This article is part of a series explaining the new features and changes that will be introduced as part of the Blackboard upgrade scheduled for 11-13 July 2014.

When setting up assignments you will notice there are some changes to way that the Create Assignment page looks and some additional options available.

Many settings are now hidden within collapsed areas of the Grading section on the Create Assignment page. If there are particular options that you regularly used and can no longer see, it is likely that these are now in one of the collapsed areas. To access these options simply click on the link to expand the section:

• Submission Details
  Within this section you can choose the assignment type. In addition to individual or group submissions, you can now set portfolio submissions. Portfolio submissions require the student to create or select an existing portfolio in Blackboard and submit this for grading. Portfolios can contain uploaded files or pull in artefacts from Blackboard sites in which the student is enrolled. However, they are not rendered for grading using inline comments and mark-ups, and therefore feedback must either be typed directly as comments or via file attachments.
• Grading Options
  Anonymous grading and delegated grading are two new features that are not currently enabled and therefore cannot be selected. Further information and details on how you can make use of these features will follow when they become available.
• Display of Grades Options
  This section includes options that you would normally perform in the Grade Centre once you have set up an assignment and a grade column has been created. This includes hiding the grade column from student view so that students cannot see their feedback and grades during the marking process. Expanding this section and deselecting ‘Show to students in My Grades’ streamlines the process as you do not have to go to Grade Centre after creating the assignment to hide the column.