Save the Date: Technology Summit
Mark your calendars now for the first Grand Valley Technology Summit on October 2, 2025. Sponsored by Information Technology and developed in collaboration with colleges and departments across the university, this event will welcome faculty, staff, and students alike. Connect, collaborate, and contribute to the conversation about the future of technology at GVSU.
Faculty Wanted: Join Our Blackboard AI Tools Pilot
This Spring/Summer 2025 semester, we invite faculty to pilot new generative AI tools in our Blackboard test/stage environment.
- These tools are designed to support curriculum development and offer capabilities such as redesigning assignments, journal and discussion prompts, generating role plays and conversations, and creating new test bank questions.
- The pilot will help us gather insights to develop best practices and faculty-facing resources for future use in our production environment with your Fall 2025 courses.
- As with all generative AI, effective prompting is key, and all generated content should be reviewed and refined before being used in a course.
- These tools are designed to support—not replace—faculty expertise.
- Visit our Bb Design Assistant Webpage to learn more.
- Consult with your eLearning Liaison for personalized support.
Get Your Gradebook in Shape
Need help organizing your gradebook for the Spring/Summer semester? Check out our Grading Tips to get started, and don’t hesitate to contact your eLearning Liaison for one-on-one support.
Spotlight on Randalynn (Randy) Hajek, Clinical Dietetics
Spotlight on Randalynn (Randy) Hajek, Clinical Dietetics
In this video, Prof. Hajek explains what she appreciates about QM and how she's applied the QM Standards to her own course design.
Learn More about Quality Matters
The eLearning team is proud to once again be partnering with the Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center to offer a faculty learning community focused on Quality Matters. In this special May intensive learning community, participants will gain experience applying internationally recognized and research-driven standards for online and hybrid courses. They will explore each of the eight standards that make up the 7th edition of the Quality Matters rubric and apply those standards to one of their existing courses. Meetings will include a discussion of the QM rubric's content and a dialogue among participants based on their experiences teaching in both digital and non-digital environments.
- Monday May 12 – Friday May 16, 2025
- 9am – 12 pm
- 1pm – 3pm: optional focused working time
- DCIH, room to be announced
Those interested in participating can register on the FTLC Learning Community website. If you have questions, please email Matt Roberts ([email protected]) or Glenna Decker ([email protected]).
Join our Faculty Learning Community!
Whether you've been teaching online or hybrid courses for several years or are just getting ready to start your first semester teaching hybrid or online, all levels of expertise are welcome to join our Online & Hybrid Faculty Learning Community.
Join us each month to:
- Support new and experienced online/hybrid faculty through dialogue and samples
- Explore best practices associated with online/hybrid teaching and learning
- Identify emerging technological needs to support online teaching and learning
- Share collective expertise across disciplines
Panopto Video Retention Policy
Beginning on January 1, 2025, Panopto videos that have not been viewed within 13 months will automatically be transferred to the Panopto Archive. This process will continue on the 1st of each month. This means that beginning on February 1, 2026, videos that have been in the Panopto Archive for 13 months and unwatched for 36 consecutive months will be automatically deleted from our system. This process will also take place on the 1st of each month.
eLearning Monthly Newsletter
Every month the staff of eLearning Technologies puts together an email newsletter featuring announcements about what's new in campus instructional technology, along with timely hints and tips for your digital teaching journey. You'll also want to stay tuned each month to find out what new features have been added to Blackboard.
If you're not receiving our monthly newsletter, please take a moment to sign-up.
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.
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!
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."
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.
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.
- 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.
Are you new to Ultra?
Our tutorial, "Getting Started with Blackboard Ultra," provides important resources and tips for learning the basics of Ultra.
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 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.
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
"Supporting faculty pursuing innovation in teaching and learning."
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