Over the summer, several new features were added to the University of Alaska’s version of Blackboard Learn that provide some powerful additions for both teachers and students. Take a few moments to access one of your Blackboard classes and take a look.

Drag and drop files for attachments

When you create content items, assignments, and web links and want to attach files , you can drag files from your computers to the “drop spot” in the Attach Files area. Students can also use this new drag and drop action to upload files when submitting assignments.

If the browser allows, users can also drag an entire folder of files and the files will upload individually. This is supported by all latest versions of Safari, Edge, Chrome, and Firefox. More on how instructors create content items

Assignment receipts

When a student submits an assignment, the student now receives a submission confirmation code as well as an automatic email notification that verifies the assignment has been submitted. The email includes the following information:

• Submission confirmation ID
• Title of course
• Course ID
• Title of coursework
• Date and time of submission
• Size of written comments
• Size and name of files received

For group assignments, a receipt is generated for each group member when a student submits on behalf of the group. For assignments with multiple attempts, students receive a different receipt number for each submission.
Students can access receipts at any time on their My Grades page in the Submission Tab area.
From the instructor side, each submission, regardless of whether the attempt or assignment is deleted or the submission history is changed, is given a tracking number which instructors can retrieve to keep track of all student activity. This feature can assist with resolving academic disputes by providing evidence in the form of a timeline and an activity log. Find Submission Receipts in the Grade Center under Reports and search by student. More on Submission Receipts

Reminders

Send email reminders directly from Grade Center columns to students and members of groups who have missing coursework. Students receive a system-generated email that lists the course, coursework, and the due date if included.
Send reminders for assignments with anonymous or delegated grading enabled. To protect anonymity, students’ names and attempt statuses aren’t revealed. More send reminders for missing work

Fewer Needs Grading items

When multiple-attempt assessments are set to calculate using the first or last attempt, there are potentially numerous other attempts that will never be used for grade calculation. A new filter is now available both in the Needs Grading workflow as well as within the Grade Center to show or hide these attempts. Attempts that won’t calculate towards the assessment grade are now indicated with an icon. More on multiple attempts on Needs Grading page
Download this Teaching Tip (PDF)