May 2024 Updates
These are the latest Blackboard updates, which will be live on our system from the 3rd May 2024.
Instructors
Supporting multiple performance criteria in release conditions
Release conditions determine when students can view course content. Currently, you can set:
- Which course members or groups have access;
- When the course content is accessible, visible, and hidden;
- When student performance is necessary for completing an assignment or scoring.
Instructors can now set more than one performance criteria per content item.
Reuse questions in Forms
Instructors can now select Reuse questions when editing or creating a Form. They can filter questions from existing Forms within the course. Filter criteria include a keyword search, select Forms and by question type. Any question the instructor selects is then copied into the Form. The instructor can edit the question.
Multiple attempts for Forms assigned to groups
Instructors can now assign a Form to a group and allow multiple attempts. This promotes dynamic, iterative learning experiences. Groups can now submit the Form, receive feedback, and submit another response.
Improved Gradebook navigation
To create a more intuitive navigation, the grid and list view buttons have been replaced with text links. The options are now:
- Gradable Items
- Grades (grid view)
- Students
The Gradebook will remember the last view you used in each course.
Instructor & Student
Add question feedback when grading a test by question
When grading by student or by question, instructors can provide contextual feedback. They can add feedback to all question types. Question level feedback enhances overall submission feedback and automated feedback for auto-graded questions. After scores are posted, students can access their feedback in the Gradebook and can access both overall feedback and question-specific feedback.
Weighted Calculation Improvements
Instructors have diverse grade calculation needs. Some use weighted calculations to help with aggregating calculations like midterm or final grades.
Now instructors can assign equal weights to items in the same categories. The chosen calculation method, whether proportional or equal, applies to all categories. In the past, weighted items in the same category had proportional weights. These weighted items were based on the possible points of each item.
Landing page enhancements for Blackboard Learn Mobile app
The landing pages (Grades, Messages, Courses, Organization) on the Mobile App are now designed in a card layout. For the Courses and Organisation pages, the course status indicator previously located in the course image has been moved below the course or organisation title.