Blackboard Learn 9.1 SP6? What does that mean?

Submitted by:  Brett Stephens

August 17th was a big day for us here in Distance Education. From 8 AM to 5 PM, I was busy backing up, updating, and configuring the Blackboard server for the Blackboard Learn 9.1 Service Pack 6. Blackboard has an even/odd strategy for service packs in which the odd numbered service packs are mostly bug fixes, but the evens focus on new features.  Since this was an even numbered service pack, they released three big new features, but there was also a staggering 259 known issues addressed in this service pack as well!  The list is a bit extensive, so I won't post it here.  Instead, here are the main features that are new and/or expanded upon in Service Pack 6:

• Auto-Submit for timed tests.  When this option is selected, the test or quiz is submitted automatically when the timer runs out.  No longer will you see students taking three hours to complete a test you intended for them to finish in only two!
• Interactive Grading Rubrics.  In Service Pack 6, Blackboard has greatly improved upon this tool for grading assignments.  Here are the Blackboard OnDemand videos on Creating a rubric and Grading with rubrics
• New SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model)  Engine.  Before SP6, the SCORM engine in Blackboard was virtually unusable, but that has changed.  Blackboard teamed up with Rustici Software, one of the leading developers of SCORM software, to integrate a new SCORM engine into Blackboard Learn.  SoftChalk can upload pages and activities as SCORM directly into your course using the Publish feature.  For the adventurous, there are a number of SCORM content creation software packages available for free online.  The Moodle Docs wiki has a useful page on this topic: Creating SCORM content. 

New and Improved Research Tutorial Quiz is now available!

Submitted by:  Margaret Cussen

The fall semester will be upon us before you know it. If you teach a course requiring your students to conduct research, you should know the Research Tutorial Quiz has been edited. Kathy Park, Director of the Library, asked me to edit 3 questions in the quiz to reflect the WorldCat information.

So what is WorldCat? WorldCat is the world's largest network of library content and services. WorldCat libraries are dedicated to providing access to their resources on the Web, where most people start their search for information.

Check out the new and improved Research Tutorial Quiz in the Blackboard Learn 9.1 Faculty Resources course. Click on the Learning Module button and find the learning module named Research Tutorial Quiz 2011. For your convenience, you can review the test so you can see the changes. Additionally, you can download the zipped file to a local computer and import it into your course. Lastly, a “How to” document is provided to jog your memory about the steps involved.

New Auto-Submit feature for Timed Tests. Easy as 1-2-3...

Submitted by: Chandra Iwasaki

With the new Service Pack 6 installed on Blackboard, we now have a command for saving and submitting a test when the time set has expired. The Auto-Submit function can be activated in each test's Edit Test Options:

For more information on What's New in Blackboard, visit with Janet on Wednesday, August 24th from 3:00 - 4:00 pm in room TVB-1418.

We Value Your Feedback

Submitted by: Janet Wortman

We strive to provide faculty and staff with frequent, high quality training opportunities.  To help improve our workshops we have partnered with the office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness to develop an online training evaluation process similar to the one used by COM students to evaluate their classes.

The feedback we receive is totally anonymous.   Institutional Research and Effectiveness will collected your comments three times each year providing us with reports that will be used to improve the training options we provide.

The link to our new training evaluation is located on the Faculty page of the COM Online web site.  You will be asked to enter your COM email address and password to access the secured site.  Your identity will not be included  with your submitted training evaluation. 

So, the next time you attend a workshop provided by either the Distance Education or Instructional Technology department please take a few minutes to tell us how much you liked your session or what could have been done to improve the training you attended.  We value your feedback and will try to implement as many of your suggestions as possible!

Ladibug loaners or: "High tech higher education"

Submitted by:  Brad Denison

The Instructional Technology department at College of the Mainland will soon have 4 Ladibug DC-120 document camera loaners for the campus. These high definition document cameras are perfect for presenting material to your classes.

You can use them in a math class and do the work live on the data projector screen. Take advantage of the HD with step by step art instruction. Make a small 3-D model large enough for the whole class to see. You can even record video with the Ladibug DC-120. Save speech class presentations. Record a science experiment to show to all of your classes. The possibilities are only bound by your creativity.

Play the video below to learn more about using the Ladibug DC120.

If you want to use the DC120 in your class all you need to do is put in an equipment request in Parature. Go to the COM website, click on "COM Online", click on "Support" and then "Submit a Ticket."