Technology

If there’s anything that can be done to make your first year with the NDSU Extension Service better, please contact your supervisor (district director, assistant director or department chair) or Deb Gebeke, Assistant Director, Staff Development.
debra.gebeke@ndsu.edu

Extension educators need to consider the most appropriate technologies to reach and teach targeted audiences.

Computers
A computer is the most basic tool for carrying out your job efficiently and effectively. The Ag IT Advisory Group recommends hardware (both desktops and notebooks) and software that should meet 80 percent of your needs 80 percent of the time.

Just as all of us can carry out the basics to keep our cars going, so it is with computers. Each of us must be responsible for managing files appropriately, completing clean disk and defragmentation regularly, and backing up data often.

IT information specifically for new staff includes common issues, general computer support issues and specialized issues.

Educators (agents and specialists) should consider having just one computer, probably a notebook that can be taken for presentations and when work away from the office is required.

Help Desk Support
If your computer support is provided by NDSU rather than a local provider or the N.D. Association of Counties, computer questions must go through the ITS Help Desk. Call (701) 231-8685 with your problem or question, or e-mail it to ndsu.helpdesk@ndsu.edu. This is important so your problem gets to the person who can best answer it and is logged into the database so the staff can identify trends.

Before contacting the help desk, note the exact language of an error message. This information can provide the technician a quick indication of the problem. The technicians often are able to take control of your computer remotely (with your permission) to solve the problem.

Technology Leadership
The N.D. Information Technology Department (ITD) is the state agency responsible for the oversight of the state network and PeopleSoft, and provides strategic planning for state government IT.

As NDSU faculty and staff, we are part of the North Dakota University System (NDUS) and are influenced by its IT policies and directions.

NDSU Agriculture and University Extension faculty and staff receive information technology support from NDSU Information Technology Services (ITS).

In addition, educators in county and other off-campus offices often are influenced by the IT direction of county government or another entity.

The Ag IT Advisory Group makes recommendations to Ag administration on technology guidelines and policies.

Hardware and Software
To increase efficiency, NDSU defines a baseline for hardware and software. The majority of our IT needs are met with just a few software programs or applications: word processing, e-mail, Web browsing, Web page development, spreadsheet, database and presentations. Using common software means files are compatible when shared with colleagues and IT technicians can more easily address a problem on your computer. The goal is to define software that meets 80 percent of faculty and staff IT needs 80 percent of the time. Non-baseline software is the responsibility of the user and is not supported by Information Technology Services.

Other Technologies
Other IT applications include videoconferencing (Polycom), Webconferencing (Wimba) and digital photography.

These applications make our tasks easier and allow us to accomplish more, but also require that we learn and relearn numerous IT applications.

Acceptable Use
Computers and other IT equipment must be used legally and appropriately. NDSU Extension Service faculty and staff must follow acceptable use policies and procedures of the North Dakota University System and NDSU. Acceptable use includes purchasing software for use on one computer, not browsing inappropriate Web sites and more.

Training
Ag Communication and Information Technology Services staff provide training via Wimba, at locations throughout the state and during conferences. However, most programs include an online tutorial for learning the software. Users should complete this tutorial to learn the basics of new software.

Printed manuals rarely come with software these days. Instead, nearly all programs have a help or question mark button in the upper right in the tool bar. This Help section can provide answers to many of your questions. Please use it before calling the Help Desk.

Security
Securing data is a function that many of us may not think about much. However, our IT system is frequently subject to external attacks. Although some of these attacks may be aimed at disrupting our data, more likely the unauthorized user is hoping to find high-speed access to the remainder of the Internet. Minimize these attacks by protecting your passwords and changing them regularly.

Viruses
Protect against viruses by installing, regularly using and regularly updating McAfee anti-virus software. To reduce the chance of computer viruses, the McAfee program also may be downloaded to personal computers at no cost.

Also, be wary of e-mail messages where you do not recognize the sender. Be especially careful before opening attachments of suspicious e-mails. Delete messages that raise concerns. The NDSU help desk will never ask for your password or other personal information.

When you send messages, include a subject title that clearly states to your recipient that it is a legitimate message.

Back-up
Back up your files regularly. This can be accomplished on DVD, CD, flash drive, shared drive or external hard drive. Choose the strategy that best works for you and your office, then do it often and keep the backup off site.

E-mail
The NDSU Extension Service is completing a transition from its own e-mail system (for example, bkoch@ndsuext.nodak.edu) to the NDSU e-mail system (becky.koch@ndsu.edu). As a new staff member, you will be assigned different passwords for each. However, the bkoch@ndsuext.nodak.edu password is used to get into Agriculture and University Extension password-protected sites, not for e-mail.

If you haven’t already received an e-mail address, you must request firstname.lastname@ndsu.edu e-mail and password service. Go to http://enroll.nodak.edu and accept the agreement. Check the box that says, “If you do not know your Electronic ID and password, check this box and click Continue.” This will walk you through the process to create your password. Write down this password, but keep it in a secure place where other people can’t see it. Hint: you’ll need your EMPLID (employee identification number) for this process, so you may as well have it ready before starting. However, you may not be able to get your NDSU e-mail address and password immediately since the paperwork must go through several steps at NDSU before you have an EMPLID. Extension requests early IDs for most staff.

Staff who are not employed by NDSU must fill out a Non-employee Form available from Theresa Semmens of ITS (231-5870 or Theresa.Semmens@ndsu.edu) and return it to her. The county chair or another supervisor needs to sign it. Check “other” rather than a course and write “county Extension employee” or whatever is appropriate.

Use this firstname.lastname@ndsu.edu e-mail address for all your professional communications.

You also will receive the bkoch@ndsuext.nodak.edu password for Extension-specific functions. If you haven’t received your Extension password in your first week of employment, contact Roger Egeberg with Ag Communication at 231-7382 or roger.egeberg@ndsu.edu.

Your Extension password is used for:

Ag Info Center – Agriculture and University Extension’s password-protected Intranet that includes the Ag calendar, Quarterly Program Reports, program planning, file transfer system and e-mail groups list

Your @ndsu.edu password is the one you’ll use for NDSU-based programs, such as:

Blackboard – NDSU’s learning management system
NDSU Library access
Maybe Oracle Calendar
Novell Network computer login – if you’re on the Novell network on campus

eXtension
eXtension (pronounced e-extension) is a national initiative to help Extension faculty and staff across the country work together to provide information, answer questions and build communities internally and with the public.

As soon as you have an NDSU e-mail address, go to http://people.extension.org and sign up for an eXtension ID.

When you can log in to http://people.extension.org, add information about yourself in My Profile. You may not want to join any communities yet, but you can see all the different topics that Extension educators from around the country are working on.

Many national eXtension and NDSU Web pages now include an Ask an Expert widget. This is a little box on a Web page that allows the public to ask questions if they can’t find an answer on the site.

To make it possible for you to answer a few of these questions, especially if they’re from your locality or in your subject matter area, click on the AaE button along the top of the People page. Click on Preferences in the top right, then select Areas of Expertise and Geographic Regions where you’re willing to help answer questions. Don’t worry; you’ll rarely be asked to answer questions unless you have a local widget on your own Web site.

eXtension also provides live training and recordings on a wide variety of topics. The live training is from your computer using either your phone or a headset via Adobe Connect (similar to NDSU’s Wimba webconferencing).

Web Content Development
The Ag Content Management System (Ag CMS) offers Extension faculty and staff an easy-to-use, flexible and effective environment for creating and maintaining Web pages.

To get started using the Ag CMS, go to http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/AgCMS for information on training, accounts, new site requests and more.

Social Media
Social media is the umbrella term for many online tools than promote conversation and community. These tools are critical to Extension’s current and future efforts in education and communication. Extension professionals at NDSU and across the country are using blogs, wikis, presentation sharing, video sharing, micro-blogging and social networking inform and engage their audiences.

For more information on social media and cooperative extension, go to http://collaborate.extension.org/wiki/Social_Media_in_Extension

Next Session
Have you already been asked to give a presentation or write a news column? Go To: communications.