University of Melbourne staff and students may choose to view the LMS through the Blackboard Mobile Learn app, which allows fast, convenient access to the LMS from a mobile device. Through the app, staff and students can check information, access most subject materials, and perform many tasks without using an internet browser on a desktop or laptop computer.
Blackboard Mobile Learn provides an easy to access, simplified version of the LMS materials. Differences in screen size mean some devices may not be appropriate for all tasks, but the important information can be delivered quickly and conveniently.
This guide will give you an overview of what you can expect your subject to look like to people using the app, plus pointers on how to make your subject as mobile friendly as possible.
Get the Blackboard Learn Mobile app
The Blackboard Mobile Learn app is currently free to University of Melbourne users, both staff and student, and can be used via 3G/4G or wireless networks. As with other apps, you are responsible for any data transfer charges incurred, so we recommend using WiFi wherever possible.
Download the app for your device:
http://www.blackboard.com/resources/mobile/mobile_learn_splash/desktop/portal-nonsprint.html
View your subject
Your subject will look a little different in the mobile version. The exact appearance will vary depending on the mobile device being used, mostly due to the screen size of the device. To give you an idea of the difference, images for this guide were taken with an Android smart phone and an iPad. Your LMS homepage will look something like this:
Opening a subject will give you a working area like this:
In the mobile version, you do not have the Control Panel below the subject menu. This means many staff actions such as making the subject available/unavailable, changing the style or subject banner, checking the list of students, or using the Grade Centre are not possible. However, you do have the ability to add announcements, which students and staff report to be the most useful aspect of the app.
Note: You also do not have an Edit Mode ON/OFF button at the top right of your screen, as you do in the browser version.
Add announcements
1. Open the announcements page.
2. Click the +Add button. A new announcement dialogue box appears. 3. Type an announcement title and text.
4. Click the Post button (top) to finish.
5. The announcement is now available to students.
Notes: Options to email and date restrict announcements are not available via the app.
If accessing announcements via a module page then the app will open the full browser version of announcements.
Add content
You can add content from the mobile app by typing directly into the relevant dialogue box. It is also possible to add files such as PDF documents and pictures, if you have the relevant files available on, or from, your mobile device. Adding content via the app is the same a adding an Item in the full browser version.
1. Navigate to a content page. 2. Click +Add.
3. Enter a title, description and attach up to 10 available files using the appropriate icons.
What options are available depend on your device. On Android, (pictured), you can select to upload Local files (stored on your device), images or music from your device’s Library, or files from your Dropbox. On apple devices, Local is replaced with Camera.
4. Click the Post button in the top right hand corner to finish. 5. The content is now available to students.
Note: You cannot apply adaptive release rules when adding content via the app.
Delete content
It is not possible to delete or hide content when accessing your subject via the app. You will need to access a browser version in order to remove (or put adaptive release rules on) any content you don’t want students to see.
How will my subject look in the app?
When students view your LMS subject using the Blackboard Mobile Learn app, it will look subtly different depending on which device is being used. As different mobile devices, browsers, networks and platforms present information differently, it is not possible to cater for every combination. However, users are quite flexible in accessing information, and the bulk of your subject will be readily accessed through the mobile app.
Overview of what staff and students can access through the app
Staff Students
Create View Create View
Announcements
NA
Bb assignments
NA
Blog posts
Discussion board
Email
Grades
NA
Grades only, not comments
Groups
NA
Lecture capture
NA
Lecture notes
NA
Staff Information
NA
Tasks
NA
Tests
NA
Turnitin
*
NA
Weblinks
NA
Wiki pages
* Turnitin is not available via the Blackboard app. However there is a separate Turnitin app that can be used for viewing student submissions and grading.
The great advantage of the mobile app for students is the speed of access. Any student with a mobile device will be able to view your subject, so taking steps to make your subject as mobile-friendly as possible will ensure that they get the most out of their visit to your LMS site.
The same page viewed through android (left) and iPad (right)
You will get the best idea of what students may see when you log in to your subject through a mobile device using your own Student View (sv.) account. If you do not yet have a Student View account, you can get one at http://www.lms.unimelb.edu.au/start/student-view/
How do I make my subject mobile friendly?
Most of your subject is already mobile friendly
Even if you do not make any changes, most of your subject will be readily viewed through the Blackboard Mobile Learn app. Students can easily access announcements, content pages,
discussion boards and the My Grades link. The app is also continually being updated and becomes more powerful with each version, so we expect that more features and functions will be available in the future.
The following steps should be done through your desktop/browser version of the LMS. They
cannot be performed from the mobile app, but will improve the mobile experience for people who use the app.
File Links
The most robust files types can be viewed on any device e.g. PDF, Text, PNG and JPEG formats. When creating an item that links to a file include a description or introductory sentence in the text area. This will ensure students will know what the item is about without having to open the file. If you don’t add a description, the phrase No Description will be visible via the app.
There are two methods for attaching files to an item, three if that file is an image.
Text area, Attach File option and Insert/Edit Image option
Both these methods create a link to the file in-line with the text when viewed. A link to the file will also appear at the bottom of the item.
If the file is an image that has been viewed previously via this device, this bottom link will display a preview of the image.
The screenshot below is what a student sees via the BB Mobile App, with links highlighted:
Note: The image is only embedded when viewed on a desktop or mobile browser. In the BB Mobile App, students will not see the difference if you select Attach File or Insert/Edit Image.
Attachments option
Creates a link to the file that appears at the bottom of the item when viewed via the app.
If the file is an image that has been viewed previously via this device, the link will instead display a preview of the image.
The screenshot below is what a student sees via the BB Mobile App:
Note: There is no link to the file in-line with the text when viewed via the app.
Web links
Web links should always be set to open in a new window. Otherwise students will see an unnecessary redirect page displayed in an embedded browser window.
Make multiple content items
Multiple content items display better on a small screen than one content item with many documents attached. In the examples below, many documents in the one item mean a lot of scrolling on the small device to see the documents. Files display better on the bigger iPad screen, but the field is becoming crowded.
Groups
If you want students to be able to view their groups within the app you need to make a Groups page available on the subject menu.
1. From the plus sign (+) at the top of the subject menu select Tool Link. 2. Give the tool link a Name (e.g. Groups),
Select the tool Type (Groups), and Click the Available to Users check box.
Are my tests mobile friendly?
Tests can be taken from mobile devices, if the tests use question types and settings which are mobile-compatible.
Some tests can be completed through the app; however tests including particular question types must be completed through a browser. The presentation of tests though the app differs according to the device used and looks very different to the web browser version.
To build a test that can be used through the app, use only True/False, Multiple Choice, Short Answer, Hot Spot, Fill-In-Multiple-Blanks, File Response (image only) or Calculated Numeric question types. Avoid randomising answers within a question, randomising the order of questions, including random question blocks in the test or presenting questions one at a time.
Conversely, if you don’t want students to complete a test through the mobile app, it is simple to alter your test to include an incompatible question type or option, as listed above.
In conclusion
The ongoing development of the Blackboard Mobile Learn app presents us with a fluid environment which gradually enables more features and functionality.
To find out more about creating a mobile-friendly subject, keep an eye out for the LE News, the LE Blog, and our current range of workshops. If you have any queries, comments or suggestions, please contact us through the email below or via the online help form at
http://www.lms.unimelb.edu.au/support/helpdesk/
Please report any errors or omissions in this guide to [email protected]
The University of Melbourne has used its best endeavours to ensure that material contained in this publication was correct at the time of printing. The University gives no warranty and accepts no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of information and the University reserves the right to make changes without notice at any time in its absolute discretion. Users of this publication are advised to reconcile the accuracy and currency of the information
provided with the relevant department of the University before acting upon or in consideration of the information. Copyright in this publication is owned by the University and no part of it may be reproduced without the permission of the University
