Here are the condensed highlights of faculty questions from September; you can find more details about these questions and their answers by going to Innovative Learning's Blackboard Hub page. These are not necessarily the most frequently asked questions, but helpful for all faculty members to know!

Question: How can I make my tests more secure?

Answer:

To make your tests more secure against academic misconduct, there are a few things you can do. You can consider:

• Using question banks, which can be made with Blackboard's AI Design Assistant, and can use your content using the Context Picker, or you can make them manually.
  • When using question banks, you can randomize the questions that appear on each students' test by following the instructions.

If you already have your test or question bank created, you can also do the following:

• Randomize answers for test questions,
• Add password protection,
• and prohibit backtracking, display only one question at a time, randomize the order of questions, and prohibit late submissions in the test settings can also be used to help with test security.

Question: How do I setup the Gradebook and the Overall Grade?

Answer:

Innovative Learning has created a simulation to help you learn to setup your overall grade. If you prefer the written instructions they are below. Please make sure to setup your Gradebook as soon as possible, and make sure to upload your grades quickly, so that students have an idea of how they are doing in the course. Learn more about setting up your Gradebook through Innovative Learning's Faculty Blackboard Help page dedicated to Setting up the Overall Grade.

You can learn more about dropping the lowest grade a student received in a course, as well as overriding the overall grade for a student.

Question: I want to add myself to a course as an instructor. How do I do this?

Answer:

Instructors are added to live Blackboard courses by the Faculty Scheduler in Banner or Destiny 1. Once they are added through Banner or Destiny 1, access is immediate. Associate deans can request the instructor be assigned through their faculty scheduler. Only faculty who are assigned teaching contracts can be assigned "instructor" status in Blackboard.

The Innovative Learning Support Centre can only add instructors to courses from a previous semester only with approval from an associate dean for the purpose of accessing old course content.

The Innovative Learning Support Centre can manually add users to current courses with the Course Builder role. With this role they will be able to access the course but are limited in functions (for example they will not have gradebook access). However, they still can perform a course copy.

If you want to request to be added as an instructor or course builder, visit the Innovative Learning Support Centre, where you can complete a Support Request.

Question: How do I setup accommodations in Blackboard?

Answer:

Learn more about setting up accommodations through Innovative Learning's Faculty Blackboard Help page dedicated to Setting Up Accommodations. Accommodations can be edited at any time. Please note that when a due date or time limit accommodation is deleted, previously submitted work for assessments may then be flagged late. 

Need support? The Innovative Learning Support Centre is here to help!

Share your voice on Humber’s Indigenous education and student services! 

Kwe', Tansi, She:kon, Aaniin, N'it, Wachiya, Asujutilli, Aam Wilaa Wilina, Hello! 

The Indigenous Education & Engagement team is inviting Humber employees to attend a community session to gather your input on where Humber goes next with its Indigenous student services and educational programming. 

• For all Humber employees: Tuesday, October 22: 12 - 1 p.m. (Virtual)
• For Humber Indigenous employees: Wednesday, October 23: 12 - 1 p.m. (Virtual)

Register now. We will send a link shortly before the session.

Can’t make it? Look out for a short online anonymous form where you can share your thoughts. It will be posted in Communique by the end of this month.  

Wondering what our Indigenous student services and educational programming priorities have been? Check it out our 2021-2023 Indigenous Education Plan: Naawsidoong Mino Nawendiwin: Building Good Relationships.  

Belonging is Humber’s bedrock and Humber continues to focus on building Mino Nawendiwin (good relationships) with communities, both on and off campus.  

We need your voice as we plan for the important work ahead. 

Thank you for contributing! 

The College Employer Council has posted "Collective Agreement Expiry, Conciliation, and Strike Vote" on its site. 

The College Employer Council (CEC) is the government mandated bargaining agent for the 24 Ontario publicly funded Colleges that negotiate collective agreements with unionized staff. The following information is being distributed on behalf of the CEC.

Dear Humber Polytechnic and University of Guelph Humber staff and faculty, 

We are excited to announce Humber’s Got Talent, a Humber Gives fundraising event in support of the Student Food Security Fund. This fund provides students currently experiencing food insecurity with an equivalent of a $5 daily subsidy for food purchases on Humber campuses. One hundred per cent of funds raised at Humber’s Got Talent event will go directly into the Student Food Security Fund.  

In line with Humber’s new vision of Builders of Brilliance, we believe this event is a fantastic opportunity to come together to drive impact within our community, showcase our diverse talents, and support a cause that directly impacts our students’ well-being. 

We are holding an open call for all Humber and UofGH staff and faculty members to volunteer to participate and showcase their unique talents. Whether you sing, dance, juggle, perform magic, or have any other special skill, we want to see it!  

Audition Details: 

• Date: October 28 to November 5, 2024  
• Location: Auditions will be held at both Lakeshore and North Campuses 
• Sign up: Sign up for auditions by October 21 

Event Details: 

• Date: December 3, 2024 
• Location: North Campus, Linx 
• Time: noon to 1:30 p.m. 

For more information, please contact Jacqueline at jacqueline.morgan@humber.ca  

On December 3, 2024, let’s make Humber’s Got Talent a memorable event and show our students that brilliance is built together. Once our Humber talent is confirmed, there will be more information about the event and ways to donate to the Student Food Security Fund. Your participation of talent or as an audience member can make a significant difference in students’ lives. 

Thank you for your support! 

Best regards, 

Humber’s Got Talent Planning Committee 
Executive Sponsors: Derek Stockley and Jennifer O’Brien 
Planning Committee: Cheryl Pinto, Dave Smiderle, Jacqueline Morgan, Melissa Beauchamp and Tuba Chishti