The University of Illinois Springfield offers resources for the campus community to learn, teach, and work remotely.

Student Support Resources

Creating a Comfortable Workspace

Information Technology Services (ITS) Resources

Remote Desktop Access

Remote Meeting Tools

File Sharing

UIS Email Access & Forwarding

Get Technology Help and Support

Remote Learning

I’m worried about learning online.  Should I be concerned?

There are a lot of myths surrounding online learning.  Listen to fellow UIS students debunk some of those myths. OpenSUNY also provides some resources and advice for succeeding in an online environment.

What tools are commonly used during remote courses?
The most commonly-used tools used at UIS are Canvas, Zoom, Kaltura Personal Capture, Google Apps for Education, and Box.  Students have access to software that can be used in their classes. A full list of teaching and learning software is available from ITS.

I’ve never used Canvas. What is it and where can I find help?
Canvas is a learning management system (LMS) used at UIS to provide online learning for students. It is also used to supplement on-ground courses.  Your instructor may use the Canvas course site to send announcements, post course materials, administer exams, assign and collect assignments, and provide grading feedback. View our Introduction to Canvas website for an overview of how to use Canvas.

My instructor is going to use Canvas to teach remotely. How often should I log-on?
Your instructor may provide more specific instructions, but it is generally helpful to log in at least 2-3 times per week to ensure that you stay up to date.

I’ve never used Zoom. What is it and where can I find help?
Zoom is a video conferencing platform available to faculty and students. View our Introduction to Zoom website for an overview of Zoom. Zoom also provides a video showing how to connect to a Zoom session.

I’ve never used Kaltura Personal Capture. What is it and where can I find help?
Kaltura Personal Capture is a program that makes it easy for users to create and upload videos to Canvas. View our Kalture Personal Capture website for more information.

I’ve never used Google Apps for Education. What is it and where can I find help?
Through the Google Apps for Education, students have access to various software programs including GoogleDocs for word processing, GoogleGroups for collaboration, GoogleDrive for file storage, and more. View our Google Apps for Education website for more information.

I’ve never used Box. What is it and where can I find help?
Box provides online file sharing and storage. View our Box website for more information.

How should I communicate with my instructor and classmates?
Your instructor should provide guidance on how your course is proceeding, including their preferred communication methods.

How do I create a presentation or video for my class? 
Kaltura Personal Capture can be used to create and record a video presentation. Videoconferences using Zoom can be recorded. GoogleSlides could also be used.

How do I collaborate with a group?
There are several options for collaborating with a group. Your instructor may create a Group for collaboration within Canvas. If your instructor does not provide specific guidance on how to collaborate, you may choose to use Zoom for videoconference or Google Apps for document sharing.

How do I get math and writing support while I’m off-campus?
Students can reach the Learning Hub via e-mail at thehub@uis.edu to access virtual and telephone tutoring appointments, assistance with online learning and communication with faculty, and virtual supplemental instruction sessions for designated courses.

How do I get technology assistance?
ITS is available via phone at (217) 206-6000, toll-free at (877) 847-0443, and via e-mail at techsupport@uis.edu​. ITS also has limited walk-in hours as posted on the ITS website.

How do I get assistance with library resources?
Brookens Library resources and librarians are available remotely. See the Brookens Library Resources for Online Students for more information on assistance from a distance.

How do I access other student services, such as the Career Development Center, the Counseling Center, or Health Services?
Many Student Affairs Offices and Centers can be reached via e-mail or via voice message.

What should I do if I don’t have a reliable Internet connection at home?
Libraries, coffee shops, and restaurants often provide free WiFi connections. Community centers and other publish spaces have also begun offering free internet connectivity near their buildings. If you are still struggling with how to proceed, e-mail remotecourse@uis.edu.

What should I do if I don’t have a computer at home?
Students may make arrangements to checkout a laptop at the ITS help desk if they do not have access to one. If you are still struggling with how to proceed, e-mail remotecourse@uis.edu.

Who do I contact if I have a question that isn’t addressed in this site?
For questions specific to your course, like how an assignment or exam will be handled or what to expect from the class during this period of online instruction, contact your course instructor. For additional help, please e-mail remotecourse@uis.edu.

Remote Teaching

Help! The course that I’m teaching on-campus has been moved to remote teaching methods.  Where should I start?

The Center for Online Learning, Research, and Service (COLRS) has a Teaching Remotely at UIS website.  This website guides instructors through a series of steps and considerations for moving your course to remote teaching methods quickly.

Now that my class has been moved to remote teaching methods, how can I reach my students?

Every course at UIS has a Canvas course site. Through the course site, you can send e-mails and post announcements to your students.

I’ve never used Canvas. Where should I get help?

If you need to improve your familiarity with Canvas, the COLRS Online Teaching & Technology Blog can help. It is a searchable tool for you to use to get assistance with many Canvas-related topics. Canvas also provides an Instructor Guide website. If you’d like additional assistance, contact COLRS at colrs@uis.edu or (217) 206-7317.

What options do I have to deliver content to and facilitate activities with my students?

There are many options available for delivering content to and facilitating activities with your students. Available tools include Zoom, Kaltura Personal Capture, Box, Modules in Canvas, Respondus Monitor with LockDown Browser, and Examity Online Video Proctoring. The Teaching Remotely at UIS website provides suggestions for when you may want to use these tools.

I teach a course that is hard to move online.  What should I do?

As COLRS discovers discipline-specific online content resources that may be useful, we will add them to our Online Teaching & Technology blog post on Discipline-Specific Resources for Teaching Remotely.  

In addition, there are additional tools available for faculty, including the Quality Matters Emergency Remote Instruction Checklist.

What should I do if I don’t have reliable Internet connection at home?

Libraries, coffee shops, and restaurants often provide free WiFi connections. Community centers and other publish spaces have also begun offering free internet connectivity near their buildings. 

For additional assistance, contact Information Technology Services (ITS) at (217) 206-6000 or techsupport@uis.edu.

What should I do if a student is struggling?

The academic advising staff want to do whatever they can to support your remote teaching efforts.  They are hearing that some students are struggling with the new format and others are not participating at all.  Let them help you with these students so that you can focus on teaching. UIS Navigate allows you to raise alerts for these students.  When you raise an alert, the student’s academic advisor will be notified so that they can do what they can to get that student back on track.

The UIS Navigate faculty website includes a walk-through guide to help you understand how to raise an alert.  And, if you need assistance, please contact Andy Egizi, Navigate Coordinator, and he’ll meet you in Zoom to walk you through the process.

Where should I go for additional assistance?

If you need additional assistance teaching your course remotely, please reach out!

Remote Work

Information about Working Remotely

The University of Illinois Springfield considers working remotely (or telecommuting) to be a viable alternative work arrangement in cases where individual, job and supervisor characteristics are suited to such an arrangement. Working remotely allows an employee to work at home, or other approved remote location, for all or a part of their regular workweek. Working remotely is a voluntary work alternative that may be appropriate for some employees and some jobs in certain situations like the present. It is not an entitlement; it is not a University-wide benefit; and it does not change the terms and conditions of employment with the University of Illinois Springfield.

Information about Desktop Computers

Computers should stay on for employees who want to use a remote desktop connection. ITS pushed a group policy to prevent computers from going into sleep mode (sleep mode prevents users from establishing a remote connection). Employees who are on campus should reboot their computers before they leave to ensure they get the group policy. Employees who will not be remoting into their office computers may shut them down. They will receive any necessary updates whenever they turn their computer back on.

Office Phone Forwarding

ITS has designed an application that allows employees to forward/unforward their office phones to another number (a home number, for example). This service can be done on or off campus, from any device including a mobile device.

Remote Desktop Access

Remote Meeting Tools

File Sharing

Get Technology Help and Support

Remote Work Guidelines

UIS has a policy for remote work. Please refer to the information below or contact UIS HR with questions. 

Remote Work Resources