Rice University Technology Guide to Remote Learning
This guide is intended to cover technology needs to create a successful remote learning experience for students.
Contents
University Policies and Information Security Guidelines
All members of the Rice community need to follow policies and guidelines to protect the university's resources and information.
- University Policy 832: Appropriate Use of Information Technology explains that university computing and networking resources must be "used in a manner consistent with federal and state laws and regulations, university policies and specialized policies and guidelines."
- University Policy 808: Protection of University Data and Information defines the types of data that must be protected like student grades, financial information, and Rice's intellectual property.
- Information Security: The same guidelines used to support these university policies while working on campus also apply while working remotely. Additionally, watch out for new phishing attacks and other scams that attempt to take advantage of the situation.
Campus Communications
Important university announcements will be sent to your Rice email or alert channels.- Rice Crisis Management: Emergency notices page
- Sign-up for Rice Alerts: Set up your preferred alerts channels
- IT Status Page: Notices about campus computer systems maintenance and issues
Essential Applications and Services
Essential applications and services will function normally from a remote location as long as you have a stable internet connection. Some of the tools you may need include:
Canvas
- Canvas is Rice's learning management system. Canvas 24/7 support can be accessed through the Canvas application.
- Canvas Login Page
- Canvas Status Page
- Electronically submitting handwritten files
Zoom Video Communications
- Zoom is an enterprise video communications platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars. To join a Zoom meeting for your class click on the link provided by your instructor.
- Faculty, staff, graduate students, and undergraduates have Zoom License accounts (formerly called Pro accounts).
- Zoom Updates: Ensure your Zoom software is the latest version so you will have the most recent security fixes to prevent Zoombombing and other potential privacy issues.
- Rice Zoom Login
- Zoom for Rice Students
- Using Zoom in Canvas
Office 365
- Office 365 provides students access to popular Microsoft Office Applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
- Sign up for Office 365 Education for free.
Google Workspace for Education
- Google Workspace provides access to a number of Google applications including:
- Google - Mail (Rice Google Mail) and core applications (Calendar, Drive, Sheets, Hangouts Meet, Slides, Keep, etc.)
Rice Online Account Management System (MyNetID)
Software Available for Students
- Rice has licensed (or is in the process of adding student access) a variety of software packages for students, including:
- Adobe Creative Cloud
- Matlab
- SPSS
- Office365
- Mathematica
- Complete Software List
Secure Connection to Campus
Some campus systems require VPN access with two-factor authentication (Duo).
Duo (Two-factor Authentication)
- Two-factor adds a second layer of protection to online accounts. Using a second factor (i.e., mobile phone) prevents anyone from logging on to your account. The duo is required to access some Rice accounts such as VPN, Esther (for registration), Banner, or MyNetID (when changing your password).
- How do I enroll in Duo?
VPN (Virtual Private Network)
- VPN is software that provides secure, password-protected access to the Rice campus network from off-campus. VPN is required to access some secure Rice services when using your computer.
- Two-factor Authentication and VPN
Storage
- Box at Rice University - Box is an enterprise cloud-based storage and collaboration tool to share files and folders online.
- Rice Google Drive - Log in to Rice Google with NetID and Google Password.
- OneDrive (part of Office365)
Computer Recommendations
The computer you use should meet the following minimum criteria. If you're unsure of how to find this information, use the guide for Windows and/or guide for Mac.
- Operating System: Windows 10 or MacOS 10.14 (Mojave) or later
- RAM: 8GB Minimum
For more information: