Greetings from your Center for Instructional Technology! CIT provides training, support, and consultations for UA’s instructional technologies and technology accessibility. Visit cit.ua.edu to find step-by-step guides with pictures, discover upcoming workshops and webinars, or book an appointment. You can also reach us at cit@ua.edu or 205-348-3532 or visit us in A203 Gordon Palmer Hall.
This month’s CIT Instructor News features information and resources to support teaching and learning needs, with a focus on recent and upcoming events, the “new” Blackboard, and CIT technology and tool highlights.
Prep Days Offer an Ultra Good Start
Thanks to those who attended Faculty Prep Days, held January 6 & 7 in Gordon Palmer Hall and online. Faculty Prep Days is a CIT event designed to help you get your courses ready with in-person and virtual workshops and one-on-one help. two days of in-person and virtual workshops and one-on-one help. We are working on adding session recordings to our website and will email registered participants and share with the instructor listserv when they are available.
UA Teaching Academy AI Afternoons
The UA Teaching Academy will offer two upcoming opportunities to learn about AI and teaching and learning. Ultra users are especially encouraged to attend the AI Afternoon with Anthology.
AI Afternoon with Microsoft – Tuesday, Feb. 11
Join this two-hour interactive workshop to learn about AI use cases that are transforming teaching and learning, from curriculum development to customized tutoring. The session will feature an in-depth look at Microsoft Copilot and demonstrate how the tool can be used as your AI teaching assistant.
AI Afternoon with Anthology – Wednesday, Feb. 12
The second AI Afternoon will look specifically at AI functionality in Blackboard with an introduction to the AI Course Design Assistant in Blackboard Ultra. Presenters will demonstrate how to generate images, create rubrics, build authentic assessments, and showcase the new AI Conversation tool used to engage students through Socratic questioning and role-play exercises.
CIT at OLIS
CIT is thrilled to once again join the Online Learning Innovation Summit (OLIS), a professional development conference that brings together faculty, staff, graduate students, K-12 teachers and administrators from The University of Alabama and the region. Held February 14, 2025 at the Bryant Conference Center, OLIS will feature presentations, workshops, demonstrations, and discussions around online learning and teaching technologies. Register Online for the FREE Online Learning Innovation Summit
Visitors to the CIT table will find giveaway items and CIT staff excited to discuss creative and effective ways to integrate instructional technologies into their classroom or online course. CIT’s Dr. Rachel Thompson and Melissa Fortson will present Transform Your Teaching with Blackboard Ultra at 1:00 PM in Rast A/B.
Teach with the new Blackboard: Blackboard Ultra
Blackboard Ultra Course View (“Ultra”) offers a simple, modern, intuitive, and consistent interface across devices and a more streamlined experience for instructors and students. All Blackboard courses will be designed and delivered in Ultra by Spring 2026, and instructors of non-OTIDE-supported courses can teach with Ultra now (OTIDE-supported courses are designated as OL or OLM). Visit the CIT site to learn more about Ultra and UA’s plans, join or watch a recorded demonstration/information session, or request a practice course: Blackboard Ultra Course View
Ultra Good Features
Check out these recent and upcoming additions.
Gradebook – Show/Hide Columns for Instructors in the Gradebook
Instructors can now configure column visibility for their Gradebook view, ensuring a cleaner and more organized workspace when grading. A new Item Management page – shown in a screenshot on this slide – is now accessible from the Gradebook Settings panel. From this page, instructors can configure visibility for a single column selection or in bulk.
Visibility settings apply to all Gradebook views for non-student users (instructors, TAs, graders) including the Grade page, Gradable Items page, and Overview page. The student view of any grading-related page is unaffected. If an instructor hides a column from their Gradebook, that column continues to appear for students.
Item Management page accessed via the Gradebook Settings panel.
Direct Grade Entry for Assignments from the Grid View or Submissions page
Instructors can start grading in many spots in Ultra: From the Activity Stream, from the base navigation menu, from an assignment, from the Gradebook, from the Submissions page.
Previously, when instructors entered grades directly in the Gradebook Grid view or the Submissions page for an assignment, the grades were stored at the override level. This caused confusion as underlying attempts remained ungraded and continued to display the Needs Grading and New Submission flags. Assignment grades entered this way are now properly mapped to the underlying attempt or submission when applicable.
Gradebook – Add Submission Attempts for Release Conditions
Instructors can now use item submission status for a release condition. For example, an instructor who wants students to access a document only after submitting a quiz would use a release condition. Students can access content items without needing to wait for a grade to be posted.
The new “Attempt submitted” option in the dropdown menu for a gradable item in the Release condition panel.
Instructional Design – Change Folders to Learning Modules or Learning Modules to Folders
Following the February 6 release, instructors will be able to change a folder to a learning module or a learning module to a folder. Benefits of changing a folder to a learning module include:
- Thumbnail images: Learning modules come with thumbnail images, which provide a visually appealing course experience
- Forced sequencing: Instructors can ensure that students navigate learning modules in linear paths
- Progress bar: Learning modules have a progress bar for students that highlights the number of items that they need to complete and their progression on those items
- Previous and next navigation: Students can quickly navigate to the next or previous item in a learning module
Instructors can also change learning modules to folders. Instructors are advised that all learning module functions – the thumbnails, forced sequencing, progress bar, etc. – are removed when converting a learning module to a folder.
The new option to change a folder to a learning module in the dropdown menu.
- Blackboard Instructor Help: Create Containers for Content
- What’s New in Blackboard – February 2025
Instructional Design – Upload Images to Documents Using the New Image Block
An image block will be added to Documents in February. UA instructors can use image blocks to upload their own images or select images from Unsplash. At a future date, instructors will also be able to use the AIDA to generate images. Image blocks can be moved throughout a Document, just like other block types. You can resize images, set height, and maintain aspect ratios in image blocks. A dedicated image block makes adding images more apparent. Adding images via the image block also reduces white space around images and provides greater control over content design.
The new image block option in Documents.
Preview of an image within a Document.
- Blackboard Instructor Help: Work with Text
- Blackboard Instructor Help: Create Documents
- What’s New in Blackboard – February 2025
Conversion of existing assignments to the new assignment workflow released in 3900.98
In the 3900.98 release in August 2024, Anthology separated the workflows for creating a test and creating an assignment. Prior to that release, the Create Assignment and Create Test workflows shared the same content and settings. The August update made each workflow distinct, where the Create Assignment workflow now contains only assignment-specific content and settings, while the Create Test workflow remained unchanged.
The new assignment workflow enhancements include:
- A new Instructions box with a full content editor for detailed assignment instructions.
- A streamlined Settings panel with only options relevant to assignments.
- No option to add questions, as assignments cannot contain questions.
Attempts are only created when students interact with the assignment, such as submitting a file or adding content to the editor.
Ultra Create Assignment workflow.
As part of the February release, Anthology will perform a one-time, automatic bulk conversion of assignments created prior to the new assignment workflow released in the 3900.98 release. After the bulk conversion, all assessments will follow either the assignment workflow released in the 3900.98 release or the test workflow. This will ensure that converted assignments benefit from the new assignment workflow’s features.
The release notes go into great detail regarding which Assignments will be converted and how, but the essentials are:
Assignment: Any existing assessment without questions (such as MCQ, Essay, Hotspot) is classified as an “assignment.” Assignments will be converted.
Test: Any existing assessment with questions (such as MCQ, Essay, Hotspot) is classified as a “test.” Tests will not be converted.
The conversion will not affect:
- Existing student assignment attempts and grades
- Existing gradebook calculations
- Assignment Settings and Category designation
- Tests
- Blackboard Instructor Help: Assignments
- What’s New in Blackboard – February 2025
- February 2025 – 3900.110: Conversion of existing assignments to the new assignment workflow released in 3900.98
CIT Technology and Tool Highlights
Blackboard
- Resolved – Cengage Update in Blackboard – CIT recently updated the integration that connects Cengage resources with Blackboard. Find a complete list of current integrations: Current Blackboard Integrations & Technical Support
- Innovative Educator Series – Anthology has announced a new webinar series for instructors. The Innovative Educator Series provides a platform for faculty to explore the latest trends in digital pedagogy, collaborate on actionable solutions, and elevate the learning experience for every student. The first offering in the series, The One Where AI Transforms Teaching, will take place February 17.
Hypothesis
- AnnotatED 2025 – Join Hypothesis April 9-10 for a virtual conference that will deepen your understanding and application of social annotation in higher education. Hypothesis invites educators, administrators, and innovators in higher education to submit abstracts: Join Us at AnnotatED 2025
- Monthly Learning Lab Series – Hypothesis hosts a monthly workshop series focusing on pedagogy as well as current issues in higher education and educational technology. All Learning Lab workshops take place on Thursdays at 11:30am PT/2:30pm ET. Sessions are 45 minutes long.
People.ua.edu
- The migration of People.ua.edu from Weebly to CampusPress is nearing completion. Please anticipate an announcement in the coming weeks regarding our redesigned People.ua.edu website, which will feature video tutorials and informative guides.
Perusall
- Perusall Academy – Elevate your Perusall skills with Perusall Academy! This webinar series will teach you how to use Perusall and its latest features in your courses today.
Respondus
- Upcoming Training from the Respondus Team – Check out sessions on Lockdown Browser and Respondus Monitor (2/4, 2/11, 2/20 and 2/25), Respondus 4 and the Test Bank Network (2/12), and using Respondus Monitor with McGraw Hill ALEKS (2/5) and Pearson MyLab (2/5).
Simple Syllabus
- Known Issue – Simple Syllabus error in Chrome browser – Some users may experience an error when using a Chrome browser to access Simple Syllabus. Clear the cache and cookies to resolve this issue.
- Known Issue – Simple Syllabus access problems – Faculty users unable to access Simple Syllabus should complete troubleshooting steps.
Turnitin
- Known Issue – Turnitin Assignments remove ETS rater 12-31-24 – Turnitin has removed the e-rater grammar service.
News from OIT
These Office of Information Technology updates are of particular interest to instructors.
- OIT to Block Built-In Browser Password Managers – OIT will block built-in browser password management tools on UA-managed computers beginning March 31, 2025.
- New Login Process for University-Owned Windows Machines Beginning January 27 – Once a user logs in, a new page will appear with a message and an option to click “okay.” Once clicked, the user will have access to their machine.
Upcoming Learning Opportunities
Learn with us! CIT regularly hosts workshops and webinars on UA instructional technologies and technology accessibility. We are also pleased to offer individual consultations and group instruction by request.
2/4 Blackboard User Group (partner event)
2/4 LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor: Protect the Integrity of Online Tests (partner event)
2/5 McGraw Hill ALEKS + Respondus Monitor: Prevent Cheating During Online Tests (partner event)
2/5 Pearson MyLab + Respondus Monitor: Prevent Cheating During Online Tests (partner event)
2/6 Meet the New Blackboard: Blackboard Ultra Demo & Info Session
2/6 Hypothesis: Social Annotation for Large Courses (partner event)
2/6 Panopto Weekly Q&A (Office Hours) (partner event)
2/7 The One Where AI Transforms Teaching: Anthology Innovative Educator Series (partner event)
2/10 Meet the New Blackboard: Blackboard Ultra Demo & Info Session
2/11 AI Afternoon with Microsoft (UA Teaching Academy event)
2/11 LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor: Protect the Integrity of Online Tests (partner event)
2/12 AI Afternoon with Anthology (UA Teaching Academy event)
2/12 Respondus 4 and the Test Bank Network: Quickly Create Online Exams (partner event)
2/13 Hypothesis: Social Annotation in STEM Subjects (partner event)
2/13 Panopto Weekly Q&A (Office Hours) (partner event)
2/14 CIT at OLIS – Visit our table for conversation and giveaways!
2/18 Blackboard User Group (partner event)
2/19 Panopto Basic Training Webinar (partner event)
2/20 Hypothesis: Social Annotation with Primary Sources in the Humanities (partner event)
2/20 Meet the New Blackboard: Blackboard Ultra Demo & Info Session
2/20 Panopto Weekly Q&A (Office Hours) (partner event)
2/20 LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor: Protect the Integrity of Online Tests (partner event)
2/25 Meet the New Blackboard: Blackboard Ultra Demo & Info Session
2/25 LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor: Protect the Integrity of Online Tests (partner event)
2/27 Hypothesis: Research-based Strategies for Social Annotation (partner event)
2/27 Panopto Weekly Q&A (Office Hours) (partner event)
About This Message
All UA instructors of record are automatically subscribed to updates about Blackboard and other instructional technology. UA community members who would like to be added to the communications list for CIT news can contact us.