Author: WordPress User [jbw]

Welcome to new staff joining Aberystwyth University

WordPress User [jbw] Blackboard, E-submission, Events and Networks, Panopto, Turnitin Leave a comment

We’re the Learning and Teaching Enhancement Unit. Based in Information Services, we work with staff across the university to support and develop learning and teaching. We run a wide range of activities to do this.

All the information that you need is on the Learning and Teaching Enhancement Unit webpages. Our Supporting your Teaching webpages will help you with various teaching solutions.

We write a blog full of the latest updates, details on events and training sessions, and resources.

If you need to get in touch with us, you can do so using one of two email addresses:

lteu@aber.ac.uk (for pedagogical and design questions, or to arrange a consultation) or

elearning@aber.ac.uk (for technical queries regarding our e-learning tools listed below).

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Blackboard Learn Ultra Gradebook

WordPress User [jbw] Blackboard, Blackboard Tests, E-submission, Tests, Turnitin, Ultra Leave a comment

In this blogpost we’ll be taking a specific look at the Gradebook feature in Blackboard Learn Ultra. The Gradebook is the new name for Grade Centre.

It is used to hold all student marks on a Blackboard Course.

The Gradebook is located on every course from the top menu.

Ultra Course with Gradebook highlighted

Students enrolled on the module automatically appear in the Gradebook.

When you get into the gradebook, you can toggle your view.

Default is a list of markable items on one tab and students on another:

List view of the Gradebook

You can toggle your view so that you can see the markable items and the students in one view.

Grid view of Gradebook]

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Blackboard Learn Ultra Student Guidance Available

WordPress User [jbw] Blackboard, Information for Students, Ultra Leave a comment

Support materials to assist students with Blackboard Learn Ultra are now available on our webpages.

The Learning and Teaching Enhancement Unit have produced a Student Guide specifically for Ultra which can be downloaded.

Students were notified of the change to Blackboard before the end of last academic year.

As part of the move to Ultra our FAQs are in the process of being updated.

Blackboard Ally

WordPress User [jbw] Blackboard, Technical Updates Leave a comment

The Learning and Teaching Enhancement Unit is pleased to announce that Information Services has procured Blackboard Ally as part of our move to Blackboard Learn Ultra.

Blackboard Ally integrates into our Blackboard Learn Ultra environment and focuses on making digital content more accessible.

For colleagues creating content you will be able to amend the accessibility of your content. This means that your content will be more accessible to assistive technologies, such as screen readers.

Another benefit of Blackboard Ally is that content can be downloaded in multiple formats. This means that your lecture notes, PowerPoints, and other documents can be converted into many different formats, including:

  • Immersive readers
  • Audio files
  • Electronic braille

There’s nothing that you need to do to enable Ally on your course. It will automatically be enabled on Monday 11 September on 2023-24 Courses onwards and Organisations.

For more information on using Blackboard Ally, take a look at our staff or student FAQ.

If you want to know further information about creating accessible learning materials, take a look at our resources.

Changes to the Vevox PowerPoint Add-in

WordPress User [jbw] Teaching Rooms, Technical Updates, Uncategorised, Vevox Leave a comment

Vevox, the University’s supported polling tool, has updated its PowerPoint Add-in.

From September 2023, colleagues making use of the Add-in should use the updated version.

Please see our FAQ for how to use the new PowerPoint Add-in.

In our recent blogpost, we wrote about the new AI question generator.

If Vevox is new to you then take a look at our support materials and our previous blogposts.

We’ve also got a training session taking place on Monday 18 September, 14:00-15:00. This session is run by colleagues from Vevox. Book your place online.

Vevox is a great way to make your teaching interactive and further student’s learning.

August 2023 Blackboard Learn Ultra Update

WordPress User [jbw] Blackboard, Technical Updates, Ultra, Uncategorised Leave a comment

One of the benefits of moving to Blackboard Learn Ultra is the increased enhancements to the virtual learning environment.

In this blogpost, we will outline some of the new functionality available in this month’s update.

1.   Groups

The location to manage the Groups feature has changed. You can now access this directly from the top menu of your course:

Screenshot of menu item with groups highlighted.

See groups guidance for additional information.

2.   Images for Learning Modules

You can now add images to Learning Modules.

Image of a Learning Module with an image

Learning Modules offer a way for you to organise your content. For further information, see Learning Modules guidance.

3.   Ultra Accessibility Checker

To ensure that your content is as accessible as possible, use the accessibility checker.

image of a document being created with the accessibility checker score highlighted

As you create your content, your accessibility score will be generated to alert you to any changes that you might want to make.

4.   Flexible Test grading

When it comes to grading tests, you can now grade by question or student in Ultra. See Blackboard’s test guidance and flex grading for further information.

For other updates this month, take a look at Blackboard’s Release notes.

If you’ve got any questions about using any of these features or Blackboard Learn Ultra, contact elearning@aber.ac.uk.

2023-24 Ultra Courses

WordPress User [jbw] Blackboard, Ultra Leave a comment

On 1 August Information Services roll their systems over to prepare for the next Academic Year (2023-24).

Blackboard Courses are now no different. On the 1 August, the term dates for 2023-24 become live.

This means that Courses 2023-24 are no longer listed as Private but are now available. It also means that they will not display in Upcoming Courses.

2023-24 Courses can now be accessed from the homepage. If you wish to only see your 2023-24 courses, use the toggle at the top or filter by courses.

Alt-text: Courses menu with Cyrsiau 2023-24 Courses highlighted

You can favourite your course so that it appears at the top of the page by clicking on the star:

Course with star highlighted to favourite

Students won’t come onto your course until they have completed their registration.

If you’ve got any questions about Ultra, please contact elearning@aber.ac.uk.

AI Generated Questions now available in Vevox Polls

WordPress User [jbw] Generative AI, Polling Software, Vevox Leave a comment

In the latest update to Vevox, our polling software, an AI Question Generator has been added. Colleagues can now create questions using the AI Question Generator.

Further information (including how to use it) is available on Vevox’s webpage.

As with all AI generated material, checking for accuracy and editing content is key before releasing it to students. See LTEU’s Generative AI support materials for further information.

There are also a number of blogposts focused on AI that you can take a look at.

There is another change coming to Vevox. The PowerPoint add in has been updated. We will be contacting all colleagues who make use of the PowerPoint add in via email before the start of September.

If Vevox is new to you, we’ve got a whole host of support materials on our Vevox webpage.

Departmental Training Sessions: Introduction to Blackboard Ultra

WordPress User [jbw] Blackboard, Ultra Leave a comment

The Learning and Teaching Enhancement Unit has now completed their cycle of departmental training sessions for E-learning Essentials: Introduction to Blackboard Ultra.

This training session was designed to ensure that staff had the opportunity to familiarise themselves with Blackboard Ultra and achieve the Blackboard Required Minimum Presence.

Since May, we have trained over 300 members of staff in both in person and online sessions.

For those of you at the first day of the conference you will have seen the exciting features that are coming to Blackboard Ultra over the next few years.

If you haven’t managed to attend one of your departmental sessions or would like a refresher, then we are running the sessions in English and Welsh online.

You can book onto our training sessions and view other sessions on the booking page.

If you have any questins about Ultra then email elearning@aber.ac.uk

Annual Learning and Teaching Conference Materials Available

WordPress User [jbw] Annual Learning and Teaching Conference 2023, Conference Leave a comment
Photograph of think tank during conference opening.

Between the 4 and 6 July, the Learning and Teaching Enhancement Unit hosted the 11th Annual Learning and Teaching Conference.

The materials from the conference are now available on our webpages.

We would like to thank all of our contributors and attendees. The sessions were of such high quality.

Across two in person days and one online day, delegates heard about the developments for Blackboard Learn Ultra, Chat GPT and AI, and creative approaches to assessment design.

We’re already heading into planning our 12th Annual Learning and Teaching Conference which is scheduled to take place in September 2024 (date TBC).

We hope to see you at a forthcoming event.