New Releases
What's New in Bb 6.3 (Overview)
Duke has upgraded the Blackboard system to version 6.3. New features to the system are highlighted here or you can print the Overview PDF for easy reference through out the academic year. Listed below are the new and recent feature along with multimedia files to learn more about each feature.
PDF OVERVIEWEnhanced Course Menu and Course Map
The course menu in Bb has been enhanced in the new version of the software. There are two menu views--detail view and quick view, and you may toggle between them. Commonly used tools, such as the communication panel, course tools and the course map are separated from the main course menu area so that they are easier to find and use. When you add or update any item on the course menu, don't forget to click on the refresh button to see your changes.
TEXT TUTORIAL 
AUDIO TUTORIAL 
FLASH TUTORIAL (5 min)
Smarter Gradebook Calculations
In the gradebook, with a new option, you can replace the Total and Weighted Total columns with new columns named: Running Total and Running Weighted Total. These new columns do not include grades from assignments or tests that the students have not taken or that have not been graded.
This new feature has no effect if you use the total and weighted total columns for scores; rather, it is only useful if you use the total column for percentage of letter grade.
TEXT TUTORIAL AUDIO TUTORIAL FLASH TUTORIAL (5 min)
Multi-language (or Locale) Support
In addition to English there is now built-in support for German, Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Dutch.
TEXT TUTORIAL AUDIO TUTORIAL FLASH TUTORIAL (2 min)
Adaptive Release and Review Status
Adaptive Release allows instructors to create custom learning paths through the course content using criteria including releasing the content by date and time, to particular users or groups, or based on grades on gradebook items, or based on attempts or review status of items. If Review Status is enabled for a content item by instructors, students can notify instructors when they review the item so instructors can view student progress.
TEXT TUTORIAL AUDIO TUTORIAL FLASH TUTORIAL (7 min)
Syllabus Builder
The Syllabus Builder provides six design styles for instructors to use, which makes creating a syllabus easy. This is an optional tool. You still have the choice to upload your existing syllabus as a file (Word or PDF, etc.) to a content item.
Enhanced Assessment Features
Downloaded assessment attempt now includes all question types. Randomizing multiple choice answers feature allows instructors to randomize the answers in multiple choice questions. Partial credit is now available on many question types. Individual feedback for essay questions is now available.
Advanced assessment questions and new survey question types are available including calculated questions, numeric response, file response, hot spot graphic, multiple fill-in-the-blank, jumbled sentence, short response, and quiz bowl-style questions; and Likert scale, a.k.a. opinion scale for surveys.
Features - TEXT TUTORIAL AUDIO TUTORIAL FLASH TUTORIAL (6 min)
Download Assessment Attempts - TEXT TUTORIAL AUDIO TUTORIAL FLASH TUTORIAL (2 min)
Performance Dashboard
The Performance Dashboard tool allows instructors to see student performance information such as Review Status for content, grade list, and content availability to students based on Adaptive Release criteria.
TEXT TUTORIAL AUDIO TUTORIAL FLASH TUTORIAL (2 min)
Not New, But May Be New to You...
Assignment Item
We highly recommend the Assignment item instead of using the Digital Dropbox. The Assignment item: is faster to upload/download; allows batch downloads of student assignments by instructor; provides a way for instructor to provide several levels of feedback to student through: mark up and return document; comments directly in the gradebook; private comments only seen by instructor.
Journal Tool
A tool similar to a web log (blog), which provides an online forum, diary, or journal. An entire class or groups can access, add new entries and comments when these settings are enabled.
Teams Site Tool
A tool similar to a wiki, which provides an interactive and collaborative website. An entire class or groups can add text, graphics files, and links to build the content of the site if these settings are enabled.