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Grand Valley State University

In this edition of the newsletter:

Meet the Ultra Champions

In each newsletter, we will be featuring a few faculty who are already teaching in Blackboard Ultra Course View. We're continuing to collect video testimonials and have updated the LMS Migration website to include videos highlighting these instructors. In this month’s newsletter, we are featuring Eliza MacDonald from the Physical Therapy and Athletic Training department, and Meagan Knoll from the Management department. You can find additional faculty on our Blackboard Ultra Champions website.  

Watch Eliza MacDonald's video

Watch Meagan Knoll's video

5 Commonly Asked Blackboard Ultra Questions

We keep our Learning Management System Migration website updated on a regular basis. Recently we updated the Frequently Asked Questions page with questions we're hearing as Winter 2023 draws closer.
Question #1: Will Blackboard go down when we move to Ultra courses?
  • No. Now that Blackboard is cloud-hosted, we no longer need scheduled downtimes between semesters to do necessary updates.
  • Blackboard updates now happen on a monthly basis, compared to once or twice a year back when we were self-hosted.
  • Monthly updates and feature releases are posted on our LMS Institution Page under “GVSU LMS Migration Updates” for everyone to review.
Question #2: Will I have access to my previous Blackboard courses when we move to Ultra courses?
  • Yes. Faculty will continue to have access to their previous Blackboard Classic courses to copy content and use as guides.
  • Just as you do right now, faculty will always have 1 academic year + one semester of courses available in Blackboard.
  • If needed, faculty can request that older courses be "restored." We retain 3 years of archives for restoration purposes.
Question #3: When will my Spring/Summer and Fall 2023 Ultra Courses be available?
  • Spring/Summer 2023 Ultra courses will be made available the week of March 13, 2023.
  • Fall 2023 Ultra courses will be made available beginning July 10, 2023.
  • Instructors must be listed in Banner as the instructor of record in order to have access to their Blackboard courses.
Question #4: Is there a way to work on future courses before they are made available?
  • Yes. You can use this Service Portal request form to request as many template sites as you need. The form will also ask you to identify other faculty that might need shared access to your template.
  • Template sites do not disappear and they do not get archived.
  • Template sites serve as a great place to work on building your courses over time, as well as a great place to keep track of resources or ideas that you might use in the future.
Question #5: How will my Classic Blackboard Courses get into Ultra?

Participate in the Online and Hybrid Faculty Learning Community

Whether you’ve been teaching online or hybrid courses for several years, or just getting ready to start your first semester teaching hybrid or online, faculty of 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
If you are not currently a FLC member, and you would like to receive email, you can send email requests to Matt Roberts (robmatth@gvsu.edu) to enroll you in our Blackboard organization. 

Next Meeting

Date: Thursday November 17, 2022 from 1:30pm to 2:30pm
Topic: Ultra Course View Show-and-Tell

Join the Zoom session

Will Blackboard organizations be moving to Ultra?

Blackboard organizations that are used for personnel purposes will stay in Blackboard Classic through May 1, 2024. This should provide ample time for colleges and units to update any Blackboard templates that they use. This decision was made in conjunction with Information Technology and the Provost Office.
Organizations will not be asked to convert to Ultra, but any new organizations that are created will be Ultra organizations. For student-centered organizations (i.e. Health Compliance), we have begun to reach out to leaders about converting their sites to Ultra to lessen student confusion on the different formats.
Our current focus is on organizations that have new cohorts starting in Fall 2023.

Coming January 2023—the Digital Creator Lab!

In a collaboration between University Libraries and Information Technology (IT), a new digital literacy and creation service is being launched, the Digital Creator Lab (DCL). As a service partner of the Knowledge Market, this expansion aims to reduce technology access gaps and advance digital literacy for diversely situated students. This new space will be opening on the 2nd floor of the Mary Idema Pew Library in Winter 2023. The DCL will be staffed with digital skill consultants to provide academic and creative support. It also features:
  • A lendable hardware program, including cameras, microphones, lighting, and more
  • Study pods and a podcasting booth
  • An online repository of tutorials about relevant software / hardware
Want to get connected? Faculty interested in learning how to integrate digital skills into their classes and assessment, such as video, podcasts, etc., can sign up for our faculty learning community, "Assessing Student Learning through Digital Media."
Additionally, we are hosting a Grand Opening the week of January 9th, 2023 for students and faculty. The Grand Opening will include tours of the space, raffles and prizes for students, and interactive games to encourage students to familiarize themselves with the Digital Creator Lab.
For questions about how you can connect your course assignments as well as your students to the Digital Creator Lab, reach out to Gabrielle Miller (millerg8@gvsu.edu) or Justin Melick (melicjus@gvsu.edu).

Your eLearning liaisons: ready to help!

As you're winding down this semester and beginning to think about the winter term, if there's any way we can more effectively support you with integrating technology into your teaching practices or answer questions about the upcoming changes with our move to Blackboard Ultra Courses, please do reach out. 
If there's any way we can more effectively support you, or answer questions about the upcoming changes with Blackboard Ultra courses, please do reach out. You can also contact your eLearning Technologies liaisons or submit a consultation ticket.
Sincerely,

Kim Kenward
Director of eLearning Technologies
GVSU Information Technology
Visit our eLearning Technologies website or follow us on our socials:
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podcast by Jamison Wieser from Noun Project / Question by Adrien Coquet from Noun Project / feedback by Vectorstall from Noun Project / moving by Adrien Coquet from Noun Project
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4490 Kindschi Hall of Science
Allendale, MI 49401
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