Tag: november

Instructors Only

Announcements – Copy announcements to other courses

This feature adds the ability to copy announcements to other courses. Users must be enrolled in both the source and destination courses with a role that has permission to copy announcements.

A single announcement can be copied to multiple course offerings. Users can copy announcements from the Announcements tool or the Announcements widget from the context menu of an announcement by selecting Copy to Other Courses. Once copied, the announcement is in a draft state and users must publish the copied announcement in the destination course to complete the copying process.

The following attributes are copied:

• Headline
• Display Author Information
• Content
  Note: The copied Content attribute includes any associated files such as inserted images.
• Start and End Date
• Attachments
• Pin state

Note: Release conditions are not copied.

Dropbox and Discussions – Review key assessment information when publishing evaluations

The Publish All dialog for Dropbox and Discussions is improved and standardized to show key information about learner evaluations. Dialog messaging is consistent for both Dropbox and Discussions as it notes complete and incomplete learner evaluations and other key information, like how many learners have feedback and how many learners or groups are assigned to an activity. This change improves the user experience by including additional information about the status of learner evaluations and creating evaluation consistency across CourseLink.

Previously, the Publish All dialog did not display any information about learner evaluations or other key information, and the dialog messaging was not consistent across the Dropbox and Discussions tools.

Course Reset – Improved interface for detection of in-use courses

Course Reset has an updated interface that displays more information to help users better determine if they are resetting the correct course offering.

Semester and Department information is displayed alongside course code, start and end dates, and active status, ensuring users can see that the correct course is being reset.

A new dialog warning provides key information about the following:

• The number of unevaluated assignment submissions in the course
• The number of unevaluated quiz attempts in the course
• The number of users who have accessed the course in the last 14 days

Based on the course information, users can cancel the course reset to review before continuing with the reset activity. This feature is intended to help prevent accidental course resets, which cannot be undone.

Quizzes – Deduction option for incorrect answers

When enabled, instructors can set a quiz to deduct a percentage of a question’s point value for incorrect answers submitted. This feature applies specifically to question types that can be auto-graded, for example, multiple-choice and true or false questions. The only question type that can’t be auto-graded is written response.

Note: We recognize that negative grading is not required to gauge mastery of concepts. For this reason, this functionality is set to OFF by default and requires a request to CourseLink Support to enable it.

Instructors can also enter negative values when manually grading individual quiz questions or manually updating all quiz question attempts from the Quizzes tool.

To ensure that instructors can view accurate quiz statistics, Question Statistics are also updated to account for this new functionality. Therefore, if negative grading is enabled, Question Statistics may display the following differences in statistics:

• Point Biserial results may be lower when negative grading is enabled.
• Standard Deviation has a wider distribution to account for negative grading.
• Questions with a negative average score appear below zero in the Grade Distribution graph.

To ensure that learners are fully aware that negative marking is enabled for a quiz, the Summary page of a quiz explicitly notifies the learner that for each question answered incorrectly, a percentage of that question’s point value is deducted from the final attempt grade.

Also, learners are given the opportunity to explicitly clear previously-selected answers to auto-graded questions by clicking Clear Selection on non-mandatory questions. This gives learners the opportunity to leave the question blank and receive a mark of zero, instead of forcing them to guess and enter an answer that could possibly incur a percent deduction.

Note: The overall quiz score cannot be negative and caps at zero.

Möbius – Upgrade CourseLink integration

On December 22, the current deprecated Möbius integration (LTI 1.1) will be removed. The new Möbius integration (LTI 1.3) has been made available. The new integration has been added to Content > Existing Activities > Möbius.

Please note: The integration will not automatically update. Instructors must select the new LTI 1.3 version from Content menu. The old version links will be removed.

Please contact CourseLink Support if you need assistance with adding the new LTI 1.3 integration.

Macmillan – Upgrade CourseLink integration

On December 22, the current deprecated Macmillan integration (LTI 1.1) will be removed. The new Macmillan integration (LTI 1.3) has been made available.

The integration is available under two link options:

• Content > Existing Activities > Macmillan Learning Content (Deep Linking Quicklink)
• Content > Existing Activities > External Learning Tools > Macmillan Learning Course Tools (Basic Launch)

For more information about using the Macmillan CourseLink integration, please review the Macmillan (LTI 1.3) integration support materials.

Please note: The integration will not automatically update. Instructors must select the new LTI 1.3 version from Content menu. The old version links will be removed.

Please contact CourseLink Support if you need assistance with adding the new LTI 1.3 integration.

Panopto – Upgrade Guelph-Humber CourseLink integration

On December 22, the current deprecated Panopto integration (LTI 1.1) will be removed. The new Panopto integration (LTI 1.3) will be made available.

The integration is available under three link options:

• GH Panopto Deep Linking Quicklink (any quicklink location)
• Content > Existing Activities > External Learning Tools > GH Panopto Launch (Basic Launch)
• GH Panopto Deep Linking (editor Insert Stuff video link)

Please note: The integration will not automatically update. Instructors must select one of the new LTI 1.3 links. The old version links will be removed.

Please contact CourseLink Support if you need assistance with adding the new LTI 1.3 integration.

Cengage – Upgrade CourseLink integration

On December 22, the current deprecated Cengage integration (LTI 1.1) will be removed. The new Cengage integration (LTI 1.3) has been made available. The new integration has been added to Content > Existing Activities > Add Cengage Content.

Please note: The integration will not automatically update. Instructors must select the new LTI 1.3 version from Content menu. The old version links will be removed.

Please contact CourseLink Support if you need assistance with adding the new LTI 1.3 integration.

Contact

If you have any questions about the updates, please contact CourseLink Support at:

courselink@uoguelph.ca
519-824-4120 ext. 56939

Students and Instructors

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:

courselink@uoguelph.ca
519-824-4120 ext. 56939

Students and Instructors

Editor – Additional support for drag/drop and copy/paste images

Expanding further on the feature released in October 2021, additional tools and editors now support the drag/drop and copy/paste functionality, including:

• Quizzes > Feedback
• Grades > Feedback
• Grades > Comments
• Discussions > Feedback

This functionality is now available in user-specific areas that may contain images with learner-sensitive information. As a result, these images are stored in the database rather than the Manage Files area of a course offering. In addition, the Course Copy function does not include these images. 

Content – PDF inline viewer menu improvements

This feature updates the PDF Inline viewer used when showing all converted documents (e.g. Word documents) as PDFs within Content. As a result the PDF inline viewer menu has moved to the top of the PDF document, along with PDF navigation and actions and an overall refreshed button design.

The inline viewer forces all original PDFs to also use the same viewer as converted documents. This has the benefit of consistent PDF viewer within the Content interface.

Manage Files – Users receive warning message when uploading a file blocked due to security

This feature provides the user with a warning message if they attempt to upload a file with an extension that is either not allowed by the Dropbox or is on the security restricted list. This message appears as “This file extension is not allowed.” for a Dropbox; and as “This file extension is not allowed for security reasons. Please see our Restricted File Extensions article in the D2L Community for more detailed information.” for security restricted file extensions.

Restricted Upload Extensions

ASP	ASHX	JSL	VB
ASPX	ASMX	LICX	VBPROJ
EXE	AXD	REM	VJSPROJ
BAT	CDX	RESOURCES	VSDISCO
DLL	CER	RESX	WEBINFO
COM	CONFIG	SHTM	INI
ASA	IDC	SHTML
ASAX	CS	SOAP
ASCX	CSPROJ	STM

Instructors Only

Email – Increased Limits for To and CC Fields

This feature increases the number of email addresses that can be added to the To and CC fields in a single email to 200. This is a result of increased limits on the size of headers in SMTP servers.

Previously, the limit was 50 email addresses.

Contact

If you have any questions about the updates, please contact CourseLink Support at:

courselink@uoguelph.ca
519-824-4120 ext. 56939

Students and Instructors

Brightspace Pulse – Dark mode for Android

Brightspace Pulse for Android now displays in Dark mode when Dark mode is enabled on your Android device. Using this mode can reduce eye strain and conserve battery power on your device.

Instructors Only

Dropbox – Date Picker Change

This feature updates the date picker component for the new Dropbox creation experience. The new date picker has a more streamlined design and requires a slight workflow change: to clear a date/time, the X alongside the time field has been replaced by a Clear option inside the calendar.

Grades – Display total points in Manage Grades

To improve usability of the Grades tool and reduce calculation errors, Manage Grades now includes total points for grade categories and Final Calculated Grade. Previously, there was no indicator of the total points while users were managing their grade book, and instructors were required to manually add up the points from all grade items to check if the total matched their syllabus.

For weighted grade books, the total weight is displayed in addition to the total points. For formula grade books, the manually-entered max points is displayed instead of the total points. Totals do not include bonus grade items and do support grade item dropping.

Insights – New version of the Engagement Dashboard

To increase the value of the Engagement dashboard, originally released in March 2019, this release updates and adds the following new features: 

• The default setting for this feature is now Opt-in. Previously, the default setting was Off for the new Engagement Dashboard because clients had the previous version by default.  
• By default, the most recently accessed 10 courses appear on the report; users can dynamically add or remove courses while interacting with the dashboard. There is a pop-up that appears when a user accesses the Engagement Dashboard that summarizes what is being shown in the default view.  
• Grades appear as a bar chart. If you click on one or more bars, the dashboard filters the returned data for users and courses where the user has a grade in the selected range.  
• Course Access appears as a bar chart. If you click one or more bars, the dashboard filters the returned data for the users and courses where the user has accessed a course in that time range. 
• Time in Content appears as a scatterplot of the time in content compared to the current grade for each user in each course in view. If you click a quadrant, the dashboard filters on the users and their courses in that quadrant. 
  • Data points in the top left quadrant plot users that are getting an above average grade and spending below average time in the content. 
  • Data points in the top right quadrant plot users that are getting an above average grade and spending above average time in the content. 
  • Data points in the lower left quadrant plot users that are getting a below average grade and spending below average time in the content. 
  • Data points in the lower right quadrant plot users that are getting a below average grade and spending above average time in the content.  
• The User Table below the dashboard includes the learners included in the cards above and dynamically updates as the dashboard is used. For example, if you click to filter on a bar in the Grades chart, the learners represented by that bar appear in the user table. Table columns include Name, Courses, Average Grade, Average Time in Content (minutes).  

Quiz Builder – Quiz preview

Instructors can now view a preview of their quiz from Quiz Builder. Clicking the new Preview button on the Add/Edit Questions view of the quiz opens a quiz preview attempt in a new tab for a complete view of how the quiz appears to learners. 

Quizzes – Retake incorrect questions in subsequent attempts

This feature introduces a new option for Quizzes Attempt settings that allows students to only retake their incorrectly answered questions from previous quiz attempts. Instructors can select this new option in the Assessment tab of a quiz. When the Retake Incorrect Questions Only check box is selected for subsequent quiz attempts, each learner only sees the questions they had previously answered incorrectly in the same order as the initial attempt (including quizzes with random sections and random questions). When grading a Retake Incorrect Questions Only quiz attempt, the instructor can only provide a score for the questions answered on this attempt.

A learner’s score for a Retake Incorrect Questions Only attempt remains at minimum, the score they had on the previous attempt. Correctly answered questions on the Retake Incorrect Questions Only attempt add to the learner’s attempts score. The Quiz Overall Score is calculated using the existing Highest/Lowest/First/Last/Average aggregation functions. The “Average” aggregation function can be used to give the student partial marks for questions that were not answered correctly on the first attempt.

Contact

If you have any questions about the updates, please contact CourseLink Support at:

courselink@uoguelph.ca
519-824-4120 ext. 56939