Add-on Tools Available @ UTC Online
Add-on tools, also known as building blocks, enhance the functionality of Blackboard at UTC Online. Add-ons available for instructors at UTC Online are as follows: Advanced Group Management, Dictionary & Thesaurus, Document Package, Link Checker, LockDown Browser, Online Attendance, Online Journal, Podcast, Quota Usage, Respondus, SafeAssign, Self and Peer Assessment, and Sign-up Tool. This page details each available add-on and...
- what functionality is provided,
- whether it is ON or OFF by default,
- where to enable/disable the add-on,
- where to find it, and
- how to use it.
UTC Online does not guarantee these add-ons will work with updated versions of Blackboard, and thus these add-ons may or may not be available in the future.
Advanced Group Management
Description: Provides an alternative interface for managing groups that also includes advanced group management features
Default Course Setting: OFF
Enable/Disable: Control Panel > Course Options: Manage Tools > Building Block Tool Availability > Advanced Group Management
Location: Control Panel > Course Tools: Advanced Group Management
How to Use: This excellent tool gives you an advanced interface that details more information than the basic "Manage Groups" link gives you. This tool also allows you to modify group memberships easily, balance group assignment tasks with ease, randomize users into groups, and delete groups simultaneously. NOTE: The default setting for group discussion forums sets forums to be force moderated (among other settings); a good practice would be to review all of the default group discussion forum's settings after it is created initially using Advanced Group Management.
Dictionary & Thesaurus
Description: Allows users to highlight or specify a word and check the dictionary/thesaurus entry for the word
Default Course Setting: OFF (effective beginning in Spring 2009)
Enable/Disable: Control Panel > Course Options: Manage Tools > Building Block Tool Availability > Dictionary/Thesaurus
Location: Control Panel > Manage Course Menu > Add: Tool Link > Type: Dictionary / Thesaurus
How to Use: If you want to provide your users access to a dictionary or thesaurus within the UTC Online environment, then this tool is for you. You can also set up a specific section for this tool (Control Panel > Course Options: Manage Course Menu > Add: Tool Link > Type: Dictionary / Thesaurus).
Document Package
Description: Instructors can upload a zip file containing multiple content files; these files are unpackaged into Blackboard as class content items with the files attached
Default Course Setting: ON
Enable/Disable:
a) Control Panel > Course Options: Manage Tools > Building Block Tool Availability > Document Package
b) Control Panel > Course Options: Manage Tools > Content Type Availability > Document Package
Location: Content area > Select: Document Package > Go
How to Use: When in a content area wanting to upload multiple documents, you can save time by zipping all files into one file and then uploading them all at once through the Document Package selection. All files are automatically uploaded into your class.
Link Checker
Description: Checks if External Link items are valid or not
Default Course Setting: OFF
Enable/Disable: Control Panel > Course Options: Manage Tools > Building Block Tool Availability > Link Checker
Location: Control Panel > Course Tools: Link Checker
How to Use: Click on the "Link Checker" link in the Control Panel to verify if the External Link items in your class are valid or not. There is one caveat to this building block: this tool only checks links specifically added as External Link items; any other external links added in other content types (such as items or assignments) are not checked.
LockDown Browser
Description: Custom browser that increases the security of test delivery in Blackboard; when students use the LockDown Browser to access an exam, they are unable to print, copy, go to another website, or access other applications
Default Course Setting: OFF
Enable/Disable: Control Panel > Course Options: Manage Tools > Building Block Tool Availability > Respondus LockDown Browser
Location: Control Panel > Course Tools: Respondus LockDown Browser
How to Use: In short, instructors must 1) enable this tool in your course (see Installation section), 2) set the assessment(s) to use Respondus LockDown Browser (Control Panel > Course Tools: Respondus LockDown Browser), and 3) have students use a computer that has the Respondus LockDown Browser software installed on it already. Please consult the documentation for instructors (Full | Quick) and students (Full | Quick).
Online Attendance
Description: Keep attendance online with ability to integrate into class so students can keep track of their attendance
Default Course Setting: OFF
Enable/Disable: Control Panel > Course Options: Manage Tools > Building Block Tool Availability > Online Attendance
Location: Control Panel > Course Tools: Online Attendance
How to Use: This tool allows you to manage class attendance and if desired integrate with your class so that students can keep track of their attendance. You can set up seating charts with this tool and export attendance data if needed. You can also add this tool to your class menu: Control Panel > Course Options: Manage Course Menu > Add: Tool Link > Type: Online Attendance
Online Journal
Description: Provides students with basic journalling functionality in Blackboard
Default Course Setting: OFF
Enable/Disable: Control Panel > Course Options: Manage Tools > Building Block Tool Availability > Online Journal
Location: Control Panel > Course Tools: Online Journal
How to Use: This tool gives you the ability to set up basic journalling for students in your class. Caveat: This tool does not integrate with the gradebook. Instructors can view and respond to each journal entry or export them if needed. You can also add this tool to your class menu: Control Panel > Course Options: Manage Course Menu > Add: Tool Link > Type: Online Journal
Podcaster
Description: Allows media files to be added to a Blackboard class; students can listen to or view podcasts from within Blackboard, or through iTunes or an RSS feed
Default Course Setting: OFF
Enable/Disable:
a) Control Panel > Course Options: Manage Tools > Building Block Tool Availability > Podcast
b) Control Panel > Course Options: Manage Tools > Content Type Availability > Podcast Episode
Location: a) Control Panel > Course Tools: Manage Podcast
b) Content area > Select: Podcast Episode > Go
How to Use: Dartmouth College has developed an excellent user manual (PDF) on how to post, manage, and view a podcast. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln also has a video tutorial on how to post a podcast. You can organize podcasts within any content area (e.g., Course Documents) or you can create a new section specifically for podcasts (Control Panel > Course Options: Manage Course Menu > Add: Tool Link > Type: Podcast). There is also a module available for students to view class podcasts; to enable this module, go to the "Main" tab, click on the "Modify Content" button, select the "Recent Podcasts" module, and click on "Submit".
Quota Usage
Description: Details the total file size of your course and percentage in relation to course quotas; UTC Online course quotas are 1.5 GB per course and no one file may be larger than 400 MB
Default Course Setting: ON
Enable/Disable: Control Panel > Course Options: Manage Tools > Building Block Tool Availability > Course Quota Application
Location: Control Panel > Course Tools: Quota Usage
How to Use: Click on the "Quota Usage" link in the Control Panel to determine how close your class is coming to UTC Online's course quota file size limits.
Respondus
Description: Respondus is a Windows program for faculty to upload multiple test questions at once to a UTC Online class
Default Course Setting: n/a
Install: Installation information is located in the UTC Online Blackboard Information class. There is a button on the left hand side called Respondus. Open the "Respondus Install" folder and download the file called Respondus35UpdateCampus.exe.
Location: Windows-only program stored on your computer
How to Use: See "Respondus Install" folder for manual/usage documentation
SafeAssign
Description: SafeAssign allows faculty to set up assignments for students to submit electronic documents that are checked for text-matching.
Default Course Setting: OFF
Enable/Disable:
a) Control Panel > Course Options: Manage Tools > Building Block Tool Availability > SafeAssign
b) Control Panel > Course Options: Manage Tools > Content Type Availability > SafeAssignment
Location: Content area > Select: SafeAssignment > Go
How to Use: Use this pdf file for detailed instructions. SafeAssign compares the text in submitted files against a set of academic databases, an institutional database, and a global database, and identifies those areas of text that match other sources. SafeAssign checks the ProQuest and ABI/Inform databases as well as the Internet. Faculty may set up SafeAssignments so that students can view the report generated as a way of helping students understand correct citation. This tool helps faculty detect plagiarism, protect the orginality of work, and educate students on proper citation. This tool also allows faculty to submit files directly for review. In order for SafeAssign to function correctly, both faculty and students must enable third-party cookies in your browser. Instructional sessions about using SafeAssign are offered from the Teaching Resource Center.
Status: Since SafeAssign is an external service hosted by Blackboard, this tool may or may not be working depending on maintenance issues with the SafeAssign server. Check its current status here.
Self and Peer Assessment
Description: Self and Peer Assessment allows faculty to give students more individualized feedback as well as help focus on critical thinking skills.
Default Course Setting: ON
Enable/Disable:
a) Control Panel > Course Options: Manage Tools > Building Block Tool Availability > Self and Peer Assessment
b) Control Panel > Course Options: Manage Tools > Content Type Availability > Self and Peer Assessment
Location: Content area > Select: Self and Peer Assessment > Go
How to Use: Self-assessment tools give students better insight as to what the evaluation criteria is and help build critical thinking skills, as well as promote active learning. Peer assessment tools give students the opportunity to provide constructive feedback to their peers and help faculty easily manage group assignments. With this tool, the instructor sets up and distributes the exercise with specific questions for the students or their peers to assess the work of others. Further instruction on how to use this tool can be learned by stopping by the Teaching Resource Center.
Sign-up Tool
Description: Instructors can set up sign-up lists for events (e.g., meeting times) which students can sign up for when spaces are limited
Default Course Setting: OFF
Enable/Disable: Control Panel > Course Options: Manage Tools > Content Type Availability > Sign-up List
Location: Content area > Select: Sign-up List > Go
How to Use: Have you ever wanted an online version of a paper "sign-up sheet"? That is essentially what this tool provides. Extensive help documentation can be found by creating a new sign-up list and then clicking on the "Help" link directly below the top text "Add a Sign-up List."
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