This feature updates the assignment availability dates to be consistent with the new availability date model, which was previously added to Discussions. Instructors can now include availability dates in the Calendar and have greater control over the behavior of availability dates for their learners. As a result, instructors can:
Stop late submissions.
Let learners view assignment information and submissions after it ends.
Schedule the visibility of an assignment.
Allow learners to view an assignment while preventing them from attempting it.
Post the start and end of an assignment to the Calendar.
Instructors can choose the default settings for availability dates for any new assignment. The settings are available on the Availability Date Defaults page, which can be found under Course Admin.
Intelligent Agents – Improved consistency with the removal of legacy scheduling options
Building on the Intelligent Agents – Create Agent page facilitates more flexible scheduling and frequency options feature released in April 2022, this feature cleans up the Intelligent Agent scheduling interface by removing the unused Scheduled Agents Run Time area from the Intelligent Agents Settings page.
If a client has a course export package containing Intelligent Agents that was created prior to the April release, those agents are now imported without a schedule. Previously, these agents’ schedules were supported based on the PreferredRunHour configuration.
Quicklinks – Easily find audio-video content with improved Quicklink filters
To help users more easily find Media Library content, users can now use improved CourseLink Editor Insert Quicklink filters to better locate content available in Media Library. These new filters include:
Content Type: Filter by either audio or video content type.
Source: Filter by where content was added from. Multiple filters can be selected:
Content: Filter by AV content uploaded from the Content tool and Lessons.
Media Library: Filter by AV content uploaded or created in Media Library.
Audio or Video Note: Filter by content created using Audio and Video Note.
Imported: Filter by content added from course imports.
Other: Filter by content added prior to the addition of source tracking.
Date Modified: Filter by date modified. This changes to Date Deleted on the Recycle Bin screen.
Date Created
Previously, the Insert Quicklink feature included in Editor did not provide the ability to filter Medial Library content.
Rubrics – Removal of legacy Rubric assessment type for learning objectives associated with quizzes
When you create a new quiz that has an associated learning objective, the Assessment Type drop-down menu no longer includes the Rubrics assessment type. Using the quiz assessment in this manner previously caused an error because it is not a supported workflow. This change ensures that users creating quiz assessments with learning objectives can no longer mistakenly use that worklflow. The Numeric assessment type continues to function normally.
Removal of Turnitin PeerMark LTI 1.1
With the introduction of the Turnitin PeerMark LTI 1.3 tool added in October 2022, the older version (1.1) will be removed. Instructors should create all PeerMark assignments using the new PeerMark option found under the Content tool Existing Activities dropdown.
Contact
If you have any questions about the updates, please contact CourseLink Support at:
Awards – Share achievements with Public URL sharing for awards
Learners can now share their awards with a Public URL directly from the Awards tool using the new Awards Sharing option.
The new method simplifies sharing a badge or certificate to showcase achievements. The user can create a public URL for an award, which can then be shared on a digital resume or social media profile, for example, LinkedIn.
To share an award using a public URL, a learner can navigate to the My Awards page, select the desired award, click the Share link, and then click Create Link.
As a result, the public URL of the award is generated and appears. Learners can copy and share this link or delete it if needed.
Previously, there were no methods of directly sharing learners’ awards with external resources without first sharing them with another tool.
Pulse – Personalize notifications for email and SMS
This feature builds upon the Personalize push notifications feature originally released in October 2022. With the release of this feature, you will be able to choose which email or SMS notifications you receive by accessing settings directly from the Pulse app. Previously, you could only personalize email notifications through CourseLink.
Instructors Only
Announcements – Display Author checkbox
This feature introduces the Display Author checkbox, allowing the instructor or TA to choose whether their name appears along with the announcement. This option may be helpful when multiple instructors or teaching assistants are posting messages in the course.
Dropbox – Expand or collapse list of aligned outcomes
When editing or creating an assignment or a discussion, instructors can now expand and collapse the list of aligned Learning Outcomes if the displayed list is too long. This is intended to keep the page clutter-free for instructors who are working with many outcomes.
On the Edit Assignment page, when the outcomes list exceeds two lines, a + # More button (where # is the number of outcomes not currently displayed) appears at the end of the second line. Instructors can click + # More to display the full list of aligned outcomes.
When the outcomes list is expanded, a Show Less button appears at the bottom of the list. Instructors can click Show Less to collapse the list of aligned outcomes back to two rows. This release also moves the + button to the upper right corner of the outcomes list and adds a Clear All button to the bottom of the outcomes list.
Previously, the Edit Assignment page always displayed all aligned outcomes and the + button appeared at the end of the list.
CourseLink – Share homepages, widgets, and navigation bars with multiple org units
With this release, the interface and functionality for sharing homepages, widgets, and navigation bars is changed from only being able to share with child org units to being able to share with multiple org units. This changes the interface from a basic select box to an org selection button. The ability to share to child org units remains unchanged. In additions, widgets are now also shareable to all child org units from Course Templates. Previously, sharing was limited to all child org units and not available at a template level.
Themes do not require additional sharing since they automatically share with all child org units. Link groups’ existing function, Availability > Share with child org units, is unchanged.
Group Management – Descriptions now available for sections and self-enrollment groups
This feature allows learners to view descriptions for self enrollment type groups before they choose a group. Instructors need only add a description once, instead of copying and pasting the description into all child groups. Previously, the description only appeared after users had self enrolled.
Group Management – Improved clarity when performing deletions of associated activities
This feature implements a change to the message users receive in the Delete Category dialog when deleting associated activities (i.e., Dropbox and Discussions). The dialog now includes a count of how many assignments or discussions the user is deleting. Previously, this information was not clearly indicated to the user.
In addition, when users create a new Group Category and associated activities, then reach the Workspace Summary page, they are automatically returned to the Manage Groups page. Previously, users would have to re-click Save to return to Manage Groups.
Media Library – Quickly access, create, edit, and manage all audiovisual content with Media Library
To improve audiovisual content management options for users of CourseLink, we are excited to announce that Media Library will be included in the November 2022 release.
Media Library offers a consolidated media processing, storage, and streaming option for all audiovisual materials. Media files uploaded using Record Audio, Record Video, Video Note, Content Tool (Add video workflow), and Lessons are stored in the same Media Library repository.
The new Media Library management tool provides the following options:
Filter content based upon audiovisual type.
Update file information, such as the title and description.
Edit video timelines using the editor.
Add chapters to video content.
Create manual and automated captions for video content.
Download audiovisual content to a device.
Preview content.
Delete files.
Media Library – Create content with webcam recordings
This update introduces a webcam feature as an option in Media Library. Users can create both video and audio-only recordings, which improves their ability to directly record content for their course within Media Library.
Note: The Video Note record bar is now changed to show the New Recording option and the Audio only toggle. To record a video, or video note, click New Recording. To record only audio, or an audio note, toggle the Audio only switch to ON.
Media Library – Easily search content with improved filter-sort options
Media Library now offers improved filter-sort functionality when searching for files. Audio-visual content is now easier to find and improves options for finding content in Media Library.
Users can search for specific pieces of content using the following old and new filters:
(NEW)Content Type: Audio, Video, or Both
(NEW)Source: Where content was added from. Multiple filters can be selected. Filters include:
Content – Uploaded from the Content tool
Media Library – Uploaded or created in Media Library
Audio or Video Note – Content created in Audio or Video Note
Capture App – Created and published via the Capture App
Imported – Added from course imports
Other – Content added prior to the addition of source tracking
Date Modified
Note: Changes to Date Deleted on the Recycle Bin screen.
Date Created
Note: Quicklinks are not available with this release, but will be available in a future release with the same options.
Media Library – Improve the content consumer experience by viewing and downloading audio-video transcripts
Users can now view and download transcripts from audio-video content in Media Library with the new Transcript View. This update consolidates and ensures that the media player experience is the same for all files uploaded to Media Library.
Transcript View allows users to pair playback of a video file with the captions scrolling as opposed to the standard bottom of the screen. This introduces a button in the media player that allows users to download the transcript in TXT format or the caption track in VTT format to their device. The ability to turn on Transcript View is an option in the media player’s menu.
Quizzes – Improved population method for calculating standard deviation
With this release, in Quizzing statistics, the method of calculating standard deviation from the sample standard deviation is changed to the population standard deviation.
The population standard deviation (Excel STDEV.P) is a more appropriate method since sampling is not conducted when calculating statistics. This new method ensures that the values in Quizzing are consistent with the ones calculated in the Assessment Quality Dashboard and are statistically more correct. The updated value appears in the CourseLink Quizzing tool after viewing Quiz Statistics or downloading reports.
Rubrics – Clarify grading criteria by editing text fields in assessed rubrics
This feature is intended to let instructors correct spelling errors, clarify wording, and make other minor changes that do not impact the academic integrity of the rubric. Instructors still can’t make structural changes (such as adding evaluation levels or criteria), edit points, or add outcome alignments to assessed rubrics.
Previously, after an instructor used a rubric for an evaluation, the rubric was locked and couldn’t be edited. To make changes, instructors had to completely remove the rubric, make edits to a copy of the rubric, attach the copy of the rubric to the grade item, then redo all the assessments.
Contact
If you have any questions about the updates, please contact CourseLink Support at:
Brightspace Pulse – Access links and images in module descriptions when you’re on-the-go
To help improve the overall experience in Brightspace Pulse, users will be able to view module descriptions in a web view that displays images and preserves links. This presents a new user experience that is more aesthetically pleasing and functional.
Previously, users could only view module description text without any rich text elements or HTML. This meant that any links or images placed in a module description in CourseLink were not preserved or available in the module description while using Brightspace Pulse.
To help improve the flexibility of push notifications in Brightspace Pulse, users will be able to choose which push notifications they receive. Previously, it was not possible to limit or control push notifications.
Lessons (Learner Experience) – Load more functionality for the initial overview page
For courses using the new Lessons content experience, this feature improves the load times experienced by learners in courses with many units (modules). Learners can now use the Load more button on the initial overview page. The button displays the number of available and currently displayed objects.
The most recently visited unit and topics still automatically expand on the next visit. The Load more button is used only to display the number of units. The number of lessons and folders is unchanged.
Reminder – Zoom Software Lifecycle Policy
A reminder that Zoom will be implementing its new Software Lifecycle Policy on November 5, 2022 for all products and services, starting with the minimum client version 5.8.6. Users who are running an end-of-life version after November 5, will not be able to join meetings via the Zoom Client and will be prompted to update or join from the Web browser. Please note that Zoom will also be ending support for the ChromeOS client and are asking all customers to migrate to Zoom’s Progressive Web Application (PWA). As always, we highly recommend you regularly download and update to the latest version of Zoom software by checking for updates within the Zoom client or by navigating to zoom.us/download to take advantage of all of the latest security and functionality features.
Instructor Only
Grades – Removal of unused and duplicated grade schemes in Grades
Building on the Grades – Copy grade items only copies unique or in-use grade schemes feature released in July 2022, this update performs a one-time deletion of all unused or duplicate grade schemes, leaving only unique grade schemes. This ensures increased performance during grade scheme copies and reduces errors when attempting to access grade schemes in existing org units where a large number of grade schemes exist.
Instructors may see their lists of grade schemes reduced as part of the release.
OpenEd Toolbox – Pre-assigned Zoom breakout room file
To simplify the process of producing a Zoom breakout rooms CSV file from CourseLink groups, OpenEd has added a feature to the OpenEd ToolboxGroups List tool allowing instructors to download a pre-assigned Zoom breakout room file based on existing CourseLink groups.
Please note that Zoom restricts to 100 maximum breakout rooms.
Turnitin PeerMark (LTI 1.3)
The existing Turnitin PeerMark peer review assignment tool integration will be upgraded to LTI 1.3. The new location for adding the integration will show up under the Content tool Existing Activities dropdown.
Contact
If you have any questions about the updates, please contact CourseLink Support at:
Brightspace Pulse – Retirement of the + button for manual dates in Work To Do
The + button for adding manual dates in the work to do page is no longer available to learners. Previously, learners could use the + button to add personal due dates for activities. Now, only activities that come through CourseLink are viewable. All users who use this feature were notified a maximum of 90 days in advance each time they interacted with the manual dates, or +, button.
Instructors Only
Classlist – Easily access and view sections for specific users
Instructors can now use the Classlist tool to view groups and sections. Previously, instructors could only view section enrollments using various filtering and sorting work flows or by searching within the Sections tool.
Quizzes – Align Quiz questions to Learning Outcomes in New Quiz Creation experience
As part of the New Quiz Creation experience, instructors can now view and edit Learning Outcome alignments in relation to quiz questions. Instructors can add or remove Outcome Alignments by selecting a question and then clicking More Actions > Align to Standards. Questions have a visual tag to indicate if they are aligned to outcomes.
Quizzes – Reduce test anxiety by creating quizzes without time limits
With this release, instructors have the option to create quizzes with no time limit. The No Time Limit option is now the default Timing setting for new quizzes.
Previously, instructors who wished to create quizzes with no time limit had to use the Recommended Time Limit option, which was selected by default and set to 120 minutes. This led to confusion for learners because the recommended time limit displayed on the quiz itself.
Instructors can create quizzes with no time limit using either the New Experience or the Classic Experience. In New Experience, under Timing & Display, click Manage Timing and select No Time Limit. In Classic Experience, in the Restrictions tab, under Timing, select No Time Limit.
Learners who take a quiz with no time limit now see No time limit under Time Allowed on the Quiz Summary page and Est. Length: No Time Limit on the quiz itself.
Release Conditions – Choose the last date of enrollment in the current org unit
To help users with more flexibility around course design, the release condition Date of enrollment in current org unit now includes the following options:
Use first enrollment date
Use last enrollment date
Perusall LTI 1.3 Integration
The Perusall LTI 1.3 integration has been installed in CourseLink.
There are several benefits to using the LTI 1.3 integration. First, you can still create individual assignment links, called “deep links” in LTI 1.3, which point to particular Perusall assignments even when the link and assignment do not have matching names. Second, your LMS course roster automatically syncs to your Perusall course; instructors will be able to view the full roster in Perusall even before students ever launch into Perusall. That way, instructors can set up groups in advance of the start of the semester.
Respondus LockDown Browser – Show Your Work feature
The “Show Your Work” feature allows students to upload hi-resolution images of worksheets they’ve prepared during their exam. If this setting is enabled by the instructor, the student will be given the opportunity to upload photos of their work immediately after they submit their exam.
*** This feature is only available if “Respondus Monitor” has been selected as the proctoring option for the exam. ***
More information and examples can be found on the Respondus Show Your Work instructor FAQ.
Microsoft OneDrive – Update to OneDrive LTI 1.3
*** This update will occur sometime during the month of October. ***
The new LTI 1.3 OneDrive application supports file browsing, navigating and sorting directories, selecting files, and switching between Microsoft accounts. Users are able to access both their personal and institutional accounts. The update introduces a file picker for OneDrive users that acts as an alternative to the current OneDrive file picker used by instructors.
Instructors will notice a new location, under Third Party, for the OneDrive option when adding Quicklinks in the system.
Contact
If you have any questions about the updates, please contact CourseLink Support at:
Brightspace Pulse – OAuth2-compliance added for user login
The update to OAuth2 switches users over from the existing API authentication workflow. Improvements to Pulse authentication will require all Pulse users to re-login to CourseLink after they update the Pulse app. This is to facilitate Pulse and CourseLink authentication consistency and is a one-time requirement. The change will occur in two parts:
Updating the Pulse app.
Opening an external browser to handle authentication.
To sign into Pulse with OAuth2:
From your device, tap the Brightspace Pulse icon.
Learn more about Brightspace Pulse by swiping left/right or proceed to the next step by tapping Next.
Tap Pick Your School.
Search for Guelph.
Tap on CourseLink.
Sign into CourseLink.
Instructors Only
Dropbox – Access new shortcuts to undo and redo PDF annotations on evaluations
Previously, the only way to remove PDF annotations in Dropbox was to use the eraser tool or delete the selection. Now, an undo/redo button is added for PDF annotations when evaluating in Dropbox. Alternatively, standard keyboard shortcuts are now also supported for undoing and redoing annotations:
Ctrl-z | Command-z (Apple) – Undo
Ctrl-Shift-z | Command-Shift-z (Apple) – Redo
Dropbox – Apply the filters “Show everyone” and “Show all groups” for individual and group assignments
Previously, in Dropbox, the search filter defaulted to Users with submissions for individual assignments and Submitted groups for group assignments. Now, instructors will instead default to Show everyone for individual assignments and Show all groups for group assignments. These modified filters are the new default search option. After applying one of these default filters, instructors can apply additional filters to improve search optimization.
Data also shows that instructors prefer to display all users before applying additional filters.
HTML Editor – Easily insert code snippets with the Insert Code option
There is a new option in the HTML Editor that allows instructors to directly insert a code snippet into their content. This is done by selecting the Other Insert Options menu from the Editor toolbar, and then selecting the new Insert Code option. From there, instructors select their programming language from a list of available choices and add their code into the interface to format before inserting it into the Editor.
Previously, instructors had to use the <code> tag and build out their own code to add a code snippet in the editor.
Note: The Insert Code option is not available in the Quizzes tool.
HTML Editor – Insert Stuff now includes Media Library
Media Library is now available as an option within Insert Stuff. This allows users to embed any audio or video files added via Content since January 2022 and any existing Audio Notes and Video Notes into any supported HTML Editor field.
Previously, Media Library was not accessible from Insert Stuff and it was only possible to insert Video notes via Search for Video or Insert Video Note.
This release also allows instructors to embed a new inline Audio Player using Insert Stuff.
HTML Editor – Quickly access and manage the files you uploaded using Insert Stuff
This feature releases an improvement to the HTML Editor > Insert Stuff dialog.
Now, when you are in the HTML Editor and you upload a file using Insert Stuff, a message appears indicating that the files uploaded using Insert Stuff are saved in the Manage Files area. The message also indicates that files in the Manage Files area are potentially accessible to all users enrolled in the course or to anyone who has access to the course.
As best practice, do not include individual learner feedback in the files you are uploading using Insert Stuff.
Intelligent Agents – Create more flexible agents with fewer criteria
On the New Agent page, in the Criteria section, all selections under Take Action on Activity are now optional. This means users can now create a new Intelligent Agent that applies to certain roles and doesn’t require any other criteria. Users are still required to select one of the options under Role in Classlist.
Previously, to create an Intelligent Agent, users had to select the roles the agent applies to, and one or more conditions the agent must check against: login activity, course activity, or release conditions. If a user attempted to save the agent without selecting a condition to check against, they received an error saying No Agent Criteria Defined.
Also in this update, on the New Agent page, in the Criteria section, under Role in Classlist, the option All users visible in the Classlist is no longer selected by default. This is a precaution to prevent users from accidentally creating an agent that runs against everyone.
Quizzes – End of Life for Disable Right Click option
As of this release, the Disable Right Click option in quizzes is removed from Quizzes in CourseLink. The option is no longer available in Quiz Setup, and existing quizzes with the setting will no longer enforce the limitation on learners.
This option was previously intended to allow Instructors to disable right-clicking during the time a learner was taking quiz, thus making it more difficult for learners ability to copy or print the quiz and share it with others. However, as browsers have reduced the ability for web sites to control end-user behavior, the Disable Right Click setting could not necessarily be applied to all students, and it provided a false sense of security around quiz content.
Quizzes – Save time and prevent data loss with the Restore Deleted Quizzes functionality
This feature adds a new option in quizzes that allows instructors to restore deleted quizzes. This option appears in the More Actions menu in the Quizzes tool. Instructors using this option are provided with a list of deleted quizzes that indicates when they were deleted and by whom, along with a button to restore a selected quiz.
Restored quizzes automatically have any associated quiz attempts that were already taken, statistics, and scores for those quiz attempts restored as well. Learning Outcomes associated to quiz questions are unaffected, and re-appear with the questions when the quiz is restored. Links to a grade itemare not restored.
The Delete Quizzes permission has been renamed to Delete and Restore Quizzes.
Zoom Cloud Retention – Some older recordings to be deleted on September 1, 2022
In accordance with communication sent out earlier this year, Zoom Cloud is intended for temporary, non-archival storage, and recordings will be deleted based on the following schedule:
Deletion Date
Delete up to:
Semesters Retained
September 1, 2022
August 31, 2021
F21, W22, S22
January 3, 2023
December 31, 2021
W22, S22, F22
May 1, 2023
April 30, 2022
S22, F22, W23
As of September 1, 2022, any Zoom meeting cloud recordings created up to and including August 31, 2021 will be deleted.
After deletion, all deleted files will be stored in the associated Zoom account’s Trash for an additional 30 days and may be recovered by following the steps outlined on Zoom’s Recover a deleted cloud recording page. After the 30-day Trash timer expires, the recordings will be permanently deleted.
If you have multiple UofG Zoom Pro accounts, such as a personal account (jdoe@uoguelph.ca) and an organizational account (code1000@uoguelph.ca), please be certain to check all impacted accounts to avoid losing any required recordings.
How to Retain Recordings (if required)
If there is a need to retain recordings stored on the Zoom cloud long term, it is recommended they be transferred to a University-approved storage solution, like OneDrive.
To help facilitate the process of copying Zoom cloud recordings to OneDrive, OpenEd developed the Zoom Transfer Tool, which allows staff and faculty with UofG Zoom Pro accounts to simply select Zoom cloud recordings from their account to copy to the associated UofG OneDrive account. The Zoom Transfer Tool can also be set to automatically copy all Zoom cloud recordings to OneDrive by enabling the Automate Transfers option.
Questions or Concerns
If you have questions, concerns, or require assistance using the Zoom Transfer Tool, please contact CourseLink Support.
Contact
If you have any questions about the updates, please contact CourseLink Support at: