Many users have reported a recent increase in the number of emails received reporting changes in Blackboard. Last term we worked with a user who was not receiving critical emails from an instructor sent from Blackboard. In the process of fixing that user’s problem, we had to restart the notifications system which sends messages. Apparently the system had not been sending out all the notifications it should have sent and now is.

What that means for most users is that you may be seeing a dramatic increase in messages about any change an instructor or another student may make in Blackboard. These messages might be about content items added or discussion posts added. In an active course, this may result in email overload.

The default setting for notifications is a daily digest. However, if you were not receiving messages you may have adjusted the setting to see if you could get Blackboard to send messages and now are getting more than you want. All users can adjust their notification settings on a very granular basis to select what types of notifications they receive. These settings can be changed globally or on a course by course basis.

The video below demonstrates how to change your notification settings and regain control of your inbox.

What’s next for learning the management system?

Wentworth faculty, students, and staff turned out this fall to provide feedback on three learning management systems (Brightspace, Canvas, and Blackboard Ultra) to replace our current Blackboard Learn LMS. Feedback was gathered and testing of these products against use cases is underway. The LMS Selection and Rollout Steering Committee is composed of a small team of faculty, students, staff, and academic leaders who were invited to review the information gathered from vendor proposals, on-campus demonstrations, meetings and results of use case testing to recommend Wentworth’s next LMS. In addition, this group will help develop a rollout plan for migration to the new system. This committee will also recommend minimal LMS use and  LMS site structure for all courses. It is expected that the committee will complete their work during  Spring term. Members include:

• Pat Hafford –Academic Leadership, College of Professional and Continuing Education and College of Arts and Sciences
• Lora Kim –College of Architecture, Design and Construction Management
• Mel Henricksen –College of Arts and Sciences
• Jim McCusker –College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Kayleigh Carmichall –Wentworth Student Government
• Omar Abou Nassif Mourad – Wentworth Student Government
• Hadi Kazemiroodsari –College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Jody Gordon –College of Arts and Sciences
• John Cribbs –College of Architecture, Design and Construction Management
• Marisha Rawlins –College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Cidhinnia Torres Campos – College of Professional and Continuing Education and Office of Institutional Effectiveness
• Ke’Anna Skipwith –College of Professional & Continuing Education, Wentworth Online
• Lynn Cooke and Tes Zakrzewski – Learning Innovation & Technology

The committee will meet alternate weeks February and March. The tentative schedule is as follows:

• First meeting: The RFP and evaluation rubric developed by the LIT Advisory Committee will be reviewed and ranking of criteria discussed.
• Second meeting: We will review the proposals and identify any lingering questions.
• Third meeting: The committee will review the results of community feedback and use case reviews and, if possible, select Wentworth’s next LMS.
• Fourth and any additional meetings: Plan the transition to the new system, recommend minimal use standards and course site structure.

More information as the semester unfolds. The Committee will be using the Next Generation LMS site in Sharepoint to gather documents and document the review process.