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UBlearns upgrades Blackboard software
By SUE WUETCHER
Reporter Editor
Faculty preparing for classes this fall will find the UBlearns Web server hosting an updated version of Blackboard, the course management software in use at the university. UBlearns is available at http://ublearns.buffalo.edu/.
The move to Blackboard version 6 from the 5.5 version will provide instructors and students with many new features and enhancements, according to UBlearns staff. UBlearns is a collaborative effort among Computing and Information Technology, Instructional Technology Services and the Educational Technology Center (ETC).
The ETC is offering training for faculty and staff interested in learning about the special features of Blackboard 6. Training is offered via specialized workshops and one-on-on sessions with instructors, and the UBlearns team encourages instructors to attend workshops at the ETC so they can appropriately prepare their course content for Web delivery. The workshop schedule and registration is available at http://www.etc.buffalo.edu/workshops. In-class demonstrations also are available to teach students how to use their UBlearns course sites. To request a demonstration, go to http://wings.buffalo.edu/services/ublearns/classroomInstructionForm/
UBlearns distributes instructional materials for viewing using the World Wide Web. Instructors can provide course materials, such as syllabi, lecture notes, scanned documents or images, library reserve materials. Web links and audio/video files can be accessed by students at any place, any time. The system allows for easy updating of announcements, assignments and course calendars; addition of new material, and modification of existing material. UBlearns also allows instructors to divide classes into collaborative groups that work online. Students can communicate via email, discussion boards and real-time chat rooms. Grades can be posted so that students can check their progress throughout the semester.
Anyone teaching a course with an official course registration number who would like to manage his or her course and communicate with students via the Web can use UBlearns. Faculty members do not need any knowledge of HTML code in order to use the system, and once an instructor signs up to use Blackboard for a particular course, students enrolled in the section are put into the system automatically, Ublearns team members say.
Blackboard was chosen as UB's preferred course management system several years ago after an extensive review by a task force of other such course management products.
Although use of Blackboard is optional, it has become increasingly popular among faculty. According to statistics provided by the Ublearns team, in Fall 2000—the first semester UBlearns was implemented—87 courses were using the software. That number jumped to 294 course offerings in Fall 2001 and 1,285 in Fall 2002. Usage ranges from simply posting syllabi and announcements to discussion boards to holding virtual office hours via the virtual chat tool.
UBlearns team members have been exporting course materials from the old Blackboard 5.5 server to the new Blackboard 6 server. Faculty who wish to have materials transferred from the old server to the new should complete the UBlearns Transfer Form online at http://wings.buffalo.edu/services/ublearns/DCE/courseTransfer/scripts/transferDelete.cgi
Among the new features of Blackboard 6:
Navigation
The course menu now can be customized. Instructors have complete control of the navigation through which students access course information. They can easily create and name course-navigation elements; provide a link from the course menu to any content item, URL or Blackboard tool, and use a range of colors to present text-based navigation.
Instructors now have control over instructional design decisions. Any type of content—including folders, items, assessments, surveys and internal course links—can appear in any content area.
Instructors can copy and move content between course areas and between individual courses. Tests and surveys can be copied and questions can be reused in multiple assessments.
Tools
"Math and science equation editor" has been integrated into all content areas and assessments.
The "test manager" function gives instructors more flexibility in creating and managing assessments.
The "gradebook" function has been restructured to make it easier to create, grade and manage assignments, and record individual student performance. The user interface features fewer clicks and less scrolling.
The "virtual classroom" has been completely recreated to provide a dynamic environment for interaction among all course participants, small groups or on a one-to-one basis. It provides free-form chat, chat lectures, question-and-answer chats, archives, white boarding, class tours and group Web browsing. It also enables instructors to lead effective online discussions through the use of the online whiteboard and advanced group-management tools.
A full listing of the upgrades associated with Blackboard 6 may be viewed at http://www.etc.buffalo.edu/workshops/blackboard/bb6/bb6_new_print.html.
In addition to the upgraded Blackboard software, UBlearns also has upgraded its hardware, team members say. Four front-end application servers with load-balancing technology are being implemented to better handle expected growth in usage and to allow for quicker page loading.
Moreover, the hardware upgrade will make it easier to back up the application software and provide a more stable and secure environment.
Sponsors of the UBlearns upgrade project are Richard Lesniak, director of academic services for CIT; Chuck Dunn, director of CIT technical services; John Pfeffer, associate director for instructional technology services, and Carole Ann Fabian, director of the ETC. John Ball is project manager for the Blackboard 6.0 implementation team.
Questions about UBlearns can be sent to ublearns@buffalo.edu.