| March marks a season of momentum and possibility as we continue to advance, innovate, and evolve together. Guided by a transformative mindset, this month reflects our shared commitment to growth, forward thinking, and meaningful impact. In this issue, you’ll find updates, opportunities, and resources that support progress, spark new ideas, and empower our community to keep moving boldly toward what’s next. |
| Blackboard Tips & Tricks |
| Ally Gauge & Accessibility Report The Ally gauge provides a quick visual snapshot of accessibility for individual files, along with guidance for improving them. For a broader view, the Ally Course Accessibility Report (available in Books & Tools) helps identify common issues and prioritize improvements across your course. Small, consistent updates—such as adding headings or improving document structure—can remove barriers and support all learners. Learn more about Ally in Blackboard. Add an Extra Credit Column Looking for a simple way to offer bonus points? Add a standalone extra credit column in the Gradebook to award optional points without increasing the course total. This is an effective option for participation, bonus activities, or end‑of‑semester incentives. Learn more about extra credit in Blackboard |
| Announcing NEW Sessions! Attendance Tools & Strategies Explore practical tools and effective strategies instructors can use to track and manage student attendance for in-person classes. Participants will explore technology-supported attendance options for both small and large classes Creating Columns & Totals in Blackboard Take your Gradebook to the next level with calculated columns! This session will show you how to create custom columns that combine multiple grade items for advanced grading flexibility.. Mastering Gradebook Settings Unlock the full potential of Blackboard’s Gradebook! This session will guide instructors through essential settings and customization options to streamline grading and improve transparency for students. Make Your Course Accessible with Ally Explore how the Ally tool in Ultra helps make course content more accessible for all learners. Get practical guidance on checking accessibility scores, improving documents, and supporting diverse student needs. Using Technology to Increase Student Engagement Explore practical, high‑impact ways to use instructional technology to increase student engagement and support learning before students fall behind. Participants will explore strategies for designing more interactive learning experiences using video, low‑stakes assessments, and reflective activities—both in and outside the classroom. Using Turnitin Draft Coach in MS Word Explore how Turnitin Draft Coach works within Microsoft Word. Students and staff will learn how to review similarity, citations, and writing feedback to strengthen drafts before submission. |
| This Month’s Sessions Virtual (V) | Face-to-Face (F2F) |
| Monthly New Features & Updates 3/4, 9:30 AM (V)Adobe Portfolio 3/11, 3:30 PM (F2F)3/27, 9:30 AM (V)AI Design Assistant 3/30, 2:00 PM (F2F)Assessing Student Learning 3/13, 10:00 AM (V) |
| Attendance Tools and Strategies 3/10, 3:00 PM (V) 3/26, 10:00 AM (V)Blackboard Analytics, Performance & Activity 3/26, 10:30 AM (V)Blackboard Gradebook Management 3/5, at 9:00 AM (V) Creating Columns & Totals in Blackboard3/13, 1:30 PM (V) |
| Creating Dynamic Content 3/9, 1:30 PM (V)Mastering Gradebook Settings 3/11, 9:00 AM (V) 3/26, 2:30 PM (F2F)Make Your Blackboard Course Accessible with Ally 3/4, 10:30 AM (V) 3/12, 10:00 AM (V) 3/23, 10:00 AM (V) Turnitin: Empower Students Before Final Submission 3/30, 10:00 AM (V) |
| Turnitin: Personalizing Student Feedback 3/24, 8:00 AM (V) Using Technology to Increase Student Engagement 3/25, 10:00 AM (F2F)Using Turnitin Draft Coach in MS Word 3/12, 11:00 AM (V) 3/31, 3:00 PM (V) |
| Student Sessions Available (Please Share in Your Blackboard Courses) |
| Adobe Portfolio 3/11, 3:30 PM (F2F) 3/27, 9:30 AM (V) Blackboard Accessibility Tips for Students 3/5, 9:00 AM (V) 3/12, 3:00 PM (V) 3/23, 11:00 AM (V) 3/31, 10:00 AM (V) Using Turnitin Draft Coach in MS Word 3/12, 11:00 AM (V) 3/31, 3:00 PM (V) |
| What’s New in Blackboard Enhanced Threading in Course MessagesUsers can continue creating and sending messages as before. When messages already exist between participants, new messages are now attributed to the existing conversation, making communication easier to follow. The Messages feature now attributes a new message to an existing conversation between participants. |
| Discussions: Multiple Participation RequirementsInstructors can now set two participation requirements with separate due dates, specifying how many posts and replies students must complete across each deadline.Students: When students open a discussion, they see two clear participation requirements with separate due dates. Progress indicators update in real time as they post and reply. Due dates are displayed in the Details & Information section. Instructors: The Messages feature now attributes a new message to an existing conversation between participants.Students: In a Discussion, a student can find due dates in the Details & Information section in the discussion assignment. |
| Partial Credit Limits Removed Partial credit limits have been removed for Multiple Choice and Multiple Answer questions. Instructors can now assign credit values without requiring that all values sum to 100%. This update supports more flexible grading strategies and allows instructors to represent varying levels of conceptual understanding without adjusting values to meet a fixed total. Instructors can have answer options that do not sum to 100%. |
| Stay on track with important Blackboard updates arriving in March. A full overview is available in the Anthology blog post: What’s New in Blackboard – March 2026. CIT Office Hours |
 Explore topics like Blackboard, accessibility tools, and course design—no appointment needed. Whether you’re troubleshooting or looking for fresh teaching strategies, we’re here to help.In-person: Fridays, 2–3:30 PM, A232 Gordon Palmer Hall Virtual: Tuesdays, 2–3 PM via Teams |