Category: Announcements

Instructional Technology News – July 14, 2020

Zoom Update

Please regularly update the Zoom client installed on your computer. Zoom regularly publishes updates to keep the software secure. Zoom’s website offers instructions on how to update the software.

Vendor Webinars

CIT is hosting many webinars to prep instructors for fall, and so are our software partners. Visit the CIT website to see upcoming webinars from Panopto, Blackboard, VoiceThread and others. Additionally, software partners such as JMP and MATLAB regularly offer webinars for teaching with their software.

Respondus Password Update

Each year, CIT receives an updated license and installation password for Respondus 4 test management software. The password has been updated and is posted in the Respondus Blackboard course. Please note, this does not affect Lockdown Browser or Monitor.

Save the Date: Blackboard Learn Upgrade

Blackboard Learn will undergo required maintenance and upgrades beginning Wednesday, Aug. 5 at 4:00 p.m. until Saturday, Aug. 8 at 2:00 p.m. Blackboard Learn will be unavailable during the required maintenance.

Inline Grading now using Bb Annotate

Blackboard Annotate has replaced the Box View inline grading tool previously found in Blackboard. Bb Annotate offers a more robust feature set for you to provide customizable feedback to your students, including a sidebar summary view, freehand drawing tools, various color selections, and more…

Panopto Software Upgrade

Friday, July 17 Panopto will require the Panopto recorder application to be upgraded to version 7.1 or above.  If your version of Panopto is not 7.1 or greater, you will need to update the recorder application.

Upon opening the application on July 17, users will be prompted to update the software. Panopto’s website offers instructions for updating Panopto on Mac and Windows. Contact cit@ua.edu with any questions or concerns.

Qualtrics – Classic Reports End of Life

Effective June 30, 2020 Qualtrics will no longer support or provide access to Classic Reports. All surveys and data will remain intact. Qualtrics now supports and encourages all users upgrade to the Advanced Reports experience.

Advanced Reports offers a number of benefits including a new simplified user experience, better application performance and increased stability in report generation.

After June 30, Qualtrics users will lose access to any reports created with Classic Reports; however, all survey and data will remain intact. If you have not already, we encourage users to rebuild reports on the Advanced Reports platform. Users may also download a PDF copy of existing Classic Reports.

To view Classic Reports, visit the Reports section of the Qualtrics console. If you have any questions, please visit the Qualtrics website.

Gradescope workshop

Gradescope is now being integrated with UA’s Blackboard Learn system. It is often used for evaluating handwritten responses, programming, diagrams, formulae, and other coursework that can be challenging to assess virtually.

Join us for the online workshop and learn how instructors use Gradescope. The workshop will offer guidance on how to deliver assessments remotely and outline various assessment options to meet your immediate needs, including:

  • Fully online assignments, no paper required
  • Existing paper-based assignments
  • Combining online and paper-based approaches

We will also cover the grading and rubric-building workflow on Gradescope and walk attendees through both the instructor and student interface for creating and submitting assignments and viewing feedback.

You will learn how to:

  • Grade your existing exams and homework on Gradescope
  • Grade groups of answers at once
  • Make rubric changes as you grade – changes apply to previously graded work to maintain consistency
  • Write each comment only once – apply previously used comments with a click
  • Create better rubrics to increase student learning
  • Use ‘assignment analytics’ to gain insight into student learning

Available workshops:

  • Tuesday, June 2, 3:30pm – 4:30pm Central
  • A second workshop may be scheduled as needed

Register and reserve your spot here: ​https://info.gradescope.com/alabama-workshop.

UA System Hosts Virtual Scholars Institute

This month The University of Alabama System will be hosting its 13th Annual Scholars Institute. For the first time, this year’s Scholars Institute will take place as a series of online events.

The institute kicks off Friday, May 15 at 10am with a virtual presentation offering an overview of how the UA System community is responding to events related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). A student panel will also discuss their experiences of learning in an online or remote format during the spring 2020 semester.

Join us for the 13th Annual UA System Scholars Institute May 15, 2020

“Like most events happening right now this year’s event will be quite different than past Scholars Institutes that UA has hosted” said Rachel Thompson, director of UA’s Center for Instructional Technology and planning committee member for the Scholars Institute. “We’re excited to host the event virtually, and we’re looking forward to what students have to say about the transition to online learning.”

The Scholars Institute fosters a shared community of knowledge among members of the three UA System campuses. The online series will include live presentations, panel discussions, Q&As and other ways to discuss current challenges and opportunities in the use of technology in teaching and learning.

Institute presentations will align with the institute theme, “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Using Technology to Bridge Connections” and explore some aspect of technology’s role in teaching, research, and service.

Learn more, and register for the Scholars Institute, on the CIT website. For more information, contact UA’s Center for Instructional Technology at cit@ua.edu.

Respondus Lockdown Browser Information

Respondus Lockdown Browser is a browser that locks down a testing environment within Blackboard. Students taking exams which require Lockdown Browser will not be able to access any other browser functions or applications on the computer being used until the exam is complete.

Instructors may require their students to use Respondus Lockdown Browser to lock down the testing environment within Blackboard. If an instructor requires Respondus, the software can be downloaded from the My Institution page in Blackboard or on the OIT software page. Students must install it to their Windows or Mac computer before taking the assessment. The Respondus LockDown Browser download page will automatically identify the type of computer used to access it, then provide the correct download accordingly.
NOTE: Lockdown Browser is not available for download on Chromebooks, iPhones, or Android mobile devices.
View our Respondus page for more resources and information regarding Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor.