Author: Matthew Grimm

Optimizing Course Lists in HuskyCT

After several semesters in HuskyCT, instructors may find their list of courses has become overwhelming.  In this post, we’ll review two common techniques for organizing the “My HuskyCT Classes” list.

To get started, we’ll first need to access the appropriate settings:

  • On the “My Courses” tab, hover your mouse over the “My HuskyCT Classes” module.  This will reveal a Gear icon in the upper right corner of the module box (shown below).
    initial-course-listing
  • Click on the Gear icon to access the settings page (aka Personalization page).

There are two main sections of the settings page which we’ll focus on in this post; Terms and Edit Course List.  The Terms section is used for organizing/grouping HuskyCT courses based on academic terms.  Below is an illustration of how the module displays courses grouped by term.  Note that a toggle is available to expand/collapse all courses grouped within a specified academic term.

group-by-term-view

The above is accomplished using the following steps:

  • On the module settings page, check the box labeled “Group by Term” (located under the Terms section).
  • All available terms will be listed once the “Group by Term” box is checked.
  • By default, all terms are displayed and the groups fully expanded.  You can optionally choose to deselect specific terms or set them to collapse automatically, by deselecting the appropriate checkbox(s).
  • Click the Submit button when finished.

To further organize the course list, HuskyCT users may elect to hide individual courses altogether or include/exclude additional details (e.g. Course ID, Course Name, Instructor and Announcements).  To do this, follow these steps:

  • Under the section Edit Course List, uncheck the box to the left of each listed course.  This will hide those courses entirely from the course list.  Commonly, instructors choose to do this with child sections of combined courses.
  • The check boxes to the right of course are used to include/exclude additional course information.  Note that enabling any option to the right of the course, will result in the course appearing in the list – even if it was deselected earlier.
  • When finished, click the Submit button.

The “My Non-Class Sites” list can also be organized using the above steps.  The only difference is that some non-class sites do not support academic terms.  Thus, the option for grouping by term is not available.  Still, users can hide non-class sites and/or customize the additional details displayed with the non-class site.

 

Student Access to Unavailable Courses (Prior Terms)

Approximately two weeks after the academic term ends, students will lose access to your course (assuming you have not set a later end date).  Additionally, four weeks after the term ends, student enrollment is set to unavailable (applies to courses where the end date has passed).  This is done to remove those courses from the students view in HuskyCT, which would otherwise be filled with older, inaccessible courses.

There may be times when a student receives an incomplete in your course.  If you choose to re-open the course for a period of time to this student, please follow these steps:

  1. Under Customization -> Properties, set a new desired end date for the course. course-end-date
  2. Next, under Users and Groups -> Users, click the down-arrow next to the student requiring access, then choose Change User’s Availability.  This is only necessary if the student’s Availability is set to No (last column in the roster view has this value).
    activate-enrollment
  3. On the next screen, set the Availability to Yes.

The student(s) will now have access to the course until the end date specified in Step 1.

If you have questions or difficulty granting access to a student, please contact huskyct@uconn.edu

Please note that if a student contacts HuskyCT (or the ITS Help Center), to re-establish access in a course, we will always confirm with the instructor before making the above changes.

Uploading Your Profile Picture

Students and instructors now have access to upload a profile picture in HuskyCT.

Profile pictures are displayed as thumbnail images throughout HuskyCT, including:

  • My Courses
  • Notifications Dashboard
  • Discussions, Blogs and Journals
  • Grade Center
  • BbStudent Mobile App

Uploading a profile photo is as easy as 1-2-3:

  1. To get started, click the down-arrow next to your name, located in the upper right corner of the browser window.  This will open the global navigation menu.
  2. Next, navigate to Settings -> Personal Information -> Personalize My Settings
  3. Under the section Avatar Image, click “Use custom avatar image” and select a file on your local device using the “Browse My Computer” button.  Don’t forget to click Submit and save your changes 🙂

NOTE: The recommended size for a profile photo is 150 pixels by 150 pixels (larger images will be clipped).  HuskyCT will support images in .jpg or .png format.

Course Archive and Export

HuskyCT allows instructors to create on-demand backups of courses.  Course exports and archives are useful in the event individual course materials need to be restored.

The Export/Archive Course utility can create course Archives and Exports.  Both options generate a zip file containing materials contained in your course.  The Archive option has the additional capability of including student data (e.g. submissions, attempts and grades).

It is recommended that instructors create a course Archive after students complete high-stakes exams, assignments, etc.  Course Exports are recommended before making significant changes to course structure or materials.

The Export/Archive Course utility does not negatively impact your course in any way.  No data is changed and the course remains available to users throughout the process.  Most exports/archives complete within a few minutes, however larger courses may take additional time.

Course exports and archives are stored on the server temporarily (typically less than seven days).  Instructors should always plan to download their export/archive files for storage locally [on their device].

It is important to note that no user accessible items are contained in the archive or export.  Therefore, users should not attempt to open downloaded course exports/archives.  Doing so, may lead to corruption or loss of data.  If you need a course archive/export restored, contact a HuskyCT System Administrator at huskyct@uconn.edu.

Below are detailed instructions for creating course Archives and Exports.

Archive Course

To archive a course:

  1. Log into HuskyCT.
  2. Click on the course link to be archived (e.g. BIOL-1108, GEOG-1200, STAT-1000Q).
  3. On the left navgiation menu, under Control Panel, expand the section Packages and Utilities.
  4. Click on Export/Archive Course (shown below).course archive export options
  5. On the Export/Archive Course screen, choose the top menu item Archive Course (shown below).course archive export options
  6. On the Archive Course screen, under the Select Copy Sections heading, check the box next to Include Grade Center History (shown below).course archive export options
  7. Next, under the File Attachments heading, select the options to “Copy links and include copies of the files in the course default directory” AND copy only links to files outside of the course default directory” (shown below).course archive export options
  8. Next, click the Calculate Size This will give you an indication of the file size associated with your course archive.
  9. Click the Submit button to initiate the archiving process.
  10. A marquee at the top of the page should display, letting you know the archive has started (shown below).course archive export options
  11. The archive will be available after you receive a successful email notification from HuskyCT.
  12. To download the completed course archive (zip file), navigate back to Export/Archive Course (see step 4) and click on the link corresponding to your latest archive (shown below). Note: filenames include the HuskyCT Course ID and Date/Time.course archive export options
  13. When prompted by your browser, choose the option to Save File.

Export Course

To export a course:

  1. Log into HuskyCT.
  2. Click on the course link to be exported (e.g. BIOL-1108, GEOG-1200, STAT-1000Q).
  3. On the left navgiation menu, under Control Panel, expand the section Packages and Utilities.
  4. Click on Export/Archive Course (shown below).course archive export options
  5. On the Export/Archive Course screen, choose the top menu item Export Package (shown below).course archive export options
  6. Next, under the File Attachments heading, select the options to “Copy links and include copies of the files in the course default directory” AND copy only links to files outside of the course default directory” (shown below).course archive export options
  7. Next, click the Calculate Size This will give you an indication of the file size associated with your course archive.
  8. Lastly, under the Select Course Materials heading, click the Select All button (shown below). Doing so, will automatically select all the necessary checkboxes for a complete course export.course archive export options
  9. Click the Submit button to initiate the export process.
  10. A marquee at the top of the page should display, letting you know the archive has started (shown below).course archive export options
  11. The export will be available after you receive a successful email notification from HuskyCT.
  12. To download the completed course export (zip file), navigate back to Export/Archive Course (see step 4) and click on the link corresponding to your latest export (shown below). Note: filenames include the HuskyCT Course ID and Date/Time.course archive export options
  13. When prompted by your browser, choose the option to Save File.

Dismissing Notifications

A known issue in HuskyCT may prevent some users from dismissing course notifications in the “What’s New” module on the “My Courses” tab.

notification error message

If you receive an error similar to above when attempting to dismiss notifications, it will be necessary for you to manage notifications using the Global Navigation menu.

The Global Navigation Menu is located at the top right corner of your browser window, where your name is displayed.

global navigation menu

Clicking on the down arrow (to the right of your name) will open the full menu.

global navigation menu full

Next, click on the alarm clock icon to access your updated notifications.

On the “Updates” screen, your list of available notifications will be listed.  From here, you can choose to individually open and/or dismiss pending notifications.

We’ll update this post when HuskyCT has been upgraded to a release that supports dismissing notifications from the “What’s New” module on the “My Courses” tab.

HuskyCT Transition to Cloud Services

HuskyCT is moving to Blackboard’s cloud-based architecture between December 25 and January 1. We are making this change because system updates, such as new features, enhancements, and fixes, can be implemented with zero or minimal downtime, and this will ultimately enhance students’ and your experience with our learning management system. During the transition, course availability will be affected (see timeline below). After the transition, HuskyCT will look and function the same.

December 26, 2016 – January 1, 2017:

  • Winter intersession courses will be accessible throughout the transition.  The only downtime for these courses will be on January 1, 2017 between 5:00 am and 1:00 pm.
  • Past courses will remain available for reference purposes, however any changes made after December 25 will not be carried forward to the new environment. (i.e. you can view them but do not make any changes)
  • Spring 2017 courses will be unavailable

January 1, 2017:

  • All HuskyCT courses, including Winter intersession courses, are accessible after 1:00 pm at learn.uconn.edu, lms.uconn.edu, and huskyct.uconn.edu.

For additional information, visit the Frequently Asked Question page for this transition.

If you have any concern about your active courses during the transition period, please email huskyct@uconn.edu.

Blackboard Collaborate Ultra – What’s New?

Collaborate Ultra has long been touted as the successor to Collaborate Classic.  Its initial launch last year, however, was met with little fanfare.  Despite a modern interface and audio/video improvements, Ultra lacked several of its predecessors features.

All that changed this past summer, when Blackboard released several major updates to Ultra (listed below).

  • Polling
  • Breakout Rooms
  • Session Recording
  • Phone Conferencing

These improvements, coupled with its already impressive interface and audio/video capabilities, make Ultra an ideal solution for online collaborative learning.

The only notable drawback to Ultra is browser compatibility.  Currently, Google Chrome is the only browser which fully supports the underlying technology, known as WebRTC.  We highly recommend all moderators and participants use Chrome exclusively for Collaborate Ultra sessions.  Support for WebRTC in Mozilla FireFox and Microsoft Edge is expected later this year.

If interested, a detailed Comparison of Ultra vs Classic is available on our Blackboard Collaborate page.

Using Collaborate Ultra

Collaborate Ultra is now available in all HuskyCT sites.  To access Ultra, open the course tools menu.  Ultra is listed under course tools, directly below the original Collaborate course tool (pictured below).  Note – Instructors still have the option to use Collaborate Classic in HuskyCT, as the course tools work independently.  In fact, both versions can be used simultaneously in a course.

collaborate-ultra-course-tool

Setting up a session

When you first access Collaborate Ultra, the “Create Session” button is displayed in the center of the window.  Clicking this button will launch a new session setup screen.

collab-ultra-create-session-btn

Setting up a session is quick!  Only three fields are required to start a new session – session name, start and end date.  Recurrence and Session Settings (Advanced) are optional.

collab-ultra-create-session-options

The default “Session Settings” should be adequate for most collaborative sessions.  If tweaks are needed, expand the “Session Settings” menu and set the appropriate options (pictured below).  Click “Save” to create the session!

collab-ultra-create-session-settings

View upcoming sessions

All upcoming sessions are listed on the main page of the course tool (default filter).  To view prior sessions or search using a date range, click on the chevron next to “Show All Upcoming Sessions”.  The expanded menu will display available filters.  Clicking on the filter name will refresh the list of sessions.

collaborate-ultra-session-filter

View recorded sessions

Directly above the session filter is the menu icon (displayed as three horizontal bars).  Clicking this icon will open the main menu.  This is where moderators can switch between scheduled sessions and recorded sessions.  Clicking on the “Recordings” menu will display any available recorded sessions in the course.

collaborate-ultra-recording-2

More information on Collaborate Ultra, including links to support documentation is available on our Collaborate Ultra Support page.

Combining HuskyCT Course Sections

HuskyCT course sites are created for each course section activated in the Student Administration System (PeopleSoft).  When instructors teach more than one section of the same course, or it’s cross-listed, it may be desirable to combine them into one HuskyCT course site.

There are several advantages to combining sections:

  • Course content is published and maintained in one HuskyCT course site
  • Students in all combined sections access the same HuskyCT course materials
  • All students enrolled in the combined section appear in one Grade Center

There are also some potential disadvantages to consider:

  • Students have visibility to all students enrolled in the combined section
  • Courses with a high number of enrolled students (>100) can be difficult to manage in Grade Center

Groups and Smart Views can be used to mitigate the potential disadvantages.  We’ll review these in more detail at the end of this post.

Requesting combined courses

Course combine requests are processed by the HuskyCT team (ITS).  When a request is received, the team will create a new HuskyCT site to serve as the “parent” course.  Existing sections (included in the request) become “child” sections of the new “parent” site.

Once a section has been merged into a “parent”, the “child” section and all of its contents become unavailable.

Caution:  Course content, grades, student-submitted assignments, discussion board posts, group work, tests, and surveys do not transfer to the parent.  As such, it’s important that requests to combine courses be completed before adding content or allowing students to submit data.

Requests be facilitated in two ways:

Scenario #1:  Course content is not being copied/restored from a previously offered HuskyCT section.  In this case, instructors should email their request directly to huskyct@uconn.edu.  The email must include the section numbers to be combined.

Scenario #2: Course content will be copied/restore from a previously offered HuskyCT section.  In this case, instructors should use the online form.  Doing so, addresses both activities in a single, comprehensive request.

Accessing combined courses

Instructors

When course sections are merged, the instructor sees both the parent and child sections (example below).  All activity should be administered from the parent section.  To reduce the possibility of publishing content to the wrong section, child sections are listed as unavailable.

combined-section-display

Instructors have the option to hide the child sections from their view using these step-by-step instructions: http://abouthuskyct.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/1715/2016/05/HideChildSections.pdf

Students

Students only see the section for which they are officially enrolled (i.e. one “child” section, matching the section they registered for in Student Admin).  To avoid confusion, they do not see the combined section listed under “My HuskyCT Courses”.

In the example pictured above, students registered in SEC001 see the following.

combine-section-student-display

When students click on their course link, they’re automatically taken to the “parent” section.

Using Groups and Smart Views

The Group tool allows instructors to organize students into various groups (or teams).  These groups can then be associated with specific assignments, assessments, blogs, journals, wikis, etc.  Groups can also be created to facilitate communication (email) with a specific section of the course.  Detailed information is available via Blackboard Help.

Grade Center includes three default views: Full Grade Center, Assignments and Tests.  Smart Views allow instructors to create additional views using custom filters.  For example, an instructor could easily create a custom view of students for each child section.

child-sections-smart-view

Detailed information for creating Smart Views is available from Blackboard Help.  Additional assistance is available by contacting either CETL Educational Technologies or Blackboard Direct.