Spring 2011 Course Removal From Blackboard

It is time for some housekeeping in Blackboard. As you may have already noticed, Spring 2011 (SP11) course areas in Blackboard have been identified and marked for removal on April 30th.  Although the VCCS does maintain an archive of your courses, it is recommended that you maintain a copy of your course by exporting the course content. All archived courses will be available through the VCCS for about 2 years after they are removed from Blackboard. You should also download a copy of your grade center from Blackboard for each course as back-up as well, if you have not done so already. (Downloading and Uploading from the Grade Center--Video Tutorial)

If you have taught online, login to your "MySVCC" page and click on "Blackboard" to see which courses you are enrolled in as an instructor. From your SVCC tab or Teach tab, you will need to click on the circular icon (looks similar to a gear) found on the upper right corner of your "My Blackboard Courses" module. This will allow you to see all courses that you have taught that are currently in Blackboard, even if you have chosen to not have them display in your "My Blackboard Courses" module.  The criteria for removal at this stage is:

1. Course ID's ending in "SP11"
2. Or created before January 1, 2011

You should export content from any courses planned for removal AND save the zipped files on your computer for future use. (These file are not stored in Blackboard.)

Click on the link below and scroll down to the section called "Course Management and Navigation". From there you will find instructions on exporting course content. You can either view the instructions or download to save or print.

Blackboard Instructional Handouts

Summer Course Shells

Your course areas in Blackboard for all online, hybrid, and seated summer classes were available to instructors as of April 7th. Remember that the update to Blackboard is scheduled for the weekend of May 12th. The VCCS technicians will begin the upgrade Friday night (May 11th) and should complete the upgrade on the 12th. I do not have an exact start time at this point, but for now plan to lose access to Blackboard on Friday evening, and to be safe, do not plan to regain access until Sunday. You can proceed with running course copies and/or export/imports to move content from previous semester course shells into your summer course areas. You do not need to wait until after the upgrade.

Remember that there are still a few training sessions left addressing Blackboard 9.1. The training dates, times, locations, etc. can be found here. The time for the training on April 17th in Keysville on the new Grade Center features has been changed from 10:30 AM to 3:00 PM. If you had planned to attend, please make note of this change.

The following are reminders concerning Blackboard and information to keep in mind as you develop your courses.

Course Availability
Instructors are to make course areas available by 8:00 AM on the day that the session begins.

Student Enrollments and Instructor Student Accounts
Student enrollments within Blackboard will be activated on May 15th, so students should be enrolled in course areas on the 16th. They will not have access to your course areas until you make the areas available within Blackboard. DO NOT enroll students in your Blackboard courses. This is a completely automated process. If you manually enroll students, this causes problems.

NEW!!! When Blackboard is updated in May, instructors will no longer have the capability to enroll or remove students from courses, but instructor student accounts will automatically be enrolled in all course shells (as students). This is not a Blackboard 9.1 feature, but something that the VCCS has been working towards and will be implemented at the same time as the upgrade.

Export and Import Course Content or Course Copy

You can copy your content from one course to another by using either "Course Copy" or "Export/Import". Neither option seems to be a perfect solution, so remember to always gives yourself time to review the copied content. Export/Import does give you a back-up copy of your content saved to either your computer or other storage device, and Blackboard reps have stated that this is a more reliable process, especially if you have a lot of content. At Southside, however, we have seen some problems when using export/import related to copying tests in Blackboard, so please be aware of that.

Whatever method you choose, do this sooner rather than later. Don't leave copying content until the week before classes begin, or even worse, the day that classes begin. Give yourself plenty of time to review and update your content. I know that sometimes classes are added at the last minute, and nothing can be done about those situations, but for classes that are on the schedule now...go ahead and complete this step early.

If you course copy or use Export/Import to copy content from a previous course(s) into a new course shell in Blackboard or if you use a publisher cartridge, you may unintentionally bring over additional buttons that you don't need. You shouldn't have duplicate buttons on your course menu. Please either remove those or make them unavailable to students. (See the Blackboard Training Materials below.) Here are some tips to keep in mind before you begin this copy process.

• Review this handout on export/import if you plan to use this process to copy content.
  
  
• Review this handout on course copy if you plan to go this route.
  
  
• Be prepared to wait. When copying, it might take a few minutes, a few hours or even over a day for your course to copy. Do NOT under any circumstances run the copy process more than once for a course. If a course copy takes more than a day, submit a ticket to Issuetrak to have this checked, but do not start it again. If you do, you will end up with multiple copies of your course content and deleting the duplicate content will take you quite a bit of time.
  
  
• Select "Grade Center Columns and Settings" during course copy and export/import if you utilize tests in Blackboard, the Assignment feature that allows students to upload work into BB, or the "grade forum" option with discussion boards. If you want your grade center columns to copy over or if you have anything linked to the Grade Center, this must be selected during course copy or export/import. This DOES NOT bring over your students' names or grades from a previous semester.
  
  
• No matter what process you decide to use, if you copy content, review it carefully after the process is completed. Correct dates, modify content, and reorganize as needed. Within the assignments area, you will have more that one READI assignment due to the copy. Get rid of the items identified as READI assessments, and keep only the one called SmarterMeasure. This is the updated item that was in our template. Also, if you have two "Student Grades" buttons on your course menu, get rid of one. (See the template information below.)

Blackboard 9.1 Training

Ashley and I have set-up some dates and locations for training on new features within Blackboard 9.1. Do not forget that the upgrade is planned for May 12th. (Overview of New Features)

Any documents/videos linked below were created by Blackboard. The items linked below are there in case you want to take a look at the tool to get a little more information before attending training.

Some descriptions below were copied from a document created by Blackboard concerning the changes from Blackboard 9 to 9.1.

The trainings will be offered as follows:

File Management within Blackboard 9.1: "Course files eliminate redundancy and simplify the management of content updates. An in-course file storage structure makes it easier to keep track of documents used in courses, similar to the type of file and folder structure that is used on your PC. A new thumb nail view and drag and drop upload applet make it quick and easy to get files into Blackboard and to view the image files."

• Course Files Tour
  
• Adding Course Files to Content Items
• Recording of Online Session (Recorded 4/2/12) NEW!!
  

April 2nd: 11:30am - 12:30pm, Christanna Campus Room B46
April 2nd: 4:00pm - 5:00pm, Online Meeting (Link to meeting will be sent by email on the day of the meeting.)
April 3rd: 10:30am - 11:30am, Daniel Campus Room 108B

Adding Content - Creating Blank Pages, Learning Modules w/Table of Contents, Mash-Ups, Adding Textbook Information ( Getting started with Course Content )

• Creating Blank Pages
  
• Learning Modules w/Table of Contents
  
• Creating a Mash-Up
  
• Adding Textbook Information
  

April 2nd: 3:00pm - 4:00pm, Daniel Campus Room 21
April 4th: 11:30am - 12:30pm, Christanna Campus Room B46
April 4th: 4:00pm - 5:00pm, Online Meeting (https://sas.elluminate.com/site/external/launch/meeting.jnlp?sid=&password=M.FE89ADB594E5BF1549F924EAD719BC)

Interactive Rubrics: Creating a Grading Rubric, Associating a Rubric with a Gradable Item, Grading with a Rubric
http://www.blackboard.com/Platforms/Learn/Products/Blackboard-Learn/Teaching-and-Learning/Feature-Showcase/Sharing-Rubrics.aspx

• Creating a Grading Rubric
  
• Associating a Rubric with a Gradable Item
  
• Grading with a Rubric
• Recording of Online Session (Recorded 4/9/12) NEW!
  

April 9th: 11:30am - 12:30pm, Christanna Campus Room B46
April 9th: 4:00pm - 5:00pm, Online Meeting (https://sas.elluminate.com/site/external/launch/meeting.jnlp?sid=&password=M.FE89ADB594E5BF1549F924EAD719BC )
April 11th: 3:00pm - 4:00pm, Daniel Campus Room 22

Discussion Boards, Journals, Blogs, and Wikis - Special focus on Wikis since this a new option: "Wikis enable active collaboration around course content and group projects. Users collaborate on a document using only a web browser. Educators can see the process and evolution of the work and even participate. Furthermore, educators can see each participant’s contributions and grade accordingly."

• Creating a Wiki
  
• Editing a Wiki Page
  
• Linking Wiki Pages
  
• Viewing a Wiki Page History
  
• Grading Wikis
  
• Grading Discussion Board Threads
  

April 11th: 11:30am - 12:30pm, Christanna Campus Room B46
April 12th: 10:30am - 11:30am, Daniel Campus Room 108B
April 12th: 4:00pm - 5:00pm, Online Meeting (https://sas.elluminate.com/site/external/launch/meeting.jnlp?sid=&password=M.FE89ADB594E5BF1549F924EAD719BC)

New Options and Features within the Grade Center: Needs Grading View, Anonymous Grading, Grading By Question Attempt, Color Coding

• Anonymous Grading
  
• Grading Assessments Question by Question
  
• Color Code the Grade Center
  
• Needs Grading View (This document outlines this view with Blackboard 9.1 service pack 8. We are going to 9.1 service pack 7, but this component is very similar in these versions. This would introduce you to this capability.)
  

April 16th: 11:30am - 12:30pm, Christanna Campus Room B46
April 16th: 4:00pm - 5:00pm, Online Meeting (https://sas.elluminate.com/site/external/launch/meeting.jnlp?sid=&password=M.FE89ADB594E5BF1549F924EAD719BC)
April 17th: 3:00pm - 4:00 pm, Daniel Campus Room 22

New Options and Features in Blackboard Testing: Setting Test Options, Question Finder, Linking to Questions, Question Sets, Copying Tests

• Setting Test Options
  
• Question Finder Feature
  

April 18th: 11:30am - 12:30pm, Christanna Campus Room B46
April 19th: 10:30am - 11:30am, Daniel Campus Room 22
April 19th: 4:00pm - 5:00pm, Online Meeting (https://sas.elluminate.com/site/external/launch/meeting.jnlp?sid=&password=M.FE89ADB594E5BF1549F924EAD719BC)

Blackboard Collaborate: Integrated within Blackboard -- Provides instructors with a tool to set-up and utilize online meeting rooms.

Blackboard Collaborate Web Conferencing Tool

April 25th: 11:30am - 12:30pm, Christanna Campus Room B46
April 26th: 10:30am - 11:30am, Daniel Campus Room 22
April 26th: 4:00pm - 5:00pm, Online Meeting (https://sas.elluminate.com/site/external/launch/meeting.jnlp?sid=&password=M.FE89ADB594E5BF1549F924EAD719BC)

Upgrading to Blackboard 9.1

Blackboard 9.1 Presentation

It is time to upgrade to Blackboard 9.1. This upgrade will take place on May 12th, so those of you teaching summer courses will have access to some new tools and options for use with your courses this summer. If you are not teaching any courses this summer, make sure that you are prepared and have worked with this version of Blackboard, before you come back in August.

I have planned an overview session on each campus to walk you through some of the new options (February 23rd: Alberta, Room B45, 11:30 - 12:00; February 28th: Keysville, Room 22 11:30 - 12:00), and Ashley Leslie and I are planning a series of training sessions for the month of April. I hope to see you at one of the the overview sessions, so please mark those calendars! : ) I will email out information in March concerning the workshops planned for April.

Upon request I can set-up a practice course area for you on our Explore site, so that you can work with Blackboard 9.1 now. To utilize the Explore site, please submit your name and MySVCC/Blackboard user name on the form linked below. I will then enroll you in a practice area, but be aware that you may be sharing a practice area with other Southside instructors. Once you are set-up with a practice area, you go can to the explore site (web address can be found below) and log-in using your regular MySVCC/Blackboard log-in information.

Practice Area Request

The explore site is accessible through the following web address.

http://explore.vccs.edu/

You may find that you need to clear out your browser cache and cookies for the site to accept your log-in. The following web address has instructions on how to do this through various browsers.

http://www.wikihow.com/Clear-Your-Browser%27s-Cache

Blackboard Collaborate

The entire community college system now has access to a program called Blackboard Collaborate Web Conferencing tool. Through Collaborate, you can provide live online instruction, hold meetings, or provide one-on-one help. This is a similar product to the Adobe Connect program that we have been using for several years. We have been needing to either replace or update Adobe Connect, so this is a welcome addition.

Blackboard Collaborate is integrated into your course areas in Blackboard which should make it very easy for instructors to utilize this program with students. It can, however, be used independently from Blackboard. So, if you don't teach any courses, but would like to utilize this program to meet with colleagues on other campuses or if working with students that you can't meet with in person, using this is an option.

Here is a link to the Blackboard Collaborate website where there are some presentations on the web conferencing component. Blackboard Collaborate Website

We are hoping that there are a few of you who would like to be our early implementers with this product. We would like to begin with training a small group to begin using this program very soon. We can then get feedback from that group before offering training sessions open to everyone later this spring. If you are interested in being in our first group, please click on the link below to submit your name. Ashley is going to hold a training session for this group at the end of the month, so don't delay in submitting your name. We would both appreciate your participation.

Sign-Up

Fall 2010 Course Removal from Blackboard

It is time for some housekeeping in Blackboard. As you may have already noticed, Fall 2010 (FA10) course areas in Blackboard have been identified and marked for removal on November 30th. Although the VCCS does maintain an archive of your courses, it is recommended that you maintain a copy of your course by exporting out the course content. All archived courses will be available through the VCCS for about 2 years after they are removed from Blackboard. You should also download a copy of your grade center from Blackboard for each course as back-up as well, if you have not done so already. (Downloading and Uploading from the Grade Center--Video Tutorial)

If you have taught online, login to your "MySVCC" page and click on "Blackboard" to see which courses you are enrolled in as an instructor. From your SVCC tab or Teach tab, you will need to click on the circular icon (looks similar to a gear) found on the upper right corner of your "My Blackboard Courses" module. This will allow you to see all courses that you have taught that are currently in Blackboard, even if you have chosen to not have them display in your "My Blackboard Courses" module. The criteria for removal at this stage is:

1. Course ID's ending in "FA10"
2. Or created before August 1, 2010

You should export content from any courses planned for removal AND save the zipped files on your computer for future use. (These file are not stored in Blackboard.)

Click on the link below and scroll down to the section called "Course Management and Navigation". From there you will find instructions on exporting course content. You can either view the instructions or download to save or print.

Blackboard Instructional Handouts

Fall 2011 Courses and Blackboard

August 19th begins our Fall schedule of courses at Southside. The enrollment process to place students into their Blackboard course areas will begin on Tuesday, August 16th, so students should be enrolled in course areas sometime Wednesday. This will be done for all online, hybrid, and seated courses. You still control student access to your course area and will need to make your course area available by the start of the session. (Please have your course available to students by Friday morning, August 20th, if you teach an online or hybrid course that starts that day.)

There are a few things that should be checked as you prepare to start this new session.

1. Course Copy or Export/Import: If you still need to copy content from a previous course into your current course(s), instructions on how to do so are linked above. Please read carefully!! Remember that a course copy can take up to 24 hours or more to complete. DO NOT run a course copy a second time, you could end up with double content...this cannot be undone. Submit an IssueTrak ticket after 24 hours if you still have not received an email stating that the process has been completed. I can submit a request to the VCCS to check their logs.
   
   Another option when copying content is to export the content out of your original course and import into the new one. By utilizing this option, you will have a back of your course on your computer or flash drive, and we have found this process to be more reliable and at times even faster than course copy.
   
   
   Neither process noted here is full-proof, you MUST check all of your content, test links, etc. and make corrections as needed.
   
   
2. Course Check: Did you check all content, assignments, and tests? Make sure to check everything carefully to make sure all content is displaying correctly. I recommend that you enroll your student account in your course(s) and access it using that account. See what your Grade Center looks like for students. (See step 7 below.)
   
   
3. Duplicate Menu Buttons: Check your course menu, do you have duplicate buttons? When you copied over course content into your new course, you may have copied buttons that you didn't need. You need to either delete or hide those to clean up your course menu. For example: You should have a "Student Help" button, not "Help?". Delete "Help?" if you see this in your course menu. Click here for Organizing the Course Menu Instructions (Warning if you course copied Instructor Resources or Student Help, you probably duplicated the content within those areas. Those areas are automatically created for all courses in the template. You don't need to include them in the course copy. Check the Student help button. You should see 4 folders. If you see duplicate folders, please get rid of them.) If your course is either an online or hybrid course, DO NOT remove the course evaluation button on the course menu. By default it is unavailable to students, but you can make it available near the end of the semester for your students to access the online course evaluation survey.
   
   
4. Invalid HTML Message in Blackboard 9: If you have content items displaying an "Invalid HTML" message. You can use these instructions to remove that message. Click here for Invalid HTML Message: Removal Instructions
   
   
5. Course Availability: You will need to modify the availability of your course for students to have access. Click here for Changing Course Availability Instructions (If your content is not quite ready to go on the 19th, either make your course available and post a welcome announcement with information for your students, or send an email to your students stating when they can expect access. Students become very concerned if they can not access their courses on time. Making your course available and posting the announcement is preferred...not all students check their email account. )
   
   
6. Enroll Yourself As A Student: Did you enroll your student account in your courses to check them out as a student sees them? I recommend that you do this, and take a close look at the student grades area. You might be surprised at what students see. Click here for Instructions
   
   
7. Grade Center: Remember that your grade center area will need to be either set-up or cleaned-up. If you course copy or utilize export/import to copy content, you will need to go through your grade center and clean it up. Check your categories (they duplicate every time you course copy) and remove categories that you aren't using other than the default categories that can't be removed. (Click on Manage and then Categories within the Grade Center.) Double check assigned column categories and points possible by going to Manage and then Column Organization. Remove columns that you are not using. Look at "Student's Grades" when you are enrolled as a student. Are there any problems or columns that you don't want them to see? We have several handouts already created on using the Grade Center, including one with reminders and tips on setting-up and cleaning up the Grade Center. Blackboard Handouts (Just scroll down the page to the Grade Center Handouts after clicking this link to the Google site.)
   
   
8. Student Enrollment: Remember DO NOT enroll students or remove students from your course area in Blackboard. This is all automated. Students are enrolled and disabled in your course according to what is in Peoplesoft. If you drop a student from your class, once this change is made in Peoplesoft, the Blackboard enrollments update the next morning.
   
   
9. URLs to Remember

• Blackboard 9 Issues: Tips and Workarounds (Please review. I will update this as issues arise or are resolved.)
  
  
• Technology Training Site (This link will take you directly to BB handouts and tutorials.)
  
  
• SVCC Distance Ed Page (Go to this website and scroll down to "Important Links". There you will find links to a Blackboard FAQ page, BB test taking tips page, Computer Maintenance Tips, etc. You might find useful information here that you direct your students to, such as how to submit an assignment into Blackboard or how to post to the discussion board.)