New bSpace Release - What's New in 2.6?

New bSpace release
The bSpace team is pleased to announce the latest release of bSpace. With the 2.6 version, bSpace users will benefit from a new email tool, called Messages, and several improvements to the user interface and functionality of some key bSpace tools.  

Messages:
With this new release, the bSpace team discontinued its support of the Mailtool,* which had proved unreliable for our users over the course of the last couple of semesters. In its place, we have added Messages. Listed here are Messages’ key features:

• Like Mailtool, Messages enables users, i.e., instructors, GSIs and students, to send messages to bSpace site members.
• In addition, Messages stores sent and received messages (in a way that Mailtool did not), thereby creating a personal archive for you.
• Finally, on the Home page, you will see updates indicating when you have received a new message (much like the Forums tool).

*Mailtool will no longer be offered as a new tool, but will remain available in sites in which it already exists through summer 2009.  

Of the user interface and functionality improvements bSpace, these are among the most significant:

View Site As:

• Instructors, Head GSIs, and Maintainers can now view their site from the perspective of other site members such as Students, Members, etc.

Email Archive:

• Site ID number no longer appears beneath the email alias for your site.

Gradebook:

• Ability to add multiple items at the same time
• Gradebook Items in “All Grades” view are sorted by date and alphabetically

Quiz & Survey:

• Ability to quickly create a quiz/survey through “QuickCreate” button
• Ability to edit published assessments and re-grade submissions

Gateway and Welcome pages:

• Login and logout buttons are more pronounced
• Assistance is available to those with failed login attempts
• Links in footer are updated
• Worsksite Setup tool called Site Setup