More gradebook updates, test access logs coming in January

Grade visibility, batch edit, authentic assessment prompts

Expanding the functionality for the gradebook and assessments has been a central theme for the past year of Ultra development. When the winter term starts in 2024, Ultra courses will feature additional enhancements for the gradebook, grading interface, and test logs for learner attempts as developers continue to refine features based on institutional and instructor feedback.

The gradebook is a key tool for instructors in an Ultra course. With this update, instructors will be able to create total and weighted calculated columns that are point or percentage based with options to include or exclude categories and dropping scores. Moreover, these new total calculated columns can be used toward the overall grade calculation, allowing greater flexibility.

Image 1: Example of the improved gradebook with option to add a new Total Calculation

Grading & Gradebook Improvements

The grid view of the Ultra gradebook features usability improvements that reduces spacing around icons and improves row visibility.
The gradebook will now provide the student ID next to each learner's name to improve identification. When hovering over a truncated name in the gradebook, a tooltip will reveal the full name.
A sortable category column is added to the gradebook list view to provide clarity for those items to be graded.
Students will be able to see their grades for an assessment even if it is hidden. In a future update, feedback will be also visible.
Instructors can use delegated grading for anonymous assessments. Sorting controls are available for submission date.

The test assessment log has been a frequent request for Ultra courses. Unlike Original courses, the Ultra version of this functionality provides information for tests and assignments. The test log will provide detailed information including date and time for starting the test, answers to each question, a preview of the question itself, and the estimated time spent on each question. The assignment log provides the start and submission date and time as well as the submission receipt number.

Image 2: Instructors can access the Assessment Submission Log from the individual assessment

Content Creation & Management

The latest update to the AI Course Design Assistant Tools in Ultra courses allows instructors to generate assignment prompts aligned to a selected Bloom's cognitive process. As with all AI functionality, instructors are in complete control and can choose when and how to they want to use the tools.

Image 3: Instructors can add additional context through a description, select the desired cognitive level and complexity, and then generate prompts

Additional updates to Content Management include:

The Batch Edit tool now allows instructors to manage the date and/or time for selected items that have a pre-existing date/time -- for example, assessment due dates or visibility.
Instructors can use the unused files tool to find and remove course files that are not in use in a course. Instructors can download a file before deleting it.

Faculty should see the latest updates in Ultra courses around January 4-5, 2024. The next update to our Ultra test environment will take place on January 9, 2024; release notes are posted to the What's New in Ultra that same week. Faculty who are interested in test driving new features before they are released to production should open an RT ticket to request early access. Please watch the FAQs, including the What's New with Ultra page, and myUMBC for additional information about Ultra.

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