DoIT's Coordinator of Learning Analytics, Tom Penniston, recently presented his paper (UMBC login req'd), Toward a New Paradigm: Learning Analytics 2.0, at the 25th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCI International 2023, in Copenhagen, Denmark. The conference focused on adapting design to meet the needs of our evolving world, from the rise of deep fakes and battling the spread of extremist propaganda, to the legal and social implications of large language model AI, to supporting the needs of the neuro- and ability- diverse populations we serve. 

Penniston's paper analyzed ongoing UMBC efforts to leverage predictive machine learning models to inform empathetic behavioral nudges to support student success. He argues that through intentional, rigorous course design we can align intervention strategies with direct measures of learning at scale and thereby best support our students' individualized needs, while simultaneously improving institutional measures of success, such as reduced DFW and 6-year graduation rates.

Attending the conference was a great professional opportunity for Penniston, who was able to represent his department and the university, learn more from experts within the community, and network with peers. "It's really amazing and humbling to be surrounded at work by folks who encourage and support me to pursue these kinds of opportunities!" said Penniston.

The success of students in a Blackboard course is often dependent on their level of engagement and their ability to stay on track with course content and assignments. As an instructor, it's crucial to have the tools and resources to monitor students' progress and ensure they are staying engaged and motivated throughout the course.

An Ultra course provides progress tracking tools to help instructors monitor how much time students are spending in the course, what content they are engaging with, and what their current grades are. This information is invaluable in helping instructors reach out to students who may be struggling or falling behind, and it also helps in retaining students who might otherwise drop out of the course. Progress Tracking is enabled by default in all Ultra courses as of SU2023.

One of the key benefits of tracking students progress is the ability to identify potential issues early on. If a student is not engaging with course content as much as they should be, the instructor can reach out and provide support, resources, or motivation to help the student get back on track. This proactive approach can help students stay engaged and motivated, and it also helps them to understand the importance of their participation and progress in the course.

Allocating time to configure the Ultra gradebook before the semester starts can support efficient grading throughout the semester. In the recent Gradebook Hacks: 5 Tips to Prep for the Semester session, we explored best practices for instructors to optimize their online gradebook setup. A recap of the best practices and related Blackboard Ultra features to support your assessment and grading practices is shared below. 

Define Overall Grade Calculation

Select an overall grade calculation that aligns with the course objectives and stated grading policy. Instructors may select from points-based, weighted, or advanced overall grade calculations.

Overall grade calculations also support rules such as dropping the lowest or highest grades from a particular category.

Customize Grading Schemas

Grading schemas provide transparency and help students understand how their performance will be evaluated. The gradebook supports up to 100 unique schemas, which can be customized in the Gradebook settings. Instructors may select from existing schemas such as Letter, Percent, Complete/Incomplete,  or use custom schemas as they configure the settings for each assessment.

Organize the Gradebook with Categories

Organizing the gradebook into categories streamlines the assessment process. Utilize default or custom assessment categories to classify assignments, quizzes, projects, and other assessments. This categorization makes it easier to manage and track student progress while offering a comprehensive overview of their performance in different areas. Additionally, consider distinguishing between formative (ongoing) and summative (final) assessments with the new "formative" assessment label to give students a better understanding of their progress.

Apply Exceptions and Exemptions

Assignment exceptions offer the flexibility to make changes that are specific to one assignment, such as extending a due date or allowing additional attempts. Exemptions exclude an assessment from the student's overall grade calculation, which prevents the assessment from appearing late or applying automatic zero.

Use Filters and Search Options

Filters can help instructors locate specific assignments, students, or assessment categories quickly. This feature enhances efficiency when managing a large number of assessments.

Download Critical Information

Instructors may download assignment submissions, assessment results, analytics, the full gradebook, as well as a complete gradebook history. Downloading submissions can support offline grading throughout the semester. Need to track a change in the gradebook? The gradebook history provides a comprehensive record of all gradebook changes.

New Flexible Grading

Image 1: Example of flexible grading in an assignment.

Connect with Instructional Technology

As always, if you have any questions about teaching, learning, and technology at UMBC, please consider the following options: