At approximately 8:12 am, DoIT staff became aware of a potential outage with our instance Blackboard Learn. System admins immediately investigated the reports and opened a ticket with Blackboard support.
At 8:14 am, DoIT staff confirmed that the SSL certificate expired and 22 other institutions were experiencing the same issue. Both UMBC and Blackboard network engineers are working on the issue.
We apologize for any inconvenience this outage may cause faculty and students, and look forward to our instance coming back online as soon as possible.
This post will be updated with additional information as we receive it.
UPDATE
9:16 AM - Blackboard is back online. All Blackboard systems appear to be functioning normally. Thank you for your patience.
]]>As UMBC prepares to offer all SU2020 courses in an online format, DoIT’s Instructional Technology team is pleased to introduce Planning Instructional Variety for Online Teaching (PIVOT), a new professional development program for instructors who wish to take a more deliberate and holistic approach to preparing their courses for remote, synchronous and asynchronous, online instruction. PIVOTconsists of five 60-minute webinars over five days with recorded replays available later that same day. Prototype versions of the live PIVOT webinars will occur daily from May 4 to 8 at noon (up to 225 people can participate, but registration via myUMBC is required).
PIVOT topics will focus on helping instructors achieve competency in areas related to pedagogy, course design and development as well as technical and administrative skills:
Engaging Students & Building Online Community (5/6) - view recorded session here
Reconceptualizing Online Assessments (5/7) - view the recorded session here
Supporting Students and Monitoring Progress (5/8) - view the recorded session here
The first phase of PIVOT is the live webinars open to all instructors, including graduate students, especially those teaching in the Summer [view proposed agenda]. Throughout the summer, PIVOT webinars will be available and part of college-based models with experienced online instructor colleagues who can help provide support or customize content, pending feedback on the early prototype of topics and formats.
In addition to the PIVOT live webinar series, two additional tracks to support faculty are currently under development: PIVOT+ will be a facilitated, cohort-based online workshop available to faculty who are preparing for FA2020 courses. PIVOT Solo will provide a self-directed experience using the PIVOT webinar recordings (available after the PIVOT protype week), complemented by DoIT’s Academic Continuity and the Faculty Development Center’s (FDC) Keep on Teaching sites, as well as select FAQs for a robust reference collection or “playlist.” Also, the FDC will provide multiple opportunities after PIVOT offerings for faculty to reflect and refine lessons gleaned from the initial training.
Inspired by nearly 90 faculty participating in the Alternate Delivery Program (ADP), which focuses on redesigning select courses for winter and summer delivery in online or hybrid format, PIVOT is grounded in the evidence-based principles for how people learn and shares many of the best practices of teaching in face-to-face classrooms, but leverages those principles and adapts the practices to the online environment. Like the ADP, PIVOT leverages the highly-regarded Quality Matters (QM) standards for effective online course design, and is ideal for participants who found themselves thrust into online teaching this Spring, but would like to be more proactive and intentional about their future online course design and instruction.
Beyond responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, PIVOT leverages the University’s prior investment in instructional technology and supports UMBC’s vision of “redefining excellence in higher education through an inclusive culture that connects innovative teaching and learning.”
For additional information, please contact the following:
Dr. Philip Rous, Provost rous@umbc.edu
Dr. Sarah Shin, Associate Provost shin@umbc.edu
Dr. John Fritz, Associate Vice President, Instructional Technology fritz@umbc.edu
Dr. Sherri Braxton, Senior Director of Instructional Technology sbraxton@umbc.edu
Dr. Mariann Hawken, eLearning Manager mariannhawken@umbc.edu
As always, if you have any questions, please consider the following options:
Academic Continuity | Keep On Teaching | Student Technology Resources
Follow the Instructional Technology & DoIT myUMBC groups
Blackboard course shells for SU2020 were created on April 21, 2020.
NOTE: In recognition of the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing social distancing practices, UMBC’s summer session will be offered entirely online in 2020. View related information about teaching this summer, or contact the Office of Summer & Winter Programs at summer@umbc.edu for questions. Please see these resources to prepare:
Faculty Development Center’s Keep On Teaching
About SU2020 Course Shells
The Ultra Course Preview setting is again enabled in SU2020 courses to allow faculty adoption with anupdated support schedule of Ultra (see prior announcement). The Ultra Course Preview tool allows faculty to convert an existing Original course and see what it looks like in Ultra.
Ally, an accessibility tool, is also enabled in all new course shells as of last summer. Ally automatically scans uploaded and created course content, then performs a series of steps to make that content more accessible. Please review the Ally FAQs for more information about the accessibility indicators on course content and alternative formats.
Instructors who teach multiple sections of the same course will find those enrollments merged into one Bb course shell. These sections may be split upon request by an RT ticket, which we recommend submitting at least one week before the semester starts, if not as soon as courses are created in Blackboard.
Student enrollment in Bb mirrors the official registration in SA and updates hourly. However, courses are not accessible to students by default until the instructor of record makes them available.
As always, if you have any questions, please consider the following options:
VoiceThread Basics 1: Upload, Comment, and Share
Participants will learn how to upload media, comment and annotate on that media, and share it with others. This will be a slow paced, step-by-step, hands-on workshop. It is open to both VoiceThread license holders and free accounts.
When: April 14, 2020 1:00 pm (Eastern Time)
Register here
Dear Colleague,
I thought you might be interested in this webinar sponsored by MarylandOnline which will take place next Tuesday, March 31st. Please see the description and registration information below.
M.O.S.T. Commons: A Resource to Support the Shift to Remote Teaching
The Coronavirus pandemic continues to cause major disruptions for Maryland’s communities, institutions, faculty, and students. We recognize the challenges of preparing programs and courses for remote delivery and are encouraging faculty and staff to consider the Maryland Open Source Textbook (M.O.S.T.) Commons as a resource for locating openly licensed educational resources to support learning.
During this webinar, presenters will discuss how M.O.S.T. Commons can support institutions and faculty in finding high-quality digital materials; how digital rights and responsibilities change when remote teaching; how colleges and systems in other states are using OER to address their transition to remote teaching; and ways the M.O.S.T. team can support your efforts.
There will be plenty of time to answer your questions and address your concerns.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CZF29Y6)
The M.O.S.T. initiative is here to support your efforts to ensure academic continuity and the well-being of your students during this stressful time. Please let us know if there is something we can do to help at most@usmd.edu.
For additional resources related to remote teaching from across the USM and beyond, please visit https://www.usmd.edu/cai/remote-teaching-usm
MJ
*** BONUS: Instructional Technology staff will host a VoiceThread remote workshop on April 1 at noon. Learn more.
As always, if you have any questions, please consider the following options:
https://fdc.umbc.edu/resources/keep-on-teaching/Following guidance from the University System of Maryland in the rapidly developing public health response to COVID-19, UMBC will transition to fully online instruction when classes resume after Spring Break. Per the announcement on March 10, we expect online instruction to continue for at least two weeks. As UMBC faculty shift to remote instruction using virtual tools, Blackboard has designed a series of free 30-minute webinars to help get started. Multiple dates & times are offered.
Teaching Remotely (Blackboard Learn Basics)
In response to growing concerns on the spread of the coronavirus, and institutions moving to fully online teaching, this webinar is designed to provide you easy step-by-step instructions on how to upload course content, create discussion boards for students to communicate, and provide an overview on the types of online assessments available in Blackboard Learn.
--> Register online with Blackboard
Getting Started with Teaching a Virtual Class
Moving from in-classroom instruction to the online classroom does not have to be difficult or stressful. Blackboard Collaborate Ultra is a communication tool that will allow you to continue to engage with your students in a synchronous manner, or record sessions for students to watch at a later time. In this 30-minute session, we will review the Collaborate interface and tools available to use while teaching online.
--> Register online with Blackboard
Guide to Building Mobile Content
In this urgent response to moving from in-person instruction to online instruction, instructors should prepare for students to access course information on the go. In this 30-minute session, we provide you with basic fundamentals for preparing online course content for mobile delivery. Additionally, we will review Blackboard mobile apps and provide you with a helpful worksheet on mobile content development.
As always, if you have any questions, please consider the following resources:
| Instructor Training: LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor |
| LockDown Browser is a custom browser that prevents digital cheating during an online exam. Respondus Monitor is a companion application for LockDown Browser that deters cheating when students take online exams in non-proctored environments. Students use their own computers with a standard webcam to record assessment sessions. The training will cover the student perspective using each application. We’ll also cover the instructor perspective, including the proctoring data collected, the Review Priority system, timeline, and milestone features. Best practices and tips for success with both applications will be included as well. This comprehensive training webinar is intended for instructors who plan to use LockDown Browser and/or Respondus Monitor with online exams. The session provides a detailed demonstration of both applications, including new enhancements that make Respondus Monitor even more effective and easy to use. |
This article is a part of Instructional Technology's Planning Your Go Online (GO) Kit series. Explore communication, active learning, and assessment strategies in an online environment to keep your course on track in the event of campus closure. View our in-depth webinar recording from March 11.
Maintaining student learning during an academic disruption requires preparation to ensure communication is clear and active engagement opportunities are provided. Assessment of student learning is an important part of maintaining academic continuity. When classes must be canceled, faculty can leverage different instructional technologies to translate the assessment process into a virtual environment.
What assessment tools and tips help faculty plan and stock their own Go Online Kit?
Blackboard is the cornerstone of this process, allowing faculty to deliver tests, collect student submissions for assignments, and facilitate graded discussions. Any graded activity in Blackboard automatically receives a gradebook column for easy tracking. Rubrics and virtual feedback tools help streamline the grading process.
If you use paper exams or collect papers from students, consider posting a practice quiz or low-stakes assignment in Blackboard to get used to the tools. Many UMBC students are already familiar with using Blackboard, which reduces their immediate adjustment to a new delivery format.
Panopto, Collaborate, and VoiceThread are great alternatives to class presentations and group work, allowing students to narrate their slide decks and demonstrations. Post links to discussion forums where peers can provide feedback and ask questions.
Reduce cheating by checking for originality with SafeAssign on written assignments or creating unique tests for each student with questions pools (Ultra) and random blocks (Original) in Blackboard.
Faculty can also use Respondus LockDown Browser with Monitor enabled to secure the high-stakes assessment environment. This custom browser locks down the testing environment within Blackboard, preventing students from using other applications or system tools, and recording students via webcam. A proctoring AI flags potential exam violations for faculty to review.
Third party tools* offer additional assessment opportunities via Blackboard. Publisher tools provide interactive exercises, self-check activities, and quizzes built on textbook curriculum. Most third-party tools send grades back to Blackboard.
Google Assignments allow faculty to distribute assignment templates for graded activities and provide feedback during creation or after submission with reusable comment banks.
Flexibility is important, not just in the selections of tools. Review your syllabus and identify areas where you can adjust expectations for assessment collection. It’s also important to remember students may have time management or emotional needs to navigate during an emergency (Gravenberg, Carey-Butler, & Horowitz, 2008) so faculty should be prepared to adjust due dates for one, some, many, or all students in a course. Also, ensure students who require accommodations can receive needed support.
Whether classes are postponed due to weather, illness, utility and infrastructure, or other emergencies, DoIT offers many resources beyond Blackboard to support academic continuity. Know which instructional technologies you can use in your Go Online (GO) Kit to maintain academic continuity when your class cannot meet in person. Join instructional technology for this interactive webinar. Click this link to register for the session.
Reference
Gravenberg, E. V., Carey-Butler, S. R., & Horowitz, R. (2008). Learning from disaster: The lessons of Hurricane Katrina. Fairfax, VA: United Negro College Fund Institute for Capacity Building. Retrieved from https://www.uncf.org/pages/FDPRI-Reports
*With the exception of publisher integrations and licensed tools that have their own support staff, you should avoid requiring software or services that are unsupported by UMBC. If students encounter any technical issues, they will not be able get help from the Technology Support Center or Instructional Technology staff.
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