Here is what you need to know and do!
Where are my Summer 2020 and Fall 2020 Blackboard course shells?
- You will find empty Summer 2020 and Fall 2020 shells waiting for you in the new Blackboard instance at https://newbbprod.hvcc.edu.
- You will also find zzzz_777_username development shells to use the same way you have previously used the zzzz_999_username development shells. Please note: if you currently are not on the Spring master schedule then you will not see your zzzz_777_username until summer classes start. Please contact dlhelp@hvcc.edu to have a Z area created for you.
It sounds like I will be working in two (2) places! How does that work?
- Yes indeed! There will be a short overlap for Spring 2020 as you build your Summer and Fall courses, followed by full use of the new Blackboard instance as our teaching and learning location after the Spring semester grades are submitted.
- The OLD Bb Production will be available for reference and student Incompletes: Spring 2020, Intersession 2020 and Fall 2019 will be available to view and export until September 2020 on the OLD Bb Production.
- Spring 2020 content (but not student data) will be moved to the NEW Bb Production for you before we lose access to the OLD Bb Production. (We suggest you download your grade histories and grade centers before you lose access to OLD Bb Production.)
Is this a new version of Blackboard?
- NO. This is not a new version of Blackboard but there are some cosmetic changes such as icons.
- Some options previously available are no longer available such as themes.
- As was already the case, Buttons are no longer functional, but the toggle option can’t be removed.
What if I started building my Summer or Fall course in a zzzz area in the current (OLD Bb Production) Blackboard instance that I am teaching in right now?
- Don’t worry! You can simply export those courses that you have prepared and import them into the NEW Bb Production for Summer 2020 and Fall 2020.
Why are my Summer 2020 and Fall 2020 Blackboard course shells in a different location than my current courses and shells? Why are we doing this?
- In order to integrate new and exciting tools from Ellucian with Blackboard Learn 9.1, we needed to make some changes to the way HVCC had customized Banner to Blackboard communications. These changes were best made on a new Blackboard set up – a new instance/location – where we could start with a fresh database, baseline functionality and configuration, and the ability to test all tools and integrations in the teaching and learning environment before going live with your classes and students.
Where are all my other zzzz courses and development areas?
- zzzz_999_username shells are on the OLD Bb Production and will be moved for you (tentatively) the week before summer classes begin.
- zzzz_777_username shells are on the NEW Bb Production and you should go right ahead and use it. Please note, if you currently are not on the Spring master schedule then you will not see your zzzz_777_username until summer classes start. Please contact dlhelp@hvcc.edu to have a Z area created for you.
- Spring 2020 and Intersession 2020 course content will be moved over for you by Blackboard and DL after the incomplete grade completion window – details to follow.
When and how will all my courses be in the same place?
- Spring 2020 and Intersession 2020 content, but not students, will be moved by Blackboard and take several days to complete.
- This migration will not happen until after the end of the 30-day Incomplete deadline for Spring 2020, in October 2020.
- All the Summer 2020 and Fall 2020 courses (with students), and all the Spring 2020 and Intersession 2020 courses (content only, no students) will be on the NEW Bb Production by October 2020.
- Fall 2019 courses will remain available to you on the OLD Bb Production until October 2, 2020.
Where will I access my Organizations?
- Organizations will be moved over carefully in consultation with Organization Leaders in the week before Summer classes 2020.
- Organizations are in regular use and have no end dates so we need to carefully coordinate their move.
- We suggest Organization Leaders begin planning and cleaning up Organizations now.
Where and how will my students complete their Spring 2020 Incompletes?
- All Incompletes will be finished on OLD Bb Production. Therefore, you will need to keep your Spring 2020 courses available to students and direct students to https://oldbbprod.hvcc.edu after May 19 to work on their incompletes.
What happens to “My Content” in the “Content Collection?”
- Default course content will remain with the course when exported.
- My Content in the Content Collection can be downloaded as a zip package and imported to NEW Bb Production.
- Links to this content will need to be recreated for new courses.
- Blackboard will be instructed to “copy links and include copies of the files outside of the course default directory” when migrating Spring 2020 content.
- Faculty can also select “copy links and include copies of the files outside of the course default directory” when they export content for Summer 2020 and Fall 2020 courses on the NEW Bb Production. This will keep the necessary files with their related courses.
Advice for Action!
- Export all of your current zzzz areas and courses, and save them to your computer or a storage device as a backup.
- It is a good idea to also download grade centers and grade histories.
- Export from OLD Bb Production and Import your Summer courses into the NEW Bb Production shells as soon as you can. You can also do Fall courses now too.
- Look over the courses in the new location – does everything look OK? Contact dlhelp@hvcc.edu if you see any problems.
- ALLY and Collaborate are not yet configured – watch for those shortly
- Publisher LTIs and other tools such as VoiceThread and TechSmith Relay are ready to go. Please test if you use these.
- Organizations will need to be moved carefully with DL staff. We will be contacting your Leaders to facilitate this move in the least disruptive process.
Useful Links:
Published: Thu, 07 May 2020 12:10:53 +0000 by e.baker