The Faculty Innovation Center will host a discussion session with Blackboard representative Fitz McPhaul on Monday March 22 at 12 noon . Boxed lunches will be provided by Blackboard. Please RSVP by noon on Friday, March 19th to Mary Crawford at 232-9419 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

UT Wired

Wonder how other engineering professors are using Blackboard? Well, the FIC decided to find out and send out a survey in January 2004. Highlights of the survey can be found in the Executive Summary. Or you can download the Full Report.

Did you know?

• Central Campus expects to upgrade to version Blackboard version 6.1 during the summer of 2004.
• A Blackboard course shell is created for every unique number every semester. Registered students are automatically put into Blackboard courses via the registrar's database.
• You don't have to do all the work yourself. You can delegate tasks to a TA.
• You can now add a TA to Blackboard through CLIPS.
• If you have a cross-listed course or a course with multiple sections (multiple unique numbers), the Blackboard courses can be combined using CLIPS.
• Gradebook items can be weighted using the Weight Grades link that appears at the bottom of the first column in the Spreadsheet view.
• In the Spreadsheet view of the Gradebook, you can use the Filters to view only certain types of items or certain students.
• You can hide any document or folder that you post, or set availability dates.
• Students who have restricted access to personal information appear as JDoe in Blackboard. By fall 2004, these students will be able to allow their name to appear within Blackboard.
• The Faculty Innovation Center is working with an assessment/testing tool that can supplement Blackboard's assessment capabilities.

If you just want a site to post information for students without email lists, online gradebook, discussion board, or other features, consider the FIC Content Management System. For more information, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .