn coupled with clear understanding of one’s technical abilities, so as to triage and escalate an issue that leads to an effective solution for the user.

Note: The following is adapted from a Library news story originally published on 8/15/15 

Thumbnail shows equipment part of the program which includes a choice in either a Dell Latitude or Macbook Pro. Also included with the laptop are their respective chargers and carrying bag. 

With support from DoIT, the AOK Library & Gallery has expanded its Equipment Loan Program to include laptops. 

DoIT has provided the program with access to five Macbook Pros and five Dell Latitudes. The laptops are available on a first-come-first-served basis at the Media Desk, located on the second floor on the library. Laptops may be checked out until the Media Desk closes the next day.

The Digital Media Lab also provides the UMBC community with access to audio/visual equipment suitable for a wide variety of video, audio, and graphic design projects. 

You can find more information regarding available equipment and loan policies here