Author Archives: Kris McElroy

Grade Center Improvements

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myLesley’s recent update to Blackboard’s latest version (Q2 2018) included several enhancements to the Grade Center making it easier to navigate while grading your students’ work.

Full Titles of Grade Center Columns

You can now view the full title of your Grade Center column making it easier to distinguish between similarly-titled grade items.

Before
Grade Center Column Titles Before

Now
Grade Center Column Titles After

 

View More Grade Columns

The width of the Grade Center is no longer fixed. You can now view as many columns as the size of their window will allow. If you are on a small screen, you may only see a few grade columns and need to scroll. If you are on a larger screen, you will see more columns. The grade center will adapt to the size of your browser window.

 

Full-Screen Mode

Need even more space to view the Grade Center? Instructors now have the ability to view the Grade Center in Full Screen mode. Full Screen mode collapses the side navigation and the top banner, allowing you to see more of the Grade Center on your screen.

 

More updates are coming to myLesley throughout the summer. Keep an eye out for all the new features.

New Features in myLesley

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On June 8, 2018, myLesley was updated to the most recent version of Blackboard (Q2 2018). The update included a few new features and options. There will be more features released [enter tag link] for this version over the summer so keep an eye out.

Customize Your Course Menu Colors

When Lesley University transitioned to SaaS in January, we also updated to the latest theme design Blackboard offers. The advantage of the new theme is that myLesley will adapt to the device you are currently using whether it’s a cell phone, tablet, small screen laptop or large screen monitor. The disadvantage is that custom menu colors weren’t supported, but that’s in the past. Custom menu colors are back!

Customize CourseTo customize your menu colors, go to Control Panel, select Customization and then select Teaching Style.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Select Menu StyleNext, scroll down to Select Menu Style.

Select the Background Color and Text Color you wish to have.

Keep accessibility in mind when choosing menu colors. You want colors that have a high level of contrast to ensure readability.

Sadly the Buttons option is not currently compatible with our version of Blackboard.

Be sure to click Apply after selecting your new colors or it will not take effect. Click Submit when you are done to apply your choices to your course menu.

View Blackboard’s Course Style Options information to learn more about customizing your course.

Rescheduled SafeAssign Maintenance in myLesley

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SafeAssign, the anti-plagiarism service in Blackboard, will not be available Monday, April 2nd, 3:00AM – 10:00AM ET. Blackboard will be performing maintenance to move the service to new servers.

What does this mean for you? 

Assignments submitted by students during this time will not be processed by SafeAssign, nor will they be queued for processing once the service is back online. Instructors can Direct Submit any submitted assignments once the service resumes.

Please note that the Assignment tool itself will not be affected. The maintenance will only affect the SafeAssign feature within the Assignment tool.

 

Upcoming SafeAssign Maintenance in myLesley

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UPDATE: The maintenance was canceled and will be rescheduled at a later date.

SafeAssign, the anti-plagiarism service in Blackboard, will not be available this Thursday, March 8th, 3:00AM – 9:00AM ET. Blackboard will be performing maintenance to move the service to new servers.

What does this mean for you? 

Assignments submitted by students during this time will not be processed by SafeAssign, nor will they be queued for processing once the service is back online. Instructors can Direct Submit any submitted assignments once the service resumes.

Please note that the Assignment tool itself will not be affected. The maintenance will only affect the SafeAssign feature within the Assignment tool.

 

myLesley is available!

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myLesley is now on the latest version of Blackboard (Q4 2017). Most of the changes are behind the scenes to improve performance.

However, there are a few changes you should be aware of:

  • A new look using a more responsive theme that will allow you to better access myLesley regardless of your device (computer, tablet, phone).
  • Blackboard is updating its inline grading tool for grading student submitted assignments directly in myLesley to the New Box View.
  • Blackboard IM (BB IM) has been retired from myLesley. We recommend switching to Skype for Business and Collaborate Ultra.
  • Collaborate Original has been retired from myLesley and replaced with the newer and easier to use web-based Collaborate Ultra. Collaborate Original recordings will still be available through this academic year, but you will not be able to create new Original sessions.

If you have questions or concerns, please email eLIS@lesley.edu.