Faculty & Instructors

Technology Guide

MSU NetID & Spartan ID card

You’ll need to set up your MSU NetID and password to access many MSU technology resources.

You’ll also need a Spartan ID Card to access different buildings, rooms, and parking structures on campus. Stop by the MSU ID Office to get your card.

Two-factor authentication

Michigan State University safeguards personal and institutional data by applying two-factor authentication.

To access enterprise business systems (EBS) and the D2L learning system, employees need to register two-factor authentication credentials. To ensure you have access to your information at all times, it is important to register two devices.

Course development & teaching support

D2L is MSU’s main supported online learning management system. An alternative to D2L is LON-CAPA, which is ideal for math- and physics-focused courses. (NOTE: Two-factor authentication is required for all faculty members to log into D2L.)

MSU IT Academic Technology instructional designers provide faculty with instructional design and development for online and blended courses. Also, check out the course best practices and guidelines.

MSU IT supports and manages a variety of teaching tools licensed by MSU that aid in teaching and learning.

Check out the online content accessibility checklist to help make sure all course information is accessible. Also look into Digital Accessibility Support for further help.

Computer labs & classrooms

MSU IT manages more than 60 computer labs and close to 260 technology classrooms across campus used by students, faculty, and staff. Find out more about computer labs and classrooms including:

Rooms for Engaged and Active Learning (REAL) are specifically designed to enable lively interaction, enhanced learning, and increased faculty and student engagement. An application and REAL Academy training is part of the process to teaching in REAL spaces at MSU.

Scoring & proctoring services

The MSU Scoring Office provides secure “bubble sheet” scanning for objective tests, general data collection, the Student Instructional Rating System (SIRS), and other MSU instructional evaluations. Item analysis, test statistics, and grade keeping services are available to enhance testing.

There are also several different types of online test proctoring options available. These test proctoring options offer instructors different ways to securely proctor online assessments.

Technology services

Various technology services are available to the MSU community including:

Research resources

Find out more about MSU research data management, control, and access. Additional information is available on the Human Research Protection Program site and Research@MSU.

Some other MSU research resources are below.

Faculty development & support

Faculty Orientation helps support faculty and instructors at MSU. There is also the regular seminar series Explorations in Instructional Technology Brown Bags.

Read more about development opportunities, including workshops and technology training.

SecureIT safe computing tips

SecureIT offers information and tips for keeping your personal information and computer safe. It also provides information about securing institutional data.

Institutional data

  1. Store confidential data on a secured server and connect to the server if you need to access that data.
    Read the MSU Institutional Data Policy.
  2. Avoid storing multiple copies of confidential data and lock your computer when leaving it unattended.
    Know the best practices for securing institutional data.
  3. Avoid sending confidential data by email.
    Understand how to handle institutional and confidential data.

Passwords & phishing

  1. Create strong passwords and don’t share them with anyone, including your parents.
  2. Learn more about strong passwords.
  3. Don’t respond to emails asking for your password and NetID or account information.
  4. Learn more about what to look for in a phishing email.
  5. Report phishing attempts to alert MSU to potential widespread phishing.
  6. Learn more about how to report a phishing incident.

Access requests

MSU employees currently gain access to certain systems and applications through an access request process coordinated by MSU IT. Access requests for to a variety of information systems, mainframe data files, and reporting databases is granted by either electronic (eARM).

Also, check out the Employee Guide and Administrator Supervisor Guide.