DEITC welcomes a new member representing Student Engagement: Elizabeth Vasquez, Director of Disabilities Services.
Blackboard Ultra Updates
The Blackboard Ultra transition continues! Ultra full deployment launches Summer & Fall 2024. Our goal is to get faculty familiar with how to use Ultra features such as: learning modules, granular copies, language packs, AI Design and Respondus Lockdown Browser. We encourage all faculty to sign up for our OIT Blackboard Ultra Trainings being offered by our eLearning team. Register for a session at the OIT training website https://trainings.tamiu.edu
Any faculty interested in having our eLearning team conduct a brief orientation in their class, can contact our office to set up an appointment. The eLearning team has been working on a few video reels and how-to PDF's to assist faculty and students with the Ultra transition. This video show students how they can distinguish between Blackboard Original Course View and Blackboard Ultra Course View: Does your Blackboard Course view look different? Any student needing assistance on how to access exams using Respondus LockDown Browser on Ultra may find this video helpful: Can't Figure out Respondus Exams on Blackboard Ultra or this Testing with Respondus LockDown Browser Student Guide.
AI Detection Tools
Dr. Hayley Kazen discussed AI Detection Tools updates and the removal of the AI tool from Turnitin. She mentioned that Dr. San Miguel confirmed that no other A&M System University is utilizing this functionality and providing AI Detection Tools. Unfortunately, due to the lack of accuracy in AI Detection Tools and the large number of false positives, TAMIU will not be offering these tools at this time. The DEITC will continue to provide updates to faculty on available AI Detection Tools or AI guidelines as it continues to further develop.
The eLearning team will be providing an Ultra AI Design Tool training and a AI Tools/ChatGPT training for faculty starting in March 2024. Be sure to be on the look out for these trainings and sign up at https://trainings.tamiu.edu.
Acadeum Initiative
Triana Gonzalez-Valdez provided some useful information about Acadeum. This initiative is a replacement of the Course Exchange Program (CEP). TAMIU students that are pending to take a course that will impede them from graduating because the course is not being offered at TAMIU and can take the course at another institution to fulfill the graduation requirement. This will only be approved on a needs-case basis and will only be approved under certain circumstances. Students that may fall under this predicament, will need to visit with their academic advisor. All Acadeum courses must be approved by the students' academic department, Dean and the Provost if the course is part of their core requirements. For more information about Acadeum please contact the Office of the Provost & VP for Academic Affairs at 956-326-2240.
Digital Syllabi Pilot
• Course Leaf will be launching their new Digital Syllabi Pilot for TAMIU faculty soon! The new interface will consist of the following 4 areas:
- SYLB- New syllabus template
- CAT- New catalog Maintenance
- CIM- New Curriculum Management
- CLSS- New Course scheduling
CourseLeaf will start to provide trainings starting April 2024, followed by a soft launch in May and Summer 2024. The final implementation of the new syllabi interface is scheduled for Fall 2024. Currently, there is no integration with Blackboard so faculty should follow the same procedure to upload their syllabus to their course shells.
Follett Updates
Follett will be having a virtual session to demonstrate how to add order your textbooks through Follett and Blackboard and Brytewave/Redshelf link, Discover Adopt demonstration, and using ebooks demonstration. They will be providing another virtual session on March 4, 2024 at 3:00 P.M. You can join Follett's virtual session at the following link: Books IncludED Virtual Assistance Day
Ultra Student Survey Updates
The DEITC undergraduate student representative, Abigail Olivares, is conducting a Blackboard Ultra Student Survey with students who are currently enrolled in Ultra Courses. A total of 44 students have responded and she will continue gathering data. The survey includes questions such as:
- Is the current Blackboard Ultra course(s) you're taking in person or online?
- What features of Blackboard Ultra do you use most often?
- Which of the following do you use to contact a professor?
- Have you encountered any difficulties submitting assignments on Blackboard Ultra?
- Are there any specific features you find challenging or confusing and have you encountered any technical issues while using Blackboard Ultra? If so, please describe.
- Have you received an in-class orientation on Blackboard Ultra?
- Do you like any specific features in Blackboard Ultra, if so, which ones?
- How would you rate your overall experience with Blackboard Ultra?
Next Meeting
The next DEITC meeting will be held on March 25, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. in KL420.
Past DEITC Newsletters
You may view past DEITC newsletters here.
2023-2024 Members
Co-Chairs
Dr. Hayley Kazen, Faculty Senate Appointee
Dr. Patricia Abrego, Director of Academic Technology, ex-officio
Members
Ms. Karol Batey, Instructional Effectiveness
Ms. Janet Carrillo, Dean's Appointee (University College)
Dr. Yong Chen, Dean's Appointee (A.R. Sanchez School of Business)
Ms. Triana Gonzalez, University Registrar/VPSS
Dr. Juan Hinojosa, Faculty Senate Appointee
Dr. Sean Madden, Chair of University Curriculum Committee
Dr. Joan Wakasa Murumba, Information Literacy Killam Library/Director's Appointee
Dr. Lola Norris, Graduate Studies Appointee
Dr. Martha Salinas, Dean's Appointee (Canseco School of Nursing)
Dr. Cynthia Sosa, Dean's Appointee (College of Education)
Dr. Lourdes Viloria, Faculty Senate Appointee
Dr. Donovan Weight, Dean's Appointee (College of Arts and Sciences)
Dr. Ariadne Gonzalez, Associate VP for Academic Affairs
Elizabeth Vasquez, Student Engagement Appointee
Student Representatives
Abigail Olivares, Undergraduate Student Appointee
Monica Perales, Graduate Student Appointee