QMplus April Release – New features and configuration changes 
There’s been lots of exciting developments to QMplus, along with issues fixed and configuration changes made, improving the functionality and accessibility. We’ve highlighted just a few in this video for you to take a look at.
Blackboard Ally: New tool to enhance your learning materials
Work has recommenced to procure ‘Blackboard Ally’, which will integrate seamlessly into QMplus and help colleagues in making digital course content accessible to all users. The primary functions of this tool are to provide:
- alternative formats for existing content in order to improve the overall student experience, particularly for students with additional needs or disabilities;
- teaching staff with detailed insight into the accessibility issues with their existing materials and guidance on how to make improvements;
- institution-wide reporting on the accessibility of course content by automatically scanning for inaccessible content.
We will share more information about this tool in the coming months.
Featured video – How to ensure grades and feedback are available
There are a number of ways to control the availability of grades and feedback in QMplus. As a result, it’s possible to forget which restrictions have been set, especially if there are multiple graders. We’ve created the following video covering the Gradebook and assignment settings, to act as a checklist and help ensure your students get access to their grades and feedback on time.
QMplus spring clean – Optimising your course areas
Spring has finally sprung and what better time to take a look at your QMplus module areas to identify opportunities to: rethink what activities and resources you use, restructure content, improve navigation or to just learn more about what is possible. The ELU is here to help! To schedule an hour with a member of the team, please book a session with us, here.
Staff development opportunities in May
Please register via the CPD website for any of the courses below:
- Blackboard Collaborate – Monday 17 May – 2-3pm
- Introduction to Online Learning Design – Thursday 20 May – 11-12 noon
- Advanced QMplus quizzes – Thursday 20th of May, 2-3pm
- QMplus Assignments – Monday 24 May – 3-4pm
- An introduction to Q-Review lecture capture – Tuesday 25th of May, 15:30-17:00
- Advanced Blackboard Collaborate – Wednesday 26 May – 11-12 noon
- Recording Yourself – 26 May 2021 10-11am
- Analytics on student engagement: – Friday 28 May, 10-11am
We also have a number of self-directed training areas online, for staff to proceed through at their own pace:
Drop-in Sessions and Book a Learning Technologist
Drop-in sessions are online every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 1-2pm. There’s no need to tell us you’re coming; just drop-in via the Blackboard Collaborate webinar link on our E-Learning Online Support area on QMplus.
Should your inquiry require more discussion, please access the BALT QMplus page to book a session of up to an hour to discuss your e-learning ideas and issues with one of our learning technologists.
What are people asking the Helpdesk?
The top queries in April were related to: removing files from the Turnitin repository, adding users in bulk to QMplus course areas and how to customise the columns in the gradebook, by removing columns… Read more in our common support questions article.
