Summer is in full swing, but we're already looking ahead. This issue includes several important updates to support your Fall course planning and teaching.
You'll find information on Fall Blackboard course availability and our ongoing Blackboard AI Design Assistant pilot. We're also excited to share new enhancements coming to Blackboard in July, including easier ways to view and enter data into Blackboard rubrics, MathJax integration, and new analytics for student engagement with your Announcements. Additional updates include the launch of image annotation in Hypothesis, Windows 11 training opportunities, changes to our Blackboard course shells, and how to schedule a one-on-one consultation with our team members.
In this email newsletter:
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Blackboard Fall Course Availability and 3 Changes to your Blackboard Template
Beginning June 30, 2025, faculty listed as the instructor of record in Banner will see their Fall 2025 courses. We've made three updates to your Blackboard course templates.
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- The Messages Manager folder has been renamed to "Student Outreach Toolkit". This updated folder offers a variety of templates to support your communication with students on a range of topics and concerns. While not mandatory, these templates can serve as a helpful starting point. We encourage you to adapt them to fit your unique tone and style. Each template includes placeholders for student names, professor details, class information, and office hours—please remember to fill these in before sending. Created in 2023, these templates have been refined in 2025 with input from faculty and staff across campus to ensure the messaging remains accurate, relevant, and practical.
Note: If you've copied course content from a previous semester into your Fall Blackboard course, please delete your former Messages Manager folder and use the updated "Student Outreach Toolkit". - The Assist link on the main landing page will no longer be available starting August 12, 2025. The "Assist: GVSU Student Resources" link has been added directly within Fall courses to ensure students have continued access to the most commonly used student resources. If you do not see the link in your course, you can add it by clicking the purple + > Learning Object Repository > Assist: GVSU Student Resources.
- The course ID displayed in the upper-left corner of your courses now includes the CRN number from Banner. This identifier will be important when we transition to Workday Student.
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Faculty Wanted: Pilot Blackboard AI Tools to Refresh Your Curriculum
This Spring/Summer 2025 semester, we invite faculty to pilot new generative AI tools using our Blackboard testing 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 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.
If you're interested in exploring other AI Blackboard tools, we encourage you to:
Before using the Blackboard AI Design Assistant, we recommend reviewing the GVSU AI Policy and visiting the GVSU AI website for guidance on responsible and ethical use of AI in teaching and learning.
To promote transparency with students, we recommend including a brief statement if generative AI tools such as Blackboard's AI Design Assistant were used in curriculum development. We've included sample language on our AI Design Assistant Blackboard Webpage, which you can incorporate into your course materials. Remember, this tool is designed to support, not replace, faculty expertise.
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July Blackboard Enhancements
Blackboard uses a continuous release cycle, meaning new features are released monthly. Some new features are large updates with completely new functionality, while others are minor enhancements. We've highlighted three enhancements in the release that will be available starting July 4, 2025.
As part of the July release, Blackboard will introduce support for MathJax, a formula rendering option many of our STEM instructors have requested.
MathJax provides a more precise and high-quality rendering style for mathematical expressions and equations, which many in STEM disciplines prefer. When activated, MathJax will automatically render LaTeX code entered directly in the Content Editor across supported areas of Blackboard.
Formulas created in the Math Editor will continue to be rendered by Wiris.
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A frequently requested feature is finally here! Starting with the July release, instructors can see which students have viewed an announcement in their course.
By selecting the viewer count on the main Announcements page, instructors can open a list showing who has acknowledged the message and who has not. This list makes it easy to follow up with students who haven't viewed the announcement or confirm that important information was received.
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Grading with rubrics is improved in the July release. These updates make the rubric easier to read, navigate, and score, especially for more detailed rubrics with multiple criteria.
The pop-out rubric view in the Gradebook now includes:
- A warning prompt is displayed if you attempt to close without saving changes
- The ability to save without automatically closing the rubric window
- Improved keyboard navigation using arrow keys and tabbing, making it more accessible and efficient
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New in Hypothesis: Annotate Images Directly in PDFs!
We're excited to share a powerful new feature in Hypothesis, "Image Annotation"! You can now highlight and comment directly on charts, graphs, diagrams, and other visual elements in your course's PDFs. This new capability enhances how students and instructors can engage with visual content. Whether breaking down a scientific figure, interpreting a historical map, or discussing trends in a data chart, image annotation in Hypothesis brings deeper interactivity to course materials and supports richer discussion around course visuals. Try it out today and give your visual content the conversation it deserves!
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Please review the Knowledge Base articles in our Service Portal for assistance using Hypothesis. We also have several workshops on using Hypothesis available in July. Registration is required.
7/15/25 – 7/29/25 (asynchronous)
7/23/25 • 11am – 2:30pm
7/29/25 • 1pm – 1:30pm
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Faculty/Staff Spotlight
In this video, Meghan Farmer, GVSU Laker Store Assistant Manager, discusses why she's created multiple signatures in Outlook to tailor communication and resources that she's sharing on a repeated basis. Use this resource to learn how to customize your Outlook signature.
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Windows 11 Training
Windows 11 is Microsoft's newest operating system (OS), offering an upgrade from the familiar Windows experience. This training will provide a brief overview and detailed instructions on preparing your device, steps to back up your files via OneDrive, action items to help facilitate a smooth transition, and what's new in Windows 11. Please watch this video to help prepare for your Windows 11 transition.
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7/9/25, 7/23/25, 8/13/25 and 8/20/25
1pm – 2pm
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July and Early August Professional Development Opportunities
7/2/25 • 1pm – 2pm
7/15/25 – 7/29/25 (asynchronous)
7/23/25 • 11am – 2:30pm
7/29/25 • 1pm – 1:30pm
7/30/25 • 1pm – 2pm
8/20/25 • 10am – 11am
8/21/25 • 7pm – 8pm
8/18/25 • 1pm – 2pm
8/4/25 • 11am – 12pm
8/18/25 • 11am – 12pm
8/19/25 • 11am – 12pm
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Connect with eLearning!
There are many benefits to working with eLearning. We can assist in optimizing Blackboard course structure, enhancing online and hybrid learning experiences, and incorporating innovative tools to foster active learning. You are encouraged to contact your eLearning Technologies liaisons or submit a consultation ticket at your convenience.
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Sincerely,
Kim Kenward, Director of eLearning Technologies
kenwardk@gvsu.edu
GVSU Information Technology
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