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Enhancements in Vista 4

  • Instructors can create new Sections – from their past Sections
  • Students who drop a Section are deleted from that Section
  • More flexible Course List page
    • channels, layout, etc.

Changes in Vista 4

  • The left-hand, vertical navigation returns (as an option) –or– can replicate the top-of-the-screen, horizontal Vista 3 Course Toolbar
  • Organizer Pages in Vista 3 are now called Folders in Vista 4
  • Many of the old toggle (On/Off) choices are now buttons
  • The old sub-tabs under Build, Teach, and Student View are now buttons located elsewhere.

New Features in Vista 4

  • Designers can create Custom Links to Internet resources, as course tools
  • More intuitive / simplified interface
  • Fewer clicks, in many areas
  • Heightened focus on active learning (students contributing to the learning)
  • More efficient course management
  • Administrative enhancements
    • Letting us on the OLT help you ~ more efficiently

Blackboard Vista 4 Facilitates Active Learning at Its Best

  • Student Contributions
    • Instructors can let students contribute relevant articles or share favorite resources - either in a Media Library (collection) or in a Web Links area

  • New Discussions Features
    • Peer Review
      • Students rate one another’s posts (based on instructor criteria)

    • Class Blogs
      • Instructors create Blogs; students have a new way
        to express themselves and collaborate

    • Journals
      • Private space where students can reflect on their experiences
      • Can be shared with the rest of the class

    • Roster
      • Course participants can view personal profiles of colleagues, instructors, TAs (inc. photos)

    • Enhanced Goals Tool
      • Create, organize, present learning goals to students
      • Associate goals with materials

Blackboard Vista 4 Facilitates More Efficient Course Management

  • Date Rollover
    • Automatically adjusts all dates for certain course items

  • Grading Forms
    • Specify multiple grading criteria for a learning activity
    • Create forms – then associate them with various Vista tools

  • Easier to Use Calendar
    • Easier to switch between month-week-day views
    • Create links to Learning Modules – right in the Calendar

  • Greater flexibility in Discussion Management
    • Change discussion settings midstream
    • Restrict students from posting or replying to a specific topic

  • Assessments: Tailored Instructions and Instant Feedback
    • Add custom quiz instructions to the top of an assessment
    • Provide instant feedback to students taking a Self Test

  • More Efficient Learning Module Editing
    • Update all titles in the TOC in a Learning Module

  • Media Library Enhancements
    • Instructors can enable students to add to elements
    • Automatic thumbnail images for attached images

  • Web Links Categories
    • Instructors can enable students to add Web links
    • Organize Web links into categories

  • Course List Control
    • End-users can hide or reveal Sections on their list
    • End-users can reorder Sections on their list
    • Only Sections (i.e., not items at the course level) appear now

Blackboard Vista 4 Incorporates some Administrative Enhancements

  • Enrollment Management
    • OLT (Online Learning Team) members can add themselves to your course more quickly
      • Enhances the way the OLT supports end-users

  • My Profile
    • Share this with colleagues via Roster or PeopleLinks

  • My Tools Options
    • Customize your course
      • Set personal preferences for tool behaviors / course elements
      • Hide or reorder elements on your Course List

Last Updated: June 13, 2007