The Blackboard April 2014 release included updates to groups management, date management, grading tools, and student previews. Key updates included the ability to easily modify group memberships, see all course due dates together, grade inline in full screen, set grading schemas over 100%, and preview courses as students.

1. What’s New in Blackboard
SP 14 April Release 02/07/14

2. 2
Groups Management
• Easily see and modify Group memberships
• Import and export Groups and Group memberships
• Streamline common actions

3. 3
Date Management
• List of all course elements.
• Shows Due/Start/End and Adaptive Release dates.
• All dates can be shifted together.

4. 4
My Grades Design Update
• “Order by” option in the top-right.
• Filter row by “All”, “Graded”, “Upcoming” and “Submitted”.
• Feedback is now previewed in Grade list.

5. 5
Inline Grading Full Screen
• Grade View can be made full screen.
• Gives more screen space to annotating and commenting.
• Easier for Instructors to grade and provide feedback.

6. 6
Inline Grading Tools
• Standard tools now appear on all items were grading has been enabled.
• Includes Wikis, Blogs, Journals and Discussions.
• Gives a more consistent design across all grading.

7. 7
Grading Schemas
• Grading Schemas can now be set to greater than 100%
• Allows for extra credit or A+ grades.

8. 8
Location-Based Tests
• Test can now be location restricted by IP addresses or IP ranges.
• Use for lab based tests.

9. 9
Delegated Marking Options
• Marking Delegation now automated from the Assignment options menu.
• Shows pool of available graders.
• Set View options and student sets.

10. 10
Student Preview
• Instructor can see the course exactly as a student would.
• Blackboard creates a temporary student account for that user.
• Access all student options, submit to assignments, take tests etc

11. 11
User Activity Reports
• VLE Team can now access User Activity Reports.
• Reports show details of student interaction with Blackboard.
• Can be focussed to particular dates and course elements.

12. Further Help?
blackboard@regents.ac.uk