Release notes 19.1
Release date: 11/27/2024 • Last update: 12/017/2024
With OpenOlat 19.1 we release our next major version.
The new course element "Selection" for the learning path enables the provision of several work assignments, of which participants must complete a certain number ("x out of y").
Various extensions in the peer review process in the "Task" course element support participants and coaches even better in conducting and administering reviews. For the course element "Topic broker", among other things, the execution of enrollments has been optimized. The redesign of the subscription function on course elements and in the project tool provides a better overview.
From now on, the completion criterion of course elements can also be used as a condition for the allocation of OpenBadges in the learning path. The improved wizard guides authors conveniently from the creation to the final configuration of the badges.
Overall, a strong focus was placed on security and improved accessibility, numerous adjustments in the area of "UX and usability ” and optimizations, such as for File Hub, Media Center and Project Tool, complete this release.
Since release 19.0, over 120 new features and improvements have been added to OpenOlat. Here you can find the most important new features and changes. In addition, more than 210 bugs have been fixed. The complete list of changes in 19.0.x can be found here.
New course element "Selection"
Note
This function is only available for learning path courses.
With the new selection course element, it is possible to offer several work assignments, of which the participants only have to complete a specified number ("x out of y").
Authors can use all course elements for the work assignments, subordinate them to the selection course element and define how many of them must be processed and completed by the participants.
Participants receive an overview of all available work assignments in the selection course element. For each topic, they can view further details such as description, learning objectives and processing instructions in the preview and then select the ones they want to work on.
Selected work assignments appear in the learning path navigation below the selected course element and are mandatory for participants. The results of the individual work assignments are included in the overall assessment of the course.
The processing status of the participants can be seen by coaches in the overview on the selection course element.
Course element "Task" - Peer review
To support participants and coaches in the peer review process, the "Awarded ratings" step in particular has been revised:
- Optimization of recording deadline extensions for "Peer Review"
- Optimized actions based on the assessment status
- Revised detailed view
- Extended and more detailed information
- More consistent color scheme
Course element "Topic broker"
Following the introduction of the topic exchange, initial feedback has already been incorporated into the further design and expansion of the course element:
- Execution of the enrollment process:
- Automatic multiple executions (default: 100 runs; configurable)
- Display of the best result with the most enrolments (weighting according to priority)
- Notifications: new action to trigger enrollment confirmation manually
- Text improvements
OpenBadges
A number of enhancements have also been implemented for awarding badges in OpenOlat:
- Learning path courses: New condition "Course Element completion criterion met"
- Optimization of the wizard for issuing badges:
- Re-sorted step sequence
- Revised detailed view
- Addition of placeholder and hint texts
- Help link
- Improved badge selection with search field, multi-checkbox list and additional information on available badges
- Improved course selection with search field and multi-checkbox list for global badges
New UX/UI for subscriptions
The section for activating "Modifications (On / Off)" for subscribable course elements and in the project tool has been completely revised. The redesigned icon with drop-down menu contains additional information:
- Modifications are available directly on the course element even without an active subscription
- Activation/deactivation of the subscription
- Subscription list with the latest entries
- Predefined filters to narrow down the entries
- Link to personal subscription overview
- Help link to the manual
UX and usability
- Learning path: Optimization of icon and signal color for optional course elements
- Optimizations for HTML dialog
- Optimized display of stacked dialogs
- Avoidance of double scrollbars in lightbox view
- Improvement of information texts and labels
Accessibilty
- Optimized navigation in the sidebar for screen readers
- Addition of text for screen readers to mark active elements
- Optimized hierarchy of sidebar navigation (personal menu) for better perception by screen readers
- Improved support of Label Aria for TinyMCE fields
- Addition of missing alt texts for actions with symbols and links
- Removal of aria-hidden for focusable elements
- Marking of mandatory fields as "aria-required"
- Optimization of various areas with low contrast
Note
The contrast adjustments made may have an effect on your OpenOlat theme! Further information: Youtrack OO-8090
Further, briefly noted
- FileHub:
- Support of write access for SharePoint Online integration
- Improved single file selection
- Media Center:
- New upload dialogue
- Harmonization of the "Add" action for media selection
- Project tool:
- New and extended upload dialog for files
- User management: New "Projects" tab lists the projects per user
- Content Creator: Improvements for "Image Comparison"
- Optimized validation in the enrolment course element
- Video task: Display of the respective participants per attempt (only for test mode)
- New "Download" class in the HTML editor to highlight downloadable content with a corresponding icon
- Levels/Grading: Addition of a wizard for the bulk action "Apply grade" including display of existing and new results for participants
- Assessment mode not applied to course owners
- New ranking of the initial role for course visit (course roles are weighted higher than administrative system roles)
- Adjustment of the rights for the "Master coach" role
Administrative / Technical
- Updating of third-party libraries
- Update TinyMCE (HTML editor) to version 6.8.4
- draw.io: "Collaboration mode" deactivated by default for new instances and labeled as an experimental feature
- Stricter minimum requirements for passwords according to common standards
- Activation of Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) protection by default
- Bulk action for "Reset password" removed
- Improvement for Cookie management
- WebDAV: Support for BasicAuthentication removed
- Configuration for limiting domains of external media resources
- OnlyOffice: in read-only mode, the content is not updated (= no Live-View)
System administrators: Activate / configure new functions
Checklist after update to 19.1
The following functions have to be activated / configured in the Administration after an update to release 19.1:
- Minimum standards for passwords:
Administration > Login > Password and Authentication > Password Syntax' - CSRF configuration:
Administration > Login > Security > Configuration' - draw.io:
Administration > External tools > draw.io > Collaboration mode - Configuration external Media resources:
Administration > Login > Security > Media server