Continuous Delivery Updates for November 2022

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.

The Create Link button in Awards.
Figure: The Create Link button in Awards.

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.

The Instant Notifications section of the Email/SMS Notifications page in Pulse.
Figure: The Instant Notifications section of the Email/SMS Notifications page in Pulse.

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.

The Display Author Information checkbox when creating a new message.
Figure: The Display Author Information checkbox when creating a new message.

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.

Collapsed list of outcomes on the Edit Assignment page after this update.
Figure: Collapsed list of outcomes on the Edit Assignment page after this update.

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.

The Available Groups table with the new category description highlighted.
Figure: The Available Groups table with the new category description highlighted.

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.

The updated Confirmation dialog showing details of associated activities to be deleted.
Figure: The updated Confirmation dialog showing details of associated activities to be deleted.

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 AudioRecord VideoVideo NoteContent 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.
Use the Add button of the Media Library to upload media files and record webcams.
Figure: Use the Add button of the Media Library to upload media files and record webcams.

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.

Webcam Recording session in Media Library.
Figure: Webcam Recording session in Media Library.

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.

Media Player with the View transcript option highlighted.
Figure: Media Player with the View transcript option highlighted.

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.

Alert box on the Edit Rubric page with new Edit Text button.
Figure: Alert box on the Edit Rubric page with new Edit Text button.

Contact

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

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

Continuous Delivery Updates for October 2022

Students and Instructors

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.

The new View description option in Brightspace Pulse with images and functional links. A side-by-side comparison showing a user clicking the description link on the left and the resulting description on the right.
Figure: The new View description option in Brightspace Pulse with images and functional links.

Brightspace Pulse – Personalize push notifications

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.

Push Notifications settings in Brightspace Pulse. A side-by-side image of a phone with general settings on the left and push notification options on the right.
Figure: Push Notifications settings in Brightspace Pulse.

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.

The Lessons screen showing the Load more button with Load 5 more displayed.
Figure: The Lessons Load more button.

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 Toolbox Groups 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.

The OpenEd Toolbox Groups List tool showing the Export Pre-assigned Zoom Breakout Room File highlighted.
Figure: The Groups List tool showing the Export Pre-assigned Zoom Breakout Room File button.

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.

The Turnitin PeerMark integration highlighted under the Existing Activities dropdown.
Figure: The Turnitin PeerMark integration.

Contact

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

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

Continuous Delivery Updates for September 2022

Students and Instructors

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.

View groups and sections highlighted in the Classlist student menu.
Figure: View groups and sections using the Classlist 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.

The Quiz Questions menu with Align to Standards and the outcomes alignment tags highlighted.
Figure: The Quiz Questions menu with Align to Standards and the outcomes alignment tags highlighted.

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.

Instructor view of the New Quiz page with the new default No Time Limit option selected.
Figure: Instructor view of the New Quiz page with the new default No Time Limit option selected.

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
The Release Conditions menu with the choice of the date of enrollment in the current org unit highlighted.
Figure: The Release Conditions menu with the choice of the date of enrollment in the current org unit highlighted.

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.

The Existing Activities menu in Content showing the Perusall Deep Link option.
Figure: The Existing Activities menu in Content showing the Perusall Deep Link option.

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.

The Show Your Work option selected under Advanced Settings.
Figure: The Show Your Work option selected under Advanced Settings.

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.

The OneDrive file picker option listed under the third party section of Quicklinks.
Figure: The OneDrive file picker option listed under the third party section of Quicklinks.

Contact

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

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

Continuous Delivery Updates for August 2022

Students and Instructors

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:

  1. Updating the Pulse app.
  2. Opening an external browser to handle authentication.

To sign into Pulse with OAuth2:

  1. From your device, tap the Brightspace Pulse icon.
  2. Learn more about Brightspace Pulse by swiping left/right or proceed to the next step by tapping Next.
  3. Tap Pick Your School.
  4. Search for Guelph.
  5. Tap on CourseLink.
  6. 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
The top of the image shows the menu bar before the update; the bottom shows the menu bar after the update with the undo/redo buttons.
Figure: The top of the image shows the menu bar before the update; the bottom shows the menu bar after the update.

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.

New default search filter in Dropbox with Show everyone highlighted.
Figure: New default search filter in Dropbox.

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.

Editor with the Other Insert Options menu opened, with Insert Code as the final menu option.
Figure: Editor with the Other Insert Options menu opened, with Insert Code as the final menu option.
The code snippet inserted into the content with Editor.
Figure: The code snippet inserted into the content with Brightspace Editor.

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

The Insert Stuff dialog with Media Library highlighted.
Figure: The Insert Stuff dialog with Media Library listed.

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.

The HTML Editor > Insert Stuff dialog with the warning message.
Figure: The HTML Editor > Insert Stuff dialog with the warning message.

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.

The Criteria section after this update, with All users visible in the Classlist no longer selected by default, and an asterisk next to Role in Classlist to indicate that the user must select one of the options.
Figure: The Criteria section after this update, with All users visible in the Classlist no longer selected by default, and an asterisk next to Role in Classlist to indicate that the user must select one of the options.

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.

For more information concerning this change, refer to Advanced Notice: Retirement of Quizzes “Disable Right Click” Setting in Brightspace Community.

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 item are not restored.

The Delete Quizzes permission has been renamed to Delete and Restore Quizzes.

The Restore option in the More Actions drop-down menu of the Manage Quizzes tab.
Figure: The Restore option in the More Actions drop-down menu of the Manage Quizzes tab.

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:

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

Continuous Delivery Updates for July 2022

Students and Instructors

CourseLink Requirements – Receive browser update alerts

The supported browser list is updated to reflect browsers that need to be updated. Users will receive the message “Your browser is looking a little retro” that prompts users to update their browser. Legacy Browsers are also updated. All users of Legacy Browsers receive the message “Unsupported Browser” either before or after logging in. There are no changes to the ability to access CourseLink.

Browser update prompt in CourseLink.
Figure: Browser update prompt in CourseLink.

Brightspace Pulse – Discovery better supports text-to-speech assistive technology

This release contains several accessibility improvements to Brightspace Pulse’s Discovery feature, allowing it to better support users who employ text-to-speech assistive technology. These improvements consist of:

  • The Who provides your learning autocomplete field is renamed to Find your school or institution. This is to make the label more intuitive and gives a non-visual learner a better idea that the field is autocomplete. The Find your school or institution autocomplete field is additionally marked up as an edit field, indicating to the user where to tap to activate it and what to enter in the field. If no results are returned, the following prompt is shown: “We’re sorry! We were not able to find a match. Please try a different institution. Or, if you know the school or institution’s web address, you can enter it down below.” Previously this prompt read “This may not be a compatible learning management system”.
  • When a user types a letter, the displayed results are announced via an ARIA audio alert. When a user enters a search without any results, they are notified of such without requiring them to press the Enter key. Upon pressing the Enter key, the ARIA audio alert indicates that “<N> results found. This indicates to non-visual users if there are results. Previously, this change of results was not announced by an ARIA audio alert despite changing visually.

This feature has accessibility impacts, including:

• WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions

• WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 1.3.1 Info and Relationships

• WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 4.1.3 Status Messages

The improved message displayed when a search in the Find your school or institution autocomplete field returns no results.
Figure: The improved message displayed when a search in the Find your school or institution autocomplete field returns no results.

Instructors Only

Introducing OpenEd Toolbox

The OpenEd Toolbox application is a custom-built suite of CourseLink productivity tools created by our OpenEd Information Systems and Development (ISD) team. It began as an ad-hoc project to build and share additional custom utilities specifically for assisting CourseLink Support with common requests.

This application has now matured and is ready for release to our instructor community, allowing you to leverage the same tools safely and securely for your own course site(s).

Access OpenEd Toolbox using the UofG SSO system. Please view the Toolbox training session video to learn more.

OpenEd Toolbox support documentation

The Toolbox menu showing the available Group tools.
Figure: The Toolbox menu showing the available Group tools.

Grades – Copy grade items only copies unique or in-use grade schemes

This feature updates the Copy Course Components functionality in regard to copying grade schemes to prevent unnecessary duplicates.

When a grade item is copied, any grade scheme associated with the item is also copied. If a grade scheme is not associated to a grade item within the course offering, the scheme is only copied if the grade scheme is unique (i.e., there are no duplicates which match on name, and ranges).

Previously, unassociated grade schemes were always copied over with the grade items, causing numerous unnecessary duplicates.

Turnitin – Rearrangement of options for the Turnitin integration

The Turnitin integration options layout and feature names are changed with this release. The option changes can be viewed on the Turnitin Integrations options page.

GradeMark is now Online Grading and Originality Check is now Similarity Report. Instructors can enable features for Online Grading and Similarity Report separately within the Turnitin Integration options page.

Turnitin integration with updated options for Similarity Report and Online Grading.
Figure: Turnitin integration with updated options for Similarity Report and Online Grading.

Turnitin – Turnitin feature names are now reflected in CourseLink’s user interface

In CourseLink, the submission view now reflects the new Turnitin feature names that match CourseLink’s user interface styling and text. The column titled Turnitin Similarity is now Turnitin® Similarity Report. The column titled Turnitin® GradeMark® is changed to Turnitin Online Grading.

There is no change in the functionality of submission views.

The new Turnitin submission view columns in CourseLink.
Figure: The new Turnitin submission view columns in CourseLink.

Turnitin – Restrict files to file types supported by Turnitin

Previously, Turnitin similarity check only supported specific file types while Turnitin grading check accepted any file type.

Instructors can now restrict file types to those supported by Turnitin. If an invalid type is submitted, an error is reported with no other side effect.

File type options for Turnitin submissions including the new Compatible with Turnitin option.
Figure: File type options for Turnitin submissions including the new Compatible with Turnitin option.

What’s new in Zoom – June 2022

Zoom Whiteboard training is here! Explore the exciting new Zoom Whiteboard through Zoom Learning Center’s Welcome to Zoom Whiteboard training. Learn how to access, create, and share whiteboards before, during, and after meetings. Take advantage of the infinite canvas to visualize ideas, workflows, processes, and so much more. Come see all the possibilities of this new tool.

Search breakout rooms in Windows, macOS, and Linux – Hosts and co-hosts are able to better manage breakout rooms with the ability to search participants or breakout rooms by name, allowing them to quickly view, assign, or move participants between breakout rooms.

Software Lifecycle Policy – a reminder that Zoom will be implementing its new Software Lifecycle Policy on November 5, 2022 (Pacific Standard Time) 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 we 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.

Contact

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

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