Application Packs introduce new features to the Blackboard Academic Suite without drastically changing the architecture of the platform. This allows administrators to confidently implement important new features without risking stability.
Application Pack 1 updates Release 6.1 with several new features. The new features in Application Pack 1 are:
· Course Creation Wizard: A step-by-step, process driven series of screens for quickly creating a course.
· Course Templates: Blueprints for new courses. Templates can be based on existing courses or new courses can be developed specifically as templates.
· Messages: Internal course communication tool with the functions of an email account. Messages may not be sent or received outside of the course.
· Glossary: Listing of important terms in a course and associated definitions.
· Report Card module: Portal module that displays the overall grade of each course to the user.
· Shibboleth: Method for authenticating users from other schools without exposing sensitive data about the user.
Features distributed through Application Pack 1 are not immediately available to users after installing the application pack. Follow the instructions below to activate each feature.
|
Feature |
Activation |
|
Course Creation Wizard |
Make the Course Creation Wizard module available to users that should be able to create courses (Instructors or staff tasked with creating courses) through the Manage Modules page. The Course Creation Wizard feature is immediately available from the System Control Panel after installing Application Pack 1. |
|
Course Templates |
Create and design a course or courses to serve as templates. Designate these courses as templates through the Properties for the course. |
|
Messages |
In the Courses section of the System Control Panel, click Settings followed by Course Tools. Check the appropriate boxes for the Messages tool to enable the feature. |
|
Glossary |
In the Courses section of the System Control Panel, click Settings followed by Course Tools. Check the appropriate boxes for the Glossary tool to enable the feature. |
|
Report Card module |
Make the Report Card module available through the Manage Modules page. |
|
Shibboleth |
Collaborate with partner schools to create a confederation of services and resources. Configure the Blackboard Learning System to accept important information about users from other institutions using Shibboleth. |
Application Pack 1 for the Blackboard Learning System includes several new features. Two of those features, Glossary and Messaging, are features originally made available as Building Blocks from AOI Systems.
The Glossary feature is a collection of terms for a course. It is particularly useful as a reference when Students are reviewing new or complex material because the explanations for difficult concepts are defined by the Instructor and available right in the course.
If your school is using the AOI Glossary Building Block, the terms and definitions that already exist in courses is preserved when the Application Pack is installed and the Glossary tool enabled.
Before installing the Application Pack make sure to disable the AOI Glossary Building Block but do not delete it. The Building Block may be removed from the system after installing the Application Pack and verifying that existing Glossary content is still included.
The Messaging feature looks and acts like an email program, however, it only limits communication to the course. Messages can only be read in a course and messages can only be sent to other course users. This feature enables safe and secure email communication within courses.
The Messaging feature in Application Pack 1 is not compatible with the AOI Systems Messaging Building Block. This means that existing messages cannot be transferred to the Application Pack 1 Messaging feature. However, the two Messaging features, the AOI Building Block and the new Application Pack 1 Messaging can exist on the same system. Administrators can allow users to access both Messaging features while transitioning to the new version of the feature.