NCEES 2015.1 Release Notes
Production Release Date: 3/20/2015
NCEES Release Notes Summary
The NCEES product Release Notes highlight the latest features and implementation deliverables completed since the last
production release. The Release Notes are intended to highlight product enhancements and changes and can be used as
a reference in combination with other product materials such as the feature videos and training artifacts delivered after
each product release as well as the ongoing work with customer project teams. The first section details new features in
this release. The final section of the notes highlights specific Client Implementation completed since the last release.
New Features
User Interface
Remove Red for Required Field Elements on Forms (23370)
Overview:
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Throughout the portal, required fields have traditionally appeared in red. To improve the overall aesthetics of the
tool, required fields will no longer appear in red. Instead, they will be denoted with an asterisk (*). Additionally, at
the bottom of each page, a note of *Required Fields will appear to give users this indication.
Key Benefits:
•
This feature is part of the overall User Interface (UI) Cleanup Effort and will improve the aesthetic of the portal and
enhance the user’s experience.
Updated Icons used on Administration Page (B-06496)
Overview:
•
Icons on the Administration page have been updated; all icons have been redesigned so that they complement
each other and provide a consistent look and feel. No functionality of any of the administrative tools was changed
as a result of the modified icons. This is an aesthetic change only.
Performance Management Suite
Tally Observation Model: Ability to Use Aligned Learning Opportunities (B-06571)
Overview:
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Districts and State Agencies using the Tally Observation model can now leverage the “Aligned Learning
Opportunities” functionality within the Truenorthlogic Portal. Courses created within systems employing
this model can now align to Tally Observation rubrics at the question level.
Users will see the light bulb within the evaluation when learning opportunities have been aligned. Users
can click on the light bulb and view/recommend/require the aligned courses.
Key Benefits:
•
Clients currently using the Tally Observation Model can now leverage this key tool, which begins to close
the gap between evaluation and professional learning.
Professional Learning Management Suite
Transfer Credit Manager: Requests Approved with Multiple Credit Types (26631)
Overview:
•
Previously, credit could only be awarded with a single credit type when submitted through the Transfer Credit
Manager. The system now gives the ability for the credit administrator to assign multiple credit types to a single
request.
Key Benefits:
•
•
Users can submit a single request, and the credits earned will better reflect any distribution of credit that should
be designated.
This modification will also prevent other values (such as contact hours) from displaying as “Credit” on a user’s
transcript.
Manage Credit by Attendance, Hours Attended (B-06573)
Overview:
•
Recently, Truenorthlogic introduced the functionality of awarding partial credit based on a user’s
attendance. This functionality was modified so that the calculation of percentage completed is based on
total hours available rather than the total number of class days.
Key Benefits:
•
This functionality will allow users to award partial credit more accurately, as all meeting days do not
necessarily meet for the same number of hours.
Reporting and Analytics
New Ad Hoc Report: Access Group Report (B-06171/LP15999459)
Overview:
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A new Ad Hoc Reporting Target, Access Groups (Evaluation, Growth Plan, Hq, Etc), was added to the portal.
Access groups identify roles and permissions that are designated to a plan within the Truenorthlogic Performance
Management module.
This report can be limited to the specific plan in order to display the names of individuals with access permissions
inside of the plan.
This report can display the specific permissions of individuals within the access group as well.
Various typical limitations can be queried (Site, Demographics, Owner of the Plan, Etc)
Key Benefits:
•
This report is frequently requested as a SQL report. Now, clients can create, modify and leverage this report/data
on their own. They will not need to submit a special request to Truenorthlogic to have it created within their site.
Student Learning Objectives
Hide Plan Owner Name (B-06157)
Overview:
•
The beginning of this feature was introduced in 2014.9 (B-05945) to hide the plan owner’s name in immediate
noticeable views. In 2015.1, this feature was expanded so that the plan owner’s name was hidden in all parts of
the platform when this configuration is enabled. Names have been removed from error messaging and other
inconspicuous reference points.
Key Benefits:
•
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With the implementation of this item, this configuration point is now considered fully complete.
Anonymity can now be fully preserved; reviewers and arbiters will not have access to defining characteristics and
can maintain an unbiased view of the data for which they are responsible for reviewing and rating.