[BB] Blackboard Upgrade Reminder 12/30-31

Bb Users,

 

This is just a reminder to let you know that Blackboard will be unavailable due to a minor upgrade and maintenance on Dec. 30^th and 31^st.

 

If you try to access Blackboard on January 1^st and still see an error screen, make sure you close your browser down completely and try again. If you are not sure whether you have closed all of your running browser sessions, just restart the computer.

 

After that, if you have problems, please create a ticket or email me.

 

Thank you as always, and happiest of happy new year.

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

 

[BB] Blackboard UNAVAILABLE 12/30 (Respondus)

Bb Users,

 

Blackboard will be unavailable starting at 1:00am on December 30^th, and will be restored up to 24 hours later. They conservatively scheduled 24 hours of downtime.

 

The changes apply mainly to the Respondus Lockdown Browser users:

1.       Help text is displayed when user attempts protected assessment without Respondus Lockdown

2.       Students must use Respondus Lockdown Browser to review completed protected assessments

3.       Use Respondus Lockdown Browser to review completed protected assessments

For more information on the Respondus Lockdown Browser (A Custom Browser to “Lockdown” Tests in Blackboard), please read below.

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

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A Custom (and Standardized) Browser to “Lockdown” Tests in Blackboard

 

 

The Respondus Lockdown Browser (http://www.respondus.com/products/lockdown.shtml)

 

Now 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 deterrent for cheating, but it also standardizes the browser students use to take the assessments (on Windows and Macintosh platforms). This reduces technical problems and makes those that do arise easier to troubleshoot. If enough people are interested, we will be able purchase a campus-wide license.

You can try it now to see what you think, then bring your questions to the Lunch & Learn.

§         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

 

Here are some additional Lockdown Browser features:

· Assessments are displayed full-screen and cannot be minimized

· Assessments cannot be exited until submitted by users for grading

· Task switching or access to other applications is prevented

· Printing functions are disabled

· Print Screen and capturing functions are disabled

· Copying and pasting anything to and from an assessment is prohibited

· Right-click menu options are disabled

· Browser menu and toolbar options are disabled, except for Back, Forward, Refresh and Stop

 

 

[BB] Blackboard "Lab"

Bb Users,

 

I am trying an end-of-the-semester experiment in the new Faculty Exploratory on the 3^rd floor of Richter Library. I am going to hold “working office hours” so that if you want to come and work on your Blackboard site(s), I will be there to help you when and where you need it. If it’s successful, I’ll keep doing it.

 

Feel free to stop by one or both days.

 

Fri., Dec. 12^th from 10-11am

Wed., Dec. 17^th from 2-3pm

 

 

*Directions:

Take the elevator to the 3^rd floor and make a right. It’s the last door on the left.

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

 

Re: [BB] Safe Assign Problems

Bb Users,

Access to Safe Assign has been restored, but due to overwhelming volume, it is running much slower than usual --- both to submit and to generate reports. Blackboard has increased the number of connections available to Safe Assign and bounced the server to restore and improve service. But it is still slower than what we are used to.

I apologize for the inconvenience.

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

---

From: UM Blackboard Announcements [mailto:BB@LISTSERV.MIAMI.EDU] On Behalf Of Clister, Jennifer R
Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2008 1:55 PM
To: BB@LISTSERV.MIAMI.EDU
Subject: [BB] Safe Assign Problems

Bb Users,

Safe Assignment is not working. I am working with Blackboard to resolve this problem as quickly as possible and will send an update as soon as I have one.

If you have papers that are due this afternoon, you might want to have your students email them to you. We can zip them all and run them through Safe Assignment (via Direct Submit) when it is up and running again.

I will keep you posted, and I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.

-Jennifer

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

[BB] Safe Assign Problems

Bb Users,

Safe Assignment is not working. I am working with Blackboard to resolve this problem as quickly as possible and will send an update as soon as I have one.

If you have papers that are due this afternoon, you might want to have your students email them to you. We can zip them all and run them through Safe Assignment (via Direct Submit) when it is up and running again.

I will keep you posted, and I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.

-Jennifer

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

[BB] Course Removal, Course Evals, Grade Center

Bb Users,

Three Quick Updates…

1. The 2005-2006 school year courses are in the process of being archived and removed from the Blackboard system.
2. There is currently a “My CoursEvals” link on your Blackboard homepage. This is for anyone taking courses with online evaluations. This link will remain until Dec. 9^th.
3. On Friday, Dec. 5^th at 2:30pm in Memorial 313, I am doing a Bb Grade Center training in case anyone needs extra help or a refresher to prepare end-of-semester grades. Register here: http://www.iacmiami.org/events

-Jennifer

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