DoIT Remembers Professor Zane Berge
November 29, 1953 ~ February 25, 2025
Recently, we were saddened to learn that Dr. Zane Berge, a long-time professor of Education at UMBC, passed away on Tuesday, February 25, 2025. He was 71.
Both nationally and here at UMBC, Dr. Berge was a pioneer in the use of educational technology, especially distance education. A few of DoIT’s staff remember working with him on the old Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) committee, which eventually became the Faculty Senate’s Computer Policy Committee (CPC); starting a distance education program in Emergency Health Services; and even completing a dissertation under his wise counsel.
Jack Suess, Vice President of IT and Chief Information Officer: Dr. Berge was very well respected in the online learning community when he arrived at UMBC. In that early period, just after the world-wide web (WWW) was launched, there was tremendous uncertainty as to the impact that the Internet would have on teaching and learning. Dr. Berge chaired our Technology Enhanced Learning committee and was both a practical and empathetic champion for experimentation and student-centered learning.
Jason Paluck, Enterprise Architect: “Dr. Berge was a delightful person, and absolutely instrumental in our initial Technology Enhanced Learning Committee proceedings as we worked with Tony Moreira, President Hrabowski, Graduate Dean Scott Bass and others in carving the path for online learning initiatives at UMBC. During the development of the Emergency Health Services online graduate program in the mid-1990s, the first accredited online program at UMBC, Dr. Berge played a pivotal role in guiding the departmental transition from traditional classroom-based education to the then-new frontier of online learning. His enthusiasm for innovation, mastery of his craft and enduring spirit will be sorely missed.”
John Fritz, Associate Vice President, Instructional Technology: “I first met Dr. Berge in 1999, when I switched from being UMBC’s director of media relations to becoming DoIT’s coordinator of web development. I was a naive, but eager webmaster and keen for all things online. But when I learned that the old TEL committee disbanded, I wondered why. So, he and others told me, which I included in our 2007-08 strategic plan for teaching, learning and technology (p. 27). And he liked it! Later, when I decided to pursue my Ph.D. on how UMBC faculty and students use Blackboard, he was a natural choice to be my committee chair. He asked great, tough questions, but didn’t make perfect the enemy of good. As a first generation college student, I’m forever grateful to him for shepherding me through the dissertation process.”
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Recently, we were saddened to learn that Dr. Zane Berge, a long-time professor of Education at UMBC, passed away on Tuesday, February 25, 2025. He was 71. Both nationally and here at UMBC, Dr....
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Fri, 07 Mar 2025 15:38:30 -0500
Fri, 07 Mar 2025 20:54:14 -0500
Printable, pop-out rubrics & new course reports for goal tracking available in March's Ultra update
Improvements to discussion formatting & AI image rendering
In March, Ultra's update includes two new course reports, an exciting rubric enhancement requested by faculty, and improvements to the AI Course Design Assistant.
Located on the Analytics page, the two new course reports focus on goals. The Course Goal Coverage Report provides a comprehensive view of goal coverage in the course, including a detailed breakdown of course items aligned with goals. The Course Goal Performance Report evaluates how a course meets selected goals, including a detailed breakdown for individual students and goals. These reports do not include third-party tools and uses snapshot data that is up to 24 hours old.
Instructors will be able to pop out the grading rubric into a separate window when grading an assignment. Formatted in a grid view, the pop-out rubric is a separate, movable window. Popping out a rubric allows an instructor to view a student's submission and the rubric side-by-side for a more efficient grading experience. However, the expand icon for popping out a rubric will only appear if the primary browser window is sufficiently large enough to display enough of the course page. Instructors will be able to print a blank or completed rubric using their browser's print function.
Image 1: Example of new pop-out rubric
Content Creation & Management
AI Course Design Assistant
Communication & Engagement
- Long discussion posts are now fully visible without scrolling.
- Posts have a gray background for better contrast.
- The number of posts and replies now appears on the discussion home page, replacing the total response counter.
- The Edit button is now directly accessible from each post.
Assessments & Grading
- If an instructor hides an assessment while students are actively taking it, those with the test open can continue without disruption.
- Instructors can configure the visibility of calculated columns from Items Management, streamlining the gradebook view. (Note: The Overall Grade column remains visible at all times.)
- The layout for the Test Submission Page for students now mirrors the assignment submission page update from September 2024, ensuring feedback is clearly presented.
Faculty should see the latest updates in their Ultra courses around March 6-7, 2025. The next update to our Ultra test environment will take place on March 11, 2025; release notes are posted to the What's New in Ultra that same week. Faculty who are interested in test driving new features before they are released to production should open an RT ticket to request early access. Please watch the FAQs, including the What's New with Ultra page, and myUMBC for additional information about Ultra.
Connect with Instructional Technology
As always, if you have any questions about teaching, learning, and technology at UMBC, please consider the following options:
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A recording of the information session for the Maryland Open Source Textbook (M.O.S.T.) 2025 grant cycle is now available. The session provided an overview of open educational resources (OERs) as well as critical details about institutional and faculty mini-grants for 2025.
The deadline for the 2025 proposals is April 18, 2025 (11:59 p.m. ET).
For more details about the M.O.S.T. grants, including the Requests for Proposals, visit https://www.oer-maryland.org/support-sustain/most-oer-grant-program/.
In 2023, UMBC's Jill Vasbinder, adjunct faculty, Department of Dance (Dance Appreciation, Dance History), created an OER dance history course as a recipient of the Maryland Open Source Textbook (M.O.S.T.) Faculty OER Grant Program.
The M.O.S.T. initiative supports efforts to increase faculty access, affordability, and achievement for students at Maryland's postsecondary institutions through incorporating open educational resources into teaching practice.
From spring 2014 to fall 2023, 210 courses at 29 institutions across Maryland have switched to OER, saving students more than $22 million in cumulative textbook costs. Since spring 2014, M.O.S.T. has impacted more than 160,000 students, who saved an average of $137 per course.
Note: All institutional grants and faculty grants awarded to UMBC must be routed to the Office of Sponsored Programs prior to submission. Contact your unit's business manager or proposal development staff to discuss your application.
CAHSS faculty can request assistance from CARAT (Creative Achievement and Research Administration Team): https://carat.umbc.edu/request-assistance/
If you have any additional questions about the M.O.S.T. grants and their requirements, or if you would like to have a conversation about a proposal, please contact most@usmd.edu.
Classes can be postponed (or canceled) due to inclement weather, utility and infrastructure breakdown, widespread illness, or other emergencies. By preparing a Go Online (GO) Kit, you’ll be ready to transition seamlessly when in-person classes aren’t an option. Here are five steps to help you stay on track.
1. Stay connected and up-to-date on issues impacting whether your class might get canceled or postponed.
2. Identify instructional technologies you can use to support content distribution, active learning, and assessment.
3. When classes are canceled or postponed, communicate expectations and next steps with students.
- Notify students as soon as possible about schedule changes and how instruction will continue.
- Use Blackboard Announcements or Messages, or your PeopleSoft roster to send UMBC communication to your class.
- Keep TAs and graders informed about any adjustments.
4. Provide clear instructions for coursework and assignments.
- Ensure students know how to access learning materials and submit their work:
- Set expectations for deadlines, participation, and communication while remote.
- Do you want students to email their work to you?
- Will students use Blackboard or another type of tool to submit their work?
5. Keep students updated on grading and feedback.
- Let students know how they will receive their grades, whether through:
- Ensure that students have access to feedback even when in-person meetings aren’t possible.
Don’t wait for the next snow day -- start building your GO Kit today! A little preparation now can save time and stress when the unexpected happens.
Connect with Instructional Technology
As always, if you have any questions about teaching, learning, and technology at UMBC, please consider the following options:
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The February update for Ultra features enhancements to support content creation, improved file rendering, assessment security, and grading workflows. Additionally, updates to the AI Course Design Assistant provides increases flexibility for test question and learning module generation. Let's explore this month's update!
Content Creation & Management
- With a simple click, instructors can now change a top level folder to a learning module, and quickly enjoy all the benefits of using learning modules. This includes thumbnail images, navigation, sequencing, and progress bars -- a very popular feature reported by UMBC students!
- Instructors can use the new image block in Ultra Documents to upload their own images, use the AI Design Assistant to generate images, or select images from Unsplash.
- Files uploaded by instructors to Blackboard now retain their original formatting and characteristics wherever instructors can upload files. Student files will also display with the exact same formatting as when they were submitted.
Image 1: Example of the new option to change a folder to a learning module in the dropdown menu.
AI Course Design Assistant
Communication & Engagement
- Groups can only be created at the Groups tab -- however, groups can still be assigned to activities and assessments once created.
- Instructors will also receive warnings if groups are empty to help make informed decisions and avoid disruptions in group management.
Reporting
Image 2: Example of the new IP address column that’s included in the student activity log.
Assessments
- Assignments will be converted to the new interface, which was launched in August 2024. An assignment is an assessment without individual questions (e.g., multiple choice, essay, etc.). Tests will NOT be converted.
- The Tests Settings panel was updated to remove assignment specific options (e.g., collect submissions offline, peer review, grading rubric).
- Instructors must add at least one question to a test to make it visible to students or to add release conditions.
- When an instructor or exam proctor enters an access code for an assessment on a student's computer, the code is masked (*******) to ensure enhanced security.
- Students can now be confident that their files are successfully attached, received, and stored for assessments. They will be notified immediately if there are any issues with their file submissions including timed assessments.
Grading & the Gradebook
- The Grading interface is updated to provide more space to instructors.
- Instructors can enter discussion and journal grades directly in the Grid view or Grades & Participation page with improved accuracy and consistency.
- Grades and feedback for assignments, journals, and discussions are mapped to the corresponding attempt or submission whenever possible.
- Instructors can choose to exclude attempts that they do not intend to grade. Excluded attempts are removed from the Needs Grading workflow and any gradebook calculations.
Image 3: Example of the newly designed grading interface
Faculty should see the latest updates in their Ultra courses around February 6-7, 2025. The next update to our Ultra test environment will take place on February 11, 2025; release notes are posted to the What's New in Ultra that same week. Faculty who are interested in test driving new features before they are released to production should open an RT ticket to request early access. Please watch the FAQs, including the What's New with Ultra page, and myUMBC for additional information about Ultra.
Connect with Instructional Technology
As always, if you have any questions about teaching, learning, and technology at UMBC, please consider the following options:
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In early January, the Ultra updates features improvements to course settings, content management, grading, and the AI Course Design Assistant, providing increased flexibility for faculty in managing their courses.
Course availability moves away from the Details and Actions side menu to the Course Settings, in the top right corner. Available course statuses include
- Open: Content is available to students.
- Closed: Content is not available. Students can see the course listed, but they cannot access it. (previously called Private)
- Complete: Read-only content. No changes can be made by students OR instructors. Use with caution.
At the top of a course, there is now an indicator that displays whether a course is Open, Closed, or Complete. Instructors can access Course Settings from the Courses page.
Image 1: Example of course availability indicator at the top right of an Ultra course.
Learning pathways are structured, personalized sequences of activities or content that guide students through a course based on their progress, performance, or choices. For example, an instructor might release resources only after a student completes specific assignments, or offer different content tracks based on quiz results to address varying levels of mastery. Ultra can now support releasing content based on submission attempt in addition to date/time, grade, and user/group membership.
Image 2: The new Attempt submitted option is in the dropdown menu for a gradable item in the Release condition panel.
Three updates to the Ultra gradebook enhance instructor efficiency when entering and managing grades.
- Direct Grade Entry: When grades are entered directly from the Grid view or Submissions page, Ultra will no longer display "Needs Grading" to instructors when grades were already completed.
- Show/Hide Gradebook Columns: Instructors now have the ability to show or hide columns in the gradebook. While hidden columns offer a more organized workspace, these do not apply to the student view since that visibility is controlled by the assessment settings.
- Automatic Zero Defaults: The default setting for automatic zeros is now set to off, giving instructors the flexibility to decide whether or not to enable this feature based on their grading policies. (This applies to newly created courses in the system after Jan 10.)
Additional improvements in January include:
- The AI Course Design Assistant will work faster and generate more complex outputs for assignments, discussions, test questions, learning modules, and AI Conversation avatars.
- Instructors can generate more realistic images faster with the AI Course Design Assistant and the resulting image files require less storage space.
- The output languages available for AI workflows now include Greek, Catalan, Croatian, Irish, and Slovenian. For a list of all languages available for AI outputs, refer to AI Design Assistant for Instructors.
- The Achievements tab is now hidden from students until the instructor creates and posts Achievements for students to earn.
- With the new Mastery Gradebook, instructors can align goals to assessments and view how learners are performing in the course. Moreover, they can also control whether they want students to see their own performance.
Faculty should see the latest updates in their Ultra courses around January 9-10, 2025. The next update to our Ultra test environment will take place on January 14, 2025; release notes are posted to the What's New in Ultra that same week. Faculty who are interested in test driving new features before they are released to production should open an RT ticket to request early access. Please watch the FAQs, including the What's New with Ultra page, and myUMBC for additional information about Ultra.
Curious about the all latest features in Ultra? Join our What's New in Ultra Courses for Teaching & Learning SP2025 webinar on January 17, 2025.
Connect with Instructional Technology
As always, if you have any questions about teaching, learning, and technology at UMBC, please consider the following options:
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Louise Murray, Clinical Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Programs at the Erickson School of Aging Studies, recently became UMBC’s first faculty member to become certified as a QM Master Reviewer.
This recent achievement builds on Murray’s long-standing experience with Quality Matters Standards as the guiding framework for designing online courses. In order to earn Master Reviewer certification, Murray first had to first complete the Applying the QM Rubric workshop, followed by QM’s Peer Reviewer Course, and then serve on two QM course review teams. Once eligible to become a Master Reviewer, Murray completed QM’s Higher Ed Master Reviewer Certification.
She was also among the faculty who completed the QM Impact (QMI) pilot program in 2021. Through that experience, Murray earned QM Certification for AGNG 355: The Experience of Dementia. It is one of UMBC's 19 QM-certified courses.
A Natural Progression
Driven by “a passion for the quality assurance process in education,” Murray said she embraced the transition to online teaching early in her career. She was introduced to the QM framework at a prior institution, calling it a “pivotal motivator” as early training offered a structure and pathway to enhance her skills in online course design. At UMBC, Murray continued learning and applying the QM Rubric, noting that becoming a Peer Reviewer and having opportunities to participate on QM Review teams allowed her to review how others use the Rubric and increased her confidence to pursue Master Reviewer certification.
Murray emphasized the importance of having institutional support by noting that Dean Dana Burr Bradley at the Erickson School of Aging Studies and her colleagues “were very supportive, providing the time and resources needed for the QM training” and course review opportunities.
Bradley said Murray's recent accomplishment is indicative of her dedication to quality course design: “We are so proud of Dr. Murray and are pleased that she is able to share her expertise with the QM community. The Erickson School has been at the forefront of distance/online work, and Louise has led our efforts to ensure we meet our students where they are and need to be.”
Transforming the Student Experience
Murray has submitted two courses for QM review, beginning with a course in 2017 at another institution. While that course did not achieve full certification, the process was invaluable. Achieving QM certification at UMBC solidified her commitment to quality online course design.
Murray pointed to how QM-designed courses foster better learning experiences for her students, even beyond the online environment. “Applying alignment and structure benefits students in both online and face-to-face courses,” she noted. For instructors, the upfront intentionality of QM allows more focus on mentorship and guidance during the course itself. For students, it ensures clarity and purpose, ultimately boosting engagement and providing tools for success.
Advice for Faculty Interested in QM
Murray said the journey with QM is an investment, but one that pays dividends in both teaching and learning. “It’s time-efficient for instructors, and students can navigate the course without frustration. Everything has a purpose, and that transparency helps engagement," she explained.
A Commitment to Continuous Improvement
Looking ahead, Murray envisions an expanded role with QM at UMBC, including taking additional courses through the review process and supporting colleagues in online course design. With many courses offered online at the Erickson School, Murray sees potential to serve as a resource for faculty striving to enhance their course quality and the student experience.
Reflecting on the resources available at UMBC, Murray noted the collaborative support from DoIT, the Faculty Development Center, and learning communities. “The investment in QM and teaching is about continuous improvement,” Murray said. “Our curriculum is dynamic, and we’re always looking to grow and refine it.”
(Image: Decorative, the QM logo)
This month's update to Ultra provides new and updates indicators for core functionality in Ultra courses including discussions, grading, and reports.
Two improvements to Ultra focus on the AI Course Design Assistant and the Blackboard mobile app:
- The AI Course Design Assistant is optimized for complex rubric outputs. Instructors can expect better rubrics, even for complicated assessments. The AI Course Design Assistant should also work faster.
- UMBC can define the maximum length of time a user can access the Blackboard mobile app before they are required to login again, which will be about 2 weeks if the session hasn't expired. This should address a student concern that the mobile app was frequently logging students out.
Additional improvements in December include:
- A "new" indicator will display next to discussion posts and replies that a user has not accessed yet, making it easier to find.
- Late submissions will have a "late" indicator within the Flexible Grading interface.
- Instructors will see "Override" for discussion grades that meet this criteria with a new Undo Override workflow.
- Instructors can go directly to an attempt log for any test or assignment from the activity log for any student in an Ultra course.
- Blackboard improved performance so saving groups is now 80%-90% quicker.
- For easier navigation, students can now select arrows to the left and right of LTI or SCORM items to move through learning modules.
Faculty should see the latest updates in their Ultra courses around December 5-6, 2024. The next update to our Ultra test environment will take place on December 10, 2024; release notes are posted to the What's New in Ultra that same week. Faculty who are interested in test driving new features before they are released to production should open an RT ticket to request early access. Please watch the FAQs, including the What's New with Ultra page, and myUMBC for additional information about Ultra.
Connect with Instructional Technology
As always, if you have any questions about teaching, learning, and technology at UMBC, please consider the following options:
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On Jan. 6th, Poll Everywhere will launch a new course management feature to simplify how instructors use polling and to improve the process of synchronizing grade data with Blackboard's gradebook.
Using a dedicated icon within the Poll Everywhere interface, this feature allows faculty to create and manage polling activities for their courses. Specific Course Management functions include:
Image 1: Example of new Poll Everywhere Course Management page showing the dedicated course management icon
Starting Jan. 6th, presenters will see a course management "opt in" banner. This banner will allow presenters to try out the Course Management experience throughout the spring semester, with the option to return to the existing experience if needed.
Poll Everywhere Training
Please register for this Poll Everywhere training webinar on
Jan. 22nd at 12:00 PM to preview the new course management features. The session will also cover topics useful for new Poll Everywhere users including how to:
- Create, organize, customize and present activities step by
step.
- Effectively integrate Poll Everywhere seamlessly into your
presentations.
- Craft engaging questions and track responses in real time.
- Embed polls directly in your PowerPoint or Google Slides
presentations.
- Run reports on audience responses, provide grades for
performance/participation, and export the results to Blackboard
Poll Everywhere Resources
For Poll Everywhere resources, please see our FAQ articles:
Connect with Instructional Technology
As always, if you have any questions about teaching, learning, and technology at UMBC, please consider the following options:
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On Jan. 6th, Poll Everywhere will launch a new course management feature to simplify how instructors use polling and to improve the process of synchronizing grade data with Blackboard's...
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Blackboard Publisher Integration Updates to VitalSource, Cengage, Pearson, Macmillan on December 19
Faculty Can Link Publisher Tools Beginning December 20
Blackboard publisher integrations for VitalSource, Cengage, Pearson, and Macmillan will be updated to the latest version on December 19, 2024. To ensure your courses receive the latest update and function properly when using these third party tools, instructors should not link to any VitalSource, Cengage, Pearson, or Macmillan resources in Winter 2025 or Spring 2025 courses until December 20th.
Preparing for the Update
Instructors using these publisher integrations in Fall 2024 courses should access grades from the publisher prior to December 19th. Grades will remain available by accessing your instructor account on the publisher site directly after this date. Please see details for each integration below.
VitalSource
VitalSource links will be updated dynamically in Blackboard courses. Following the update, access VitalSource using the MyTextbooks & Course Materials link in the “Start Here” module.
Image 1. The Start Here module in Blackboard courses includes a “My Textbooks & Course Resources” link to VitalSource.
Cengage
Existing Cengage links in your Fall 2024 courses will be migrated automatically to the updated integration on December 19th. However, we recommend accessing grades from Cengage prior to the update. Following the update, new Cengage links may be added to Winter and Spring 2025 courses via the Content Market beginning December 20th. Access WebAssign and MindTap instructor resources for more details. Note: Cengage will no longer appear at the top of the Content Market page, but will appear alphabetically in the list of Content Market tools.
Macmillan
If you are currently using Macmillan course materials in your Fall 2024 courses, we recommend accessing grades from Macmillan prior to the update. However, if needed, you will be able to relink your active Blackboard courses to Achieve using the updated LTI 1.3 steps and import any previously completed work to the BB gradebook. Following the update, please use the Macmillan link in the Content Market to add Macmillan content to your upcoming courses. Note: Macmillan will no longer appear at the top of the Content Market page, but will appear alphabetically in the list of Content Market tools.
Pearson
If you are currently using Pearson course materials in your Fall 2024 courses, we recommend accessing grades from Pearson prior to the update. Pearson links created prior to December 20th will be deactivated following the update. However, if needed, instructors will be able to access grades from Pearson by logging into their instructor Pearson account directly. Following the December update, you may add Pearson links to Winter and Spring 2025 courses by accessing the Blackboard Ultra Books & Tools menu. Pearson resources review how to configure your Blackboard course.
Course Materials Support
Publisher support is available directly from Cengage, Macmillan, and Pearson. If you have questions related to the publisher integration updates, please submit an RT request for concerns related to Blackboard. Please contact Jocelyn Ochoa-Garcia (textbook@umbc.edu) in the UMBC Bookstore for CMI-related questions.
Connect with Instructional Technology
As always, if you have any questions about teaching, learning, and technology at UMBC, please consider the following options:
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Blackboard publisher integrations for VitalSource, Cengage, Pearson, and Macmillan will be updated to the latest version on December 19, 2024. To ensure your courses receive the latest update and...
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