May 2021

May 2021

System Feature Information

The maximum per file upload size limit in Avenue to Learn has increased from 1 GB to 2 GB. While this is a capped setting, where we have the ability to adjust upload file size limits, we have configured any setting to the maximum 2 GB. Users who have intermittent Internet connectivity may see issues when trying to upload files at the 2 GB size. Where possible, it is always best to try to reduce file sizes before uploading.

Assignments – Annotations available for TXT file-based assignments and Download file when using annotations in the New Assignment Evaluation Experience

Previously, annotations enabled instructors to use highlighting, free-hand drawing, shapes, and associated commenting to provide feedback to learner assignments of the following file types: DOC, DOCX, RTF, ODT, PPT, PPTX, PPSX, ODP, XLS, XLSX, JPG, JPEG, PNG, TIF, TIFF, and GIF. Now, instructors can provide feedback for TXT, in addition to the existing types.

The New Assignment Evaluation Experience now includes the Download drop-down menu in the Annotations viewer. When using annotations in an assignment, instructors can use this menu to download the original file without navigating to the submission list. Instructors can also download the annotated PDF file.

Figure: The Annotations viewer with the Download drop-down menu     
Figure: The Annotations viewer with the Download drop-down menu

Attendance – Manage registers

This feature adds the ability for instructors to set the visibility of attendance registers in bulk. It also includes updated logic to prevent instructors from changing a scheme in an attendance register once session information has been added to it. This update prevents unintentional deletion of session data.

The new More Actions button on the Course Admin > Attendance Registers page enables instructors to modify the visibility of attendance registers in bulk. Previously, you had to modify each register individually.

Brightspace HTML Editor – Improvements

This feature complements the features released in the April 2021 / 20.21.4 release and includes the following improvements:

  • Copy/paste and/or drag and drop images – You can copy/paste and/or drag and drop images when providing feedback in assignments, discussions, and quizzes. Images are saved in the content folder.
  • External users adding comments in Brightspace ePortfolio now have the new inline limited version of Brightspace Editor.Figure: Inline limited version of Brightspace Editor in Brightspace ePortfolio
    Figure: Inline limited version of Brightspace Editor in Brightspace ePortfolio
  • Design improvements to enhance use of the Editor on mobile devices and improve general usability.
  • Accessibility improvements – Improved keyboard navigation for keyboard users and toolbar icons are spaced out more in accordance with WCAG standards.

Rubrics – Copy rubric criterion

To improve the value of Rubrics and facilitate reusing rubric criteria that have already been created, an action menu next to the criterion name provides Copy and Delete options. When an instructor copies a criterion, the new criterion is added under the original with the criterion name Copy of [name of original criterion].
The Delete function was previously available as a trashcan icon at the end of the criterion row outside the table. The new location in the action menu improves the discoverability of the Delete and Copy options.

The action menu beside the criterion provides copy and delete options
Figure: The action menu beside the criterion provides copy and delete options.

Rubrics – Print or export to PDF

To improve the user experience with Rubrics, instructors can now print or download a PDF of a preview or evaluated rubric. Learners can also print or download a PDF of a rubric if it is made available to them. The Print button displays above the top-right corner of the rubric.

Widgets – Work To Do widget

The new Work To Do widget provides learners a summary of assigned learning activities from all their courses that are overdue or have an upcoming due date. The widget can be added to Brightspace homepages to aggregate data from all courses, and to course homepages to show only due and overdue learning activities from the course.

The Work To Do widget displays the following learning activities:

  • Assignments
  • Checklists
  • Content
  • Courses
  • Discussions
  • Surveys
  • Quizzes

Learning activities only appear in the Work To Do widget when the activity has a defined due date or end date. By default, the widget displays activities due in the upcoming 2 weeks, and overdue work from the previous 12 weeks.

Now, all quizzes, assignments, checklists, etc., with due or end dates in the near future or past appear in one place on your homepage. Any overdue work will appear at the top of the list, and upcoming items appear below. If there are more than six items available, users will have a link to “View all work”, which takes the user to a new page with all recently overdue work and all work for the upcoming year. As long as instructors use due dates and end dates, students will be able see work in this list ordered by date.

The new Work To Do widget
Figure: The Work To Do widget organizes course activities by overdue and upcoming due dates so learners can easily prioritize their work and stay on top of their tasks.

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