As midterm evaluations continue this week, the instructional technology team reminds faculty about the challenges of using Force Complete for assessments distributed through Blackboard.
When originally developed, Force Complete was intended to prevent students from navigating away from an assessment to minimize cheating. When the students left an assessment, Blackboard would submit whatever answers had been completed. However, if students encountered technical issues, such as losing an internet connection while on wi-fi or clicking too quickly through assessment questions, the test engine would consider that to be an attempt to leave the assessment -- even if it was a technical problem. If students are locked out of their assessments, the TSC and DoIT staff will NOT reset a student's assessment attempt. Students MUST contact the instructor of record to allow them to start over with a new attempt.
Since Force Complete has the potential to cause numerous frustrations for students and faculty alike, we recommend four strategies:
For more information about test delivery in Blackboard:
]]>By Fall 2016, UMBC’s approach to audience response systems (aka “clickers”) will need to change. Specifically, our clicker vendor, Turning Technologies (TT), has announced that TurningPoint 5 will be replaced with TurningPoint Cloud in January 2016. Also, the company will no longer support our current clickers as of Fall 2016.
Background & Next Steps
Currently over 4,000 UMBC students and 43 instructors use the TT clickers in classrooms. Students either purchase or rent clickers from the bookstore and then register them in Blackboard for use in their UMBC courses. Instructors use the latest installment of the TurningPoint 5 software to create pre-programmed polling questions and/or ask questions “on the fly” during class sessions.In light of the changes announced by TT, DoIT’s Instructional Technology team is conducting a comparative analysis of all currently available student response systems to determine the most appropriate solution for our campus. Among other features, many “clicker” vendors also now offer students and instructors the opportunity to use mobile devices and/or laptops in the classroom. This includes TT’s own ResponseWare software, eliminating the need for students to purchase the clicker hardware from the bookstore.
While DoIT knows not all faculty allow such devices in their classes, since all students are required to own or assure they have access to a computer -- and 95 percent bring a laptop to campus -- we’d like to get faculty and student input on exploring use of students’ mobile devices for interactive polling. Separately, we are also exploring if our campus WiFi could handle such increased usage.
Please provide your feedback regarding this transition by completing this survey.
In addition to a “clicker faculty survey” we will hold a Faculty Response System Town Hall meeting on Thursday, November 19, 2015 from 12pm-1:30pm in ENG 023 to share survey results and discuss response system alternatives for UMBC. Lunch will be provided to registered participants. If you would like to attend this meeting, please RSVP no later than Tuesday, November 10 via our DoIT events page.
Box is an online file sharing system that can be accessed from multiple devices, including computers, smartphones, and tablets. Box files can be easily shared with others by adding them as collaborators or providing a link for file viewing. You can organize your files into folders, upload documents and videos, and share this information on Blackboard. Save time, space, and headaches by incorporating Box into your daily workplace activities.
To learn more about using Box:
visit our Box FAQ page
open an RT ticket for any technical issues
view the schedule of training workshops on the DoIT group page
contact the Instructional Technology Team with any questions or concerns
Image shows Stan Kahn receiving DIT Emeritus Award For Outstanding Service to Departmental IT Staff and the UMBC Community from Jack Suess
During a conversation about 10 years ago, Stan Kahn from Enrollment Management and Stephen Jones from the Library decided there was a need to enhance communication among staff members who, like themselves, provide IT support at the departmental level. The result was the initial formation of a group of 23 staff. Stan and Stephen decided to call this group of staff the Departmental IT Group, or the DIT Group, for short. To facilitate communication among the members, Stan set up a listserv for the DIT Group members.
Though initially intended for departmental IT staff, it soon became clear that the DIT listserv could also facilitate communication between the members and DoIT, UMBC’s central computing unit. The listserv remains very active, with DIT members sharing information among themselves and also seeking information from DoIT, and with DoIT in turn disseminating information through the listserv to the DIT members. “I think it’s made a significant impact on the IT community for fostering communications.” said Stan. Currently, there are over 60 active members on the listserv, including about 20 staff from DoIT.
Stan and Stephen also wanted to encourage more social interaction and professional development among IT staff, and from the beginning instituted regular meetings for the members. These proved successful, and also came to include DoIT staff. DIT and DoIT staff now hold joint meetings each semester to discuss campus IT initiatives and issues, share best practices, and get to know one another.
Membership has also continued to expand. “We are fairly open to who can take part,” said Stephen. “[We represent] a lot of different staff who have a strong interest in IT even though IT Support is not the focus of their work.”
After 30 years, Stan will be retiring at the end of September. Kena Jackson, IT Specialist for Enrollment, will work with Stephen in coordinating the Group.
If you are a staff member with an interest in IT and would like further information, you can contact either Kena or Stephen to gain access to the listserv and take part in the DIT Group meetings.
Stephen Jones
Library
Kena Jackson
Enrollment Management