Blackboard Memo: 2017 Winter Break Updates

The content of this post is a copy of what Blackboard Support sent out to all faculty on December 8, 2017. 

Over the winter break (Dec 23 – Jan 3), we will be performing several maintenance procedures on Blackboard. Please note that these tasks are resource intensive, and system performance may be degraded during this time.

REMOVAL OF COURSE SITES
We will continue removing course sites that have already been scheduled for deletion in the past.  Course sites from 2008 – 2013 are scheduled for deletion from Blackboard.  Most of these course materials have already been copied into more current course sites.

If you want to keep a copy of these course materials, export them to your desktop computer.  You can then reuse the course materials by importing this file into future Blackboard courses sites.

DIRECTIONS FOR EXPORTING:
To export a course site, go to: Control Panel > Packages and Utilities > Export/Archive Course

Select all checkboxes, and then click Submit.

You will receive an email when your course export is ready for download. To download the export file, return to: Control Panel > Packages and Utilities > Export/Archive Course, and you will see the export file linked for download.

Contact an Instructional Design Specialist on your campus if you have questions about this process. A list of IDS staff is available at: http://irt.austincc.edu/ids/idsstaffbio.php

TRANSITIONING FROM CROCODOC TO NEW BOX VIEW 

Blackboard’s current service for the implementation of inline grading is through the Crocodoc API, and Box Inc. has decided to discontinue it. The end-of-life date for the Crocodoc for ACC is December 22.

As a result, we’ve updated our inline grading capability to leverage the New Box View API. New Box View offers several improvements over Crocodoc, including improved rendering fidelity and expanded support for new file types. Inline grading will continue to work in your courses after January 15th, 2018.

For further information on this transition please view the link below and or contact the instructional design specialist at your campus.

https://help.blackboard.com/Learn/Instructor/Assignments/Grade_Assignments/Crocodoc_to_New_Box_View

Instructional Designers

http://irt.austincc.edu/ids/oncampusids.php