Announcements

Improved Features in Blackboard Ultra - March 2025

When:

February 25, 2025

[field_department_school]

These are the highlights of this month’s new and improved features in Blackboard Ultra that will be live Thursday, March 6. The most relevant updates are related to a few key key areas:

Instructional design
Mastery learning and learning pathways
Tests & assignments
and Gradebook

Learn more about the full update at Anthology's Blackboard website.

Instructional Design

AI Design Assistant Improvements

1. Energy-saving image generation improvements

Anthology has changed how the AI Design Assistant presents generated images. Instead of presenting four at a time, the AI Design Assistant now generates only one. Each time another image is generated, it is saved so that instructors can select previously generated images. When an instructor selects an image or exits image generation, all images are cleared. This new method saves processing power and is more environmentally friendly!

2. Learning module generation improvements

Anthology has made two enhancements to the user experience when generating learning modules. If an image isn't generated with a learning module, the title and description will no longer shift to the left. A placeholder image is now used to ensure a consistent reading experience.

The Auto-Generate Learning Modules screen, with 3 learning modules generated. The topmost module lacks an image and has a placeholder that prompts the user to retry image generation.

Mastery Learning & Learning Pathways

Release conditions panel: due dates now included

When instructors customize release conditions for a content item, the due date for the item is now included with the date and time fields. Instructors are no longer required to go back to the item to check the due date, which saves time and reduces errors.

Release condition rules, with the date/time section highlighted to show the red warning text about dates

Tests & Assignments

Improved student experience when test or assignment is changed to Hidden from Students

Anthology has enhanced the assessment workflow for students when an instructor sets a test or assignment to Hidden from students. If an instructor sets a test or assignment to Hidden from students while the students are actively taking the assessment, students who have the assessment open can continue working on it without interruption. This ensures that students can finish their work without disruption.

Previously, if an instructor set an assessment to Hidden from students while students were actively taking the assessment, the students were abruptly kicked out of the assessment and redirected to the course content page. So, students are not disrupted when working on an assessment, even if the instructor hides the assessment from students. If students save and close the assessment, they cannot access that assessment again because of the hidden status.

Usability improvements for discussions

Improvements for instructors and students

Improved visibility: Posts now have a gray background to stand out better against the page.
Full post display: Long discussion posts are now fully visible without the need for scrolling, enhancing readability.

Improvements for instructors only

Participation metrics: The number of posts and replies is now listed directly on the discussion home page, replacing the total response counter. This change makes important information more immediately available.
Direct edit option: The Edit button is now directly accessible from the post, saving instructors time.

The main page of a discussion, with the edit button for the topic highlighted, as well as the Participation section on the right

Gradebook

Pop-out rubric when evaluating an attempt

Instructors can now pop out the grading rubric into a separate window when grading an assignment submission. The pop-out rubric is a separate, moveable window and formatted in a grid view. Previously, the rubric was only available in a side panel and formatted in a stack.

This update makes it easier to navigate and grade student submissions by providing a clearer, more comprehensive view of the rubric. Popping out the rubric lets instructors view the student submission and the rubric side-by-side for a more efficient grading experience. Instructors can quickly select performance levels and provide feedback in the rubric while viewing the student submission.

Please keep these two points in mind:

Navigation Warning: A warning appears if instructors have unsaved changes in the pop-out rubric and they attempt to navigate to another student or attempt.
Grade Override Warning: If the grade is overridden, the rubric popout is inactive. A banner appears, showing that the grade was overridden, with an option to regrade using the rubric.

Submission view with rubric panel in one window, and the pop-out rubric in a separate window

Show/hide calculation columns in the gradebook

Instructors can now configure visibility for calculated columns from Items Management. This enhancement streamlines the grading process and creates a cleaner, more organized grading workspace. To ensure that essential grading information is always available, the Overall Grade column cannot be hidden.

Need support? Contact the Innovative Learning Support Centre. We are here to help!

Questions of the Month at the Innovative Learning Support Centre - February 2025

View in full page

When:

February 25, 2025

[field_department_school]

Here are the highlights of faculty questions from February. These are not necessarily the most frequently asked questions, but helpful for all faculty members to know.

Question: How do I set due date or time limit accommodations?

Answer:

Access the Roster of your course. The Roster is located on the left hand side, under the Details & Actions menu.
Locate the student that needs an accommodation and select the three dots > Accommodations.
On the Accommodations panel, select the necessary accommodation for the student:
1. Due date accommodation: Students with this accommodation will never have their work marked late.
2. Time limit accommodation: Students with a time limit accommodation have more time to finish their work during timed assessments.
  - Custom percentage can be selected if the student requires a specific time limit for their assessments.
    - To give the student time and a half on assessments, please enter 50% in the extra time percentage box.
    - To give the student double time on assessments, please enter 100% in the extra time percentage box.
  - Unlimited time can be selected if the student requires no time limit for their assessments.
After the accommodations have been applied, a purple flag icon will appear next to the student's name.
These 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.

Question: What's the difference between an Accommodation, an Exception and an Exemption? How do I add an Exception?

Answer:

An Accommodation is course-wide and applies to due dates and time limits for all assessments in your course for a specific student.
An Exception applies to a specific assessment for a specific student, where you can change the visibility dates and number of attempts for that student. (If the student already has the Accommodation that covers the Exception you want to apply, you do not need to set it again.)
An Exemption applies to a specific student to be exempted from a specific assessment.

This is how you can add an exception in your course:

Go to the Gradebook and select the assessment a student needs an exception in.
Locate the student and select the three dots at the end of their row. Next, select “Add or edit exceptions”.
A panel should open up. On this panel, you are able to adjust the due date for the student. You can also provide them an alternate window in which to write the assessment and/or extra attempts.
Select Save. After an exception is added, an icon appears next to the student’s name.

Learn more about adding or removing exceptions and exemptions at Innovative Learning's Faculty Blackboard Help page!

Question: What are Release Conditions? How do I set them up?

Answer:

Release conditions can be applied to all content items and assessments. Assigning release conditions allows you to:

release content based on dates – You can release an item or folder on an exact date and time, until a certain date, or during a defined period of time (this is the most popular option).
release content based on performance – You can release an item when a student achieves a certain grade on a specific assessment.
release content by user or groups – You can allow only specific students to have access to content.

NOTE: You are able to have both date and performance release conditions on the same item!

Question: How do I grade my Midterms using the Gradebook in Blackboard?

Answer:

There are 3 main methods to use the Gradebook for your midterms is:

Method 1: Using the overall grade column as your midterm grade. This should only be used when you’ve already created all course assessments. To do this, please complete the following:
- Set up the Overall Grade as a weighted total.
- Ensure that you only grade items that contribute to the midterm grade.
- The grade displayed is the midterm grade. You can enter that grade into Banner. As you continue to grade items throughout the semester, the Overall Grade will update to reflect the students' current grade.
Method 2: Creating a manual calculation column within Ultra to calculate midterm grades.
- Learn how to add a manual grade column here!
- Choose either “Add Calculation” or “Add Total Calculation“. The Total Calculation column mirrors the Overall Grade column, enabling the easy calculation of the lowest/highest grades.
- Once you name the column, you can set the calculation to add or multiply grades or set a value for the midterm, which you can learn more about here.
Method 3: Downloading a copy of the Gradebook into Excel and calculating the grades from there.
- Please see this resource which demonstrates how to download your gradebook into Excel!

Question: What is Respondus Lockdown Browser? What should I know about using it?

Answer:

LockDown Browser is a custom browser that locks down the testing environment within a learning management system. The purpose of the Lockdown Browser is to lock down student computers to uphold academic integrity while taking a test in Blackboard. You can learn more about Respondus Lockdown Browser here!

What are some tips I should follow when using the Respondus Lockdown Browser?

Here are some best practices to follow:

Please provide a mock test before the real exam. This gives an opportunity for you and your students to become familiar with the software (also see how to install Respondus Lockdown browser) and resolve any issues that may arise before the real exam.
- If an issue arises during this practice test or during your actual test, the Innovative Learning Support Centre may be able to help you and your students if they need support. Please also consider submitting a support request with Respondus by accessing this link.
Please ask students to check if their devices satisfy the minimum requirements outlined here.
- If students are using a Chromebook, please ask them to do the following:
  1. clear browser cache.
  2. enable pop-up window.
  3. close the browser, and re-open to start the test after installation of the Respondus software.
Students can access external links, files, audio, video, spreadsheets, and calculators if needed; please follow the instructions on how to allow students to access these features if needed for your test here.
If you experience any issues using the Respondus Lockdown Browser, before you submit a ticket, please capture a screen recording so that the Innovative Learning Support Centre or the Respondus Support team understands the situation and the context in which it happened. Thank you!

Are there any issues I should know about when using Respondus Lockdown Browser?

There are a few known behaviors that might interrupt your Respondus-enabled test from working well, so please review the points below;

If any course content names (like the names of modules, folders, assignments, tests, discussions, etc.) include special characters (icons, photos, emoticons, etc.), Respondus Lockdown Browser Dashboard will fail to open. Please ensure that the names of your course content do not have these characters.
If students are experiencing an issue accessing a Respondus test after you copied it from a previous course, please follow these instructions:
1. After copying the exam using the “Copy Items” option to transfer content from the previous course, the instructor must go into the new course, access each of the exam settings, and select the Respondus LockDown Browser option. This will redirect them to the Respondus settings page; without completing this step, students will not be able to take the exams in the new course.
Recently, there have been some issues with students using MacOS opening spreadsheets within Respondus-enabled tests, as well as some issues with accessing the calculator in calculator-enabled tests; consider running a short practice test to ensure your students will be able to use all of the necessary features within your test, including the spreadsheet, calculators, and any other additional links or files, too.

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

In Loving Memory: Ravinderpal Singh

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When:

February 25, 2025

Posters/Attachments: Event Poster

[field_department_school]

Dear Colleagues,

It is with profound sadness that I share the news of the passing of Ravinderpal Singh, a long-time and cherished member of the Humber community, on February 21, 2025. Ravinderpal was much more than a respected faculty member, program coordinator, and friend—he was an inspiring mentor whose guidance enriched the lives of countless students and colleagues.

For over two decades, Humber was his second home. Since 2008, he has taught and mentored thousands of students while founding the Information Technology Solutions program — a cornerstone that has nurtured many community leaders. His innovative work in developing capstone projects set a new standard at Humber, and his creation of the first bridging program in the Faculty of Media, Creative Arts, and Design (FMCAD), renowned for achieving 100 per cent employment in Ontario, underscored his commitment not only to education but also to the successful transition of students into the workplace.

Ravinderpal’s dedication went beyond the classroom. He was always willing to take the time to listen and collaborate with every team member, helping to uncover solutions to any challenge. His legacy is evident in the many former students who have returned as faculty and advisors, continuing his mission to build the next generation of tech leaders.

We have lost a remarkable educator and an inspiring leader. His impact on our community will be felt for years to come, and he will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

Please find the attached details regarding the funeral services. In honour of Ravinderpal, the flags on Humber campuses will be flown at half-staff on the day of the service.

Paul Griffin
Senior Dean
Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology

Francis Syms
Associate Dean ICT
Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology

Support Staff Professional Development 2025