Distance Learning News

Here’s a list of the current issues noted from our most recent Blackboard update:

• Menu items in unavailable courses might show “hidden” when they are not
• YouTube mashups not working This was resolved on 2/10!
• Clicking locked test attempt takes instructor to another student’s test
• Calendars and Due Dates in Calendar module display incorrectly

The Distance Learning Department would like to advise instructors of some updates on issues with Blackboard:

Resolved

Links in Content Areas to Bb Tools

When creating a link in the content area to a tool in Blackboard (discussion forum, send email, etc.), the link was breaking if that link information was edited (or simply entered and re-submitted). This resulted in the need to re-link these items.

This issue has been resolved and the tool links work properly.

Workarounds

Menu Link to External Website

When creating a link to a Website in the Blackboard course menu, and setting it to open in a new window, the link does not work properly (might work the first time and later fail). If the option to set the site to NOT open in a new window is not an desired, you can work around this error by adding a question mark to the end the URL (web address) for that site.  This will result in the link working properly.

Please refer to the Blackboard FAQ page for more information.

Pending Issues

We are working with Blackboard in an attempt to resolve the other remaining issues. Please check the Blackboard FAQ’s page for answers to frequently asked questions, to our Teaching with Blackboard 9 page for tutorials and tips to help your students work in Blackboard, and to the Faculty Resources section for other information about training, procedures, guidelines and course development issues.

We will continue to keep you posted on new developments.

Have you prepared your students?

Now that we’re in the middle of hurricane season, it’s a good time to remind students of the CFCC contingency plan. This will help decrease stress and uncertainty for students and for you.

Remember that if the server is down at CFCC, users can still reach the Blackboard server by using the alternate Web address: http://cfcc.blackboard.com

The phone number for closings and delays is (877)799-2322 .

Read the complete DL Contingency Plan here.

If you will be teaching on Blackboard this Fall, please make sure to complete the Bb 101 course on the new Blackboard 9.1 server. All instructors are enrolled in this course, so it will appear on your list of courses after you login to Blackboard.

After completing Bb 101, you can attend a face-to-face workshop, which will introduce you to the Bb 9.1 course management system. You will also be enrolled in a Sandbox course as an instructor. You can use this area to practice using Blackboard tools.

To view a list of workshops being offered , select the “DL Training for Instructors” link on this blog.

CFCC will be upgrading from Blackboard 7.3 to Blackboard 9.1 starting on May 10. The system may be unavailable through May 13. Be forewarned that the new version of Blackboard is significantly different from the current version so it’s important that you complete Bb 101 and attend training as soon as possible to prepare for this new and exciting change.

Are you prepared for the upgrade?

• Have you completed Blackboard 101 for Bb9?
• Have you attended either a What’s New in Bb 9 workshop (current online instructors) or a Getting Started with Blackboard workshop (new instructors)? See training schedule.
• Have you copied course content for your summer and/or fall courses?
• Have you reviewed our Teaching with Blackboard 9 webpage?

The Department of Distance Learning is here to help you with this transition. Please contact us for further assistance with your courses and have a great summer!

If you are current online instructor at North Campus and have not yet attended a What’s New in Blackboard 9 workshop, the Department of Distance Learning is offering one just for you on April 19. For details, please visit our Training Page.

Many of you are preparing for the Blackboard upgrade to version 9. Be reminded that the interface is quite different (and more flexible) though most of the tools will look familiar. Blackboard has recently released many short movie and text tutorials (see link below) to help familiarize you with Blackboard 9 and the many exciting improvements offered.

I encourage you to bookmark the following page and visit as needed. The library of tutorials will continue to grow, so check back from time to time.

Blackboard On Demand Learning Center (will open in new window)

The Department of Distance Learning has added a morning workshop for What’s New in Blackboard 9. The workshop will be conducted on Friday, March 19 at 9 a.m. in L210 (technology training center in the library). You should complete Bb 101 on our test server before attending. Please refer to the training page for more details and contact information to register for this workshop.

Course shells have been created for the summer session in Blackboard. It is now time to copy your course content from previous courses into the new shells. Please refer to DL’s faculty resource page to access the How to: Copying Course Content document.

We are also holding special drop-in days devoted to helping faculty with course copies on Mon., March 22 & Tues. March 23 in our S200 office, and at the North Campus Learning Lab on Tues. March 30 from 1 – 4pm.

Finally, please make sure to read our Upgrading to Blackboard 9 document, which will provide you with details about preparing for this change. Have a great Spring Break (although it’s not yet spring).

Many of you are awaiting the upgrade from Blackboard 7.3 (old school) to the new, bright and shiny Blackboard 9. The following document will provide you with a snapshot of some differences you can expect:

What’s New in Blackboard 9? (PDF) 

Remember, when you get access to our Blackboard 9 test server, do NOT count on building out your courses to be moved to the production server, since test servers do not have guaranteed stability. You can continue building out courses in our current Bb and these courses will be moved to the Bb 9 production server during upgrade.

Oh, while you’re at it, don’t forget to check out CFCC’s Course Essentials Checklist (.doc), conveniently also available in a rubric version, if you’d like to take notes while checking your course.

You might be asking, “What’s Blackboard 9?”  CFCC will be upgrading its current Blackboard 7.3 software to the newest version, Blackboard 9. This upgrade will occur in between the spring and summer semesters and we hope it will be a seamless process, with only a day or two down time.

Please be aware that this new version looks considerably different from the current model, utilizing Web 2.0 features to provide a more flexible and robust course management system. Once you get beneath the surface, most of the tools look familiar so don’t worry that you’ll be learning an entire new system. The gradebook is now called the Grade Center and this tool has been most revised.

The Department of Distance Learning will be providing a number of workshops to get you acquainted with this upgraded platform. Please check the training page on this blog for dates and make sure to contact lstover@cfcc.edu to sign up for workshops.

A number of instructors have expressed concern that students have had difficulty with quiz and test-taking in Blackboard. Of course, you should always provide a variety of assessments in your courses, but there are a few things you can do to decrease problems with Blackboard tests:

• Limit the time for quizzes to no more than one hour. This will decrease the possibility of the system timing out and intermittent connectivity problems that result in the test getting locked.
• If your test material requires more than one hour, divide it into sections (such as multiple choice and essay, part A and Part B, etc.).
• Include detailed instructions with the quiz link so students can read them before actually starting the quiz. This will decrease stress and students will not have to spend quiz time reading instructions. They will also know what to expect before entering the test. You should include: how many questions, how many points possible, how much time is allowed for completion, and general instructions.
• Unless there is a compelling reason to use the Test tool for essays (e.g. you want the assessment to be timed), it is best to set these items up with the assignment tool. This also allows you to download the file, do any markup, and upload with your assignment feedback.
• Advise students of a few important guidelines:
  • Read the information on the Blackboard login page regarding browser issues.
  • Close all windows on the computer and then launch a new window to login to the learning management system.
  • Close other applications before taking the quiz/test (including chat programs).
  • If there is a specific start time for the test, login 10-15 minutes early to test the connection.
  • After opening the test, scroll to the bottom of the page to be sure the Save and Submit buttons are available.
  • Do NOT click “Submit” until you have completed the exam.
  • Do NOT use any of the browser navigation buttons (i.e. Back, Forward, Home, etc.) during the quiz/test.
  • Do NOT leave the assessment page without completing the assessment and clicking the “Submit” button at the end (if it is a forced completion test).
  • Do NOT click the Refresh or Reload buttons in your browser while taking the quiz/test.
  • Do NOT open other browser windows or applications while taking a CFCC quiz/test.
  • Do NOT click on buttons in the Blackboard navigation while taking a quiz/test. 
  • If you are only able to answer one question at a time (questions present themselves on separate pages), make sure you only single-click the “Next” button to move forward.
• It is usually beneficial to students, especially those who have not taken an online test before, to provide them with a practice quiz  or low-stakes quiz to ensure that students are comfortable with the interface. This can be a simple survey or an icebreaker assignment at the beginning of the course that asks questions about the syllabus and course expectations. This will also let you know if students have read the syllabus and other course information.

If you would like feedback or advice to help you create course assessments or other course content, feel free to contact me at lstover@cfcc.edu or by phone at 910-362-7722 .

Liz Stover
Instructional Technologist

Blackboard Getting Started

This workshop will cover the very basics of Blackboard and online course design. It will provide you with just enough information to get started developing or editing your course.

When: Monday, December 21, 2009, 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Where: L-210 Technology Training Center
Prerequisites: Completion of Bb 101 online, basic computing skills

Contact: Liz Stover, Instructional Technologist / S200-E / 910-362-7722 / lstover@cfcc.edu

Distance Learning is offering another Blackboard Getting Started training in L-210 (Technology Learning Center in the Library) on December 17 from 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

If you will be teaching online (hybrid or fully online) and have not attended Blackboard Getting Started training, please mark your calendar as the spring semester is quickly approaching. Contact Liz Stover by email at  lstover@cfcc.edu or by phone at 910-362-7722 with any questions.

Distance Learning is offering a second Blackboard Getting Started training on December 7, from 1-3 p.m. Please refer to the DL Training page of our blog for details.