Here to help: Tech Support options for students and employees

Tue, May 9 2023

When you encounter issues with technology – whether it’s needing help logging into a computer, getting acquainted with specialized software, or something else – it can be difficult to know where to turn. Olympic College's tech support resources are available for both students and employees, and it’s important to know which one to turn to for your particular problem.

The IT Help Desk is generally the first place to turn with problems, and Student Online Support specializes in helping students use Canvas, the online learning software used for most of the college’s online classes.

The IT Help Desk

The IT Help Desk is available to assist both students and employees with a variety of technological issues, such as logging into a computer, or troubleshooting issues with ctcLink, said Lynne Kieser, Olympic College’s Chief Information Officer. Much of the help the IT Help Desk provides can be done remotely, via screensharing, or can be done on-campus Kieser said.

Help Desk staff strive to explain things to people in an easy-to-understand way, avoiding jargon that may leave people confused. But that can be frustrating to people who are more advanced technology users, so they adjust their approach as they learn more about whoever they are helping: “We’re really good at feeling out what level someone is at,” Kieser said.

At the end of the day, the IT Help Desk is here to make it as easy as possible for Olympic College students and employees to use the technology they rely on every day.

“I want to make it as easy as possible on the users of the technology,” Kieser said. “It shouldn’t be a challenge to do your job because technology gets in the way.”

Kieser added that beyond the help desk, IT works behind the scenes to keep many of the services students and employees rely on running smoothly. “A lot of work goes into it,” she said.

Student Online Support

If you need help with online classes, particularly if you need help using the Canvas learning management system, then Student Online Support is the place to go.

Many of the questions fielded by Student Online Support are basic ones, such as how to log into Canvas, how to find classes, or how to email instructors, said Justin Kornheisl, learning management system administrator for the college’s Center for Learning Innovation. But they can also help with more advanced issues, such as helping students to submit an assignment, or sorting out questions about a grade.

Student Online Support also offers free courses in Canvas that teach students how to use the Canvas platform. GEN-S 097, for example, “is really designed for students who are new to online learning, especially on the Canvas learning management system,” said Sue Riddle, interim Associate Dean for Learning Innovation. “Or they’re returning and they haven’t used it for a long time. It’s a really good overview of the basic skills that you’ll need to be successful in online classes: using the inbox, posting an assignment, finding your grades, going into a Zoom meeting, that kind of thing.”

Kornheisl said he enjoys helping students use Canvas.

“From a personal standpoint, it’s really rewarding,” he said. “Although the role I have is primarily technical, the work itself is a lot of customer service. I’ve done this kind of work for over a decade now and I enjoy it and pride myself on delivering a certain level of quality. I want to provide a resource that’s important to students that I felt I didn’t have when I was in college.”