Join us each Wednesday for Blackboard Ultra Lunch and Learn virtual office hours! eLearning staff will be ready to help you from 12 to 12:30 pm. Join us in Zoom.
3 Tips to Help You Prepare for the New Semester
Tip 1. Learn Your Student’s Names
Using your students' ID photos is an excellent way to learn their names. You can easily access these photos through the "Class List" tool in GVSU Faculty/Staff Additional Banner Applications (a VPN connection is required for off-campus access).
Note: Faculty will only see photos in courses in which they are the instructor of record in Banner. Assistance with using this tool can be found in this Knowledge Base article found in our Service Portal.
Tip 2. Check your Bb Readiness
The New Semester Checklist is a great place to review some of the basic and essential functions found in Blackboard. Bb makes it easy to share your syllabus or a lecture, efficiently collect and manage assignments, and securely share grades and feedback. A PDF version of our checklist is also available to help instructors ensure a successful start to the semester.
Tip 3. Get your students oriented
All students and faculty have been enrolled in a Blackboard "orientation" site geared toward helping students prepare and determine their readiness for online learning. The orientation provides advice and skills for online learning success and familiarizes students with many Blackboard Ultra features that their courses will use. When you create your welcome announcement, it's not a bad idea to remind your students to review the orientation site so that they are prepared to have a successful semester.
Learn More about Blackboard's AI Rubric Design Assistant
This summer, eLearning introduced Blackboard's AI Rubric Design Assistant, a tool to help instructors create grading rubrics more efficiently. In this video testimonial, Krisanne Chapin from the Department of Movement Science shares how it has streamlined her process. Check out the Knowledge Base article or sign up for a webinar for guidance on using this feature.
Microsoft's Azure OpenAI powers the Assistant and does not collect personal data. All course information remains stored within Blackboard, and none of the data is used to train the AI or shared externally. For more details on data privacy, refer to Microsoft's Azure OpenAI privacy policies and Anthology’s Trustworthy AI Approach.
Reminders for Faculty New to Ultra
Remember the following:
- Every faculty member has their own "Ultra Practice Test Course" where they can explore new Ultra features.
- Faculty can request "template sites" to help with early curriculum development or special projects.
- All faculty have been enrolled in a Blackboard site named "Blackboard Learn Ultra Self-Paced Training." Use this site to familiarize yourself with Ultra Course View at your own pace.
- You can find many additional resources on our Instructor Resources for Blackboard Ultra page in the Service Portal Knowledge Base or the Student Resources for Blackboard Ultra page.
- See our Ultra Care Package, which includes resources and tips for getting started.
- eLearning has put together some tips and tricks for how to best copy content from your Classic courses to your Ultra courses
- See this knowledge base article for best practices and tips for course design in Bb Ultra.
- Grand Valley State University uses the Continuous Delivery method, which provides new Bb capabilities and fixes known issues monthly. Users experience the most recent version of Bb Ultra without significant downtime or service interruptions. See the Release Schedule for the planned timeline and the Release Notes for current and upcoming features and improvements.
[1715715870].jpg)
New to Ultra? Check out our Ultra Care Package!
2024 Fall Bb Courses
As of July 1, 2024, faculty listed in Banner as the instructor of record for the Fall semester will have access to their Blackboard Ultra courses. If you don't see your course, please get in touch with your department coordinator. Student enrollments for Bb began on August 5, 2024.
Before you start building your Spring/Summer course site, we would like to highlight a few frequent requests that will help you for the next semester.
- Merge Course Request. Use this request to combine two or more sites into one parent site.
- Copying Content Between Bb Classic and Bb Ultra: Refer to this self-service article to review how to copy content from Bb Classic to a Bb Ultra course. eLearning can no longer copy content for instructors, but your eLearning Liaisons can provide guidance.
- Copying Content Between Bb Ultra Courses: This article will walk you through how to copy all course content from one Blackboard Ultra course to another. eLearning can no longer copy content for instructors, but your eLearning Liaisons can provide guidance.
- Course Restore Request. Use this to restore a course from Blackboard archives that is no longer available online in Blackboard. Course archives are available for three full academic years.
Curious about Artificial Intelligence and Education?
If you're curious about the impact of AI on higher education, we invite you to join the eLearning Technologies and Innovation and Research teams for a special season of the podcast "T-Squared: a Teaching and Technology Podcast."
Each episode takes a closer look at an aspect of artificial intelligence and education. In the second and third episodes of the season, Matt Roberts and Jacob Fortman talk to Dr. Eric Covey from Grand Valley's Department of History about the ethical issues raised by the use of artificial intelligence.
To listen to episodes, to subscribe with Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and to learn more please visit the podcast's website.
What Works Better in Ultra
Sure, Blackboard Learn Ultra has a new and improved interface. More importantly, though, Ultra also works better than Blackboard Classic. Take a look at our list of "What Works Better in Ultra."
Make the Most of Blackboard Ultra
Monthly Release Schedule and Release Notes
Blackboard releases new features and functionality on the first Friday of each month. See the Release Schedule and the Release Notes for monthly and upcoming features and improvements.
Help Shape the Future!
Anthology, Blackboard's parent company, loves hearing from its users. They've created a website where the community can share their thoughts on Blackboard's future. We encourage all faculty to sign up for the Idea Exchange so they can add their own suggestions and vote on ideas offered by others. Anthology staff regularly interacts with the Idea Exchange, providing updates on if and when new features and changes will be added.
Join now and help shape the future of Blackboard!
Consult with your eLearning Liaisons
We welcome faculty to contact their dedicated eLearning Liaisons whenever you have questions regarding Bb Ultra features. Feel free to set up a consultation for additional guidance or troubleshooting assistance. Our top priority is timely support, and your feedback is essential.
What your Students Say about Bb Ultra
At the end of the fall semester, Anthology and Information Technology teamed up to host an Exam Cram event, distributing over 2,000 donuts and hot chocolate to mark the transition to Bb Ultra across the Health, Devos, and Allendale campuses. Students expressed their satisfaction with Ultra, highlighting its user-friendly navigation, simplified assignment submissions, and modern design. Review their additional feedback with associated resources to help you maximize Blackboard Ultra.
Check the Map!
Periodically, Anthology provides an update on what features will be added to Blackboard Learn Ultra. They refer to this as their "roadmap."
Need ideas for organizing your Ultra course?
- This sample video tour will help you explore strategies for structuring your course site.
- See this article for tips and suggestions for course organization.
- And don't forget you can contact your eLearning liaisons to learn more.
Learning Ultra Course View
The eLearning Technologies team is offering a variety of training opportunities for faculty to learn Ultra Course view. Check out our webinar page to register for an Ultra training.
Learn from the Champions!
Many faculty have been using Blackboard Ultra Course View since Fall 2022. They've gladly shared their experiences and advice with the rest of the university.
About eLearning
eLearning Technologies provides a wide array of services and resources designed to facilitate a cohesive and seamless digital learning experience for students at GVSU - through supporting faculty in delivering high-quality, high-impact, high-engagement innovative teaching.
WE'RE HERE TO HELP!
Email Us: [email protected]
Call: (616) 331-2101
Hours: 8:30 am - 4pm, Monday through Friday
24x7 After Hours Support is Available
We support faculty, contribute to teaching excellence, and enhance student success through:
- IDeL
Exemplary Instructional Design for Online and Hybrid Courses - Teaching with Technology
Effective Application of Instructional Technologies - Blackboard
Learning Management System Enhancement - The Bridge
Interactive Digital Media Development - We also partner with the Atomic Object Technology Showcase to bring innovative emerging technologies to GVSU.
"Supporting faculty pursuing innovation in teaching and learning."
Credits: Bird Tangram Puzzle by irene hoffman from NounProject.com ; Light Bulb by Numero Uno from NounProject.com