UMBC Blackboard Update
Summer 2003

This update is provided by the Office of Information Technology for students, faculty and staff using Blackboard at UMBC. If you have questions or suggestions, contact John Fritz at fritz@umbc.edu or 410.455.6596. For more information about using Blackboard, visit http://blackboard.umbc.edu.

SUMMARY

1. Upgrade to Version 6 Scheduled for Winter 2004
2. Online Masters IS Courses/Students Move to UMBC Bb Server
3. Auto Enrollment Continues
4. Bb Course Catalog Will Only Contain Current Courses
5. FYI: UMBC Blackboard User Survey Results
6. FYI: Try Using Screen Shots to Show Content Behind the Control Panel
7. FYI: Why Some Users' Email Addresses Aren't Visible in the Roster
8. FYI: Orientation for PT Faculty (8/23, 1 p.m.)

DETAILS

1. Upgrade to Version 6 Scheduled for Winter 2004

For a number of reasons, OIT has decided to delay upgrading to Blackboard version 6 until January 2004. While many schools went forward with 6 during the spring semester, Blackboard did not issue a stable release in time to install and test the system before the start of the Fall 2003 semester. Later this fall, OIT will announce a migration plan for moving all version 5 courses to version 6 in January. In the meantime, a few faculty have been using a test version of Blackboard 6 since last spring and will continue to test it this fall. If you would like to join them, please note that your version 6 courses will not be "auto enrolled" nor will users be able to login with their UMBC userid & password. OIT will also ask you for feedback on the new system throughout the semester. If you are interested in utilizing version 6 for the Fall 2003 semester, send email to blackboard@umbc.edu.

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2. Online Masters in Information Systems Moves to UMBC Bb Server

In May, more than 200 students, 10 faculty and 12 courses in UMBC's Online Master's in Information Systems took up residence on UMBC's Blackboard server. Now in its fourth year, the online master's program was the original reason why UMBC started using Blackboard in spring 2000, largely because of Information Systems Professor Roy Rada. However, trying to support both online and traditional students was challenging early on, so the online program contracted with Blackboard directly to host the program externally. Now, with 300 courses, 100 organizations and 10,000 distinct uers on UMBC's Blackboard server every semester, it makes strategic (and economic) sense to bring the online masters program back to UMBC. Other online programs using Blackboard include Education's Masters in Instructional System Development and Emergency Health Services' Master's in Management Studies. While "online-only" students (and faculty) represent a small percentage of our total user base, they often are the leaders in actual usage of the system, as you might expect. So, if you "virtually" run into some of them, say hello and ask them for some tips on making the most of Blackboard. They should know.

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3. Auto Enrollment Continues

As in the past two semesters, OIT will auto-enroll Blackboard courses two weeks before the semester starts and discontinue it after the last day to register for classes (September 10). Remember, in order for auto enrollment to work each semester, all Blackboard courses need to have the current semester as part of their course ID (e.g., ENGL100_0101_FA2003). Course requests can be completed by using the "create/copy/delete course" form on the main login page (http://blackboard.umbc.edu).

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4. Blackboard Course Catalog Only Contains Current Courses

Starting last spring semester, OIT began to only show current semester courses in the Blackboard catalog. Many older courses were showing up "ahead" of current ones when you browsed a department listing, and some courses just weren't being used at all. If you're using an older course for the current semester, students won't be able to find it in the catalog and auto enrollment will not work. Note: removing an old course from the catalog doesn't mean it is removed from the system. You can still search for any "available" course, but old courses will not be categorized and included in the catalog.

5. FYI: UMBC Blackboard User Survey Results

At the end of the spring 2003 semester, OIT conducted a survey of UMBC Blackboard users. The most interesting observation is that students felt faculty needed more training and vice-versa. We're still scratching our heads a bit on this one, but if you want to view the results--and a previous study on Blackboard's "usability" at UMBC, visit http://www.umbc.edu/oit/newmedia/blackboard/usability.

6. FYI: Try Using Screen Shots to Show Content Behind the Control Panel

One of the things I like to do for the start of a class is have students take a simple "Experience and Expertise" survey in Blackboard and then show them the results online after the first day of class. Many thanks to IFSM Professor Anita Komlodi for refining the exercise, which she hands out the first day, too.

Among other things, this makes sure everyone has a UMBC account, can log into Blackboard, and can immediately learn something about classmates through Blackboard. While the survey results are anonymous, it's always interesting to me to see the varried backgrounds and expectations of students, and I think it also helps them get a better understanding of how they fit with their classmates and generally helps break the ice. Unfortunately, Blackboard survey results can only be viewed in the online gradebook, which is behind the instructor's control panel. To show results to students, do the following:

• Go to Control Panel
• Select "online gradebook"
• Select "report by item"
• Select "search" and find the survey you had them fill out
• Select "grades" for that survey
• Select "detailed analysis"
• Take a "screen shot" of the results page and post them to your Blackboard site as regular content.

You may need to take several screen shots for open-ended questions, but you can just add these to your "survey results" folder, too. The Blackboard User Survey Results mentioned above are displayed using screen shots.

--John Fritz

7. FYI: Why Some Users' Email Addresses Aren't Visible in the Roster

Sometimes we hear from faculty and students who wonder why theirs or another person's email address doesn't always show in the class or community roster, or site-wide Blackboard user directory. The explanation is simple. In Blackboard, you can control what contact information is displayed--and whether to display it--through the "set privacy options" function on the "personal information" link on the My Institution page. By default, the option to be listed in the user directory is left "un-checked" when OIA batch imports UMBC userids into the Blackboard database. But to be listed, you have to actively turn it on yourself by going to My Institution --> Personal Information --> Set Privacy Options --> Select the checkbox above to be listed in the user directory.

8. FYI: Forum on Teaching and Learning for All PT Faculty (Saturday, Aug. 23, 9 a.m.)

The Office of the Provost and the Faculty Development Center are sponsoring a workshop on effective learning for all part-time faculty. The workshop will be held Satruday, August 23, starting wtih a continental breakfast at 9 a.m. in the University Center, Room 312, and conclude at noon. Issues to be discussed include:

• Motivating and engaging students
• Alignining course goals, assignments and tests
• Developing active learning classes
• Lecturing to advance learning
• Promoting academic integrity
• Blackboard workshop at 1 p.m. (if there's interest)

To register, contact Sue Hahn at the Faculty Development Center (hahn@umbc.edu or 410.455.3916). In addition, please indicate whether or not you would be interested in a Blackboard workshop at 1 p.m.