MyGateway System Help
New Features in MyGateway v7.1
Beginning Fall 2006 you'll find several new features available
in the MyGateway course management system. In addition to the current
features these new additions offer instructors several options that can
be used to enhance student learning. To find out more information about
a specific feature click on the link and you will be directed to more information. For additional help please contact the Faculty Resource Center
at 516-6704 or via email at: frc@umsl.edu.
Assessments and Gradebook
Discussion Board
Visual Text Editor
Multiple Attempts
Instructors can now set assessments to allow an unlimited number of multiple attempts or specify a number. All multiple attempts are visible in the gradebook and the instructor can choose to delete any of the attempts within a specified range.
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Self-Assessment Options
This feature allows the instructor and student to view the grade or just the student not the instructor. The two choices are: Include this test in gradebook score calculations (this feature was previously available only in the Gradebook but has been added to the content area of the deployed exam). The second choice is to Hide the score of this test from the Gradebook. Using the latter option allows only the student to view the grade.
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Test Feedback
The feedback options have been customized to allow users to select from any combination of the available answers which include: score, submitted answers, correct answers and feedback. Instructors can now select feedback of both score and submitted answers if they choose.
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Test Presentation
Allows questions to be presented to students all at once or one at a time. In addition questions can be randomized.
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Extra Credit
When preparing assessments instructors can choose to apply "Extra Credit Only" to certain questions. However, if the question is answered correctly it will not be included in the total points in the points possible for the entire test. If answered incorrectly there in no penalty since the question was marked "Extra Credit Only."
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Override Option
An override field has been added to the gradebook feature in v7.1. This feature allows the instructor to enter a grade that overrides the calculated grade. For example, if "multiple attempts" are allowed the instructor could use the override field to modify a score.
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Discussion Board
Several new features have been added to the discussion board making the feature a more interactive communication tool for enhancing student performance.
New Discussion Board Features (Flash plug-in required) - provides an overview of the newly enhanced discussion board.
Discussion Board Grading and Post Rating (Flash plug-in required) - highlights new features which include peer rating and grading discussions.
New Enhancements - (text version) - summary of new discussion board features.
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Visual Text Editor
The visual text box editor is now available in multiple browsers which includes: Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Netscape and Firefox for Mac users. The Visual Editor text box is compatible with the following Windows browsers: Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0, Mozilla Firefox 1.0
and Netscape 8.0. Mac broswers include: Safari 2.0 and Firefox 1.0.
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Some information on this page is adapted from:
Blackboard Academic Suite Release Notes (Release 7) Blackboard, Inc., October 13, 2005.
Blackboard Academic Suite Release Notes Application Pack 1 (Release 7.1). Blackboard, Inc., April 2006.