Category: Announcements

Turnitin New Feature – Resync Grade

Turnitin released a “Resync Grade” feature for instructors to use in the Assignment Inbox. If a student’s grade is not synced to the Grade Center, this should resolve that issue. Here are steps to find this feature:

  1. Click on the link for a Turnitin assignment.
  2. In the Assignment Inbox, select the More menu (•••).
  3. Choose the option Resync Grade.

You will see a message that states “Grade resynchronization successfully completed” at the bottom of the Assignment Inbox when it is complete. Please check the Blackboard Grade Center to confirm the sync.

If you have any problems with this process, please contact the Center for Instructional Technology for assistance.

New Zoom cloud recordings will also be saved in Panopto

Beginning Oct. 27, 2023, a copy of all new Zoom sessions recorded to the cloud will automatically be saved to Panopto, UA’s media manager and lecture capture tool. Users will experience no changes to their Zoom account and will continue to have the option to store recordings on their computer or in the cloud. Sessions recorded to Zoom Cloud prior to Oct. 27 will not be affected.

  • New Sessions Only: This automatic process only applies to new sessions recorded to Zoom Cloud.
  • Zoom meeting hosts who save recordings to the cloud will continue to receive a view link email notification from Zoom once the session has ended.
  • A copy of new Zoom sessions recorded to the cloud will be saved to a “Meetings Recordings” folder within a user’s “My Folder” in Panopto.
  • Zoom cloud recordings are only saved to the Zoom cloud for a limited amount of time. Saving a copy of recordings to Panopto will ensure long-term storage.

August 24 Instructor News from the Center for Instructional Technology 

Welcome to Fall 2023 from your Center for Instructional Technology! Below, you’ll find announcements and events to assist you with teaching and learning needs. As always, email cit@ua.edu, call 205-348-3532, or stop by A203 Gordon Palmer Hall for assistance with UA’s instructional tech tools. 

Simple Syllabus –Per the UA Syllabus Policy, Fall 2023 syllabi must be published by August 23. Visit UA Simple Syllabus support site for workshops, and other resources.  

  • Need help getting started with Simple Syllabus? Getting Started with Simple Syllabus 
  • Need help publishing your syllabus? Publish the syllabus 
  • Need help adding your syllabus to a course? Add a syllabus link to your Blackboard course 
  • Issues with course materials listed in Simple Syllabus? Confirm that the right texts are listed with University Supply Store, textbook@ua.edu. If the correct materials are listed with the SUPe Store, they will update in Simple overnight. Email cit@ua.edu if they do not update in Simple. 
  • Effective Fall 2023, two new optional components have been added to Simple Syllabus. Instructors may include one or both of the following on their syllabi as they deem appropriate. These optional items will not display on the syllabus if no information is entered in the respective components. 
    •  Generative AI Tools: Instructors may include a syllabus statement regarding the use of generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT. In the Help section of this syllabus component, instructors may review and select one of three suggested statements to be included on the syllabus based on their preference. These statements can be copied and pasted into the component text box.  
    • Controversial Topics: Instructors may also include a statement in the syllabus if they believe there are topics in the course which may be considered controversial. The sample statement listed in the Help section of this component may be copied and pasted into the component text box. 

 


Changes to Third-Party Integrations in Blackboard Learn 

Several publisher and other third party tools have a new method of working within Blackboard Learn and may have slightly different steps. We have worked closely with each vendor to document any changes in the workflow or appearance of these tools. Instructors may also be contacted by textbook providers if adjustments are needed to the steps instructors must follow to use these digital resources in Blackboard Learn. 

Stay up to date as we make these changes by subscribing to the CIT Announcements page. 


Collaborate End of Use 

Class Collaborate was removed from Blackboard Learn on Aug 10. UA departments using Class Collaborate OUTSIDE of Blackboard may still access Class Collaborate until Sept 30. CIT suggests instructors use Zoom or Teams for synchronous class meetings and Panopto for lecture capture. 

Using MS Teams and Zoom conferencing for online sessions in your courses 


Instructional Tech Resources and Reminders 

The CIT Knowledge Base is your clearinghouse for tutorials, known issues, and best practices.  

Getting Started with Blackboard (includes helpful links for start of semester) 

Blackboard Browser Checker 


Ultra Course View Pilot Continues 

Instructors interested in teaching with Ultra Course View in an upcoming academic term should submit a request via the CIT portal: Blackboard Learn Ultra LIVE Course Pilot Request. 


Upcoming Learning Opportunities 

We have been hard at work putting together workshops and webinars to meet the needs of UA faculty and instructors! Select upcoming sessions are listed below, but keep up to date on all the training sessions at https://cit.ua.edu/workshops/ 

Teaching with Blackboard Sessions

These CIT-led workshops and webinars aim to help you get started with and get the most out of Blackboard Learn, UA’s learning management system. Upcoming sessions include:

  • Teaching with Blackboard: Blackboard Learn Basics 
    • Thursday, August 31, 2023, 3:00 – 4:00 pm – Meets in A232 Gordon Palmer Hall
    • Wednesday, September 6, 2023, 2:00 – 3:00 pm – Meets in A232 Gordon Palmer Hall
    • Thursday, September 14, 2023, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm – Meets in A232 Gordon Palmer Hall
  • Teaching with Blackboard: Grading and Managing the Gradebook 
    • Wednesday, September 13, 2023, 10:00 – 11:00 am – Meets online via Microsoft Teams
    • Thursday, September 14, 2023, 3:00 – 4:00 pm – Meets in A232 Gordon Palmer Hall

Register for CIT-led Teaching with Blackboard workshops and webinars.


Teaching with Turnitin Sessions

Turnitin provides tools for grading and peer review and helps deter and prevent plagiarism by checking student-submitted work against an extensive online database. Learn more in these upcoming sessions:

  • Teaching with Turnitin: Turnitin Basics 
    • Thursday, August 31, 2023, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm – Meets online via Microsoft Teams
    • Wednesday, September 13, 2023, 2:00 – 3:00 pm – Meets in A232 Gordon Palmer Hall
  • Teaching with Turnitin: Understanding Similarity Reports and Scores 
    • Thursday, September 7, 2023, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm – Meets online via Microsoft Teams

Register for CIT-led Teaching with Turnitin workshops and webinars.

Adobe Professional Faculty Training

These training opportunities, led by Adobe experts, are provided exclusively to UA instructors.

  • Student Research Journals Workshop
    • Thursday, August 31, 10:00 – 11:00 am (virtual only) – Discover 10 simple steps to create research journals, digital papers, reports and presentations. Learners explore options to create and share their work as an Adobe Creative Cloud Express web page instead of using a word processor or slide deck. 90-minute session.
  • Create visuals in Express and Illustrator
    • Friday, September 8, 2023, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm (in person + virtual) – This workshop is a excellent professional development solution to help faculty enhance their students’ communication skills with Adobe Express and Illustrator. We’ll share ideas and resources for infusing creative thinking, communication, collaboration and project-based learning into your classes, and show you how your students can quickly and easily transform essays, student writing, lab reports, posters, worksheets, presentations, and other common classroom projects into creative digital images, dynamic web pages, infographics, videos, posters, visual reports and more. Participants will leave with ready-to-use resources and ideas for the classroom.

Register for Adobe sessions

Simple Syllabus 

Multiple dates in August offered both in-person (Gordon Palmer, A232) and virtually

In this one-hour session of UA’s new syllabus platform, Simple Syllabus, we’ll cover:

  • How to access Simple Syllabus
  • How to navigate and edit the syllabus
  • UA statements included on the syllabus
  • Required items to be completed by the instructor
  • How to add items to the syllabus
  • How to save and submit the syllabus
  • How to access the syllabus from Blackboard Learn.

Register for an upcoming session

Flip Basics  

Explore the features inside Flip, UA’s video discussion tool, and learn how to level up the ways your scholars communicate and share their learning.

Wednesday, September 6, 10:00 – 11:00 am 

Zoom Basics  

Learn the basic features for conducting a zoom meeting including an overview of Zoom’s web portal and desktop client, how to schedule a meeting and invite others, and we’ll review the in-meeting host and participant controls.

Monday, August 28, 10:00 – 11:00 am 

Zoom Advanced 

This CIT instructor led session will explore Zoom features including recurring meetings, breakout rooms, polls, and reports.

Tuesday, August 29, 10:00 – 11:00 am 

Introduction to Panopto 

Join CIT for a webinar that covers the basics of using the lecture capture and video platform, Panopto.  This webinar is designed for new users and beginners who would like to learn how to use the Panopto interface and recording features.

Tuesday, August 29, 1:00 – 2:00 pm 

Monday, September 11, 10:00 – 11:00 am 

Doing more with Panopto  

Join CIT for a webinar that covers features that extend beyond the introductory Panopto class.

Tuesday, September 5, 1:00 – 2pm

Tuesday, September 19, 10:00 – 11:00 am 

Hypothesis: Annotation Starter Assignments  

This 30-minute workshop is ideal for instructors who are interested in using social annotation in their courses but aren’t exactly sure how to provide guidance to students. The Hypothesis team will review ideas for annotation starter assignments and provide you with ready-to-use instructions for a variety of disciplines and modalities. It doesn’t matter if you’re teaching humanities, business, STEM, or the health professions, or if you’re teaching face-to-face or online — you’ll get strategies from this workshop that you can add immediately to an assignment in your course.

Thursday, August 31, 12:00 – 12:30 pm 

Hypothesis – Activating Annotation in Blackboard   

The Hypothesis team will share how teachers are using annotation-powered reading to help students develop foundational academic skills like deep reading and persuasive writing.

Thursday, September 7, 2:00-2:30 pm 

Annotate Your Syllabus with Hypothesis   

Asking your class to annotate the syllabus allows you to introduce students to social annotation in a low-stakes way. Even better, you’re providing them with an opportunity to engage with the syllabus, to share ideas and to ask questions about the course in a way that sets the tone for engagement throughout the term. In this workshop, the Hypothesis team will review ideas and guidance for the collaborative syllabus annotation assignment.

Tuesday, September 12, 12:00-1:00 pm 

Microsoft Teams meetings for virtual class sessions 

Learn how to use “meet now” and how to schedule a virtual class meeting, explore meeting tools, and examine settings to further control and manage your virtual class meetings.

Thursday, September 7, 3:00 – 4:00 pm 

People.ua.edu – Getting Started   

Create your professional faculty website using our easy drag-and-drop web platform. In this session, you’ll learn how to add text and pictures, create column layouts, add video, audio, and hyperlinks, and add and rearrange pages.

Pre-registration required at http://people.ua.edu.

 

Check out more instructional technology workshops at https://cit.ua.edu/workshops/  


 

As always, we are available Monday-Friday, 8:00-4:45 to help you. We look forward to working with you soon. 

Email – cit@ua.edu Phone – 205-348-3532 Website and Knowledge Base – http://cit.ua.edu 

Adobe Professional Faculty Training

This fall, the Center for Instructional Technology is partnering with Adobe to offer four customized Adobe training sessions exclusive to UA faculty members. Each session is instructed by an Adobe certified trainer and designed to share ideas and resources for infusing creative thinking and communication in the classroom. Participants will receive a certificate and digital badge for professional development.

Register for a session(s).

Watch the UA Events calendar for additional sessions coming later this fall. In addition, all UA faculty and instructors have access to the Adobe Education Exchange, a comprehensive library of training, resources, and guides. To access this free resource, visit https://edex.adobe.com/ and log in using your @ua email address and myBama password.

If you have any questions or need additional help accessing desired Adobe trainings, contact CIT at cit@ua.edu or 205-348-3532.

Respondus 4.0 Campus-Wide Reactivation

Each year we provide a new “activation password” that can be used to reactivate a copy of Respondus 4.0 that was previously installed or to install a new copy of the software.

  • New installations of Respondus 4.0 can begin using this password information immediately.
  • Current users may be prompted to enter the new password upon software startup.

The password is included in the instructions to install and download the Respondus 4 campus-wide software in the software catalog.

  1. Navigate to the OIT Software Catalog in your web browser.
  2. Click on Download Respondus and enter your myBama username and password.
  3. Select the link Instructions to Download and Install Respondus 4 to view or download instructions and the activation password.

If you have any trouble accessing this file, or any questions about Respondus 4, please contact CIT through our support portal.

Known Issue – August 12 Turnitin Maintenance

Turnitin will take an 8 hour maintenance window on August 12, 09:00AM – 5:00PM,  with the following services being unavailable during these times:

Turnitin (including all Integrations)
Originality (including all Integrations)
Similarity (including Integrations)
Draft Coach
Gradescope (Code Similarity & LTI 1.3 Only)
Feedback Studio for iOS

CIT will post another reminder about this maintenance in August. Please let us know if you have any questions by submitting a request to our support portal.

Fall 2023 Faculty Prep Days

Join The Center for Instructional Technology to get your Fall courses polished and ready to go. CIT is hosting two days of workshops and one-on-one technical and pedagogical assistance to get you ready for the Fall semester. Register for a session(s) you would like to attend or drop by and receive one-on-one help setting up your courses. Refreshments will be served all day.

Registration is appreciated, but it is not required to attend. Questions? Contact us at 205-348-3532 or cit@ua.edu.


Schedule of events: 

Faculty Prep Day 1 Sessions – Wednesday, August 16

LockDown Browser & Respondus Monitor | 9:00 – 9:45 AM. – A236 Gordon Palmer Hall

Teaching with Turnitin: Turnitin Basics | 9:00 – 9:45 AM. – A232 Gordon Palmer Hall

Introduction to Panopto | 10:00 – 10:45 AM. – A232 Gordon Palmer Hall

Hypothesis 101: Learn More About Social Annotation | 10:00 – 10:45 AM. – A236 Gordon Palmer Hall

Using Gradescope with Blackboard | 11:00 – 11:45 AM. – A236 Gordon Palmer Hall

Digital Storytelling for the Classroom | 11:00 – 11:45 AM. – A232 Gordon Palmer Hall

Simple Syllabus Info and Support Session | 1:00 – 1:45 PM. – A232 Gordon Palmer Hall

Blackboard Learn 101 | 1:00 – 1:45 PM. – A236 Gordon Palmer Hall

Teaching with Blackboard Ally: Creating Accessible Course Content | 2:00 – 2:45 PM. –  A236 Gordon Palmer Hall

Blackboard Learn: Grading and Managing the Gradebook | 2:00 – 2:45 PM. – A232 Gordon Palmer Hall

Blackboard Learn: Creating Assessments | 3:00 – 3:45 PM. – A232 Gordon Palmer Hall

Flip Basics | 3:00 – 3:45 PM. –  A236 Gordon Palmer Hall

Blackboard Learn: Fostering Student Engagement | 4:00 – 4:45 PM. – A232 Gordon Palmer Hall

Using PointSolutions for Polling in the Classroom | 4:00 – 4:45 PM. – A236 Gordon Palmer Hall

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Faculty Prep Day 2 Sessions  – Thursday, August 17

Blackboard Learn 101 | 9:00 – 9:45 AM. – A232 Gordon Palmer Hall

Teaching with Blackboard Ally: Creating Accessible Course Content | 9:00 – 9:45 AM. –  A236 Gordon Palmer Hall

Using PointSolutions for Polling in the Classroom | 10:00 – 10:45 AM. – A236 Gordon Palmer Hall

Blackboard Learn: Grading and Managing the Gradebook | 10:00 – 10:45 AM. – A232 Gordon Palmer Hall

Blackboard Learn: Creating Assessments | 11:00 – 11:45 AM. – A232 Gordon Palmer Hall

Flip Basics | 11:00 – 11:45 AM. –  A236 Gordon Palmer Hall

Blackboard Learn: Fostering Student Engagement | 1:00 – 1:45 PM. –  A232 Gordon Palmer Hall

LockDown Browser & Respondus Monitor | 1:00 – 1:45 PM. –  A236 Gordon Palmer Hall

Hypothesis 101: Learn More About Social Annotation | 2:00 – 2:45 PM. –  A236 Gordon Palmer Hall

Introduction to Panopto | 2:00 – 2:45 PM. –  A232 Gordon Palmer Hall

Using Gradescope with Blackboard | 3:00 – 3:45 PM. –  A236 Gordon Palmer Hall

Digital Storytelling for the Classroom | 3:00 – 3:45 AM. – A232 Gordon Palmer Hall

Teaching with Turnitin: Turnitin Basics | 4:00 – 4:45 AM. – A236 Gordon Palmer Hall

Simple Syllabus Common Questions

The Center for Instructional Technology is the support contact for UA’s new syllabus tool, Simple Syllabus. Here are some answers to the most common questions:

  • Syllabi “due date” notifications are sent a week before, the day of, and a week after a term starts, even if a particular section does not meet until later in the term. Syllabi are due by the first day a class meets.
  • Syllabi are now required for ALL sections, including independent research, thesis hours, dissertation hours, and other sections where syllabi may not have been required previously.
  • Updates from Banner/myBama to Simple Syllabus (examples: the addition or removal of an instructor from a section, the cancellation of a section, submission of course materials, etc) occur overnight.

For more information and the FAQ, visit our knowledge base: CIT Knowledge Base – Simple Syllabus

April 28 Instructional Technology News

Hello from your Center for Instructional Technology! Below, you’ll find announcements and events to assist you with teaching and learning needs.  

Summer and Fall 2023 Syllabi in Simple Syllabus  

UA’s new online syllabus platform, Simple Syllabus, launched April 17. All sections must have a syllabus published in Simple by the first day of classes. Instructors will receive initial reminders to complete their Summer 2023 syllabi on May 1. Syllabi include required course and section information, as well as institutional and, in some cases, college-specific statements and policies. Instructors should add and edit section-specific information using Simple’s built-in editor, which allows for text formatting, links, videos, images, tables, and more. Simple Syllabus is available through myBama, Blackboard Learn, or direct login. For information about creating and sharing a syllabus, adding Simple Syllabus to Blackboard Learn, or registering for a support session, visit CIT’s Simple Syllabus support resources. 


Upcoming Learning Opportunities 

Simple Syllabus Information Sessions 

In Person Sessions in A232 Gordon Palmer Hall:  

  • Thursday, 5/4, 2PM 
  • Friday, 5/12, 9AM 
  • Thursday, 5/25, 10AM 

Virtual Sessions in Microsoft Teams: 

  • Wednesday, 5/3, 10AM 
  • Monday, 5/8, 3PM 
  • Tuesday, 5/23, 3PM 

Register for a session 

Simple Syllabus Support Appointments Available 

If you prefer individual help to set up Simple Syllabus, request an appointment. 

Blackboard/Anthology Digital Teaching Symposium  

On Thursday, May 4, 2023, we hope you can join us online for a full day of free, peer-led virtual sessions on digital teaching strategies for the unique needs of 2023 and beyond. The Digital Teaching Symposium brings educators together to share and discover innovative uses of technology in an ever-changing teaching environment. Explore ways to keep learners engaged, foster innovation, and develop strategies to help you and your students navigate, excel, and thrive in a shifting higher education landscape.  

Digital Teaching Symposium Registration and agenda 

Gradescope – Stories from the Classroom 

Join the Gradescope team on May 8th, 2:00-3:00 pm, to discover how other instructors use Gradescope to:  

  • Design formative and summative assessments without constraints around logistics and grading capacity. 
  • Develop smarter workflows to help instructors, whether grading alone or coordinating a multi-section course with 20+ graders. 
  • Gain insights you need to support student learning, understand trends, and improve teaching. 

Registration is required – Gradescope Registration 

Activating Annotation in Blackboard with Hypothesis 

On May 9, 12:00-1:00 pm, the Hypothesis team will share how teachers are using annotation-powered reading to help students develop foundational academic skills like deep reading and persuasive writing. In addition to sharing pedagogical best practices for social annotation, we will demonstrate how Hypothesis is used with course readings in your LMS. Participants will gain a clear understanding of how to start incorporating social annotation into their courses to improve student outcomes. Register online  

Check out more instructional technology workshops at https://cit.ua.edu/workshops/  


Instructional Tech Resources and Reminders 

The CIT Knowledge Base is your clearinghouse for tutorials, known issues, and best practices: 


Ultra Course View Pilot Continues 

Instructors interested in teaching with Ultra Course View in an upcoming academic term should submit a request via the CIT portal: Blackboard Learn Ultra LIVE Course Pilot Request 


Collaborate End of Use 

On August 1, 2023, Class Collaborate will be deactivated and no longer available to use at UA. This change does not affect the Blackboard Learn system, only the virtual web conferencing tool, Collaborate. Instructors and program managers should download any needed recordings from Collaborate by August 1, 2023. CIT suggests instructors use Zoom or Teams for synchronous class meetings and Panopto for lecture capture.  


Cleaning Out Older Blackboard Courses 

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. Courses taught prior to Spring 2021 are now eligible for removal. Spring 2021 courses will be removed starting in May 2023. Non-academic courses, referred to as non-integrated courses, are subject to removal following two (2) years of inactivity. 

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. 


As always, we are available Monday-Friday, 8:00-4:45 to help you. We look forward to working with you soon. 

Email – cit@ua.edu 

Phone – 205-348-3532