August 2024 Instructor News from the Center for Instructional Technology
- August 5th, 2024
- in -Instructional Technology News
Greetings from your Center for Instructional Technology! CIT provides training, support, and consultations for UA’s instructional technologies and technology accessibility. Visit cit.ua.edu to find step-by-step guides with pictures, discover upcoming workshops and webinars, or book an appointment. You can also reach us at cit@ua.edu or 205-348-3532 or visit us in A203 Gordon Palmer Hall.
Join CIT for the 2024 Faculty Prep Days, August 15 & 16
Get your Fall courses polished and ready to go! CIT will host Faculty Prep Days, two days of in-person and virtual workshops and one-on-one help to get you ready for the Fall semester. Register to join us Thursday, August 15 and Friday, August 16, in Gordon Palmer Hall and online.
Sessions and locations are subject to change; we will share a final schedule with in-person session locations and webinar links shortly before the event.
New Faculty Orientation
New Faculty Orientation will be held August 19 & 20, 2024, at the Bryant Conference Center. In addition to offering a “Blackboard 101” session, CIT staff will share information about technology resources and supports. New faculty, we look forward to welcoming you to our table for conversation and giveaways!
Course Retirement
Academic courses in Blackboard Learn are subject to removal two (2) years following the end of the semester in which they are taught per UA’s LMS Course Retention Policy. For example, courses taught in Spring 2023 will be removed after May 2025. Spring 2022 and prior courses are being removed in September 2024. Non-academic courses, referred to as non-integrated courses, are subject to removal following two (2) years of inactivity.
Courses that will be removed are listed under the “Courses to be retired” term on the Blackboard Courses page. Instructors should save any needed course content or student grades. Students should save any necessary coursework as well. Steps to save content are linked below.
More information on the policy and instructions for backing up Blackboard content are available in the LMS Course Retention Policy FAQ.
CIT Technology and Tool Highlights
Blackboard
- New and Updated Integrations – Integrations connect third-party resources with Blackboard. CIT recently added or updated these publisher content integrations: CSePub, McGraw Hill SIMnet, McGraw Hill ALEKS. Find a complete list of current integrations: Current Blackboard Integrations & Technical Support
- Anthology Rebrand – Blackboard’s parent company, Anthology, has unveiled a visual rebrand that includes an updated logo and tagline. UA’s learning management system is now simply “Blackboard” (formerly Blackboard Learn).
- Courses to Be Retired – On the Blackboard Courses page, courses slated for removal from the system are shown in their own Term “Courses to be retired.” Instructors should save any needed course content or student grades.
- Known Issue – Emails for Old Blackboard Announcements – Users may receive email notifications for old, scheduled Blackboard course announcements.
- Ultra Rollout Continues – All courses will be designed and delivered in “the new Blackboard” by Spring 2026. Learn more, request a practice course, or teach with Ultra: Blackboard Ultra Course View
Flip
- Known Issue – Changes to Flip – The Flip platform is no longer available in mobile app stores and the Flip website has transitioned to view-only mode. Download existing Flip videos until September 30, 2024 and locate alternatives to Flip on the CIT website.
Gradescope
- Gradescope announced an improved guidance site: guides.gradescope.com. The new site features restructured content, better navigation and findability, and some new content such as Release Notes. Visit their orientation page to get familiar: Gradescope Guides orientation page
Panopto
- A new retention policy was created: Panopto recordings will be archived 2 years after their last viewed date, and recordings will be permanently deleted 2 years after they are archived. Read complete details here: Panopto Retention Policy
- Panopto recordings managed by OTIDE are subject to a separate policy that follows their MOU agreements. Read complete details here: Panopto Retention Policy – OTIDE content
- CIT updated the method used to connect Blackboard and Panopto and enabled the ability to use Panopto content and folders with Ultra Course View (see How to Use Panopto with Blackboard Ultra for Instructors).
- Panopto released Panopto 15.0, which included changes to the appearance and management of folders.
Perusall
- The Perusall interactive social learning platform is now integrated with Blackboard, making it easier to create assignments, sync student groups and rosters, and sync your gradebook. Check it out: What is “Perusall” and How Do You Use It? (3:30)
Simple Syllabus
- Did you know? You can access Simple’s Instructor Quick-start Guide using password: simple. This video guide provides a user-friendly introduction to the online syllabus platform from the instructor perspective.
- Your courses and course materials may take 24-48 hours to appear in your syllabus in Simple Syllabus. Simple Syllabus receives nightly updates from Banner/myBama for instructor and student enrollment and course/section creation. Course materials listed with the University Supply Store may not appear in Simple Syllabus for 2 days. If Simple is not updated after 2 days, use the Simple Syllabus Help button or contact cit@ua.edu to open a support request.
Turnitin
- Instructors can now choose between new and classic views of the Turnitin Similarity Report. Using the New Similarity Report for an overview of the redesigned look and feel and new match groups.
- We are working to enable Turnitin with Ultra Course View, allowing instructors to use Turnitin for Ultra assignments.
News from CIT’s Technology Accessibility Team
Web Resources Accessibility Policy Reminder
The University of Alabama is committed to making its digital resources accessible to all users and welcomes suggestions on access improvements. The Web Resources Accessibility Policy applies to anyone responsible for creating, dissemination, selecting, or purchasing web resources on behalf of UA (students, faculty, staff, contractors, and volunteers). Please report access issues, comments, or suggestions to accessibility@ua.edu.
Accessibility Forum
If you work with digital resources or are just interested in tech accessibility, join the Technology Accessibility team in the Accessibility Forum for occasional meetups and frequent Teams conversations. The Accessibility Forum aims to unite the campus community and share accessibility wins, updates, and other accessibility-related information. The Accessibility Forum will reconvene this fall in person and online. To join the Accessibility Forum in Microsoft Teams and receive the fall schedule, please email accessibility@ua.edu.
Blackboard Ally
Blackboard Ally is enabled in all Blackboard courses. Ally helps make digital course content accessible by automatically providing alternative formats (such as immersive reader, semantic HTML, audio, ePub, and electronic Braille) and providing instructor feedback and guidance on fixing accessibility issues in a course. If you have questions about Blackboard Ally, please contact accessibility@ua.edu.
As you are working to create new content or revise current content, please keep accessibility in mind. Accessibility extends beyond basic alt text. Equidox has shared a helpful article, Beyond Basic Alt Text – Charts, Maps, and Diagrams.
If you have questions about accessibility or the accessibility of your course content, please contact us at accessibility@ua.edu or visit http://accessibility.ua.edu.
News from OIT
These Office of Information Technology updates are of particular interest to instructors.
- New DUO Operation System Requirements – The DUO two-factor security authentication required to access myBama accounts has new operation system requirements.
- Mobile Application Management Deploying to UA Staff – You will see a notification prompt that says, “Your IT Administrator is now helping you protect work or school data in this app.”
- Artificial Intelligence Approved and Prohibited Services List – As we embrace AI technologies, OIT is developing guidance and processes to ensure safe and ethical use.
Learn with us! CIT regularly hosts workshops and webinars on UA instructional technologies and technology accessibility. We are also pleased to offer individual consultations and group instruction by request.
Upcoming Learning Opportunities
08.15 & 08.16 | Faculty Prep Days – In-person and virtual workshops and one-on-one help
08.19 & 08.20 | New Faculty Orientation
08.08 | Blackboard Learn Ultra User Group (partner event)
08.13 | People.ua.edu workshop