Introduction
Anthology releases monthly incremental updates to their Blackboard software, the July updates bring the following new features and improvements:
- Improvements to printing tests and assessments.
- Increased adverts on YouTube videos (from 1st August)
This blog post will guide you through these new features, how they can benefit a module and the workflows to implement them.
1. Improvements to printing tests and assessments
Following on from last month’s upgrade, which introduced the option for staff to print Ultra tests and assignments, this month’s upgrade has added the option to select whether to include both the questions and correct answers (where specified) or just the questions.
Ultra test with print button highlighted.
*NOTE The print button is available to staff only, and there are no plans to make the print button available to students. Also, note that there are certain limitations with the initial release of the print functionality, specifically that when a question pool is used as a question type, these are not included in the print.
Improvements to prevent printing a question across pages
Some staff have reported problems with printed content that is split over multiple pages, Anthology Blackboard is aware of this problem and has addressed it in this month’s update.
The print functionality has been improved for assessments to ensure a more user-friendly experience. In the following instances, questions are now printed so that the question is not separated incorrectly on the physical or digital paper page break (such as in PDFs). This improves readability and ease of use.
- Question headers will split the question number and points possible across pages.
- The question header will not be split from the question text.
- Question answer icons and text will not split across pages.
- Tables, lists, and images will not split across pages.
- Very large text answer options may span pages, but the answer choice icon (for example, option A) will display next to the first line of text rather than aligning to the centre of the option.
- In matching questions, the prompt/answer heading will not split from the answer pairs.
2. Increased adverts on YouTube videos (from 1st August)
YouTube videos embedded into Blackboard modules are currently subject to the same advertising policies as videos viewed directly on YouTube. This includes pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll adverts.
Google, which owns YouTube, has announced that starting August 1st, 2024, the number of adverts shown in embedded videos will increase, meaning more interruptions during video playback.
As an alternative to YouTube, TU staff may like to consider making use of Box of Broadcasts (BoB) to source media content.
BoB is an on-demand TV and radio service for education. Staff using BoB can record programmes from over 75 free-to-air channels and can search the BoB archive which contains over 2.2 million broadcasts, including a permanent archive of content from nine channels:
- BBC1 London / BBC2 / BBC4 /
- ITV London /
- Channel 4 / More4 /
- Channel 5 /
- BBC Radio 4 / BBC Radio 4 Extra.
Content from BoB can be added to BBU modules by creating and link to clips of BoB recordings.
*NOTE Please note that most content in BoB is only available to users logging in from the UK.
To add a BoB programme to your Blackboard module, select your programme or clip, choose ‘Share’, copy the ‘WAYFless’ link.
The ‘WAYFless’ link includes additional login information, making it quicker and easier for students to access content in BoB.
To add the video to your Blackboard Module, use the ‘Web link’ tool in the Module Content area or the Link option in a Blackboard Document.
Image showing the WAYFless link in BoB
Adding a BoB video in the Blackboard Module Content area
1. Press the purple plus button and select ‘Create’ in the location in Blackboard that you would like to add the BoB link.
2. Select the ‘Link’ option.
3. Update the visibility so that students can see the link, add a Display Name, copy the WAYFless link and leave the ‘Open in new window’ as ticked. Click ‘Save’
4. The new link to the content on BoB has now been added to the Blackboard module.
Referencing BoB
The Bob video page that opens via the shared link will also include a citation that the students can use if they are referencing the content.
*NOTE Unfortunately, it is not possible to embed video content from BoB inline in the Blackboard module, the only way to include content from this media service is via the Web Link option.
Uploading local media to Blackboard
*NOTE If you have a local copy of a video that you would like to make available to Blackboard you should continue to use the Review ‘Upload media’ video upload option as detailed in this user guide.
** Please do not upload local media directly to Blackboard due to storage capacity implications. **
Contact Us
If you would like to discuss any of the above in more detail, please contact the Digital Learning Specialists, who will be more than happy to arrange bespoke coaching and mentoring sessions.
They are contactable at elearning@tees.ac.uk.