Computing Resources for New Instructors
Orientation to Computing here: The department's maintains an Introduction to Computing at Umich-Math, a general guide for all your needs, not just teaching. Far more comprehensive and detailed than this little page.Unix Spreadsheets: The program "StarOffice" knows how to manage spreadsheets. Many people keep grade records on this system. Once you get past the long wait at startup it works pretty well, and even knows how to handle Microsoft formats (no small accomplishment!). Type "soffice" at your unix command prompt in order to run this program. It seems to be capable of many different types of file management, from database to html editing. But you just needed a spreadsheet, right? Sun provides a "Technical FAQ" for this product.
Pine Email: Annoyed that your email client operates with multiple windows, has pretty icons, and uses convenient pull-down menus? Try Pine for the relief you need. With an all-text interface, it's almost impossible to go wrong! Type "pine" at the command line. If you've never used pine email before, I recommend getting someone to give you a tutorial. Heck, maybe someone should publish an online tutorial. Hmmmm.
Class email lists: Some students really like professors who keep in touch via email. If you wish to set up a class email list, you may use a service provided by ITD (Information Technologies Division) which builds class email lists from the registrar's enrollment database — Very convenient. You can start with the Course Listserv Request Form.
Student Info forms: Gavin LaRose (resident instructional technology genius) has created a system allowing students to enter their "about me" data into webforms which get processed, analyzed, and made available to the instructor online. If you use this system to get student feedback, you have to promise me that you'll read it! Accessible from Gavin's "Project" page.
Online Gateway Exams: This is not so much a resource for you as a resource for your students. Of course, this means you'll have to know it fairly well in order to help them use it properly. Each intro level class (105,115,116) gives one or two gateways each semester, testing rote mechanic ability. The students use the basement computer labs (a proctored environment) to take the tests. They are automatically graded, with errors identified and tutorials generated on the fly to help students with problems on particular topics, like the quotient rule. Again, see Gavin's "Project" page for lots more.