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Blackboard
 
 

About Blackboard

 

There are many features available in Blackboard Release 7. To log in to Blackboard, click here. The following is information taken in part from the Blackboard Instructors Manual, © Blackboard 2006. For more information on any of these topics, please click the section title.

New Features

 

Adaptive Release Search LX
Language Locales Course/Group Journal
Performance Dashboard Teams Site
Content Review Status Adaptive Release
Assessment Performance Dashboard
Document Package Tool Quick Link to Communication Tools
Assignment Manager WYSIWYG HTML Editor
Collaboration Tool (New Virtual Classroom) Quick Edit
Content Management Assessment Improvements
Gradebook

  1. Adaptive Release

    • Adaptive Release rules allow greater stipulation over when course content becomes available to users.
    • Instructors may restrict content based on time/date, whether certain course items have been reviewed, if a certain score has been met in a gradebook item, or to a list or group of users.
    • To view the Blackboard Manual on Adaptive Release, click here.

  2. Language Locales

    • Language Locales allow users to stipulate in what language their Blackboard session will be rendered.
    • Instructors may opt to 'Enforce Locale', meaning that their chosen locale will override any users Locale for that course site.
    • Spell check has been augmented to correctly check American English, Great Britain English, French and Spanish. It will not work with other locales.
    • To view the Blackboard Manual on Language Locales, click here.

  3. Performance Dashboard

    • Using the performance Dashboard, an instructor has greater supervisory powers over their course sites.
    • Instructors may monitor how heavily portions of the course site are used, as well as how often students are logging in.
    • To view the Blackboard Manual on Performance Dashboard, click here.
    Performance Dashboard

  4. Content Review Status

    • Content can now be marked by users as reviewed; this allows the instructor to see how much progress a student has made.
    • This data is collected and made available to the instructor, giving them insight into the number of views for each particular course item, as well as who has reviewed it.
    • Instructors may create Adaptive Release Rules based upon review status to restrict access until certain items have been reviewed by students.
    • To view the Blackboard Manual on Content Review Status, click here.

  5. Assessment

    • More options are available for making assessments, allowing the intructor to make tests, quizzes and surveys in less time
    • New Creation settings are avaible, as well as a Test Canvas where teachers can modify the title, add questions, and more.
    • New formats are present. For example, now you can have your students take an assessment with all the questions on the screen at once, or you can have students do one question at a time and go on the next one when finished.
    • New varieties of questions are available in Blackboard 6. To view Case documentation on Assessment Questions, click here.

  6. Document Package Tool

    • The Document Package Tool is available in all Blackboard courses as a way to upload many files to a content area at once.
    • When you package a large number of files and folders into a ZIP file and upload it to Blackboard using the Document Package Tool, the files and folders saved in the ZIP will appear in Blackboard exactly as you arranged them in the file.

  7. Assignment Manager

    • In Blackboard 6, the assignments and gradebook section are combined, meaning that assignments can go directly to the gradebook when created. This is very useful as teachers will no longer have to create assignments in two places if they want it listed in the assignments section and the gradebook.
    • Another noted feature is that teachers can now send students feedback individually on their assignments. This eliminates unneeded paperwork.

  8. Collaboration Tool (New Virtual Classroom)

    • The Virtual Classroom feature has been completely rewritten in this version, and has been broken up into two parts, a basic Lightweight Chat, and the elaborate Virtual Classroom.
    • The Lightweight chat serves the same purpose as the Virtual Classroom did in version 5 but without unneeded complexity. Users can talk publicly and send private messages, and can also look at user information. In addition to some other features, a control panel for the intructor to allow/disallow certain features is included.
    • The new Virtual Classroom has all of the features of Lightweight Chat, but also includes several other features. For one, math and scientific notation can be used in the chat window for easier instruction. Also, there is now a few group browser where everyone can view webpages at the same time. Finally, the new version features "class tours", where students can view content related to the course.
    • To view the Case documentation on the Collaboration Tool (New Virtual Classroom), click here.

  9. Content Management

    • The content in Release 6 is much more flexible. Intructors can now manage their folders and content somewhat like Windows Explorer or Mac Finder. Tests, Assignments, Folders, etc. can be placed anywhere, and links can be created for easy access to content from different locations. The course map can be used to alter content.
    • Content flexibility is further enhanced by the addition of Adaptive Release. This new feature allows an instructor to specify that specific criteria are met by students before proceeding to an assessment, assignment or another set of material. Some examples of Adaptive Release rules include the restriction of course material until a certain score has been acheived with a gradebook item, restricting material to certain users or groups, as well as time and date restrictions.
    • Also, a new role has been added. This is the Observer role. An observer can view the progress of a given student at the Instructor's discretion. The Instructor or System Administrator can block access to a given course/student if he/she wishes.

  10. Gradebook

    • For the most part, the changes to the gradebook include options to make it more flexible. The instructor can change the way grades are displayed to the students (raw score or letter grade), how assignments are weighted, and how the grades are viewed in the spreadsheet view.
    • The intructor can also import or export grades to and from 3rd party applications, such as Microsoft Excel. This way grades can be done offline and uploaded later.
    • To view the Case documentation on the Gradebook, click here.

  11. Search LX

    • The Search LX function is a powerful search tool available to all users of Blackboard. Users may search for key words within a specific course site, within all of their course sites, within any of their organizations, on the Case website or on the World Wide Web.
    • Search LX is available on your My Institution page, as well as through Course Tools in any course site.
    Search LX

  12. Course/Group Journal

    • The Course Journal is a new feature available by default in every course site. Users may access the journal from the Course Tools area of a course site.
    • The Course Journal and Group Journals may be entered as gradebook items; however, the instructor must give students access to post entries and add comments. To modify the settings of the Course Journal, instructors must go to their course Control Panel and choose Configure Journal from the Course Tools area. Group Journals are created within any content area and are modified just like any other content item. Instructors must choose which groups, if any, and which individual users to add to each instance of a Group Journal.

    Course/Group Journal

  13. Teams Site

    • A Course Teams Site is similar to the Course Journal in that it is a place for the class as a whole to collaborate on an evolving project. The Teams Site is a place for a website that can be made accesssible to any or all members of the Blackboard community.
    • Instructors have options to track changes to the site, as well as who posted them. They may also view previous drafts of pages on this site after alterations have been made by students or other users.
    • Configuration for the Course Teams Site can be changed in the Control Panel under Course Tools.
    • Instructors may also create a Group Teams Site in which the may enroll any Groups or individual users within the course.

    Teams Site

  14. Adaptive Release

    • Adaptive Release is a set of rules that instructors may use to stipulate when course content becomes available; this set of features augments the ability to set time and date restrictions. For example, the new rules allow an instructor to stipulate that students must review certain course documents before they may access a test or homework assignment.
    • Instructors may also mandate that a certain score within the gradebook or a particular item is achieved before unlocking new content. Additionally, an instructor may restrict content access to a particular group or list of individuals.

    Adaptive Release

  15. Quick Link to Communication Tools

    • Instructors now have the ability to link communication tools to course site content areas. These tools include Chat, Discussion Board, Groups and the Virtual Classroom.
    • It is now possible to quickly and neatly link to the main pages of the communication areas, or to individual groups, discussion forums, and virtual classroom/chat sessions.
    • To use this new feature, use the drop-down menu at the right of the toolbar on any content page in your Blackboard site. (Content pages by default include Course Information, Course Documents, Assignments, and External Links.)

    Quick Link
    Warning! Blackboard Email Issue:
    • If you send an email through Blackboard, it MUST have a subject entered into the Subject area. If you leave the subject blank, the email will not be sent. Please be sure to include a subject on every message you send through Blackboard.

    Sending Email

  16. WYSIWYG HTML Editor

    17. WYSIWYG HTML Editor
     
    • This editor feature is only available on Microsoft Internet Explorer for Windows. Netscape users and/or Macintosh users currently cannot take advantage of the new editor.
    • The new built-in WYSIWYG (What You See is What You Get) HTML Editor allows Instructors to create HTML content (including web links) using familiar formatting tools and options. The editor also allows Instructors to upload documents and media files to the text box, and to cut and paste in formatted content. Access to Math EQ (an equation editor) is also available through the editor.
    • This new WYSIWYG editor is available to Instructors in all of the content areas, when adding items, posting announcements, or using the discussion board. Students enrolled in courses will also have access to the WYSIWYG editor in the Discussion Board.
    • Note: Users may see a certificate error appear when loading the WebEQ math editor. Accept the certificate and continue.
    Spell Check
    Spell Check
    • The new Spell Check, part of the WYSIWYG editor, feature enables Instructors to check the spelling of their content before submitting it.
    • The spell check feature is supported by a full English dictionary and allows Instructors to create and store custom word lists.

  17. Quick Edit

    18. Quick Edit
    • The Quick Edit option is a shortcut to the editing screen that offers an Instructor quick access from the Student View. This enables Instructors to edit course content without having to navigate the Control Panel.
    • This option is available from any content page in the course site; this includes Course Informtion, Assignments, Course Documents, External Links, and Staff Information.

  18. Assessment Improvements

    19. A number of changes have been made to improve the workflow of Assessments including the following:

    • A new Force Completion option will be available to Instructors. If the option is selected, Students will be compelled to complete the Assessment on their first attempt. Students will not be allowed to exit the Assessment and continue working on it at a later date. If the Force Completion option is selected, a notice is displayed to Students as they take the Assessment.
    • The status of multiple attempts (if they are or are not allowed) is displayed to the Student at the top of the Assessment.
    • Submit and Save buttons will be displayed for both Assessments that display all questions at once and Assessments that display one question at a time.
    • If the Submit button is selected and a Student has left any questions unanswered, a warning message will appear alerting the Student to which questions have not been answered.
    • In Assessments set to display questions one at a time, navigation arrows appear unless backtracking is prohibited.
    • The assessment feature of Blackboard has been further enhanced with new question types. For more information, go to the Assessment Questions Page.