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<h1 style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:115%"><u><span style="font-size:16.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:white">LearningStudio (eCollege) Discussion Threads Update</span></u><u><span style="font-size:16.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></u></h1>
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<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:115%;background:white">
<span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:black">This is the latest release of an update to
<strong><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">LearningStudio Threads</span></strong>. The latest changes respond to the need for faculty to Block Inappropriate Posts and needed UI/UX improvements in: Discussion Nested View, Gradebook Detail View for
 Threads, Multiple Topics and Post Replies.</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:115%;background:white">
<strong><span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#222222">What can they do now that they couldn't do before:</span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:115%;background:white">
<strong><span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#222222">Block Inappropriate Posts</span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:115%;background:white">
<span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:black">In Author Mode, faculty can now block posts containing inappropriate, offensive or abusive content. Faculty have the ability to block a single posting or multiple postings
 associated to a thread. </span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:115%;background:white">
<strong><span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#222222">Improved UI/UX</span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:115%;background:white">
<span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:black">As part of the Pearson learner-centered design practice our designers: examined the whole discussion thread experience; conducted journey-mapping and eye-tracking exercises;
 and optimized four areas in Threads to better meet student and faculty expectations.
</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>
<p style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:115%;background:white">
<strong><span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#222222">Gradebook Detail View for Threads</span></strong><strong><span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;color:#222222"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></p>
<p style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:115%;background:white">
<span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;color:#333333"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>
<p style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:115%;background:white">
<strong><span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#222222">Discussion can be viewed in the Gradebook</span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:115%;background:white">
<span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#222222">Instructors will see that the bottom half of screen is now more similar to the discussion experience. Faculty now have more detail data on the latest thread activity
 for improved at-a-glance statistics.</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:115%;background:white">
<span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>
<p style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:115%;background:white">
<strong><span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#222222">Multiple Topics</span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:115%;background:white">
<span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#222222">In discussion threads with more than one topic, topic titles (along with the description) are added and are more prominent on the screen.
</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:115%;background:white">
<b><u><span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#222222"><br>
</span></u></b><strong><span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#222222">Threaded Discussion View</span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:115%"><strong><span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#222222">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1. Reply and Respond Button Labels</span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:115%;background:white">
<span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#222222">The first button on the screen is updated: the Reply label was changed back to Respond; and all subsequent buttons are labeled: Reply. This change further emphasizes
 the call to action in the chronology of discussion tasks. See screenshot below.</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#222222">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
</span><strong><span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#222222">Improved Clarity in the Nested view of Posts
</span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:115%;background:white">
<span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#222222">In conducting our eye-tracking exercise, it was revealed that faculty and students were getting lost as they scanned the discussion. They needed additional visual
 cues to better lead them from post to post and further clarify the relationship between parent and child posts. Other improvements include: spacing alignment and relative icon sizing.
</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:115%"><strong><span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#222222">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2. Parent Posts:
</span></strong><span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#222222">are more prominent on the screen with a larger font and avatar; indicating that other posts are in response to this one.</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:115%"><strong><span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 3.&nbsp; Child Posts:
</span></strong><span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333">a gray wrapper was added around the child posts clearly aids in defining its relationship is in response to the parent post.
</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:115%;background:white">
<strong><span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#222222">What to expect:</span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#333333;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:115%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#222222">The
<strong><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Block Inappropriate Posts </span>
</strong>feature, has been requested to be turned on by our SCO consultant.</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#333333;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:115%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#222222">The UX improvements and updates to the Gradebook Detail view are automatic for all EPs who have the new Threads experience turned on.</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p style="line-height:115%;min-height: 8pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Lucida Calligraphy&quot;;color:navy"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:navy">Center for Faculty Excellence and Innovation<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">903.886.5511 (office)</span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Lucida Calligraphy&quot;;color:navy"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">903.886.5991 (fax)</span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Lucida Calligraphy&quot;;color:navy"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><a href="mailto:online@tamu.edu">online@tamu.edu</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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