Learning Technologies & Innovation

July 2025

Start of School Webinars

If you are new to teaching at Loyola or returning this fall, you are invited to participate in all or part of this live webinar series. Topics include Sakai, Gradescope, Top Hat, Elai, and Qualtrics. These sessions are designed to help you integrate technology into teaching and learning quickly, while gaining insights into best practices for using each tool. For full session descriptions, visit Start of School Webinars.

Interactive Learning with Top Hat

Tuesday, August 5th, 2:00-2:45pm CT

Survey Smarts: Getting Started with Qualtrics

Wednesday, August 6th, 11:00-11:45am CT

Teaching with Tech: Gradescope for Streamlining Grading and Providing Consistent Feedback

Thursday, August 7th, 10:00-10:45am CT

Introduction to Sakai for Faculty

Monday, August 11th, 1:00-2:00pm CT

Introducing Elai: Using AI for Video Production

Tuesday, August 12th, 12:00-12:45pm CT

Introduction to Sakai for Students

Tuesday, August 19th, 1:00-2:00pm CT

Important Information Regarding Your Sakai Courses

Loyola has a regular practice in place of deleting Sakai course sites that are older than two years at the conclusion of each academic year. This clean-up process helps to keep the Sakai system running at optimal performance and avoids incremental costs for content that is no longer used. A permanent record of final grades is maintained in LOCUS. The next course deletion cycle will occur early morning on Friday, July 25, 2025. It will include the following academic terms:

Spring 2022 [1222]
Summer 2022 [1224]
Fall 2022 [1226]
Winter 2022-2023 [1228]
J-Term 2023 [1231]

Please take time to review your older courses and keep what may have future value. There are several methods you can use to download and save a local copy of course content. For step-by-step instructions, visit Sakai Retention Policies.

If you have any questions or need assistance with the instructions provided, please don't hesitate to contact the ITS Service Desk at ITSServiceDesk@luc.edu or 773-508-4ITS, or schedule an appointment by visiting the Learning Technologies & Innovation Consultations booking page.

Save the Date: 2025 Information & Technology Showcase

Tuesday, October 7th, 9:00am-3:30pm CT

Open to all students, faculty, and staff, this annual event highlights the technology and library resources available to the University community. It will be held on the Lake Shore Campus in the Damen Student Center. Start your day with a light breakfast and opening remarks, then explore breakouts sessions and resource tables throughout the day. Enjoy lunch while networking with colleagues and Loyola service provider partners. The event concludes with a closing speaker and raffle drawing. Registration is now open!

Event is co-hosted by Information Technology Services and University Libraries

Mozart in a Go Kart: Shifting Minds into Gear with the Power of Classical Music

This fun and lighthearted article blends humor, research, and the author's personal narrative, and explores how classical music—often dismissed as outdated or elitist—can unlock mental clarity, emotional resonance, and academic performance, especially in unexpected settings. It advocates for using curated classical playlists in educational settings to help students regulate emotion, recognize patterns, and connect more fully with their work—and themselves. Check out the full article.

In Next Month's Issue

Faculty support for Fall 2025
Upcoming Sakai Pathways date and topic
Qualtrics Tips Video Series - Part 2