Overview
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Blackboard Learn is moving to cloud hosting for the Fall 2021 term. The cloud infrastructure (BBLearn Saas) improves overall system performance, scalability, and allows for zero-downtime updates and fixes.
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This is the same version of Blackboard that has been used for previous iterations of Blackboard courses, except that it will be in a more responsive, cloud-based environment. Instructors and students alike will notice minimal interface changes.
At the same time, we are updating to the most recent version of Blackboard Learn and there are some minor improvements and bug fixes that will come along with that upgrade (to Blackboard Learn 9.1 v. 3900).
Users should generally notice faster performance, such as page load times, file transfer, and task processing within the Blackboard tools.
Highlights
New content editor. The content editor has been simplified while expanding several options. Users will see a new icon set, more accessibility options, an enhanced spellcheck tool, new special characters searchable library, among other changes. View Blackboard's documentation for more details: Content Editor Quick Guide and Content Editor Comparison Guide
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On August 20th, the shift to BBLearn Saas as the live Blackboard environment will occur. The URL to BBLearn Saas (https://umol-amherst.blackboard.com) will be switched to the previous login page URL (https://uma.umassonline.net) and there will be be only one Blackboard environment.
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- Publisher content. Since some publisher content can not be integrated in with two production environments at once, some integrated content for Fall 2021 will need to be configured after the August 20th switchover date. This includes McGraw-Hill Connect, Examsoft, and other "deep" integrations with Blackboard. WileyPLus will have a new integration installed ahead of time and will be configured before the switchover.
- Turnitin. Turnitin is available now to begin creating assignments in BBLearn Saas. However, assignments copied from a course hosted in the previous system will not work in the new system, so those assignments will need to be rebuilt in BBLearn Saas.
- VoiceThread. VoiceThread users will start using the New VoiceThread assignments beginning May 14, when they are turned on in both Blackboard environments. Additionally, there will be a behind-the-scenes update from VoiceThread 1.1 to VoiceThread 1.3 which will provide a full integration, roster-syncing, and other administrative benefits.
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