[BB] Safe Assign Upgrade & Upcoming Training

Blackboard Users,

 

Safe Assign is going to be upgraded during the day on Saturday (9.27). Users will NOT be able to submit to SafeAssign during this maintenance period. Please plan accordingly.

Enhancements include:

§         ability to accept .docx documents.

§         organization access to the Safe Assign functionality

 

Let me also direct your attention to some upcoming Lunch & Learn / Training sessions:

 

Copyright Basics Lunch & Learn – What’s fair when making copies or scanning material for your class or showing DVDs? We will discuss fair use, intellectual property, and the TEACH Act. Friday 9/26, 12:20-1:10 in Memorial classroom 200. Lunch will be served. Registration required.

 

Bb GRADE CENTER Training – If you need assistance with the new Grade Center, join us Friday, 10/3 from 2:30-3:30 in Memorial classroom 313. Registration required. Here are some additional resources:
   * Grade Center Basics documentation (15 pp.)
   * Getting Started with the Grade Center PDF (4 p.)

 

 

As always, please keep an eye on the Blackboard Update section of your Bb Home page and contact the Help Desk with any questions.

 

-Jennifer

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

 

[BB] Respondus Lockdown Browser Lunch & Learn

Lunch & Learn: A Custom (and Standardized) Browser to “Lockdown” Tests in Blackboard

 

Respondus Lockdown Browser
Lunch & Learn

Friday, September 19^th

12:20-1:10pm (lunch will be provided)

LC 160

Click here to register.

 

The Respondus Lockdown Browser

Please join us on Friday, 9/19 while we discuss our current free trial of the Respondus Lockdown Browser technology with a representative from the company – and then talk amongst ourselves with some people on campus who have already tried out the new browser in their classes.

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 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

 

-Jennifer

 

PS – There will be an Intro to Blackboard course on Friday, 9/12 in Memorial 313 from 2:30-3:30. Please pass this on to anyone you know who may be interested.

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

 

[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

[BB] Blackboard Grade Center Training -- Moved

Bb Users,

 

If you were planning on attending the New Grade Center training on Friday (6/20), the location has been moved. This move may impact the ability to record the session, but I hope to break the presentation down into smaller segments and post them all at a later date.

 

Here is the new info:

Friday, June 20^th at 11:30am in Whitten University Center room 211.  

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

 

---

From: UM Blackboard Announcements [mailto:BB@LISTSERV.MIAMI.EDU] On Behalf Of Clister, Jennifer R
Sent: Monday, June 16, 2008 1:16 PM
To: BB@LISTSERV.MIAMI.EDU
Subject: [BB] Blackboard DOWNTIME & Training

 

Bb Users,

 

This is just a quick note to share the details of the upcoming upgrade and preliminary training.

 

Upgrade Details

§         Blackboard will be UNAVAILABLE on Monday, June 23 at 7:00pm through Tuesday, June 24.
It will be undergoing an upgrade to version 8.0. This upgrade should only take 1 day.

Grade Center Training Info

§         There will be a preliminary training session to cover the basics of the new Grade Center:
When/Where: Friday, June 20^th at 11:30am in LC 160.
This session will be recorded if you are not able to attend. It will also be repeated later in the summer.

§         Video Intro to the Grade Center: http://www.blackboard.com/release8/video_2.html

§         There is also a 2-page info sheet attached to this message that gives an intro to the new features of the Grade Center.

§         More documentation will follow as it becomes available.

 

As always, thank you for your patience, and I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Please contact the Blackboard Help Desk with any questions.

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

 

---

From: UM Blackboard Announcements [mailto:BB@LISTSERV.MIAMI.EDU] On Behalf Of Clister, Jennifer R
Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 9:52 AM
To: BB@LISTSERV.MIAMI.EDU
Subject: [BB] Blackboard Upgrade / Advisory Committee

 

Blackboard Users,

 

It’s upgrade season again, and I just wanted to let you know what is going on with Blackboard this summer. We are planning on doing another (small) upgrade to Blackboard Release 8.0.

 

Upgrade Details

§         We are going to try and do this upgrade between the summer sessions in June. I am waiting for confirmation on how long Blackboard will need to be down.

§         More information will follow very soon as more precise dates and duration of the upgrade are worked out.

 

Practice Upgrade

§         In addition, to make sure we are prepared for this upgrade, we are doing a dress rehearsal upgrade on a staging server. (We did this last year also.)

§         We are copying our entire Blackboard system to another server and performing the upgrade on that server to make sure we iron out any wrinkles in the process before we do the real upgrade.

§         When I get confirmation that the copy process is officially complete, I will be asking you if you could look at your courses on the staging server to confirm that they really look like your real courses (or like your real courses looked a week ago).

 

New Changes in Bb 8.0

§         The only drastic changes in this release are some major improvements to the Gradebook (which will be called the “Grade Center”). Here is a short video that Blackboard made to showcase the new features of the Grade Center.
Video Intro to the Grade Center: http://www.blackboard.com/release8/video_2.html

 

Advisory Committee

§         I am looking for volunteers for an “advisory committee.” This would be a small group of individuals who would be willing to email me their opinions or input on questions from time to time.

§         If you would be willing to share your thoughts, please email me and let me know: jclister@miami.edu.

 

 

Thank you as always for your patience and cooperation.

 

-Jennifer

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

 

[BB] Blackboard DOWNTIME & Training

Bb Users,

 

This is just a quick note to share the details of the upcoming upgrade and preliminary training.

 

Upgrade Details

§         Blackboard will be UNAVAILABLE on Monday, June 23 at 7:00pm through Tuesday, June 24.
It will be undergoing an upgrade to version 8.0. This upgrade should only take 1 day.

Grade Center Training Info

§         There will be a preliminary training session to cover the basics of the new Grade Center:
When/Where: Friday, June 20^th at 11:30am in LC 160.
This session will be recorded if you are not able to attend. It will also be repeated later in the summer.

§         Video Intro to the Grade Center: http://www.blackboard.com/release8/video_2.html

§         There is also a 2-page info sheet attached to this message that gives an intro to the new features of the Grade Center.

§         More documentation will follow as it becomes available.

 

As always, thank you for your patience, and I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Please contact the Blackboard Help Desk with any questions.

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

 

---

From: UM Blackboard Announcements [mailto:BB@LISTSERV.MIAMI.EDU] On Behalf Of Clister, Jennifer R
Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 9:52 AM
To: BB@LISTSERV.MIAMI.EDU
Subject: [BB] Blackboard Upgrade / Advisory Committee

 

Blackboard Users,

 

It’s upgrade season again, and I just wanted to let you know what is going on with Blackboard this summer. We are planning on doing another (small) upgrade to Blackboard Release 8.0.

 

Upgrade Details

§         We are going to try and do this upgrade between the summer sessions in June. I am waiting for confirmation on how long Blackboard will need to be down.

§         More information will follow very soon as more precise dates and duration of the upgrade are worked out.

 

Practice Upgrade

§         In addition, to make sure we are prepared for this upgrade, we are doing a dress rehearsal upgrade on a staging server. (We did this last year also.)

§         We are copying our entire Blackboard system to another server and performing the upgrade on that server to make sure we iron out any wrinkles in the process before we do the real upgrade.

§         When I get confirmation that the copy process is officially complete, I will be asking you if you could look at your courses on the staging server to confirm that they really look like your real courses (or like your real courses looked a week ago).

 

New Changes in Bb 8.0

§         The only drastic changes in this release are some major improvements to the Gradebook (which will be called the “Grade Center”). Here is a short video that Blackboard made to showcase the new features of the Grade Center.
Video Intro to the Grade Center: http://www.blackboard.com/release8/video_2.html

 

Advisory Committee

§         I am looking for volunteers for an “advisory committee.” This would be a small group of individuals who would be willing to email me their opinions or input on questions from time to time.

§         If you would be willing to share your thoughts, please email me and let me know: jclister@miami.edu.

 

 

Thank you as always for your patience and cooperation.

 

-Jennifer

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

 

[BB] Part II: Upgrade Prep and Updates

Blackboard Users,

 

Our Staging Server has been upgraded to Blackboard 8.0. It looks like everything went smoothly, and the upgrade was completed in less than 24 hours. If you could check your course site(s) one more time and make sure everything looks like a functional copy of what you have on real Blackboard (as of April 29^th).

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Steps to check your course data on the staging server:

1.       Login to Staging Server: http://umiamitemp.blackboard.com

a.       Login info is the same as it is for the “real” Blackboard.

b.       Note that the staging server tabs are purple to distinguish it from the production server.

2.       Look at one or more of your courses on the staging server and verify that your course looks OK based on the content it had as of April 29^th when it was copied. No updates made after April 29^th will be reflected on the staging server.

3.       If you see anything wrong, please let me know right away. If it all looks good, you don’t need to do anything.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Upgrade Scheduled!

We are currently scheduled to do the real upgrade on Monday, June 23^rd at 7:00pm. I hope to be down for less than 24 hours during the brief window between when Summer I grades are due (6/23) and Summer II begins (6/25).

 

Also, I have attached a cheat sheet to help you get acquainted with the new gradebook. The biggest changes are that you can now enter grades directly into the gradebook and you can lock down, sort, and scroll through the columns. But you can kick the tires yourself on the Staging Server.

 

Thank you as always.

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

 

---

From: UM Blackboard Announcements [mailto:BB@LISTSERV.MIAMI.EDU] On Behalf Of Clister, Jennifer R
Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 4:53 PM
To: BB@LISTSERV.MIAMI.EDU
Subject: [BB] Please review your course site (Upgrade Prep)

 

Blackboard Users,

 

As promised, we are getting ready for our Blackboard upgrade this summer, and we are doing a practice upgrade on a copy of our production data made on April 29^th.

 

Before Thursday at 4:00pm could you look at the staging server copy of your course and confirm that it looks and functions basically way you think it should?

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Steps to check your course data on the staging server:

4. Login to Staging Server: http://umiamitemp.blackboard.com
1. Login info is the same as it is for the “real” Blackboard.
2. Note that the staging server tabs are purple to distinguish it from the production server (as if it were wearing a moustache).
5. Look at one or more of your courses on the staging server and verify that your course looks OK based on the content it had as of April 29^th when it was copied. No updates made after April 29^th will be reflected on the staging server.
6. If you see anything wrong, please let me know right away. If it all looks good, you don’t need to do anything.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The real upgrade is tentatively scheduled to occur sometime between June 23^th and June 25^th (between Summer 1 and 2). More information on that will be available in the coming weeks.

 

After the “dress rehearsal” upgrade to system 8.0 (Friday, May 23^rd), I will ask you to check the staging server one more time to be sure that the upgrade didn’t affect the course content you are verifying now. This will also give you a sneak peak at the new Blackboard system 8.0.

 

Questions? Let us know.
Blackboard Help Desk:  305-284-3949

 

And thank you again.

 

____________________________________

JENNIFER CLISTER

Blackboard & Technology Integration Analyst

University of Miami IAC

305-284-3949

 

[BB] Please review your course site (Upgrade Prep)

Blackboard Users,

 

As promised, we are getting ready for our Blackboard upgrade this summer, and we are doing a practice upgrade on a copy of our production data made on April 29^th.

 

Before Thursday at 4:00pm could you look at the staging server copy of your course and confirm that it looks and functions basically way you think it should?

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Steps to check your course data on the staging server:

1. Login to Staging Server: http://umiamitemp.blackboard.com
1. Login info is the same as it is for the “real” Blackboard.
2. Note that the staging server tabs are purple to distinguish it from the production server (as if it were wearing a moustache).
2. Look at one or more of your courses on the staging server and verify that your course looks OK based on the content it had as of April 29^th when it was copied. No updates made after April 29^th will be reflected on the staging server.
3. If you see anything wrong, please let me know right away. If it all looks good, you don’t need to do anything.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The real upgrade is tentatively scheduled to occur sometime between June 23^th and June 25^th (between Summer 1 and 2). More information on that will be available in the coming weeks.

 

After the “dress rehearsal” upgrade to system 8.0 (Friday, May 23^rd), I will ask you to check the staging server one more time to be sure that the upgrade didn’t affect the course content you are verifying now. This will also give you a sneak peak at the new Blackboard system 8.0.

 

Questions? Let us know.
Blackboard Help Desk:  305-284-3949

 

And thank you again.

 

____________________________________

JENNIFER CLISTER

Blackboard & Technology Integration Analyst

University of Miami IAC

305-284-3949