Continue your journey. We’ll help.
We support you! Providing faculty and staff with teaching and technology help is what we do. Please explore our site for tools and resources to help you in your professional development. If you find you still have questions, contact us at cci@potsdam.edu to open a support ticket. We’ll do our best to respond promptly and even schedule a follow-up meeting with you if needed. If you’re interested in collaborative discussion, join the Creative Instructors Community team and post your thoughts and questions in the Professional Development and Brightspace channels (watch Joining a Microsoft Teams with a code – 01:16, code n9v5whd).
Come by each week and check out our Featured section. We’ll post on important CCI news and highlight new functionality available on your favorite program or app. (Week 5 – 02/17/25)
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This week, we’re sharing some handy tips! Need to edit a PDF but don’t have the full version of Adobe? Discover how to convert the document to Word, which works on both PCs and Macs. After editing, you can easily convert it back to PDF if needed.
Issues Converting
When you convert a Word document to PDF, the conversion might not be perfect. However, it will be significantly better than using the cut-and-paste method. Depending on the document, you might need to add or remove text boxes, tables, pictures, and captions. Indentation and line formatting can also be an issue. Be patient, and remember that once you make the necessary changes, you’ll have a document you can easily update in the future.
Covert Word into PDF
The easiest way to covert a Word document is to use the “Print” function. Select File, Print, the Print to PDF printer, and Print. For a few more options, watch Convert Word To PDF (3 Easy Methods!) – 02:17.
Reduce File Size
You have to upload a document or image, but your file size is too big. Watch the videos below for some tips how to deal with this issue. Reminder: Instead of sending a file by email, it is normally best to create a Share link to your OneDrive file (Share with OneDrive – 02:09).
On a PC:
How to Create ZIP file – 01:03
How To Resize Photo – 01:50
How To Compress Word File Size – 01:38
On a Mac:
Posted on Week 4
Reading Scholarly Articles
As you prepare to assign research projects to your students, it’s essential they learn how to efficiently read scholarly articles. Bryan Kvet from the College Libraries has created a concise guide on how to approach article reviews. This guide outlines key steps and considerations for your students, helping them effectively sift through, analyze, and understand the academic literature they encounter during their research. Watch How to Read a Scholarly Article – 09:47.
Library HELP with Research
Our friends at the College Libraries are eager to assist you and your students with your next research paper. Whether you need help with campus books, journals, academic databases, or AI research tools, visit the library’s Help page for more information on the available resources and services.
Posted on Week 3
Video Editor
Need to shorten a lecture recorded in Teams or Zoom, or edit a video created with Stream or PowerPoint? Use Clipchamp to craft a fully edited video with seamless integration of video clips, images, music, transitions, and effects. Once you’re done, easily save and share your new video via OneDrive. Watch How to edit videos like a Pro – 04:35.
Clipchamp in Tech Tools
Explore the new Clipchamp section of Tech Tools. The site is packed with the latest and most helpful videos to make learning Clipchamp a breeze. You'll not only find general overview videos but a collection of direct links to specific topics and features.
Posted on Week 2
Bookings in Outlook
Need students to sign up for office hours, advising, coaching, or project meetings? With Outlook, you can offer appointment slots that are easy to book. Simply share your personal Bookings page, and students or colleagues can schedule in-person or virtual meetings. You control your availability, and once a meeting is booked, it’s automatically added to both calendars! Watch Create A Personal Bookings Page – 09:21 for a complete overview of this great Microsoft app.
Scheduling Poll
Outlook makes scheduling your next meeting a breeze! Use the “Scheduling Poll” feature to propose meeting times to attendees, whether they’re on or off campus (watch How to use Scheduling Poll – 03:18). This feature even shows you when campus participants are busy, helping you choose times that are more likely to work. Say goodbye to the back-and-forth of scheduling by email and take advantage of this fantastic M365 tool.
Posted on Week 1
Teams Upgrades
Happy New Year! There are some great new changes to Teams we’ll see this semester. Some have already been added to are instance of Teams. Take a look (watch 10 new features in Microsoft Teams – 10:09).
Fun Teams Changes
Throughout each semester, functionality is added to Teams and our other M365 applications. Some are “game-changers” and some are just fun. Check out the Create Custom Images with Microsoft Designer and Add Custom Emojis to Teams sections of the 7 Exciting NEW Updates in Microsoft Teams – 10:23 video.
Brightspace- Find How-to guides and resources on Brightspace (used to deliver course content and instruction).
Record in M365: Find a complete guide to recording in Teams, Stream, and PowerPoint and sharing with OneDrive.
Base Camp- Find step-by-step guidance on what to learn first if you’re just starting to use technology.
Accessibility- Find resources and tools to help you create accessible content and courses.
Professional Development Form- Select a PD session (from a list of offerings) for your department’s next meet.
Mission & Goals
The mission and goals of each administrative unit have been compiled into one document. View Mission & Goals (PDF).