Updated Assignment Tool Replaces Digital Drop Box in Blackboard NG
Date Posted: 04/11/2011
The coming upgrade to Blackboard Next Generation (NG) on May 30, 2011, is the most significant upgrade of Blackboard since it was first introduced at NIU almost ten years ago.
Blackboard NG includes over 80 new and enhanced features, including substantial updates to the Assignment Tool. As a result of new Assignment Tool features, the Digital Drop Box is obsolete. Consequently, the Digital Drop Box will no longer be available after the upgrade to Blackboard NG. Faculty who have used the Digital Drop Box should consider using the Assignment Tool as a replacement.
Assignment Tool:
- Organizes student submissions in the Grade Center for easy grading
- Allows faculty to assign points, add comments, and even return a file to students
- Tracks submission history, including content, comments, and grades
- New: Allows faculty to give specific students an additional attempt at an assignment
- New: Allows faculty to enable multiple attempts for all students and grade each attempt individually
- New: Facilitates group assignments, so that only one student for each group has to submit the assignment, and the grade assigned is automatically given to all group members
Student work can also be submitted through the SafeAssign tool, which prevents plagiarism by detecting unoriginal content in student papers.
For a preview of the new Assignment features that will be available in Blackboard NG, register to attend the upcoming online workshop (http://niu.edu/blackboard/ng/workshops.shtml#bbngassignprev) on Tuesday, April 12 from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm.
Want to learn more about Blackboard NG? Sign up for one of several preview sessions or workshops being offered by the Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center at http://www.niu.edu/blackboard/ng/workshops.shtml. For more details on Blackboard NG, visit http://www.niu.edu/blackboard/ng.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the ITS Helpdesk at 753-8100 or helpdesk@niu.edu.