Instructional Technology News – July 7, 2022

• July 7th, 2022
• in -Instructional Technology News

Hello instructors,

I hope you’re enjoying the summer! This is Melissa from The Center for Instructional Technology with some instructional technology news and tips. There is much to share this time, and I encourage you to visit the links to learn more.

Blackboard Learn

Anthology Completes Merger with Blackboard, No Changes for UA Users

Blackboard’s parent company has merged with another edtech company, Anthology. The newly merged organization will be called Anthology with the Blackboard name continuing as part of its portfolio. There are no anticipated changes for UA users. More from Anthology: Anthology Completes Merger with Blackboard, Launches Next Chapter in EdTech

Blackboard Term Duration & Course Availability Update

We are working on some behind-the-scenes changes to Blackboard’s course settings in an effort to provide a better user experience. Moving forward, courses will not have default course availability dates associated with their term. This means that courses will not become available/unavailable on a preset date unless manually set by the instructor or department.

If you need courses to become available/unavailable on a certain date, view the Course Properties section of this article in our knowledge base: How do I set course availability in Blackboard?

Blackboard Learn Ultra Course View Update – Fall 2022 live course pilot

UA instructors now have the opportunity to explore Blackboard Learn Ultra Course View. Ultra Course View offers a simple, modern, intuitive, and consistent interface across devices and a simpler, more streamlined experience for instructors and students. Learn more about Ultra Course View and apply to participate in UA’s Ultra Course View pilot: Blackboard Learn Ultra Course Pilot

CIT began piloting practice or developmental Ultra Course View courses in Spring 2022 and invites instructors to begin exploring by requesting an Ultra Course View practice course: Blackboard Learn Ultra Course Request

During the Fall 2022 semester, we hope to pilot 20 live course sections using Ultra Course View. Instructors interested in teaching with Ultra Course View this Fall should submit a request via the CIT portal: Blackboard Learn Ultra LIVE Course Pilot Request. CIT will help you determine whether your course meets participation requirements. Any course offered though UA Online (part of a fully online program offered through the College of Continuing Studies) is not eligible for the live course pilot.

Following the pilot period, instructors will be able to choose whether to use Original Course View or Ultra Course View for live courses. Pilot feedback will inform the timeline, along with feature and third-party tool availability.

Flip

Flipgrid is now Flip! Flip is the same product but with a new name and a new look. CIT resources will be updated with the new name. More from Flip: Learn about Flip

Turnitin

Known Issue: Turnitin Max Points must be greater than zero

Turnitin assignments must have at least one point assigned for Max Points during set up. 0/0, or any score out of 0 points, will continue to display as Needs Grading in the Blackboard grade center. Other errors may occur when the Turnitin assignment grade appears in the Blackboard grade center, including inaccurate scores.

Turnitin Scheduled Maintenance – July 8

Turnitin will have a scheduled system maintenance July 8, 2022 from 6:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m. (July 9) CDT. Due to the maintenance, Turnitin will be unavailable between those times.

More news from CIT and OIT

• Blackboard Collaborate Scheduled Maintenance – July 14 – Version 22.12 release is on its way
• Panopto Scheduled Maintenance and Mandatory Client Upgrade – Panopto for Windows, Panopto for Mac and Remote Recorder upgrade July 21
• Panopto: June 2022 Update Brings New Features and Improvements – Editing and accessibility enhancements, AI-powered Smart Chapters, and more improvements, fixes, behaviors, and settings changes
• Updates from the Gradescope Team – August Workshop Series, product updates, and community spotlights
• Upcoming OIT Events – We’re particularly excited about the Build a Portfolio with Adobe Portfolio session on July 27
• ArcGIS Pro Version 3 – Changes are coming! See OIT’s recommendations.
• OIT Security to Install Microsoft Defender – OIT is transitioning campus machines from McAfee antivirus to Microsoft Defender

We’re here to help

As you can see, a lot is happening this summer to improve and enhance your instructional technology experience. As you begin to prepare for fall, please remember that your colleagues in The Center for Instructional Technology provide training, support, workshops, webinars, and consultations for UA’s instructional technologies and technology accessibility. Submit a help request or join us at an upcoming webinar.

Want more updates from CIT?  Subscribe to our news updates and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Panopto: June 2022 Update Brings New Features and Improvements

• June 26th, 2022
• in Announcements

UA’s instance of the Panopto Cloud was updated Saturday, June 25th 2022; full release notes are available on the Panopto Community site: 13 Cancun | Release Notes | June 2022

Here are some of the latest features and improvements (some features may not be immediately available in UA’s Panopto instance).

Instructional Technology News — June 1, 2022

• June 1st, 2022
• in -Instructional Technology News

Hello instructors,

It’s June, and summer teaching and learning are underway! This is Melissa from The Center for Instructional Technology with some instructional technology news and tips.

Updates to Cengage in Blackboard

On May 25, CIT updated the method used for connecting Cengage MindLinks with Blackboard. Instructors will follow the same process for adding Cengage content in Blackboard: Partner Content > Content Market > Cengage. Please see Cengage’s Integrate MindTap With Your Blackboard Course, and let us know if you have any questions.

Goodbye Blackboard Student View, hello Student Preview – June 2022

In June 2022, CIT will enable Student Preview for UA’s instance of Blackboard Learn. With Student Preview, you can experience your course exactly as your students do, submitting assignments, taking tests, view student tools such as My Grades, and more. Student Preview replaces Student View. Additional information and instructions for using Student Preview are available in the CIT knowledge base: How can I see what students will see when viewing my Blackboard course?

Blackboard Collaborate scheduled maintenance – Thursday, June 9

Blackboard will update UA’s instance of Blackboard Collaborate to Collaborate version 22.10 on Thursday, June 9 from 1:00 a.m. CDT to 5:00 a.m. CDT.: Blackboard Collaborate Scheduled Maintenance – June 9

Panopto retention policy and archive – Friday, June 10

Beginning June 10, Panopto recordings created more than 2 years ago will be automatically archived. To retrieve an archived recording, follow these steps: How to Restore Archived Content

CIT’s Panopto retention settings are in keeping with UA’s LMS Course Retention Policy, which states that courses are subject to removal from the system two years following the end of the semester in which they are taught: LMS Course Retention Policy FAQ.

Upgrade Windows 10

OIT has made it easy to for faculty and staff to upgrade computer operating systems. Beginning in June, faculty and staff with OIT-supported Windows computers will begin receiving announcements on their computers to upgrade Windows 10 to the newest supported version, 10 21H2. Visit the OIT website for more information: Upgrade Windows 10 – 21H2

We’re here to help

Your colleagues in The Center for Instructional Technology provide training, support, workshops, webinars, and consultations for UA’s instructional technologies and technology accessibility. Submit a help request or join us at an upcoming webinar.

Want more updates from CIT? Subscribe to our news updates and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Panopto Bug Alert: Copied Folder Permissions Issue

• May 9th, 2022
• in Announcements

CIT has learned of an issue where a small number of folders on our Panopto site had the incorrect users/groups added to the share page as part of a copy process. This bug that caused this issue was fixed in March, and Panopto is removing the incorrectly added permissions on Tuesday, May 17.

From Panopto:

We discovered an issue where a small number of folders on your site had the incorrect users/groups added to the share page as part of a copy process.

What is the bug?

When a subfolder that was inheriting access from its parent was copied and subsequently moved, users who had access to the copied folder, via inheritance, retained that access after the folder was moved. The users would have been visible on the share page of each folder but creators and admins may not have noticed the additional users after moving the folder. See the below diagram to help explain:

How long was this bug active?

This bug was discovered on February 24th and was active from the release of v12.0 (January 7th – 8th) and was fixed in v12.5 (March 24th and 25th).

When will this bug be fixed?

This bug was fixed on March 24th and 25th. We apologize for the delayed notification of this email. Due to the complex nature of this bug, it took a large amount of effort to track down the folders that might be impacted.

What do I need to do?

Nothing. We will remove the incorrectly added permissions for the users/groups. These changes will be made on Tuesday, May 17th.

How will Panopto prevent future recurrence of this bug?

We’ve added automated tests to ensure that permissions are not copied when folders that inherit access are copied.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Our Engineering leaders are standing by to meet with your team if you would like to discuss this further.

Real-time information about Panopto status, as well as updates about scheduled maintenance and past incidents, is available on the Panopto status page.

Instructional Technology News – May 2, 2022

• May 2nd, 2022
• in -Instructional Technology News

Hello instructors,

This is Melissa from The Center for Instructional Technology. I can’t believe the end of the semester is already here! We have some instructional technology news and tips to help you finish strong.

Known Issue: Some Spring 2022 Blackboard Learn courses missing from user course list

Some users have reported that certain Spring 2022 courses are no longer available in Blackboard Learn. Please report to cit@ua.edu any courses that should be available and no longer are listed or are denying access. CIT is investigating the issue. This announcement will be updated when more information is available: Known Issue: Some Spring 2022 Blackboard Learn courses missing from user course list

Testing tips for students

If you administer final exams via Blackboard Learn, you might share these testing tips with your students:

• Use a wired Internet connection.
• Close/quit other computer programs.
• Read the test instructions. Details may include a time limit, number of attempts, and backtracking options.
• Minimize use of the mouse scroll wheel. Scrolling the wheel may inadvertently change your answer.
• Save your answers. Click the Save Answer button for every question.
• Click Submit.

Additional tips for being prepared and getting connected: Testing Tips for Students.

Final grades due May 10 at midnight

Final grades are due Tuesday, May 10 at 11:59 p.m. Any missing grades as of the 11:59 p.m. deadline will result in grades of “N” being assigned as placeholders. Instructors will then be required to submit grade change requests to correct all “N” grades.

Helpful grading information:

• Entering Midterm or Final Grades in Blackboard
• Importing Midterm or Final Grades into myBama
• Add a reason for a non-attendance grade in myBama
• Non-Attendance Grading Information and Grading Help (from Registrar)

Reporting a non-attendance grade? Find the date the student last accessed your Blackboard course using the Performance Dashboard or by viewing the Last Access column in the Grade Center grid.

Turnitin changes coming May 11

A Turnitin change coming on May 11 will alter how instructors access the Turnitin tool; the tool will be located under a new menu, but its functionality will remain the same.  CIT suggests instructors wait until after this transition to build summer and fall Turnitin assignments. More information about the upcoming update: Changes to Turnitin in 2022.

Blackboard cleanup May 17

On May 17, CIT will disable access to selected courses in Blackboard Learn. Courses that begin with the following semester codes are subject to removal in accordance with UA’s LMS Course Retention Policy:

• 201740 – Fall 2017
• 201810 – Spring 2018
• 201830 – Summer 2018
• 201840 – Fall 2018
• 201910 – Spring 2019
• 201930 – Summer 2019

UA’s LMS Course Retention Policy states that courses are subject to removal from the system two years following the end of the semester in which they are taught. Students and instructors should save any materials they wish to keep.  More information on the policy and instructions for backing up Blackboard content are available in the LMS Course Retention Policy FAQ.

Global Accessibility Awareness Day and Fix Your Content Day May 19

Thursday, May 19 marks the 11th annual Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). GAAD’s purpose is “to get everyone talking, thinking and learning about digital (web, software, mobile, etc.) access/inclusion, and the more than One Billion people with disabilities/impairments.”

As part of our campus-wide commitment to inclusive education, and in celebration of GAAD, we will participate in the Blackboard Ally “Fix your Content Day Challenge,” host a Fixathon, and share accessibility resources and offering live, online opportunities to learn about accessibility throughout the day. Save the date and learn more: Global Accessibility Awareness Day and Fix Your Content Day.

More news from CIT and OIT

• Blackboard Collaborate Scheduled Maintenance – May 12 – Version 22.08 release is on its way
• Crimson Google Account Service Ends – May 16 – students and alums must act now to keep content
• myBama 2.0 – May 15 – feature upgrades coming soon
• New look coming to Duo – May 18 – Duo prompt upgrade
• Blackboard Learn: Automatic cleanup of user-created archive and export packages  – some existing user-generated course packages may be set to expire June 1
• Panopto Scheduled Maintenance and Mandatory Client Upgrade – June and July

We’re here to help

Your colleagues in The Center for Instructional Technology provide training, support, workshops, webinars, and consultations for UA’s instructional technologies and technology accessibility. Submit a help request or join us at an upcoming webinar.

Want more updates from CIT? Subscribe to our news updates and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Panopto Scheduled Maintenance and Mandatory Client Upgrade

• April 29th, 2022
• in Announcements

Update 6/22/2022 9:15 a.m.:

On Saturday, June 25th 2022, the Panopto Cloud will be updated with the latest features and improvements. These updates will require downtime. We expect up to 3 hours of downtime, with a target start time of 9:00pm EDT.

During the downtime, you will not be able to access videos on your Panopto site and any attempts to upload from recording clients will result in a “Server unable to connect” message.

From Panopto:

Panopto Cloud Downtime

On Saturday, June 25th 2022, Panopto will upgrade all Panopto Cloud sites to our latest release. This upgrade will require downtime. We will announce the exact time and expected duration of the downtime on Tuesday, June 7th, along with information on what’s new in the June update. Please see the cloud upgrade FAQ article for more information.

Mandatory Client Upgrade

On Thursday, July 21st, we will require Panopto for Windows & Remote Recorders to be upgraded to version 12.0.0 or above and Panopto for Mac to version 11.1.0 or above. The upgrade will be applied to your Panopto site at 8:00pm EDT/5pm PDT.

For any questions, please contact Panopto Support online by logging into support.panopto.com or by emailing support@panopto.com.

Real-time information about Panopto status, as well as updates about scheduled maintenance and past incidents, is available on the Panopto status page.

Instructional Technology News – January 21, 2022

• January 21st, 2022
• in -Instructional Technology News

Hello instructors,

Melissa from The Center for Instructional Technology here! I hope your semester is off to a successful and healthy start. I have a few updates to share.

New Support Portal

CIT is thrilled to share our new online support portal is now live! Members of the UA community are encouraged to use the portal to submit an instructional technology help request, report an instructional technology outage, request a third-party product’s integration with Blackboard Learn, or get instant answers to frequently asked questions. The portal is the best way to request help from CIT, as we are currently experiencing high call volumes and are unable to assist walk-in visitors at this time.

Panopto Support

Panopto offers 24/7 support for UA instructors and students. Contact Panopto directly at support@panopto.com or 855-765-2341. Answers to frequently asked questions are available on the Panopto Support website.

Instructional Technology Updates

Several CIT-supported products recently received updates. Here are a few highlights:

• Blackboard Ally – Ally now supports Instructor Feedback for WYSIWYG content, enabling instructors and other course content creators to get real-time feedback in the course content editor.
• Hypothesis Blackboard Groups integration – UA instructors may now create small reading groups using Blackboard’s built-in Groups functionality. This provides more flexibility to build and manage your own student reading groups.
• Panopto January 2022 Product & Service Update – January’s update brought many additions and enhancements to Panopto at UA. Headline features include video reference copies, more discussion notification options, audio descriptions, student video submissions in Blackboard, and more.

News from OIT

• Changes to Retiree and Departing Faculty/Staff Email Accounts
• Log Into Zoom with SSO
• Check Junk Folder and Other Outlook Tips
• New myBama Launches Jan. 23
• Crimson Google Account Service Ends May 2022

We’re here to help

Your colleagues in The Center for Instructional Technology provide training, support, workshops, webinars, and consultations for UA’s instructional technologies and technology accessibility. Submit a help request or join us at an upcoming webinar.

Want more updates from CIT? Subscribe to our news updates and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

RESOLVED – Known Issue: Blackboard Learn Panopto login error

• January 14th, 2022
• in Known Issues

Update 01/16/2022 11 a.m.: CIT has applied a settings change to resolve this issue. Users may need to clear cache and cookies to apply the change. If the issue persists, contact cit@ua.edu.

CIT has learned that, in some Spring 2022 courses, users receive a login prompt when accessing the Panopto Videos tool (Course Videos in the Course Menu):

For these users, attempts to login may be unsuccessful, leading to error messages or login “loops.”

We are working with Panopto Support to resolve the issue. In the meantime, Panopto users may create, access, and share videos through the UA Panopto site.

Panopto support is available over the holiday weekend:

Panopto 24/7 support
support@panopto.com
855-765-2341

Real-time information about Panopto status, as well as updates about scheduled maintenance and past incidents, is available on the Panopto status page.

Known Issue: Panopto for Windows and Remote Recorder downloads flagged by antivirus software

• January 10th, 2022
• in Known Issues

Downloads of Panopto for Windows and the Remote Recorder may temporarily be flagged by antivirus software.

On January 8, 2022, Panopto renewed its code signing certificate for Panopto for Windows and the Remote Recorder. Due to this update, users may receive warnings from Windows Defender or other antivirus applications that downloaded installers are unrecognized. These warnings will disappear within a few weeks of the release as the installers become generally recognized. Please refer to this support article for additional details: Learn About Panopto’s Code Signing Certificate

Real-time information about Panopto status, as well as updates about scheduled maintenance and past incidents, is available on the Panopto status page.

Panopto Scheduled Maintenance – January 8

• January 6th, 2022
• in Announcements

From Panopto:

Scheduled Maintenance Reminder

Panopto Cloud Operations Status

Title: Panopto NA Cloud Scheduled Downtime

Planned Start: January 9, 2022 2:00AM UTC
Expected End: January 9, 2022 6:00AM UTC

Affected Infrastructure
Components: Website, Video playback, Search, Recording / Uploading, Processing / Encoding, Integrations
Locations: North America (NA)

Details:

On Saturday, January 8th, your Panopto Cloud site will be upgraded to the latest release. This upgrade will occur from 09:00 PM to 01:00 AM (next day) EST. We expect up to 4 hours of viewer downtime beginning at the start of the maintenance window.

For more information on what’s new in the latest Panopto cloud release, please refer to the release notes here: https://panop.to/bali-notes

For any questions, please contact Panopto Support online by logging into support.panopto.com or by emailing support@panopto.com.

Best Regards,
Your Team at Panopto

Real-time information about Panopto status, as well as updates about scheduled maintenance and past incidents, is available on the Panopto status page.