[BB] Files not opening in Blackboard

Dear blackboard users

We have received several reports of files not opening in courses from our Blackboard System. So if you have done a course copy from an older course site to your fall course site, please verify you can open the files attached. If they are not working and you receive an error message, let us know by emailing us at learningplatforms@miami.edu and provide the course ID where you are experiencing this issue.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Sincerely,

Learning Platforms Team

(P): 305-284-3949

 

[BB] Quickly create online exams with publisher test banks

Bb Users,

Another technology tool to help make your life easier, if you can invest a bit of time learning to use it.

UM has a site license for a Windows program, Resondus 4.0, to make exams. With it you can create, edit, print, and upload exams to Blackboard. They also have a test bank network where they host a lot of publisher test banks, all set to be imported into Respondus 4.0. Respondus has a webinar coming up on Wednesday, August 23, at 2pm. You can either register and watch live or, if this is a typical webinar, register and receive a link to a recording of the session. I know this is the busiest time of the year so your time is valuable. If you think you might benefit from this tool, try to invest a bit of time to use it.

My brother needed five different copies of the same test to give paper-and-pencil in class. He used this program to determine which questions to use, and then used it to print five versions with the questions in different orders. Very nice. And free to use for UM people.

If you have a Mac and want to use it, you can either install a program like VirtualBox that lets you run Windows as a program on your Mac, or set up your Mac with Bootcamp so that you can either boot into MacOS or Windows. 

Responses Lockdown Browser is a different program, from the same company, that is used to control a computer while students are taking an online test via Blackboard. We also license that product, but the two products do not depend on each other.

Have a GREAT semester!!

— Bill —

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Respondus" <info@respondus.com>

Subject: Quickly create online exams with publisher test banks

Date: August 17, 2017 at 10:50:34 AM EDT

To: bill.vilberg@gmail.com

To view this email as a web page, go here

Create online exams from publisher test banks  in just minutes - for free.  The Respondus Test Bank Network offers thousands of ready-to-use test banks for the leading textbooks in higher education. Whether you use Blackboard Learn, Brightspace, Canvas, or Moodle, you'll quickly see how the Respondus Test Bank Network can save you countless hours each term. And it's free with your Respondus 4.0 license.

Learn more in a free webinar on August 23 at 2pm ET! REGISTER FOR A WEBINAR SEARCH FOR A TEST BANK

Assessment Tools for Learning Systems www.respondus.com

This email was sent to: bill.vilberg@gmail.com This email was sent by: Respondus 8201 164th Avenue NE, Suite 200 Redmond Washington 98052 Profile Center | Unsubscribe

[BB] Reminder - Fall 2017 Blackboard Learn Course Setup Assistance

Dear Blackboard Users,

 

We are here to assist you with the tasks that are often done when setting up a Blackboard course site. Let us know if we can do any of these, or anything else, to assist you at the start of this semester. Send email to learningplatforms@miami.edu, call 305-284-3949, or when available fill out the form, to make a request or get assistance.

1.       COURSE SITE AVAILABILITY

When created, course sites are unavailable to students. This way you can set them up before the students access them. Call or email us and we can make them available to your students, or you can follow these easy steps to do it yourself:

·         Article - Instructions for using Qwickly to make course available

·         Video - Instructions for using Qwickly to make course available

 

2.       COURSE SITE MERGE

If you teach multiple sections of a course, or have both graduate and undergraduate students in the same course, it may be easier to combine them into one Blackboard course site, rather than have a separate site for each section. With the merged site, you can post your course material once rather than posting it in each section’s site separately. Tell us what sites you want merged and we will take care of it for you.

·         Request a course merge

Note: Courses should be merged before any student activity takes place in the course sites for the various sections. User records, such as discussion board posts, grades, and assessment attempts, will not show up in the new, merged, site.

3.       COURSE SITE AUGMENT

We can do a course "augment" rather than a course merge if you would like. An augment maintains all of your original course sites and adds one additional master site with all of the students from your various sections. With the course augment option you can use the master site to post course material in one location, and reserve the individual section course sites for assignments or tests specific to each course section.  Fill out the form below or call to request a course augment.

·         Video – Difference between course merges and augments (15 minutes)

·         Form to request a course augment

4.        COURSE SITE COPY

If you have material from a prior semester that you would like to copy into the course site you are setting up, you can call or email us, or fill out the form below, and we will do a course copy for you. You can also follow the steps at the link below to do it yourself:

·         Course Copy instructions

·         Video about course copies (7 minutes)

·         Form to request a course copy

 

Note: You need to be enrolled as an instructor in both the source and destination courses sites in order to perform a Course Copy. User records, such as discussion board posts, grades, and assessment attempts will not be copied. Do NOT copy course enrollments.

 

5.       ADDING TA’S & OTHER ENROLLMENTS TO A COURSE SITE

Teaching assistants are not added automatically to your class, they have to be entered manually. Email or call us and will be happy to do it for you, or you can do it yourself using the instructions at the following link:

·         Article - Instructions for Enrolling Users to Blackboard instructions

·         Video - Instructions for Enrolling Users to Blackboard instructions

 

 

Please feel free to contact us for any requests and issues you might have.  Our phone number is 305-284-3949 or you can email us at learningplatforms@miami.edu.

HOURS:

Monday - Thursday (Excluding University Holidays)

9AM - 9PM

 

Friday

9AM - 6PM

 

Saturday - Sunday

9AM - 2PM

 

Learning Platforms Team

(P): 305-284-3949

[BB] Blackboard has changed the module to access your courses.

Dear Blackboard users,

 

We have updated the module “My Courses” that allows you to access your courses from the Blackboard main page.

We have created a set of instructions to help you get started with it and set it up.

 

• “My Courses” setup instructions
• “My Courses” video instructions

 

If you have questions related to this issue, please contact the UMIT Learning Platforms Help Desk: (305) 284-3949, learningplatforms@miami.edu

 

 

Learning Platforms Team

(P): 305-284-3949

 

[BB] bbtest email sent to all users

 

​ Service Alert    A Blackboard Technician testing the email system inadvertently sent a test message to all accounts for the University of Miami with the subject line "bbtest". We apologize for this error. You may disregard and/or delete the message.   If you have questions related to this issue, please contact the UMIT Blackboard Help Desk: (305) 284-3949, blackboardhelp@miami.edu.     Thank you.

/umiamiit              @umitsupport

 

 

Learning Platforms Team

(P): 305-284-3949

 

[BB] Blackboard homepage change - Update

Dear Blackboard users,

 

After receiving feedback about making a change to Blackboard before grades are due, we are going to postpone the change to Monday, August 14^th 2017 at 2 pm after grades are submitted.

We have created a set of instructions to help you get started with it and set it up.

 

• “My Courses” setup instructions
• “My Courses” video instructions

 

If you have questions related to this issue, please contact the UMIT Learning Platforms Help Desk: (305) 284-3949, blackboardhelp@miami.edu.

 

Learning Platforms Team

(P): 305-284-3949

 

[BB] Blackboard homepage change

Dear Blackboard users,

 

The module to access your courses in the Blackboard main page is going to change today Friday, August 11, 2017 at 2 pm EST.

We have created a set of instructions to help you get started with it and set it up.

 

• “My Courses” setup instructions
• “My Courses” video instructions

 

If you have questions related to this issue, please contact the UMIT Learning Platforms Help Desk: (305) 284-3949, blackboardhelp@miami.edu.

 

Learning Platforms Team

(P): 305-284-3949

 

[BB] What Is VoiceThread and How Might I Use It?

Blackboard users,

I have had trouble figuring out how I might have used VoiceThread in a class. I attended the "VoiceThread for Nursing Educators" webinar and came away with some new ideas. You might enjoy watching the recording of the webinar to learn about this tool, included in our Blackboard system. https://voicethread.com/share/9396571/

It is an hour long recording, so set aside a block of time to watch it and think about how it might apply to your courses.

— Bill —

[BB] New Mobile Apps for Blackboard

Bb using faculty,

Quick note about apps for smartphones and tablets.

• Blackboard — Student app to access Blackboard course sites
• Blackboard Instructor — Instructor app to work on Blackboard course sites
• Blackboard Grader — Instructor app to grade assignments and access the grade center. Will be available until Blackboard Instructor has these capabilities.

The "Blackboard" app replaces the "Mobile Learn" app. Encourage your students to download and use it, please.

The "Blackboard Instructor" app is a new app for you to use to work on your course site. Features are still being added. The major missing feature is access to the grade center for grading assignments and such. But "Blackboard Grader" is still available if you have an iPad. "Blackboard Grader" will remain available until grading is added to Blackboard Instructor.

Here comes fall,

— Bill —

[BB] Fall 2017 Blackboard Learn Course Setup Assistance

Dear Blackboard Users,

 

The previous email was sent with incorrect links. Here is the email again with the corrects one.

 

We are here to assist you with the tasks that are often done when setting up a Blackboard course site. Let us know if we can do any of these, or anything else, to assist you at the start of this semester. Send email to blackboardhelp@miami.edu, call 305-284-3949, or when available fill out the form, to make a request or get assistance.

1.       COURSE SITE AVAILABILITY

When created, course sites are unavailable to students. This way you can set them up before the students access them. Call or email us and we can make them available to your students, or you can follow these easy steps to do it yourself:

·         Article - Instructions for using Qwickly to make course available

·         Video - Instructions for using Qwickly to make course available

 

2.       COURSE SITE MERGE

If you teach multiple sections of a course, or have both graduate and undergraduate students in the same course, it may be easier to combine them into one Blackboard course site, rather than have a separate site for each section. With the merged site, you can post your course material once rather than posting it in each section’s site separately. Tell us what sites you want merged and we will take care of it for you.

·         Request a course merge

Note: Courses should be merged before any student activity takes place in the course sites for the various sections. User records, such as discussion board posts, grades, and assessment attempts, will not show up in the new, merged, site.

3.       COURSE SITE AUGMENT

We can do a course "augment" rather than a course merge if you would like. An augment maintains all of your original course sites and adds one additional master site with all of the students from your various sections. With the course augment option you can use the master site to post course material in one location, and reserve the individual section course sites for assignments or tests specific to each course section.  Fill out the form below or call to request a course augment.

·         Video – Difference between course merges and augments (15 minutes)

·         Form to request a course augment

4.        COURSE SITE COPY

If you have material from a prior semester that you would like to copy into the course site you are setting up, you can call or email us, or fill out the form below, and we will do a course copy for you. You can also follow the steps at the link below to do it yourself:

·         Course Copy instructions

·         Video about course copies (7 minutes)

·         Form to request a course copy

 

Note: You need to be enrolled as an instructor in both the source and destination courses sites in order to perform a Course Copy. User records, such as discussion board posts, grades, and assessment attempts will not be copied. Do NOT copy course enrollments.

 

5.       ADDING TA’S & OTHER ENROLLMENTS TO A COURSE SITE

Teaching assistants are not added automatically to your class, they have to be entered manually. Email or call us and will be happy to do it for you, or you can do it yourself using the instructions at the following link:

·         Article - Instructions for Enrolling Users to Blackboard instructions

·         Video - Instructions for Enrolling Users to Blackboard instructions

 

 

Please feel free to contact us for any requests and issues you might have.  Our phone number is 305-284-3949 or you can email us at blackboardhelp@miami.edu.

HOURS:

Monday - Thursday (Excluding University Holidays)

8AM - 9PM

 

Friday

8AM - 6PM

 

Saturday - Sunday

9AM - 2PM

 

Learning Platforms Team

(P): 305-284-3949

[BB] Fall 2017 Blackboard Learn Course Setup Assistance

Dear Blackboard Users,

 

We are here to assist you with the tasks that are often done when setting up a Blackboard course site. Let us know if we can do any of these, or anything else, to assist you at the start of this semester. Send email to blackboardhelp@miami.edu, call 305-284-3949, or when available fill out the form, to make a request or get assistance.

1.       Course Site Availability

When created, course sites are unavailable to students. This way you can set them up before the students access them. Call or email us and we can make them available to your students, or you can follow these easy steps to do it yourself:

·         instuctions for using Qwickly to make course available

 

2.       Course Site Merge

If you teach multiple sections of a course, or have both graduate and undergraduate students in the same course, it may be easier to combine them into one Blackboard course site, rather than have a separate site for each section. With the merged site, you can post your course material once rather than posting it in each section’s site separately. Tell us what sites you want merged and we will take care of it for you.

·         Form to request a course merge

Note: Courses should be merged before any student activity takes place in the course sites for the various sections. User records, such as discussion board posts, grades, and assessment attempts, will not show up in the new, merged, site.

3.       Course Site Augment

We can do a course "augment" rather than a course merge if you would like. An augment maintains all of your original course sites and adds one additional master site with all of the students from your various sections. With the course augment option you can use the master site to post course material in one location, and reserve the individual section course sites for assignments or tests specific to each course section.  Fill out the form below or call to request a course augment.

·         Video about course merges and augments (15 minutes)

·         Form to request a course augment

 

4.       Course Site Copy

If you have material from a prior semester that you would like to copy into the course site you are setting up, you can call or email us, or fill out the form below, and we will do a course copy for you. You can also follow the steps at the link below to do it yourself:

·         Course Copy instructions

·         Video about course copies (7 minutes)

·         Form to request a course copy

 

Note: You need to be enrolled as an instructor in both the source and destination courses sites in order to perform a Course Copy. User records, such as discussion board posts, grades, and assessment attempts will not be copied. Do NOT copy course enrollments.

 

5.       Teaching Assistant enrollment

Teaching assistants are not added automatically to your class, they have to be entered manually. Email or call us and will be happy to do it for you, or you can do it yourself using the instructions at the following link:

·         instructions for Enrolling Users to Blackboard instructions

 

 

Please feel free to contact us for any requests and issues you might have.  Our phone number is 305-284-3949 or you can email us at blackboardhelp@miami.edu. Our business hours are 7 days a week from 9 am to 9 pm.

 

 

 

Learning Platforms Team

(P): 305-284-3949

 

[BB] Change in Blackboard homepage coming soon

​ Service Alert    Dear Blackboard users,   The module on your Blackboard page that lists all your courses will be changing soon. The new version will allow you to have more control over which courses and terms you view and how they are ordered. We will shortly provide instructions on how to use this module and customize it to your needs.   If you have questions related to this issue, please contact the UMIT Blackboard Help Desk: (305) 284-3949, blackboardhelp@miami.edu.     Thank you.

/umiamiit              @umitsupport