As you may know, UEA is currently running Blackboard Version 8 for it's Virtual Learning Environment.  To allow us to take advantage of enhancements and to ensure that we maintain levels of support for the Blackboard product, we need to upgrade to Blackboard Learn Release 9.1.

New Features

Release 9.1 has several new features including:

• a new interface designed to simplify the process of creating and editing your courses,
   
• new features that help you organise course materials and assignments,
   
• new social tools to support collaborative learning,
   
• improved Grade Centre and quiz options to make assessment easier.

Timescales

April to mid-May - Demonstrations of Release 9.1 (see schedule and book).  Availability of online resources to support self-paced learning.

Mid-May onwards - Regular training sessions (schedule not yet available).  These will primarily be short sessions giving you hands-on experience of the changes/differences you need to know about in Release 9.1

May/June - the web team aim to have Release 9.1 on a test server to

1. support effective training sessions
2. engage in user community testing
3. enable members of staff to gain experience with the new release.

August  - Upgrade the live server to Release 9.1 - the project team are seeking to find a time in that period that will be least disruptive to our staff and students.

The Upgrade Project Team

If you have any queries about about the upgrade of Blackboard please email bb.help@uea.ac.uk in the first instance and your query will be directed to the appropriate person.

The main upgrade team consists of :

• Paul Hooper  - Project Manager (ISD)
• Robin Keith - Technical (Web Team, ISD)
• Paul Beckett - Technical (Web Team, ISD)
• Judy Tryggvason - Technical (Web Team, ISD)
• Andy Mee - Learning Technologist (CSED)
• Jo Bruce - Learning Technologist (CSED)
• Jane Baker - Blackboard Support Representative (ISD)
• Heather Wells - User services, Start of year, Induction (ISD)

There will of course be other teams across ISD and the wider University involved in implementing Blackboard Learn 9.1.

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