Blackboard Learn (BBL) is the central Learning Management System (LMS) utilized across the University of Massachusetts (UMass) system, including the prestigious UMass Chan Medical School. For faculty, staff, and students at UMass Chan, understanding Blackboard Learn Umass is crucial for navigating online course content, engaging in collaborative learning, and accessing essential academic resources. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of Blackboard Learn at UMass Chan, its key features, and how it integrates with other vital systems like OASIS.
What is Blackboard Learn at UMass Chan?
Blackboard Learn serves as the digital hub for online education at UMass Chan Medical School. Sponsored by UMass Online, this robust LMS is designed to facilitate effective teaching and learning through a suite of integrated tools. Within Blackboard Learn, you’ll find everything needed for a dynamic online learning experience, including:
- Course Content Delivery: Access course materials, readings, lecture notes, and multimedia resources conveniently online.
- Interactive Learning Tools: Engage with Session Scheduling Tables, Blogs, Discussion forums, and collaborative platforms to enhance learning.
- Assessment and Feedback: Participate in Quizzes, Self-tests, and Assignments, with grades managed through an integrated Grade Book.
- Multimedia Libraries: Utilize Image and Media Libraries to enrich course content and presentations.
Alt text: Calendar icon with a video camera overlay, indicating sessions recorded with Echo 360 within the OASIS course scheduling system.
Every course and clerkship at UMass Chan Medical School has a dedicated website within Blackboard Learn. Course administrators are responsible for updating these sites with the latest information and materials. To ensure a consistent and user-friendly experience for students, UMass Chan recommends utilizing a standardized navigational template, allowing for customization as needed. For in-depth information and tutorials on building your course website on Blackboard Learn, UMass Chan provides valuable resources.
Accessing and Navigating Blackboard Learn UMass
Access to Blackboard Learn UMass Chan is restricted to students and faculty officially enrolled in courses or granted access by course directors or administrators. To log in, you will need your UMass Online username and password, which you’ll use after clicking the Blackboard link provided by UMass Chan.
At the beginning of each course, the Office of Undergraduate and Medical Education (OUME) will request course leaders to provide a list of faculty and staff requiring access to the Blackboard Learn course website. For adding or removing faculty and staff after the initial setup, contact Jean Welker, the OUME staff administrator. Please note that access changes typically take around three business days to process.
Students gain access to course content starting seven days prior to the course’s official start date, as determined by the Curriculum Calendar. Course leaders have the flexibility to adjust these dates if necessary. For Foundations of Medicine (FOM) Years 1 and 2, students retain access to course content for one academic year after their active enrollment period ends.
Annual Blackboard Learn Course Start-up Procedures
The Academic Instructional Design & Technology (AIDT) team at UMass Chan plays a crucial role in preparing Blackboard Learn for each academic year. AIDT staff manage course and clerkship start-up activities for all iterations of courses across semesters and blocks. Single-semester courses are rolled over annually, while courses spanning semesters are rolled over each semester. Clerkships follow a rollover schedule based on the block schedule set by Student Affairs or are merged at the discretion of the Clerkship Director.
Teaching faculty and staff have continuous access to course materials within Blackboard Learn. Should a course start date change, the course leader must notify AIDT via email to ensure the Blackboard Learn system is updated accordingly.
Integration with OASIS: Streamlining Course Management
UMass Chan Medical School utilizes the Online Access to Student Information and Scheduling (OASIS) system in conjunction with Blackboard Learn. OASIS manages course scheduling within the academic year calendar and serves as the central curriculum database.
A key aspect of curriculum management at UMass Chan is the mapping of all T.H. Chan School of Medicine courses and clerkships within OASIS. Course objectives are aligned with the UMass Chan Medical School Educational Objectives, and all sessions (events in OASIS) are mapped to the relevant course objectives. Faculty are encouraged to review existing course materials, ensuring learning objectives use active verbs and that instructional and assessment methods effectively reflect these objectives.
Leveraging Echo 360 for Enhanced Learning
Echo 360 is integrated with both OASIS and Blackboard Learn to provide recorded sessions for student review. Within the OASIS calendar, a video camera icon indicates sessions scheduled for recording via Echo 360. Lectures and presentations in designated rooms, such as Amphitheaters and Auditoriums, are automatically captured and made available to students through Blackboard Learn.
During periods requiring remote learning, such as AY20-21, UMass Chan has utilized the HyFlex model, integrating Zoom cloud recordings with Echo 360 for seamless posting within Blackboard Learn.
HIPAA Compliance and Patient Confidentiality
When incorporating patient interactions or data into teaching, UMass Chan Medical School emphasizes strict adherence to HIPAA guidelines and patient confidentiality. It is imperative that all personally identifiable information is removed from patient data, images, or any patient-specific materials before sharing them with students.
For sessions involving patient photography or videography, even through standard lecture capture systems, explicit patient consent is mandatory. Course leaders are responsible for verifying that appropriate consent forms are completed in advance. Faculty needing to adjust Echo 360 default settings for privacy reasons (e.g., patient privacy requests) should contact the UMass Chan Medical School Help Desk for assistance.
The AAMC Curriculum Inventory Report
UMass Chan Medical School contributes to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Curriculum Inventory Report (CIR) through its OASIS data. The AAMC CIR is a vital resource for curriculum evaluation, continuous quality improvement, and medical education research. Instructional methods, assessment methods, and resources within courses are mapped in OASIS using AAMC CIR terminology, supporting the school’s commitment to curriculum excellence and national reporting standards.
For updates to course and session information within OASIS, contact Gail March Cohen, PhD, Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education.
Blackboard Learn and OASIS are indispensable tools for the UMass Chan Medical School community, working together to create a robust and well-managed learning environment. By understanding and utilizing these systems effectively, faculty and students can maximize their teaching and learning experiences.
