New Features and Enhancements; Changes and Resolved Issues; Still Unresolved Issues
Safe Assignments: Verifiy Safe Assignments available
Because Blackboard was shut down; upgraded and restarted there may be a need to ensure that existing and new Safe Assignments are available and syncronized with the current course:
If you do not see the Create Assessments; Safe Assignments option
- Access Customization from the Control Panel; select Tool Availability
- Scroll down to SafeAssign - make sure there is a checkmark in "available" (first column); the next option Safe Assignment, place a check mark in box to the far right (Available in Content Area)
- Click Submit
You should now see the option for Safe Assignment under the Create Assessment button along with Test, Survey, Assignment:
If you have Safe Assignments in the course already, make sure to "sync" the Safe Assignment with the course
- Access Course Tools from the Control Panel; select SafeAssign
- On the SafeAssign screen, select SafeAssignments (a listing of created Safe Assignments will display)
- At the top right hand corner click (select) the button icron for "Synchronize this course"
New Features and Enhancements:
"Go To Arrows"
The "Go To" arrows are now blue and larger
Show/Hide Link
Instructors can now select the option to “show” or “hide” item descriptions/instructions that will collapse the item’s detail and allow for more “viewing” space
The Show/Hide link appears to the far right of the item title
Announcements
New Announcements now appear directly below a positionable bar. Priority Announcements can be moved above the bar so they always appear first in the list. Students do not see the bar. Note that the Announcement notification issue is still unresolved, see “What is Still Unresolved or Under Investigation” area.
Grade Center
Needs Grading
Instructors can access assignment and test attempts that need grading through a new “Needs Grading” category listed in the Control Panel, Grade Center section. The “Needs Grading” area allows instructors to quickly view and grade all assignments for students. Selecting Grade All will list each student’s assignment attempt; allow you to grade, enter comments; save and proceed to the next ungraded attempt. Once an attempt is graded, it no longer appears on the Needs Grading page.
Smart Views
Smart Views added as “Favorites” appear as an indented list in the Control Panel, Grade Center section
Groups
Column Delete Alert
When groups with graded Blogs, Journals, Wikis, or Discussion Boards are deleted, an alert appears prompting the instructor to save or delete the corresponding Grade Center columns. Managing columns for groups becomes part of the same process as deleting groups
.
Text Editor
The symbol font is removed from the Visual Text Editor and a symbol selector has been added (located next to the Font Color icon on the Visual Text Editor menus) that allow you to select a symbol
What has Changed and has been Resolved:
Course Copy
The Course Copy option is now available
Feedback and Comments
Students are now able to see comments for all assignments, tests and Safe Assignments from their My Grades area.
Students are now able to view the full comment feedback. Longer feedback comments are available as a scrollable area and the text does not overlap in the page
Journals
Prior journal entries are now accessible to instructors and students
Mashups
Mashups: Adding YouTube video from Build Content; Mashup; YouTube Video is now functional
Discussion Board
Save Draft: The Save Draft option is now functional and allows Discussion Board drafts to be saved and edited at a later time.
Attachments: Adding attachments issues (both for students and instructors) has been resolved. Attachments can be added using the Visual Text Box area or from the “Attach File” option
Maximize/Minimize: Prior to upgrades when a user selected the option to maximize all thread details within the Discussion Board, the thread text was jumbled and un-readable. This has been resolved.
What is Still Unresolved or Under Investigation
Announcements
The ability to email announcements when creating a new announcement appears to be “sporadic” and still is being tested.
Content System
When uploading files to either My Content or Course Content area there is an error when using the Java plug-in.
Use the Single File option (top right button), select the “Choose File” option and select and upload the file.
If you want to upload multiple files create a folder on the local computer and place items in the folder; then zip the folder and upload using the Upload package option.
Discussion Board Subscribe Function (Graded Discussion Forums/Threads)
Subscription emails from a graded discussion forum or thread using the "Subscribe" contain broken links. The broken links send you to a page with the error "courseId={unset id}". This is reported to be resolved in a later Service Pack. The error does not occur for non-graded discussion board forums/threads.