[BB] Blackboard Is Back Up

Bb Users,

Finally, Blackboard is finished upgrading our hardware, and the system is back up and running.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

-Jennifer
________________________________________
From: Clister, Jennifer R
Sent: Saturday, August 23, 2008 2:27 PM
To: BB@LISTSERV.MIAMI.EDU
Subject: Blackboard Still Down - waiting for more info

Bb Users,

Our hardware upgrade is taking longer than it was scheduled to take. I have called and emailed everyone I have contact information for at Blackboard, and they are still working on getting me answer how long it will take to be back up and running. I was assured by a high-level manager that I will have an answer within the hour.

I have made it clear that this is unacceptable, and I deeply apologize that the system is not currently available right now so close to the start of the semester.

I will let you know when I have more information, and I am also trying to get Blackboard to change the un-helpful error message you currently get when you attempt to access our Blackboard site so that it reflects more information as well.

Again, I am sorry. Please stay tuned.

-Jennifer

[BB] Blackboard Still Down - waiting for more info

Bb Users,

Our hardware upgrade is taking longer than it was scheduled to take. I have called and emailed everyone I have contact information for at Blackboard, and they are still working on getting me answer how long it will take to be back up and running. I was assured by a high-level manager that I will have an answer within the hour.

I have made it clear that this is unacceptable, and I deeply apologize that the system is not currently available right now so close to the start of the semester.

I will let you know when I have more information, and I am also trying to get Blackboard to change the un-helpful error message you currently get when you attempt to access our Blackboard site so that it reflects more information as well.

Again, I am sorry. Please stay tuned.

-Jennifer

[BB] Blackboard - Fall 2008 Update

Blackboard Users,

 

Welcome back! There is a lot to share in this update, so I’ve written a short version (at the top) and provided a more detailed update below.

 

Short Version  ----------------------------------

 

1. Hardware Upgrade Downtime
   Blackboard will be DOWN for 8-12 hours starting at 11:00pm TONIGHT for a hardware upgrade
2. The New Grade Center Documentation
   Blackboard was upgraded to version 8.0 this summer. Most of the changes are minor, but the gradebook has changed significantly.
3. Grade Center Display
   Some people have reported that they made changes to the Grade Center that they can’t see. There is a setting in your browser you can change that has fixed this problem for the people who have reported it so far.
4. Respondus Lockdown Browser
   We have a free trial of the Respondus Lockdown Browser available right now. That means that when your students access tests/quizzes in Blackboard, they are unable to access ANYTHING else on their computers. It is also a browser designed especially for tests in Blackboard, so the technical problems students have with Blackboard (like getting kicked out of tests) are supposed to be significantly reduced.

 

Detailed Version ----------------------------------------

 

1. Hardware Upgrade Downtime
   Blackboard wants to update our hardware to ensure that we don’t have any problems with it before the end of the semester. I apologize for the inconvenient timing, but the inconvenience cost of a mid-semester hardware failure would be greater. Blackboard won’t be changing.
   
   
2. The New Grade Center Documentation
   Not everyone is happy with the new grade center. It takes some getting used to, and it is more complex than the old version. BUT… it also has some enhanced functionality. My personal favorite is the “Secondary Display” which will let you choose one display for a column (like Score) and then a second (like Letter) to be displayed next to it in parentheses. The secondary display is not show in the student view.
   
   Here are some materials I have collected that will help you (and if they don’t help you, I will do my best to help you myself).

§         Grade Center Basics – A handout that I made to show you everything I thought you would really need to know (including how to upload your grades from Excel should you decide you don’t want to use the new grade center functionality but still want to share your grades with your students. It is 15 pages (but mostly screenshots).

§         Getting Started with the Grade Center PDF – A 4-page handout made by Blackboard. It is helpful because it gives a side-by-side comparison of the major changes to show how you accomplish the task in the old gradebook and in the new grade center.

§         Determining/finalizing Course Grades – A 6-minute silent tutorial video from Blackboard that walks you through a scenarios of an instructor setting up a column to calculate and weight final grades

3. Grade Center Display
   Some people have had problems with the Internet Explorer (IE) browser not displaying edits made to the grade center. So far we haven’t found a case where the edits weren’t saved. It was just a matter of the browser displaying a slighter older version of the page (from before the changes were made). Making this adjustment to your IE browser should correct this problem:

§         Tools menu > Internet Options ("General" tab)

§         Click "Settings" button next to Either "Browser History" or "Temporary Internet Files.”

§         Check the radio button next to "Check for newer versions of stored pages 'Every time I visit the webpage.'"

4. Respondus Lockdown Browser
   We are currently using a free trial of the Respondus Lockdown Browser technology. This means that you can deploy tests in Blackboard and specify that you want students to use the Lockdown Browser to take the test. Your students will have to download the browser, but once they do it will lock them out of EVERYTHING on their computers until the test has been submitted. This is a nice security enhancement, but it also standardizes the browser your students use to take the assessments. This reduces technical problems and makes those that do arise easier to troubleshoot. If we like it, we can probably buy a copy. I have tentatively scheduled a Webinar Lunch and Learn on Friday, September 19^th to help spread the word, so save the date if you can and stay tunded for more info on that.

§         Video about how students would access a test using the lockdown browser: http://www.respondus.com/movies/LDB_Bb_Intro1/LDB_Bb_Intro1.html

§         Quick-start guide for instructors:
http://www.respondus.com/downloads/RLDB%20Quick%20Start%20Guide-Bb-Enterprise-Instructor.pdf

§         Link to download the browser:
http://www.respondus.com/lockdown/information.pl?ID=527636896

Please pass this message along to anyone who might benefit. Keep an eye on the Blackboard Updates for up-to-date information on these and other announcements. Here’s a link to the Blackboard Help Desk if you have any questions.

 

Welcome back, and here’s to a great fall semester. J

 

-Jennifer

 

____________________________________
JENNIFER CLISTER
Blackboard System Manager
University of Miami IAC
305-284-3949