Blackboard Learn & OASIS

Blackboard Learn (BBL) is the comprehensive Learning Management System (LMS) sponsored by UMass Online utilized by the University of Massachusetts 5 campus system. Our campus uses the LMS for online course content and teaching and learning collaboration. The teaching and learning tools include Session Scheduling Tables, Blogs and Discussions, Quizzes and Self-tests, Image and Media Libraries, Assignments, and a Grade Book.

Courses and clerkships have a website on BBL: Any changes to the course information and materials are loaded onto the LMS by the course administrator. Each website  uses a standard UMass Chan Medical School template to provide a consistent framework for students across courses. Academic Instructional Design & Technology strongly suggests following the FOM navigational template and add customization only as needed. To learn more, go to BBL information. BBL faculty tutorials on building your course website is available here.

Annual BBL Start-up: Academic Instructional Design & Technology (AIDT) staff complete course/clerkship startup activities for all iterations of a course into subsequent blocks or semesters. Single-semester courses are rolled over annually. Courses that cross semesters are rolled over each semester. Clerkships are rolled over according to the block schedule set by Student Affairs or merged together at the discretion of the Clerkship Director(s).

• Teaching faculty and staff have access to course materials in BBL at all times
• A change in course start date requires an email by the course leader to Academic Instructional Designers and Technology (AIDT) for modification in the BBL system
• Students have access to course content starting 7 days prior to the course’s start date (set by the Curriculum Calendar) unless dates are changed by the course co-leaders
• Course content for Foundations of Medicine (FOM) Years 1 and 2 is accessible to students for a period of 1 academic year after they have been actively enrolled in a course.

Please Note: Access to BBL LMS site is available to students and teaching faculty only who are enrolled in the course or given access by the course director or administrator. An UMassOnline username and password are required after clicking on the Blackboard link. At the initial start-up of each course (new and ongoing requests), the OUME will ask course leaders to provide a list of faculty and staff who should have access to their BBL course website. Request to add or remove faculty and staff by contacting the OUME staff administrator, Jean Welker, (access takes about 3 business days).

UMass Chan Medical School has the Online Access to Student Information and Scheduling (OASIS) for its scheduling of courses in an academic year calendar and for its curriculum database. To learn more, go to the OASIS Knowledge Base.

Mapping required T.H. Chan School of Medicine courses and clerkships: All course objectives are mapped to the UMass Chan Medical School Educational Objectives and all sessions (termed events in OASIS) are mapped to the appropriate course objectives. Review any existing course materials and check that the learning objectives use active verbs and the instructional strategies and assessment methods reflect the learning objectives. Avoid the use of the verbs that are open to interpretation and difficult to measure in assessments such as know, learn,  appreciate, be familiar with, understand, be aware of, and demonstrate understanding.

Echo 360 Recordings:   A video camera icon on the OASIS calendar event indicates that a session will be recorded using Echo 360 video capture for student viewing through BBL. Lectures and presentations are digitally recorded by the ECHO360 system scheduled in specific rooms such as Amphitheaters (1,2,3), Goff Auditoriums (S!-607 and S1-608), the Sherman Center Auditorium (AS2-2102), and the Integrated Teaching and Learning Center(iTLC). In AY20-21 to follow CDC guidelines for the COVID-19 pandemic, the HyFlex model is available with Zoom cloud recordings directly sent to Echo 360 for posting in BBL.

Obtaining consent from patients to be photographed or videotaped (HIPAA requirement)-- Bringing patients into the classroom, or using their images, histories or data to help educate our students are powerful ways to reinforce clinical relevance and our UMass Chan Medical School competencies in our teaching. Please be aware that in order to protect patient confidentiality:

• All personally identifiable information regarding patients should be carefully removed from data, images or any patient-specific materials before sharing with students
• Patients who agree to be photographed or videotaped, even by our standard lecture capture system, must complete a specific consent form in advance. Verification of this consent is the course leader’s responsibility. 
• Faculty will need to contact the UMass Chan Medical School Help Desk for assistance to change the Echo 360 default opt in and opt out (e.g., patient privacy request) for their session.  

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Curriculum Inventory Report (CIR):The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Curriculum Inventory Report (CIR) is a powerful resource that supports curriculum evaluation and continuous quality improvement, furthers medical education research, sustains AAMC's ability to communicate with government and media outlets and ensure our school's priorities and issues are represented, and informs AAMC initiatives. The UMass Chan Medical School submits our T.H. Chan School of Medicine OASIS data to contribute to the AAMC CIR and its LCME connections.

The T.H. Chan School of Medicine supports by submitting a report of each previous year's curriculum. Instructional methods. assessment methods, and resources are mapped to your course in OASIS using the AAMC CIR language. To see the list and definitions of the terms, go to Medbiquitous terminology.

Your course events, objectives, instructional methods, assessment methods and resources are posted in OASIS. For updates to your course and session information, please contact Gail March Cohen, PhD., Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education.

Back to Course and Clerkship Leaders Guide