Blackboard Predict (BB Predict) is a subscription-based predictive model designed to identify students at risk of receiving a grade of D or F in a course. UMBC has a long partnership with Blackboard and had an active advisory role in the development of this tool. While the product produced was high quality, it has been lightly used (although more recently DoIT has partnered with individual faculty and staff to explore ways to use it as part of our student success efforts and as a complement to our First Year Intervention Alert Program).
Given current usage and financial constraints, we have made the decision to sunset BB Predict and will not renew our subscription.
One factor that limited the usefulness of BB Predict to improve student success through better early alerts is simple. The model’s predictions only become precise enough to use with confidence at the semester's midpoint and are not “early enough.” Recognizing that the earlier at-risk students can be identified with precision, the more time we have to help them and the greater the likelihood of their success, the Data Science Team within DoIT and supported by the Provost’s office constructed our own model, now called UMBC Predict. The team’s goal was to increase the precision of the model’s estimates earlier in the semester, in this case, four weeks from the first day of classes, to allow for greater opportunities for students to seek assistance or change their approach to the class, and for these changes or assistance to have an impact.
UMBC Predict does not attempt to replicate the model and platform of our vendor partner. The strategy employed by the Data Science Team was to focus on fewer courses in the initial stages of the work. In particular, the team focused on courses with elevated DFW rates, large numbers of students, and importantly, courses where instructors make relatively heavy use of our learning management system (Blackboard) to engage students and to record assignments and grades throughout the semester. It has always been true that instructors’ use of the learning management system provides valuable information to students about their progress in the course, but it is also the case that these interactions provide important information that the predictive model can use to sharpen predictions at an earlier point in the semester.
A second important factor underlying our decision to sunset BB Predict is pragmatic and necessary. With the current pandemic and its associated negative effects upon the state budget, reducing our expenditure on a subscription-based model in favor of an internal model with equivalent or better performance for certain courses allows us to maintain our support for students while freeing up resources to support people and programs.
UMBC Predict is already being integrated into department-level enhanced early alert programs on a pilot basis. This term, faculty in the Mathematics and Statistics Department and the Dean’s Office in the College of Mathematical and Natural Sciences plan to partner with DoIT and the Analytics and Business Intelligence Group to use targeted communications to students who may be at risk after four weeks. The communication, delivered over the course instructor’s signature, encourages students to take advantage of their office hours along with other tips developed by the Academic Success Center to improve students’ chances of success both in the course and at UMBC.
The UMBC Instructional Technology Update is provided by the Division of Information Technology for students, faculty and staff. If you have questions or need help, please consult the Blackboard Help FAQs or directly at www.umbc.edu/blackboard/help. You can also contact the Technology Support Center at 410.455.3838 or submit an RT (Request Tracker) ticket via the myUMBC Help Menu or directly at my.umbc.edu/help.
HEADLINES
What’s New
UMBC faculty on a mission to prepare robust, high-quality online classes for fall
New PIVOT Site Launched for Faculty Professional Development
Recommended Template Language for Inclusion in Syllabi on Blackboard for Fall 2020
Academic Continuity
May 4-8 & August 10-14 PIVOT Live webinar recordings available [myUMBC login req’d]
Training & Professional Development (view all events)
Start of Semester Faculty Sprint: August 21
Essentials Series: VoiceThread, Panopto, Bb Original
Skill Builder Series: Collaborate, Ultra
Webex (Basics, Advanced, Teams, Events) & Virtual Desktop Environment
Other DoIT News
As always, if you have any questions, please consider the following options:
Academic Continuity | Keep On Teaching | Student Technology Resources
Follow the Instructional Technology & DoIT myUMBC groups
Request a consult with instructional technology staff
Over the last week UMBC has experienced a large increase in the use of DocuSign as we gear up for the Fall semester.
The start of semester is always busy, but especially during a global pandemic. We got through Spring 20, but since every student will likely have at least one online or hybrid Fall 20 course, the Division of Information Technology (DoIT) strongly recommends that all students check they have the necessary technology setup to be successful. To help, DoIT is hosting 12 Sprint sessions for 10-minute, virtual walk-in consults or pop-up support groups on key topics that include the following:
Checking Your Blackboard Collaborate Audio Connection (essential)
Using Virtual Computing Lab & Software (recommended)
Using myUMBC Groups & Webex Teams for Student Clubs & Organizations (8/26, 8/31, 9/2 and 9/9 only).
The Sprints will occur across four weeks from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the following dates:
Tues. 8/25, Wed., 8/26, Thurs., 8/27 (1st day of classes)
Due to the short format, these virtual support sessions are designed for quick consults, not deep dives or customized training sessions. Also, you will likely be in a virtual room with several people who also are interested in the same topic, and being helped by a DoIT support staff member. Often, you can learn by listening to this Q&A, but if you want a personalized consult, please use my.umbc.edu/help to open a Request Tracker (RT) ticket.
About the Sprint
The sprints will take place in a Blackboard Collaborate virtual conference room. Use the link for each event up to 15 minutes before the start time. While you can just “show up,” advance registration -- by indicating you are “Going” through the myUMBC event link above -- is appreciated and can help DoIT gauge how many support staff are needed in each breakout room. However, if you require live closed captioning, advance registration is required.
Prior to the session
If this is your first time joining one of our live sessions, please review the Getting Started Guide. You will also find additional helpful information for using Blackboard Collaborate at our extensive FAQs.
For the best experience, we recommend using Google Chrome or a recent browser update. Closing any unnecessary browser tabs will help conserve your bandwidth. After joining the session, please configure your audio.
* Note: As announced to all incoming students on 7/22/20, since UMBC requires all students to have a computer and Internet access, financial aid may be used to meet this requirement. To learn more, students should contact their financial aid counselor at financialaid.umbc.edu/contact.
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DoIT has been made aware of a problem with the dial-in feature in Webex Meetings. The symptom is that when joining a meeting through the phone that users will receive an error of “You have dialed a call in number that is not supported for this meeting”.
Our vendor, Cisco, is working on the problem now. As a work around, you may use the join audio by computer function which appears to be unaffected by the problem.
Updates will be posted as the problem is resolved.
Ray Soellner
DoIT - UMBC
410-455-3256
]]>As part of our ongoing commitment to security, the Unix Infrastructure group will be conducting its quarterly system patching on Friday, August 14th and Saturday, August 15th. While many of the systems will be patched without any service disruption, there are some systems which require the downtime of key services. The schedule below outlines which key services will be offline and for how long.
Friday, 08/14/2020 between 4pm and 10pm (most systems will only be down for a short period during this time):
Saturday, 08/15/2020 between 9am and 11am(most systems will only be down for a short period during this time):
Please let us know if you have any concerns or questions.
Thanks!
Tim Champ
Manager of Unix Infrastructure
UMBC DoIT
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