MathML is a markup language used to display equations and other mathematical expressions on the web and in other formats such as ePub and NIMAS. MathML is important for accessibility because it allows equations to be stored as structured text rather than images. Unlike images, structured text can be enlarged with good resolution for low-vision users who need magnification. Blind learners can use screen readers that support MathML to navigate and review the parts of mathematical expressions in the correct order, which is important for understanding complex mathematical expressions. However, writing MathML code is not for the faint of heart! 

In this webinar, the National Center on Accessible Educational Materials will show you some ways you can write and use MathML code with little to no coding. They will also demonstrate a number of other math accessibility tools including Desmos, the DIAGRAM Center and more!

Tuesday, January 22, 2019 at 2:00 - 3:00 pm ET 

Register online.

A recording will be posted by the National Center on Accessible Educational Materials about one week after the webinar.  An announcement will be sent to let registered participants know when the recording is available.

The Instructional Technology Team will celebrate its 4th Annual TechFest on March 1, 2019 and is looking for presenters!  TechFest is designed to bring together UMBC students, faculty, and staff to demonstrate instructional technology tools, discuss the use of learning analytics, and share best practices with the campus community through workshops, presentations, and hands-on activities.  This year’s event will be hosted alongside the Faculty Development Center’s Symposium sponsored by the Provost’s office, providing a poster session and luncheon with keynote address by renowned speaker Randy Bass.

Students, faculty, and staff are all welcome and encouraged to attend.

Follow this link to submit your proposal today!

Are you a student, faculty, or staff member interested in leading a 45-minute workshop session or providing a brief overview of an instructional technology tool in the Technology Test Kitchen?  Past session topics have included Clickers, Blackboard, iCloud, Accessibility, Phishing, CourseArc, and Lynda.com but new topics are encouraged and appreciated!  Key themes for the upcoming TechFest include (but are not limited to) the following:

·       Using Learning Technologies for Instruction and Engagement (LTIE)

·       Using Data Collection and Analytics to Inform Instruction and Strategy, Measure Success, and Prompt Intervention (DCA)

·       Integrating Technology Tools into Best Practices (TBP)

There are two types of sessions that will be offered at TechFest 2019:

·       Workshop Session (45 minutes)- Presenter(s) provide a brief overview on a theme-related topic with time for Q&A. Participants are provided with at least three take-aways they can incorporate as a best practice.

·       Technology Test Kitchen Demo (45 minutes)- Presenter(s) provide brief overviews, give 15 minute demonstrations, and answer questions about a particular technology tool to participants visiting demo stations.  Participants are given the opportunity to explore the technology through "hands-on" activities.

Deadlines and Notifications

Please submit your proposals no later than 5pm on Friday, January 18, 2019 by completing this Google Form.  Applicants will be notified about acceptances within two weeks of the submission deadline.  Selection will be based on how well the proposal connects to the overall themes and goals of TechFest.

So mark your calendars for Friday, March 1, 2019 and spread the word!  The day will be filled with TechFest talks and technology demos, the Faculty Development Center’s Symposium hosted by the Provost Office, and an opportunity to participate in a TechFest Escape Room activity!  More details on all events are forthcoming, so look out for future postings.  

Follow this link to submit your proposal today!

For questions and more information, please contact us at techfest19@umbc.edu.

The Instructional Technology Team will celebrate its 4th Annual TechFest on March 1, 2019 and is looking for presenters!  TechFest is designed to bring together UMBC students, faculty, and staff to demonstrate instructional technology tools, discuss the use of learning analytics, and share best practices with the campus community through workshops, presentations, and hands-on activities.  This year’s event will be hosted alongside the Faculty Development Center’s Symposium sponsored by the Provost’s office, providing a poster session and luncheon with keynote address by renowned speaker Randy Bass.

Students, faculty, and staff are all welcome and encouraged to attend.

Follow this link to submit your proposal today!

Are you a student, faculty, or staff member interested in leading a 45-minute workshop session or providing a brief overview of an instructional technology tool in the Technology Test Kitchen?  Past session topics have included Clickers, Blackboard, iCloud, Accessibility, Phishing, CourseArc, and Lynda.com but new topics are encouraged and appreciated!  Key themes for the upcoming TechFest include (but are not limited to) the following:

·       Using Learning Technologies for Instruction and Engagement (LTIE)

·       Using Data Collection and Analytics to Inform Instruction and Strategy, Measure Success, and Prompt Intervention (DCA)

·       Integrating Technology Tools into Best Practices (TBP)

There are two types of sessions that will be offered at TechFest 2019:

·       Workshop Session (45 minutes)- Presenter(s) provide a brief overview on a theme-related topic with time for Q&A. Participants are provided with at least three take-aways they can incorporate as a best practice.

·       Technology Test Kitchen Demo (45 minutes)- Presenter(s) provide brief overviews, give 15 minute demonstrations, and answer questions about a particular technology tool to participants visiting demo stations.  Participants are given the opportunity to explore the technology through "hands-on" activities.

Deadlines and Notifications

Please submit your proposals no later than 5pm on Friday, January 18, 2019 by completing this Google Form.  Applicants will be notified about acceptances within two weeks of the submission deadline.  Selection will be based on how well the proposal connects to the overall themes and goals of TechFest.

So mark your calendars for Friday, March 1, 2019 and spread the word!  The day will be filled with TechFest talks and technology demos, the Faculty Development Center’s Symposium hosted by the Provost Office, and an opportunity to participate in a TechFest Escape Room activity!  More details on all events are forthcoming, so look out for future postings.  

Follow this link to submit your proposal today!

For questions and more information, please contact us at techfest19@umbc.edu.

Blackboard course shells for WT2019 and SP2019 were created on November 29, 2018.

The Ultra Course Preview setting is enabled in both WT2019 and SP2019 courses. This tool allows faculty to convert an existing Original course and see what it looks like in the Ultra Experience. Blackboard provides a conversion log with a list of Original features and functions that change in Ultra or those that won't carry forward if you choose to convert the course to Ultra. Faculty may also choose to use the Ultra Course Preview sandbox, which was provided earlier this semester.

• Related FAQ: How do I preview my course as an Ultra course?

About Course Creation

Bb shells for WT2019 and SP2019 are available for all courses (designated as lecture, lab, field or discussion) listed in the UMBC Schedule of Classes (SOC), provided that there is an instructor of record listed. As new course sections and/or instructors are added to the SOC by Department Scheduling Coordinators, corresponding Bb shells are automatically generated overnight. 

• If you are an instructor, and your name is not associated with the course you are teaching in the SOC, please see your Departmental Scheduling Coordinator to resolve the issue. Once you are listed in the SOC, your Bb course shell will be created automatically. 
• If you and your Department Scheduling Coordinator believe you are correctly assigned as the instructor of record in the SOC and you do not see your course shell in Blackboard, please submit a Request Tracker (RT) ticket via my.umbc.edu/help.
• If you need a Bb shell for a research or independent study course, please submit a new course request.

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:

• Check our extensive FAQ collection
• Open a ticket via RT
• Follow the Instructional Technology & DoIT myUMBC groups
• Request a consult with instructional technology staff

On Friday, March 1, 2019, DoIT's Instructional Technology Team will hold its fourth annual TechFest.  TechFest traditionally brings the campus community together to share and demonstrate ways technology can both support and improve the efficiency of day-to-day activities including academics. This year, participants are in for a double treat as Instructional Technology partners with the Faculty Development Center to bring you day celebrating technology, teaching and learning!  

The Faculty Development Center will also be holding their Symposium sponsored by the Provost's office on the same day which will include a poster session and luncheon with keynote address by renowned speaker Randy Bass.

Key themes for this year’s TechFest include (but are not limited to) the following:

·         Using Learning Technologies for Instruction and Engagement (LTIE)

·         Using Data Collection and Analytics to Inform Instruction, Measure Success, and Prompt Intervention (DCA)

·         Integrating Technology Tools into Best Practices (TBP)

Students, faculty, and staff are all welcome and encouraged to attend.

Are you a student, faculty, or staff member interested in leading a 45-minute workshop session on one of the three themes, presenting a poster on teaching and learning, or providing a brief overview of an instructional technology tool in the Technology Test Kitchen?  Then start planning the abstract for your proposal.  A Call for Proposals will be issued soon.  Past Session topics have included Clickers, Blackboard, iCloud, Accessibility, Phishing, CourseArc, and Lynda.com.  New topics are encouraged and appreciated.

 View the Call for Proposals here.

Submit your proposal by following this link.

For more information about TechFest, be on the lookout for future posts regarding proposal deadlines and event registration.  You can also contact us at techfest19@umbc.edu. 

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