DevCon 2022 Presentations!
We will be adding sessions here as soon as we get the presentations! If you want to see your DevCon presentation, please write us at developers@anthology.com. All times are in ET.
Day 1 @ DevCon 2022
BB Rest Helper
⏲ 1:00 PM - 1:45 PM Session
👨💻 **Presenter:** Javier Gregori
Creating a proof of concept for an integration from scratch can be tedious, there are many basic elements such API authentication or logs that will need to be sorted out before being able to work on meaningful code, and even then, lots of code will need to be written and tested for API Requests. This library abstracts the common and boring operations that Blackboard developers face when interfacing with the REST API so they can focus their effort in creating the cool features they need for their integrations. This library is intended to explore Blackboard REST APIs and to help create POCs for integrations. Please note this tool is not supported by Blackboard and no warranties of any kind are provided. In this presentation you will get to know the Bb_rest_helper library, and how to set up with Visual studio code and Jupyter notebooks to make the REST of your life easier
Description
The Bb Rest Helper includes 5 classes to simpilfy common API operations with Blackboard APIs;
- Get_Config. This class is used to get configuration variables (url,key,secret)from an external configuration file in Json format. If you are authenticating for more than one API (i.e. Learn and Collaborate) you will need separate configuration files (i.e. learn_config.json and collab_config.json).
- Auth_Helper. This class is used to get the token that then will be used in the API calls. Provides different methods for the different APIs.
- Bb_Requests. This class is used to simplify calls to the Blackboard Rest APIs. Provides methods for GET, POST, PUT, PATCH and DELETE requests.
- Bb_Utils. A set of convenience functions (Logging, printing...), this will be extended over time.
- Ally_Helper This class is used to simplify interaction with Ally as a service, includes methods to authenticate, upload a file, check processing status and retrieve the feedback. As it is an initial release for this API with limited features, it is implemented as a separate class to provide easier access to these methods rather than having to code them manually or with the Bb_rest_helper library.
Companion Links
Presentation PDF
Day 2 @ DevCon 2022
Blackboard Learn REST APIs for Beginners
⏲ 11:40 AM - 12:25 AM Session
👨💻 **Presenter:** Davey Herrera
Presentation PDF
Video companion
Migrating a B2 to LTI & REST Deep dive
⏲ 1:45 PM - 3:00 PM Session
👨💻 **Presenter:** Eric Preston
Moving to Ultra: A Phased Approach
⏲ 4:15 PM - 5:00 PM Session
👩💻 **Presenter:** Michelle Donaldson
Day 3 @ DevCon 2022
Making ultra your own: UEF for Beginners
⏲ 11:30 PM - 12:15 PM Session
👨💻 **Presenter:** Chris Filkins
For years, many of us have relied on Building Blocks as a way to add features and functionality into our Blackboard Learn courses. One of the best tools we ever used was the javascript Hacks tool, which leveraged the renderingHook function to allow a system administrator to further modify and customize their Learn environment with custom tools, banner, footers, etc. Unfortunately, the Ultra experience no longer supports the renderingHook function, removing the key mechanism for these customizations.
In order to restore some of these capabilities, Blackboard Learn implemented a new feature set called the Ultra Extension Framework (UEF). This new framework opens a number of doors for developers to once again customize and extend their Blackboard Learn environments after switching to the Ultra experience. The Ultra Extension Framework consists of two key components – telemetry data for user activity, and injection points to add content at various locations within the Ultra interface.
The telemetry data can include a number of different events, including hover, click, route, as well as portal windows being created and removed. After initially launching as an LTI tool, an UEF tool can subscribe to any number of these events, and typically runs as javascript inside of a hidden iframe within the Ultra interface. From there, the custom script can then submit requests to the Ultra interface to create new panels, banners, notifications, popups, or even a custom help provider.
The attached presentation will provide some sample code snippets from projects that we have deployed in our production environment, including banners and custom help providers.
Best Practices for Building Your LTI Advantage & REST Applications For Learn, From Registration through Release
⏲ 9:00 AM - 9:45 PM Session
👨💻 **Presenter:** Mark Kauffman
In this session Mark will give best practices for integrations that use LTI 1.3 and/or the Blackboard Learn REST APIs. There are many ways to improve your integration's performance and use, beginning with registration on the developer portal through the day it's installed on client systems. Given Mark's extensive experience working with 3rd-party integrations, he's selected those commonly missed best practices that, when you use them, will position your integration for maximum success.