New Features in Blackboard 6.2
Quick Link to Communication
Tools
WYSIWYG Editor
Spell Check
Edit View or Quick Edit
Glossary of Terms
Better Course Copying Options
Improved Blackboard Assessment
Features
Customized Course List
ChalkBox Support
Quick
Link to Communication Tools
Instructors now have the ability to link communication tools
to course site content areas. These tools include Chat, Discussion
Board, Groups and the Virtual Classroom. It is now possible
to quickly and neatly link to the main pages of the communication
areas, or to individual groups, discussion forums, and virtual
classroom/chat sessions. To use this new feature, use the drop-down
menu at the right of the toolbar on any content page in your
Blackboard site. (Content pages by default include Course Information,
Course Documents, Assignments, and External Links.)
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WYSIWYG
Editor
The new built-in WYSIWYG (What You See is What You Get) HTML
Editor allows Instructors to create HTML content (including
web links) using familiar formatting tools and options. The
editor also allows Instructors to upload documents and media
files to the text box, and to cut and paste in formatted content.
Access to Math EQ (an equation editor) is also available through
the editor.
This new WYSIWYG editor is available to Instructors in all
of the content areas, when adding items, posting announcements,
or using the discussion board. Students enrolled in courses
will also have access to the WYSIWYG editor in the Discussion
Board.
This editor feature is only available on Microsoft
Internet Explorer for Windows. Netscape users and/or Macintosh
users currently cannot take advantage of the new editor.
To try this, after logging into the system, follow this trail:
CONTROL PANEL > ANNOUNCEMENTS > ADD NEW ANNOUNCEMENT (for
example)
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Spell
Check
The new Spell Check, part of the WYSIWYG editor,
feature enables Instructors to check the spelling of their
content before submitting it. The spell check feature is supported
by a full English dictionary and allows Instructors to create
and store custom word lists.
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Edit
View or Quick Edit
When logged in as an instructor you now have
access to a "Quick Edit" link in the upper right
hand corner of the main Blackboard display frame. This allows
you to walk through your site and view content from the student
perspective and quickly and easily modify any item via two
clicks that take you into edit mode. Quick Edit mode is available
when browsing any of the content items of your site by clicking
on the text link labeled "Edit View" in the top right
corner. The Quick Edit option is a shortcut to the editing
screen, which enables Instructors to edit course content without
having to navigate the Control Panel.
If you are an instructor and you want to try
this, after logging into the system, click your Syllabus link
and then you’ll see a link in the upper right hand corner
which will say “EDIT VIEW”. Wherever that link
appears in Blackboard, you may edit.
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Glossary
of Terms
The Glossary is a place within a course for the
definition of terms. Terms are simple to add and are displayed
alphabetically. Glossaries can be shared between courses through
export / import.
If you are an instructor and you want to try
this, after logging into the system, follow this trail: CONTROL
PANEL > GLOSSARY MANAGER.
Students can access the Glossary from the Tools
button.
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Better
Course Copying Options
When copying courses, you
can now better retain you existing setup. Gradebook columns
are being preserved, as well as any forums and groups you
may have. The forums will be empty, and groups won't have
members yet, but at least you save the effort of recreation
the shells. You will also copy the new glossary of terms,
of course.
Tests and surveys will
not be copied.
You may now copy and/or move documents and assessments
from one folder to another within the same course or from one
course to another.
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Improved
Blackboard Assessment Features
A number of changes were made to improve the workflow for
assessments and quizzes. These improvements include:
- A new option, "Force Completion", has been added.
If this option is selected by the instructor, students will
be forced to complete the assessment the first time they
launch it. They will not be able to exit the quiz and work
on it at a later date. The status of "Force Completion" will
be displayed to students after logging in to the assessment.
- The status of "multiple attempts" (if they are
or are not allowed) is now displayed to students at the top
of the assessment.
- The "submit" and "save" buttons will
now be displayed for assessments that have the "reveal
questions all at once" option checked, as well as for "reveal
questions one at a time".
- If a student clicks Submit without answering all questions,
they will receive a warning message indicating the questions
that have not been answered.
- Navigational arrows will now appear for assessments set
to display questions one at a time (unless backtracking is
prohibited.)
Note: The "save" button does not function properly
therefore we recommend "force completion" for all
exams.
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Customized
Course List
You can now select which courses will be displayed on the
Blackboard Welcome page. It is also possible to customize the
Announcement box, Contents and Layout of the Blackboard Welcome
page.
Note: Only the Welcome Page will be affected by this feature. All
courses will still be accessible through the My Courses page.
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