Month: March 2011

The new version of Springboard (D2L 9.2) is coming and is set to become active on May 11th, but it is already active on our test system! That means that you can try out the new features now and help us ensure that they are fully functional before the upgrade to our production environment. One of the many new features that will be available—which is available right now in the test environment—is an updated grading system.
The updated grading system for quizzes now allows you to grade one quiz question at a time. The new features also allow you to “blind grade” essay questions, questions can be weighted by points and these weight adjustments will be automatically calculated. Here are a few examples of ways you might use this functionality in your own courses:

• Regrade a single question that a student or class has an issue or question about.
• Grade essay responses without seeing the name of the writer.
• True and false questions can be weighted by points differently then an essay response.

This can all be accomplished with the updates to the grading system. The new feature allowing you to grade by individual questions is pictured below.

Select the picture below to view a quick video demonstration of the updated grading system.

To access the Springboard test system, visit: https://springboardtest.uakron.edu/

For more information on the 9.2 D2L upgrade, please visit: http://thejournal.com/articles/2011/03/07/desire2learn-learning-suite-expands-mobile-support.aspx

Jacob Bane
Graduate Assistant Design and Development Services

The new version of Springboard (D2L 9.2) is coming and is set to become active on May 11th, but it is already active on our test system! That means that you can try out the new features now and help us ensure that they are fully functional before the upgrade to our production environment. One of the many new features that will be available—which is available right now in the test environment—is Voice Recording.
Voice Recording will be available within the Discussions, News, Dropbox, and ePortfolio tools. Here are a few examples of ways you might use this functionality in your own courses:

• Participate in a threaded discussion using an audio message rather than a typed response.
• Provide verbal feedback on individual student assignments.
• Record a podcast-style news item for the course homepage.
• Suggest that students provide contextual introductions to ePortolio items.

This can all be accomplished with the new Voice Recording tool. Audio recordings get stored in place as attachments that students can access.

Select the picture below to view a quick video demonstration of Voice Recording.

Note about the video:
You may receive a prompt on your screen (like the one below) when you select to play the auto file on your desktop after downloading the file. Select the program you wish to use to open the file and to ensure that the file opens automatically in the future, check the “always do this action” option at the bottom on the prompt.

Things to consider about the new tool:

• Students have access to the new tool as well.
• What guidelines and expectations will you provide about audio versus written discussion postings?
• You may want to inform your students early in the semester that they will need to have access to devices that allow them to record and play audio.
• Some students may not have the ability to record or play audio, so it may be necessary to provide text in conjunction with any recorded audio.

To access the Springboard test system, visit: https://springboardtest.uakron.edu/
For more information on the 9.2 D2L upgrade, please visit: THE Journal

Jacob Bane
Graduate Assistant Design and Development Services