Monthly Feature Releases 2024

Release Notes

Blackboard releases updates on a monthly basis. Each release contains new features or feature enhancements as well as maintenance items/bug fixes. Additional maintenance releases occur more frequently. For a full list of feature releases and bug fixes, visit Blackboard's Release Notes for Learn SaaS. Visit Monthly Release Notes 2023 and Monthly Release Notes 2022 to see features and updates in older versions.

• January 4, 2024 (v3900.82)

  Instructors

  AI Design Assistant - Authentic Assessment Prompt Generation

  Instructors can generate assignment prompts that encourage students to engage in higher-order thinking, apply their learned knowledge, product authentic submissions that are evidenced, and emulate real-world situations.

  AI Design Assistant- Generate Rubric Improvements

  Improvements include column and row labels and the distribution of percentages/points for criteria.

  Delegated Grading Improvements

  Instructors can now use delegated grading in combination with anonymous submissions and tests.

  Improved Attempt Display in Flexible Grading

  When grading an assignment with multiple attempts, the attempt selected for display is based on the grading status and attempt aggregation model selected.

  Sorting Controls in Students View for Assessments Graded Anonymously

  Sorting controls to assessments graded anonymously have been added. Instructors can apply sorting options: submission date (oldest-newest, newest-oldest).

  Enhanced Grid View

  To improve usability and maximize the screen real estate of the gradebook grid view, several enhancements have been made.

  Total and Weighted Calculations

  Expanded gradebook functionality to support total and weighted calculated columns.

  Category Information on the Gradable Items Page

  To provide greater efficiency and clarity in the gradable items view, we have added a Category column. This column, along with the grading item icon, helps instructors more readily identify which category, if any, an item belongs. Instructors can sort this column ascending or descending alphabetically.

  Attempt Logs for Enhanced Assessment Integrity

  The attempt logs prove to be an indispensable tool for validating issues students may encounter during an assessment. The logs also help instructors identify signs of academic dishonesty.

  Unused Files Management

  The unused files tool helps instructors find and deletes course files that are not in use.

  Batch Edit: Change to Specific Date and/or Time

  Using Batch Edit, instructors can override the existing date and/or time for selected items. Instructors can adjust the due date time for all assessments using this option. The same feature also works on show on and hide after dates and times.

  Instructors and Students

  Grade Visible to Students in Gradebook when Item is Hidden by Release Conditions

  Hiding content/assessments from students also hides the grade from the student view. Now, instructors can set the release conditions without concern of hiding grades.

• February 1, 2024 (v3900.84)

  Instructors

  Forms

  A new forms assessment has been added. A form is not graded. Questions in a form do not have a correct or incorrect answer.

  Likert Question Type

  Likert questions help provide a quantitative measure of opinions and attitudes. The responses often range from strongly disagree to strongly agree. This question type is now available in the Form assessment type.

  Rubric's Performance Level Descriptions: Display Choice Persists

  Now, the rubric's grading interface stores the most recently used display option. This means that instructors who rely on performance level descriptions when grading don't have to turn them on each time they navigate to grade another submission. The performance level display option preference is stored on a per-user per-assessment basis.

  Send Reminders from Gradebook: Improved Student Count for Instructors

  Ultra has refined the scenarios that determine the students who will receive the reminder. This will make the recipient list more accurate.

  Audio/Video Recording in Feedback: Usability Improvements

  To ensure easy and clear access to this tool, we have exposed the Audio/Video option on the feedback toolbar. When in use, the recording window appears on the right side of the screen so that the instructor can view the student submission.

  Missed Due Dates Included in the Course Activity Report

  Instructors can now view the number of missed due dates for students in the Course Activity Report. Instructors can customize the missed due date alert in the Alert Settings.

  Long Student Names Visibility in the Course Activity Report

  Long names have been adjusted in the Course Activity Report. This change ensures that names are visible even on small devices. This helps instructors avoid confusion when viewing students with similar names.

  Instructors and Students

  Feedback on Override and Automatic Zero Grades for Tests and Assignments

  Instructors can give feedback for overridden tests, assignment grades, and automatic zeroes. This option appears in the gradebook grid view, and the submissions list after the override or automatic zero is entered.

• March 7, 2024 (v3900.86)

  Instructors

  AI Design Assistant - Context Picker for Test Question Generation

  Instructors can now select course items to help define questions. This option improves the alignment of generated questions to course content.

  Goal Alignment to Journals

  Instructors can now align goals to journals to ensure that the activity measures the desired learning outcomes. This helps to ensure the accuracy and effectiveness of evaluation and feedback practices.

  No Due Date Assessment Setting

  To make the option for not having a due date more evident, a "No Due Date" option has been added to tests and assignments.

  Last Used View State of Flexible Grading Side Panels Preserved

  In flexible grading, instructors can collapse or expand the left panel and the right panel. To provide a better user experience, the last used state is now preserved in the browser.

  Gradebook Item Statistics

  Instructors can select a column in the gradebook to access summary statistics for any graded item. The statistics page displays key metrics such as: minimum and maximum value, range, average, median, standard deviation, variance, and the number of submissions requiring grading and the distribution of grades.

  Text Grade Schema Converts to Points

  In the Original course view, instructors can create text schemas that are unsupported in the Ultra course view. When converting courses, text schemas convert to a points schema. After conversion to Ultra, instructors can create and apply an alternate schema if desired.

  Send Messages to Students from the Student Activity Report for Assessments on Small and Medium Devices and the Mobile App

  Instructors using a small or medium device or the mobile app can send messages to students from the Student Activity report for assessments. This message option is in the ellipsis menu for each student.

  Instructors and Students

  Announcement Indicators and Mark as Read/Unread

  There is now a number indicator next to the announcement tab in a course that signals the number of unread announcements available. Users can also mark announcements as read or unread.