Simple Syllabus Common Questions

• May 15th, 2023
• in Announcements

The Center for Instructional Technology is the support contact for UA’s new syllabus tool, Simple Syllabus. Here are some answers to the most common questions:

• Syllabi “due date” notifications are sent a week before, the day of, and a week after a term starts, even if a particular section does not meet until later in the term. Syllabi are due by the first day a class meets.
• Syllabi are now required for ALL sections, including independent research, thesis hours, dissertation hours, and other sections where syllabi may not have been required previously.
• Updates from Banner/myBama to Simple Syllabus (examples: the addition or removal of an instructor from a section, the cancellation of a section, submission of course materials, etc) occur overnight.

For more information and the FAQ, visit our knowledge base: CIT Knowledge Base – Simple Syllabus

April 28 Instructional Technology News

• April 28th, 2023
• in -Instructional Technology News, Announcements

Hello from your Center for Instructional Technology! Below, you’ll find announcements and events to assist you with teaching and learning needs.  

Summer and Fall 2023 Syllabi in Simple Syllabus  

UA’s new online syllabus platform, Simple Syllabus, launched April 17. All sections must have a syllabus published in Simple by the first day of classes. Instructors will receive initial reminders to complete their Summer 2023 syllabi on May 1. Syllabi include required course and section information, as well as institutional and, in some cases, college-specific statements and policies. Instructors should add and edit section-specific information using Simple’s built-in editor, which allows for text formatting, links, videos, images, tables, and more. Simple Syllabus is available through myBama, Blackboard Learn, or direct login. For information about creating and sharing a syllabus, adding Simple Syllabus to Blackboard Learn, or registering for a support session, visit CIT’s Simple Syllabus support resources. 

Upcoming Learning Opportunities 

Simple Syllabus Information Sessions 

In Person Sessions in A232 Gordon Palmer Hall:  

• Thursday, 5/4, 2PM 
• Friday, 5/12, 9AM 
• Thursday, 5/25, 10AM 

Virtual Sessions in Microsoft Teams: 

• Wednesday, 5/3, 10AM 
• Monday, 5/8, 3PM 
• Tuesday, 5/23, 3PM 

Register for a session 

Simple Syllabus Support Appointments Available 

If you prefer individual help to set up Simple Syllabus, request an appointment. 

Blackboard/Anthology Digital Teaching Symposium  

On Thursday, May 4, 2023, we hope you can join us online for a full day of free, peer-led virtual sessions on digital teaching strategies for the unique needs of 2023 and beyond. The Digital Teaching Symposium brings educators together to share and discover innovative uses of technology in an ever-changing teaching environment. Explore ways to keep learners engaged, foster innovation, and develop strategies to help you and your students navigate, excel, and thrive in a shifting higher education landscape.  

Digital Teaching Symposium Registration and agenda 

Gradescope – Stories from the Classroom 

Join the Gradescope team on May 8th, 2:00-3:00 pm, to discover how other instructors use Gradescope to:  

• Design formative and summative assessments without constraints around logistics and grading capacity. 
• Develop smarter workflows to help instructors, whether grading alone or coordinating a multi-section course with 20+ graders. 
• Gain insights you need to support student learning, understand trends, and improve teaching. 

Registration is required – Gradescope Registration 

Activating Annotation in Blackboard with Hypothesis 

On May 9, 12:00-1:00 pm, the Hypothesis team will share how teachers are using annotation-powered reading to help students develop foundational academic skills like deep reading and persuasive writing. In addition to sharing pedagogical best practices for social annotation, we will demonstrate how Hypothesis is used with course readings in your LMS. Participants will gain a clear understanding of how to start incorporating social annotation into their courses to improve student outcomes. Register online  

Check out more instructional technology workshops at https://cit.ua.edu/workshops/  

Instructional Tech Resources and Reminders 

The CIT Knowledge Base is your clearinghouse for tutorials, known issues, and best practices: 

• Testing Tips for Instructors 
• Adding extended-time or another test accommodation in Blackboard? 
• Enter Final grades in Blackboard 
• Import Final grades from Blackboard into myBama 
• Add a reason for non-attendance grade in myBama 
• Blackboard grade import FAQ 

Ultra Course View Pilot Continues 

Instructors interested in teaching with Ultra Course View in an upcoming academic term should submit a request via the CIT portal: Blackboard Learn Ultra LIVE Course Pilot Request.  

Collaborate End of Use 

On August 1, 2023, Class Collaborate will be deactivated and no longer available to use at UA. This change does not affect the Blackboard Learn system, only the virtual web conferencing tool, Collaborate. Instructors and program managers should download any needed recordings from Collaborate by August 1, 2023. CIT suggests instructors use Zoom or Teams for synchronous class meetings and Panopto for lecture capture.  

Cleaning Out Older Blackboard Courses 

Academic courses in Blackboard Learn are subject to removal two (2) years following the end of the semester in which they are taught per UA’s LMS Course Retention Policy. For example, courses taught in Spring 2023 will be removed after May 2025. Courses taught prior to Spring 2021 are now eligible for removal. Spring 2021 courses will be removed starting in May 2023. Non-academic courses, referred to as non-integrated courses, are subject to removal following two (2) years of inactivity. 

Instructors should save any needed course content or student grades. Students should save any necessary coursework as well. Steps to save content are linked below. 

• Save content – Students 
• Save content – Instructors 

More information on the policy and instructions for backing up Blackboard content are available in the LMS Course Retention Policy FAQ. 

As always, we are available Monday-Friday, 8:00-4:45 to help you. We look forward to working with you soon. 

Email – cit@ua.edu 

Phone – 205-348-3532 

RESOLVED – Blackboard Server Error

• April 20th, 2023
• in Announcements

Resolved: Blackboard Support reports all issues have been resolved & sites are operating normally since 9:20 AM CT.

If you continue to see an error message or if have any questions, please contact us through our support portal.

Blackboard Support is investigating a global DNS issue affecting access to its sites. Users may receive an error message when trying to access Blackboard.

We will update this post when we receive new information. If you have any questions, please contact us through our support portal.

April 11 Instructional Technology News

• April 11th, 2023
• in -Instructional Technology News, Announcements

Hello from your Center for Instructional Technology! Below, you’ll find announcements and events to assist you with teaching and learning needs.

Simple Syllabus Launches April 17

UA’s new online syllabus platform, Simple Syllabus, launches April 17. All sections must have a syllabus published in Simple by the first day of classes for Summer 2023 and future terms. Instructors will receive reminders to complete their syllabi before each semester begins. Syllabi include required course and section information, as well as institutional and, in some cases, college-specific statements and policies. Instructors should add and edit section-specific information using Simple’s built-in editor, which allows for text formatting, links, videos, images, tables, and more. Simple Syllabus will be available through myBama, Blackboard Learn, or direct login.

Upcoming Learning Opportunities

Simple Syllabus Information Sessions

Gorgas Library Camellia Room 2020 on Friday, April 14, 9AM-9:45AM, 10AM-10:45AM, 11AM-11:45AM. No registration needed.

Simple Syllabus Support Appointments Available

If you prefer individual help to set up Simple Syllabus, request an appointment. Appointments are available beginning April 17.

Gradescope – Stories from the Classroom

April 12, 2:00-3:00 pm

Join the Gradescope team to discover how other instructors use Gradescope to:

• Design formative and summative assessments without constraints around logistics and grading capacity.
• Develop smarter workflows to help instructors, whether grading alone or coordinating a multi-section course with 20+ graders.
• Gain insights you need to support student learning, understand trends, and improve teaching.

Register for Stories from the Classroom

Check out more workshops including Panopto, Hypothesis, and People.ua.edu at http://calendar.ua.edu.

Instructional Tech Resources and Reminders

The CIT Knowledge Base is your clearinghouse for tutorials, known issues, and best practices:

• Enter Final grades in Blackboard
• Import Final grades from Blackboard into myBama
• Add a reason for non-attendance grade in myBama
• Blackboard grade import FAQ

Ultra Course View Pilot Continues

Instructors interested in teaching with Ultra Course View in an upcoming academic term should submit a request via the CIT portal: Blackboard Learn Ultra LIVE Course Pilot Request.

Collaborate End of Use

On August 1, 2023, Class Collaborate will be deactivated and no longer available to use at UA. This change does not affect the Blackboard Learn system, only the virtual web conferencing tool, Collaborate. Instructors and program managers should download any needed recordings from Collaborate by August 1, 2023. CIT suggests instructors use Zoom or Teams for synchronous class meetings and Panopto for lecture capture.

Cleaning Out Older Blackboard Courses

Academic courses in Blackboard Learn are subject to removal two (2) years following the end of the semester in which they are taught per UA’s LMS Course Retention Policy. For example, courses taught in Spring 2023 will be removed after May 2025. Courses taught prior to Fall 2021 are now eligible for removal. Fall 2021 courses will be removed starting in May 2023. Non-academic courses, referred to as non-integrated courses, are subject to removal following two (2) years of inactivity. Instructors should save any needed course content or student grades. Students should save any necessary coursework as well. Steps to save content are linked below.

• Save content – Students
• Save content – Instructors

More information on the policy and instructions for backing up Blackboard content are available in the LMS Course Retention Policy FAQ.

As always, we are available Monday-Friday, 8:00-4:45 to assist you. We look forward to working with you soon.

Email – cit@ua.edu

Phone – 205-348-3532

Website and Knowledge Base – http://cit.ua.edu

Turnitin AI Detection report launches April 4

• April 4th, 2023
• in Announcements, Turnitin

Turnitin has announced the launch of its AI writing detection capabilities, available starting Tuesday, April 4, 2023. This feature will help you as instructors identify when AI writing tools such as ChatGPT may have been used to write any part of the content submitted in a student’s assignment. It will be automatically available within Turnitin. Bear in mind that the AI detection results will not be visible to students; only instructors and administrators will be able to see it.

Additionally, Turnitin will only be able to process submissions written in long-form English for AI detection. AI detection has been added to the Turnitin Similarity report -this means that your existing workflow will remain unchanged.

In-product guidance and access to product help resources will be at hand to explain the feature. In addition, to prepare you further for the use of this feature and to help you understand how you should interpret the results, we’ve put together some guidance and resources.

• Turnitin’s AI Writing Detection: An introduction for educators and administrators (3-minute video)
• FAQ Document
• AI Writing Detection Landing Page
• Recommended Turnitin Syllabus Statement

Turnitin is hosting two sessions for Using Turnitin Tools to Mitigate Student Use of AI Writing Tools

• Wednesday, April 5th at 11:00 am CST register for April 5^th session here
• Thursday, April 13th at 1:00 pm CST register for April 13^th session here

As always, we are available Monday-Friday, 8:00-4:45 to assist you.

Email – cit@ua.edu

Phone – 205-348-3532

Website and Knowledge Base – http://cit.ua.edu

February 20 – Instructional Tech News

• February 20th, 2023
• in -Instructional Technology News, Announcements

Hello from your Center for Instructional Technology! Below, you’ll find announcements and events to assist you with teaching and learning needs.  

Upcoming Learning Opportunities 

CIT Faculty Prep Days 

It’s midterms and time to focus on your Gradebook. We are here to help answer questions or simply review your settings. 

Drop in OR schedule a virtual appointment. Our doors will be open, and refreshments will be served. 

• Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2-4PM 
• Wednesday, March 1, 9-11AM 

Gordon Palmer Hall, Room A232 

Workshops:  

• Tues, Feb 21, 10AM – People.ua.edu Workshop.
  Create a professional faculty website using People.ua.edu. Pre-registration is required. 
• Wed., Feb 22, 10AM – Panopto Advanced Training
  Did you know you can use Panopto’s video editor to add video streams or a slide deck to a recording even after it’s complete?  Or, that you can splice multiple clips together into one video?
  This month, join us for an in depth look at how to use Panopto’s editor to combine many sources of content into one rich recording.  We’ll address some common editing scenarios we often get questions about, such as how to allow viewers to download your slides, or how to curate which streams a viewer will see at different parts of your videos. We record our webinars. If you can’t attend at the scheduled time, we’ll send a link to the recording to everyone who registers. 
• Wed., Feb 22, 12PM – Gradescope for Large Courses
  Sections and Tools for Courses with 100+ Students – This one-hour workshop will focus on using Gradescope in large courses. With the new section management features, instructors will be able to set different submission time windows (release dates, due dates, late due dates, time limits) for different sections of students in the course, for a single assignment. Instructors will also be able to set assignment visibility by section, to release assignments to a subset of students on the roster. 
• Tues., March 7, 10AM – Flip
  Explore the features inside Flip and learn how to level up the ways your scholars communicate and share their learning. 

Instructional Tech Resources and Reminders 

The CIT Knowledge Base is your clearinghouse for tutorials, known issues, and best practices for testing and grading in Blackboard.  

• Testing Tips for Instructors 
• Copy a Single Test from One Blackboard Course to Another 
• How can I add extended-time or provide another accommodation for a Blackboard test?  

• If you have File Response test questions: Workaround for students to be able to submit files 

Grading 

• Can I modify the correct answer and regrade a Blackboard test?  
• Enter Midterm or Final Grades in Blackboard 
• Import Midterm or Final Grades into myBama from Blackboard 

Ultra Course View Pilot Continues 

Instructors interested in teaching with Ultra Course View in an upcoming academic term should submit a request via the CIT portal: Blackboard Learn Ultra LIVE Course Pilot Request.  

Cleaning Out Older Blackboard Courses 

Academic courses in Blackboard Learn are subject to removal two (2) years following the end of the semester in which they are taught per UA’s LMS Course Retention Policy. Courses taught prior to Fall 2020 are now eligible for removal. Instructors should save any needed course content or student grades. Students should save any necessary coursework as well. Non-academic courses, referred to as non-integrated courses, are subject to removal following two (2) years of inactivity. Steps to save content are linked below. 

• Save content – Students 

• Save content – Instructors 

More information on the policy and instructions for backing up Blackboard content are available in the LMS Course Retention Policy FAQ. 

Blackboard Learn Roadmap Webinars 

In case you missed the Vision and Roadmap webinars for Blackboard Learn Original and Ultra, the recordings are available to watch.  

Learn Ultra 

• Watch in English 
• Ver en Español 

Learn Original 

• Watch in English 

As always, we are available Monday-Friday, 8:00-4:45 to assist you. We look forward to working with you soon. 

Email – cit@ua.edu 

Phone – 205-348-3532 

Website and Knowledge Base – http://cit.ua.edu 

January 27– Instructor News

• January 27th, 2023
• in -Instructional Technology News, Announcements

Hello from your Center for Instructional Technology! We hope that your semester is off to a great start. Below, you’ll find announcements and events to assist you with teaching and learning needs.  

Instructional Tech Changes and Announcements 

PointSolutions change in classrooms 

TurningTechnologies is now Echo360 Point Solutions, and the classroom computers will now reflect the new name and branding. The processes in the desktop software (used by instructors) are unchanged.  

No More People.Ua.Edu Sites for Graduate Students 

Effective January 1, 2023, new People.ua.edu sites will no longer be created for graduate students. All existing site owners who are graduate students will be contacted in early 2023 about their next steps. UA offers two alternative solutions: Adobe Portfolio (part of Adobe Creative Cloud) and Microsoft Sway (part of Microsoft 365 Education). Both products are available to all UA staff, faculty, and students. 

• Adobe Portfolio is part of Adobe Cloud which provides several apps and services. Get started with your site by visiting Adobe Creative Cloud. Log in using your UA credentials. Look on the left side panel and you will see Portfolio. Alternately, you can go directly to Adobe Portfolio and login using your UA credentials. There are tutorials available through Adobe and OIT. 

• Microsoft Sway is part of Microsoft 365 Education which includes many applications for work essentials, collaboration, organization, and even apps for fun. Visit OIT’s Microsoft 365 Education page to access MS Sway. Tutorials and training can be found at Microsoft 365 Training. 

Ultra Course View Pilot Continues 

Instructors interested in teaching with Ultra Course View in an upcoming academic term should submit a request via the CIT portal: Blackboard Learn Ultra LIVE Course Pilot Request.  

Turnitin Class Expiration – Known Issue 

When a Turnitin Feedback Studio (TFS) assignment is created in a Blackboard Learn course, Turnitin automatically assigns a default class expiration date as 6 months in the future, or the latest TFS assignment due date in the course, whichever is farther away. When the Turnitin class expires, students can no longer submit papers or access TFS activities.  To extend the Turnitin class expiration date, make a new Turnitin assignment with due dates that match the last date when students should be able to view the TFS assignments and tools for the course. For more information visit Turnitin Assignment Settings. 

Cleaning Out Older Blackboard Courses 

Academic courses in Blackboard Learn are subject to removal two (2) years following the end of the semester in which they are taught per UA’s LMS Course Retention Policy. Courses taught prior to Fall 2020 are now eligible for removal. Instructors should save any needed course content or student grades. Students should save any necessary coursework as well. Non-academic courses, referred to as non-integrated courses, are subject to removal following two (2) years of inactivity. Steps to save content are linked below. 

• Save content – Students 
• Save content – Instructors 

More information on the policy and instructions for backing up Blackboard content are available in the LMS Course Retention Policy FAQ. 

Hypothesis and Vital Source at UA 

Hypothesis social annotation tool used by U Alabama now features an integration with the VitalSource eText platform. If you are teaching with eTexts from VitalSource and are interested in having students annotate the material, the Hypothesis integration is available to you now when you create assignments in Blackboard. You can learn more about how to create a Hypothesis assignment with VitalSource content in the Hypothesis knowledge base.   

Upcoming Learning Opportunities 

Get Started with Gradescope  

Wednesday, February 1, 2023, 11:00am-12:00 pm CST  

Join this virtual, one-hour session to learn how to use Gradescope to: 

• Set up assignments where students can submit freeform work (no printers or templates needed) 
• Grade your existing exams and homework on Gradescope 
• Make rubric changes as you grade – changes apply to previously graded work to maintain consistency 

• Write each comment only once – apply previously used comments with a click 
• Use ‘assignment analytics’ to gain insight into student learning 

Blackboard Learn Original Roadmap 

Tues Feb 7, 2023, 10:00 am – 11:00 am CST 

Get an exclusive look at the upcoming Learn enhancements and feature releases. Join Blackboard product management leaders as they provide an update on the Learn roadmap and give you an exclusive look at what’s next for Blackboard Learn. Complete the registration form to reserve your virtual seat. If you can’t attend the session, you will get a recording if you register.  

Register today at https://learn.anthology.com/RoadmapWebinarSeries#registerAnchor 

Create Graphs, Graphics and Data Visualization 

Tues Feb 7, 2023, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm CSST 

Effectively communicating complex academic and technical processes and concepts relies on sound design principles and the ability to render them using industry-standard tools. Discover essential tools and workflows in Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Express that will help you develop clear and powerful visual representations for your presentations, papers and research. Link to register for free: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/edgegainltd/782559/# 

Annotate with Hypothesis 

Thursday, Feb 9, 12:00 –1:00 pm  

We have a special treat! Our favorite representative from Hypothesis, Becky George, will present a LIVE and in-person Hypothesis workshop in Gordon Palmer Hall, Room A232. Becky will give an overview of Hypothesis, guide you through the basics, then answer your specific questions. Please bring your own device. Lunch will be provided (in-person workshop only). The in-person workshop is limited to 20 participants so register early! –  Annotate with Hypothesis Registration 

OLIS 2023 – Transforming the Online Classroom: Challenges, Opportunities, and Innovation 

February 10, 2023, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm, Bryant Conference Center 

The Online Learning Innovation Summit is a campuswide professional development conference hosted by UA Online. Faculty, staff and graduate students from across The University of Alabama and the region will come together for brainstorming, problem-solving and sharing experiences and best practices surrounding online learning and teaching technologies. Learn more at OLIS 2023. 

As always, we are available Monday-Friday, 8:00-4:45 to assist you. We look forward to working with you soon. 

Email – cit@ua.edu 

Phone – 205-348-3532 

Website and Knowledge Base – http://cit.ua.edu 

Clicker software updated on classroom computers

• January 20th, 2023
• in Announcements

Look for the Point Solutions icon on classroom computers!

Last year, TurningTechnologies merged with Echo360.  The software and mobile app changed their name to Point Solutions, and the classroom computers will have the updated version of the software. The processes in the desktop software (for instructors) are the same, but with new branding from Echo360.

For more information about Echo360 visit the CIT Knowledge Base or echo360.com.

Faculty Prep Days a SUCCESS!

• January 20th, 2023
• in -Instructional Technology News, Announcements

The Center for Instructional Technology (CIT) kicked off the Spring semester with two Faculty Tech Prep Days on January 6th and 9th. We were excited to work with colleagues from Arts and Sciences, Communications, Culverhouse, Education, Engineering, Human Environmental Sciences, and Law.

Common topics related to

• adding publisher resources to courses,
• setting up attendance options: Blackboard Learn, Zoom
• exploring grade center tools, and
• learning how students interact with Blackboard Learn.

Audio Visual Solutions (AVS) representatives answered questions related to classroom tech needs, and OIT Security squad addressed email and account security questions.

If you couldn’t make it to the event, no problem! We offer the same support Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 4:45 pm in A203 Gordon Palmer Hall. Drop-ins are welcome. 205-348-3532, CIT@ua.edu.

January 4– Instructor News from the Center for Instructional Technology

• January 4th, 2023
• in -Instructional Technology News, Announcements

Faculty Prep Days 

IT’S TIME! Time to get your Spring courses polished and ready to go. CIT is here and ready to offer technical assistance, pedagogical assistance, a quiet space, moral support, and coffee and yummies! Come see us!  

CIT will be joined by representatives from OIT Security, Research Computing, and Audio Visual Solutions classroom support to answer your questions. Space will be available to help you focus and prepare your course for the semester. 

Friday, Jan 6, 9-11AM and 2-4PM 

Monday, Jan 9, 9-11AM and 2-4PM 

Gordon Palmer Hall, Room A232 

Start of Semester How-Tos   

• How do I access my Blackboard courses as an instructor? 
• How do I create my course in Blackboard?   
• How do I combine my Blackboard sections?  
• How do I copy content from a Blackboard course to another Blackboard course?  

Instructional Tech Changes and Announcements 

Qualtrics now requires Duo 

Duo is now required to access Qualtrics accounts. Users will receive a Duo prompt after logging in with myBama credentials at Qualtrics.ua.edu. For more information about Duo, visit OIT’s Duo two-factor authentication page. 

No More People.Ua.Edu Sites for Graduate Students 

Effective January 1, 2023, new People.ua.edu sites will no longer be created for graduate students. All existing site owners who are graduate students will be contacted in early 2023 about their next steps. UA offers two alternative solutions: Adobe Portfolio (part of Adobe Creative Cloud) and Microsoft Sway (part of Microsoft 365 Education). Both products are available to all UA staff, faculty, and students. 

• Adobe Portfolio is part of Adobe Cloud which provides several apps and services. Get started with your site by visiting Adobe Creative Cloud. Log in using your UA credentials. Look on the left side panel and you will see Portfolio. Alternately, you can go directly to Adobe Portfolio and login using your UA credentials. There are tutorials available through Adobe and OIT. 

• Microsoft Sway is part of Microsoft 365 Education which includes many applications for work essentials, collaboration, organization, and even apps for fun. Visit OIT’s Microsoft 365 Education page to access MS Sway. Tutorials and training can be found at Microsoft 365 Training. 

Ultra Course View Pilot Continues 

Instructors interested in teaching with Ultra Course View in an upcoming academic term should submit a request via the CIT portal: Blackboard Learn Ultra LIVE Course Pilot Request.  

Turnitin Class Expiration – Known Issue 

When a Turnitin Feedback Studio (TFS) assignment is created in a Blackboard Learn course, Turnitin automatically assigns a default class expiration date as 6 months in the future, or the latest TFS assignment due date in the course, whichever is farther away. When the Turnitin class expires, students can no longer submit papers or access TFS activities.  To extend the Turnitin class expiration date, make a new Turnitin assignment with due dates that match the last date when students should be able to view the TFS assignments and tools for the course. For more information visit Turnitin Assignment Settings. 

Supe Store Access Granted changes + social annotation tools 

Access Granted’s primary vendor is changing from RedShelf to VitalSource for Spring 2023. Links to VitalSource in Blackboard Learn courses may now be labeled Access Granted. With permission from Academic Affairs, a SupeStore support user may access Fall and Spring courses in Blackboard as a Course Builder. This means the user will have access to edit existing RedShelf and VitalSource links to reflect the correct information. This user will not have access to student submissions or grades. 

This change enables the creation of Hypothesis assignments in Blackboard using documents from VitalSource’s extensive collection of texts and ebooks. In CIT’s Knowledge Base article, Hypothesis & Access Granted e-books, you can learn to:   

• Access VitalSource 
• Find the VitalSource bookshelf URL of the text you will be assigning 
• Create Hypothesis assignments in your Blackboard course 

Cleaning Out Older Blackboard Courses 

Academic courses in Blackboard Learn are subject to removal two (2) years following the end of the semester in which they are taught per UA’s LMS Course Retention Policy. Courses taught prior to Fall 2020 are now eligible for removal. Instructors should save any needed course content or student grades. Students should save any necessary coursework as well. Non-academic courses, referred to as non-integrated courses, are subject to removal following two (2) years of inactivity. Steps to save content are linked below. 

• Save content – Students 
• Save content – Instructors 

More information on the policy and instructions for backing up Blackboard content are available in the LMS Course Retention Policy FAQ. 

Upcoming Learning Opportunities 

Jan 5, 11:00-12:00 – Get Started with Gradescope  

Learn how you can use Gradescope to deliver and grade all your assignments, whether online or in person. The Gradescope team will walk you through how to cut down on time spent grading and get a clear picture of how your students are doing in your courses. Register at  https://info.gradescope.com/noa-workshops 

Jan 6, 12:00-12:30 pm – Annotation starter assignments with Hypothesis 

This workshop is ideal for instructors who are interested in using social annotation in their courses but aren’t exactly sure how to provide guidance to students. Registration is required.  

Jan 10, 10:00-11:30 – People.ua.edu 

Create a professional faculty website using People.ua.edu. Pre-registration is required at http://people.ua.edu. 

Jan 10, 1:00-2:00 – Flip 

Explore the features inside Flip and learn how to level up the ways your scholars communicate and share their learning. Registration is NOT required. Join us on Zoom. 

Jan 11, 11:00-12:00 – Hypothesis: Make the Most of the Margins  

Learn how to make reading active, visible and social, create community in the classroom by fostering peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, give students agency over their own learning. Registration is required. 

As always, we are available Monday-Friday, 8:00-4:45 to assist you. We wish you all the best in 2023 and look forward to working with you soon. 

• Email – cit@ua.edu 
• Phone – 205-348-3532 
• Website and Knowledge Base – http://cit.ua.edu