We have been using a version of the Assignment Handler based on the one that Chris is using at Northumbria. Following the Blackboard Conference at Leeds last year, representatives from the four institutions using the Assignment Handler tool met with Blackboard representatives to brainstorm our ideas on how the core Assignment tool in Blackboard could be augmented to accommodate common requirements for submission in the UK.
Our requirements were collated into a document that was sent off to Brad Koch, Director of Product Management. We are still waiting for a follow-up on our proposal.
The difference between having a customised Assignment Handler and an augmented core Assignment tool becomes significant when you are upgrading to a new version of Blackboard. The core tool should always be guaranteed to function whilst you may incur additional costs to ensure a customisation still functions.
Hope this helps
Alice
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Alice Bird BSc PGDip MA
Head of Technology Enhanced Learning
Academic Enhancement Unit
Liverpool John Moores University
5th Floor, Kingsway House, Hatton Garden, Liverpool, L3 2AJ
t: 01512318660 e: [log in to unmask]
w: www.ljmu.ac.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Alex Osmond
Sent: 20 October 2011 13:23
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Assignment Volume[Scanned-Clean]
Hi all
On the back of the points that have just been made - we're looking at developing Blackboard 9.1's assignment/feedback management capabilities. Like most institutions, we have quite a specific set of requirements, that also vary from department to department.
As such, we're looking at getting some bespoke development done in this area. I've already had some really useful conversations with people who've done similar things at other institutions. Hearing about the Assignment Handler was what kind of kicked us off thinking about the possibilities.
If anyone has had any experiences getting bespoke development done with Blackboard consultancy, and has strong feelings about it (be they positive or negative), or likewise has some requirements that the assignment tool as-is doesn't handle (true anonymous marking, showing a grade rather than a numeric value in all views, second marking - that kind of thing), I'd be interested to hear from you.
Thanks, best
Alex
Alex Osmond AHEA APMIC
Project Manager (VLE implementation)
SITS & Learning Technology | Academic Services
202 Wilfred Brown, Brunel University, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH
t: 01895 267957 e: [log in to unmask]
Get updates on Brunel's Blackboard Learn implementation at the project blog: http://bbblearn.com
twitter.com/bbblearn
-----Original Message-----
From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Chris Turnock
Sent: 20 October 2011 12:18
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Assignment Volume[Scanned-Clean]
Andrew
I am happy to chat to you about the tool initially to help you make an informed decision about approaching Blackboard to purchase Assignment Handler.
Sorry, but I can't chat this week, but any afternoon next week good for me to chat.
Regards
Chris
Head of LTech
IT Services
Ellison Terrace
Northumbria University
Ellison Place
Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 8ST
LTech
Tel. 0191 243 7257 or 0797 104 1160
-----Original Message-----
From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Andrew Raistrick
Sent: 20 October 2011 10:41
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Assignment Volume[Scanned-Clean]
Hi Chris,
I'm quite interested in this "Assignment" handler tool as students sometimes need to submit very large files (i.e I.T. students submit databases).
Do you have any details or can point me in the right direction.
Thanks Andy
-----Original Message-----
From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Chris Turnock
Sent: 20 October 2011 09:44
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Assignment Volume[Scanned-Clean]
Arthur
We are using the bespoke Assignment Handler tool, which has no file size limits. Students have successfully submitted files > 1Gb without problem. However, creating zip files with large cohorts, i.e. over 200 students with small files, or a small number of large files did lead to web browser timing out, which we got Blackboard to fix by building an additional area into the tool that stored zip file created even when browser times out.
Chris
Head of LTech
IT Services
Ellison Terrace
Northumbria University
Ellison Place
Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 8ST
LTech
Tel. 0191 243 7257 or 0797 104 1160
-----Original Message-----
From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Loughran ,Arthur
Sent: 20 October 2011 09:40
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Assignment Volume[Scanned-Clean]
Hi Paul,
Thanks for that very useful and reassuring information. I will ask Mr. Blackboard about the ZIP file limit.
Best,
Arthur
-----Original Message-----
From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Durston, Paul
Sent: 20 October 2011 09:34
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Assignment Volume[Scanned-Clean]
Hi Arthur,
We've got some pretty large modules. We've never really encountered any technical problems with lots of students submitting to the same assignment item. You've got the obvious things like setting the ground rules for the type of file the instructor wishes the student to submit, the size of this file, etc but these are not really related to assignments where lots of students will submit - they're related to any assignment regardless of the number of students.
The only problems we've had that were related to large numbers of submissions were when it came to downloading the submissions. Having said that, we've got a custom-built tool to do this so I'm not really sure how the Blackboard download would cope. This is probably something you'd want to test. You probably wouldn't need to try and replicate hundreds of students submitting, say, 5MB files. You could test with about 15 students submitting larger files - from what I've seen it's usually the cumulative size of the downloaded zip file that's the issue.
Hope that's some help,
Paul Durston
Teesside University
-----Original Message-----
From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Arthur Loughran
Sent: 19 October 2011 17:00
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Assignment Volume
Hi,
In order to facilitate an instutution wide project for 1st year students I need to set up an assignment link to accept a single submission from each of 320 students.
I have never had to deal with this volume of submissions into the assignment option before and would seek feedback from anyone who has dealt with these volumes, ie what problems were experienced (if any).
many thanks,
Arthur Loughran
Glasgow School of Art.
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