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Grand Valley State University
Fall semester is just around the corner, and the eLearning team is ready to help! This issue includes resources to support your teaching and course preparation, details about an upcoming Blackboard Gradebook grid view interface change arriving with the August 7 monthly enhancements, and a preview of professional development sessions and drop-in office hours planned for the coming months.
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Blackboard Gradebook Grid View Changes

On August 7, Blackboard will introduce a refreshed look for the Gradebook Grid View. This update is cosmetic only; there are no changes to Gradebook functionality. Learn what to expect in our Gradebook Knowledge Base article, which includes a side-by-side comparison, and join one of our upcoming brief webinars to explore the new interface along with time-saving Gradebook features and tips.
The following are changing in the Grid View:
  • Layout and navigation, including a new Grade Details panel that brings grading information and actions into one place
  • Grade entry workflow
  • How grades are posted
  • How exceptions and exemptions are managed, now grouped under Accommodations
The following are not changing:
  • Grades, calculations, and overall grade configuration
  • Grade schemas and grading settings
  • Course-level accommodations
  • The List View
  • All existing grades and submission history
Blackboard Ultra Gradebook: Hidden Gems & Updates Webinar
Join us for a quick 45-minute deep dive into the newest features and lesser-known tools designed to save you time and simplify your workflow. The last 15 minutes are reserved for Q&A.
Trainings are available:
  • 8/13/26, 2 – 2:45 pm
  • 8/18/26, 11 – 11:45 am
  • 8/20/26, 2 – 2:45 pm
  • 8/25/26, 11 – 11:45 am
  • 8/27/26, 2 – 2:45 pm
  • 9/1/26, 11 – 11:45 am
Register for this workshop in Workday to reserve your spot.
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Blackboard Feature Enhancements for August

Blackboard uses a continuous release cycle, meaning new features are released monthly. Some new features are significant updates with completely new functionality, while others are minor enhancements. We've highlighted several improvements in the release that will be available starting August 7, 2026.
Manage Group Membership with Drag and Drop
Instructors can now use drag and drop to manage group membership in the Groups management experience. This makes it faster and more intuitive to assign and remove students from groups without relying on menus and selection lists.
Instructors can drag and drop students to assign them to a group
Create Multiple Groups at Once
Instead of adding groups one at a time, instructors can create several groups in a single action, saving time when setting up group work, especially in large courses.
Instructors can indicate how many groups to create at once, with the minimum 2 and the maximum 5,000
Add Sorting Controls for Users in Discussions
From within a discussion, instructors and students can:
  • Sort posts by Newest first or Oldest first
  • Return to a discussion later and find it still sorted the way they last chose because the selected order is remembered for each discussion
  • Sorting applies throughout the discussion, including nested replies, and works the same way on mobile
Export Question Banks
Instructors can now export a question bank as a file to their local device. This makes it easier to back up assessment content or share with other instructors for reuse across courses.
From the question bank management page, instructors can select an export option to download the question bank to their local file system. The exported file can be backed up, shared with other instructors, or reused in other courses.
Instructors can use the export option to download the question bank
Fix Untagged PDFs with Blackboard Ally
We are pleased to share that instructors can remediate PDFs that do not have tags by selecting Auto-tag PDF to apply tags using Blackboard Ally. This functionality is available now, and you can review these instructions for using Blackboard Ally PDF auto-tagging.
Instructors can use Blackboard Ally PDF auto-tagging to generate missing tags
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Getting Your Fall 2026 Blackboard Courses Ready

As you start thinking about your Fall 2026 courses, you may want to take advantage of the following common requests:
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Blackboard Security and Zoom Scheduled Maintenance 8/18-19

Two scheduled Blackboard maintenance activities will take place on August 18 and 19. The first will update the Zoom integration, and the second will install required security updates that will require a brief Blackboard outage.
Tuesday, August 18: 11:00am – 12:00pm
Zoom Integration Update (No Expected Downtime)
The Zoom integration (LTI) between Blackboard and Zoom will be updated. No downtime is expected during this maintenance.
Faculty who copy content from a previous Blackboard course after this update will need to add the new Zoom LTI integration before using Zoom in their course. Instructions are available in the Setting Up Zoom Meetings in Blackboard Knowledge Base article.
Wednesday, August 19: 1:00am – 3:00am
Blackboard Security Maintenance (Blackboard Unavailable)
Blackboard (lms.gvsu.edu) will be unavailable for approximately two hours while required security updates are installed. During this time, anyone attempting to access Blackboard will see a maintenance page.
This maintenance has been scheduled after the summer semester concludes and during overnight hours to minimize disruption to the campus community. Maintenance updates will be posted on the IT Service Status page.
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Faculty Office Hours – Course Development & Accessibility Support

Bring your laptop and join us for dedicated course development time with support from the eLearning Technologies team and Student Accessibility Resources. Whether you're preparing a new course or refreshing existing content, stop by for one-on-one assistance. Bring your questions, and feel free to stay for as little or as much time as you need. Team members will be available to provide:
  • Hands-on support with Blackboard, Panopto, and other instructional technologies
  • Guidance on course design best practices and accessibility considerations
  • One-on-one consultations with your eLearning liaison and Student Accessibility Resources staff
  • Assistance preparing course materials for the upcoming semester
  • Tours of the Bridge studios and consultations with our Digital Media Developers
Available Sessions
  • Thursday, August 6, 2026 • 12:30 – 3pm • DCIH 2260 (Health Campus)
  • Monday, August 10, 2026 • 12:30 – 3pm • KHS 4402 (Valley Campus)
  • Wednesday, August 12, 2026 • 12:30 – 3pm • SCB 2001 (City Campus)
Fill out this registration form to reserve your spot!

Professional Development Opportunities for June and July
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Self-Paced Options

In addition to our live Zoom-based trainings, we're excited to offer several self-paced options this fall, allowing you to learn at your own pace and on your own schedule.
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Trainings Offered via Zoom

Throughout each semester, the eLearning team offers a variety of webinars covering a wide array of teaching topics related to technology. Most sessions are facilitated in a LIVE webinar format using Zoom. Click on the title of the webinar to register in Workday Learning and obtain your Zoom meeting link.
Blackboard Training
Did you know Blackboard Could Do That?
Review the latest monthly enhancements to Blackboard, demonstrated with time for guided how-to practice on how these enhancements can be applied in your courses.
8/13/26 • 11am – 12pm
Blackboard Ultra Essentials
8/18/26 • 9am – 10am
8/19/26 • 1pm – 2pm
8/20/26 • 7pm – 8pm
8/24/26 • 7pm – 8pm
8/27/26 • 3pm – 4pm
Blackboard Ultra Gradebook: Hidden Gems & Updates
8/13/26 • 2pm – 2:45pm
8/18/26 • 11am – 11: 45am
8/20/26 • 2pm – 2:45pm
8/25/26 • 11am – 11:45am
8/27/26 • 2pm – 2:45pm
Course Setup Simplified: A Fast Track from Syllabus to Blackboard
8/25/26 • 11am – 12pm
8/27/26 • 1pm – 2pm
Accessibility Trainings
Accessibility and Ally: Creating Course Materials That Work for All
8/10/26 • 9:30am – 10:30am
8/28/26 • 11am – 12pm
Making PDFs Accessible
8/11/26 • 10am – 10:30am
8/20/26 • 2pm – 2:30pm
8/26/26 • 11am – 11:30am
PDF Tune-Up in 15 Minutes Using Ally
All sessions are 15 minutes.
8/14/26 • 9am
8/17/26 • 11am
8/21/26 • 2pm
8/25/26 • 3pm
Digital Pedagogy Topics
Declutter Your Digital Life
8/12/26 • 1pm – 12pm
Exploring AI in Higher Ed: Ethical and Effective Use of AI, a Faculty Discussion
8/12/26 • 10am – 11:30am
Hypothesis: Activating Annotation in Your LMS
*This is a Hypothesis-sponsored workshop. Use your GVSU email address when registering.
8/13/26 • 2:30pm – 3:30pm
Hypothesis: Annotate your Syllabus with Your Students
*This is a Hypothesis-sponsored workshop. Use your GVSU email address when registering.
8/20/26 • 2:30pm – 3:30pm
Hypothesis: Collaborative Annotation Tool for Blackboard
8/28/26 • 1pm – 2pm
Video and Digital Media Topics
Creating Instructor Presence with Panopto
8/18/26 • 1pm – 2pm
Using Padlet to Engage Online Learners
8/11/26 • 11am – 12pm
Introduction to Adobe Express
8/10/26 • 10:00am – 11:00am
Video Editing with Adobe Express
8/13/26 • 10:00am – 11:00am
Using Video to Create Authentic Assessments and Support Academic Integrity
8/14/26 • 10am – 10:30am
Windows 11, Microsoft 365, and Zoom Topics
Time-saving Tips in Outlook
8/5/2026 • 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Work Smarter with Zoom AI Companion
8/17/26 • 1:30pm – 2pm
Microsoft Excel 101
8/19/26 • 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Create Fillable PDF Forms from Documents and Images
8/26/26 • 1:30pm – 2pm
Customized Training
Departments can also request that webinar topics be customized and scheduled at their convenience. Send email requests to it@gvsu.edu with the requested topic, date/time, and format preferences (Zoom or in-person).
Members of the elearning team

Connect with eLearning!

There are many benefits to working with eLearning. We can assist in optimizing your Blackboard course structure, enhancing online and hybrid learning experiences, and incorporating innovative tools to foster active learning. You're encouraged to contact your eLearning Technologies liaisons or submit a consultation ticket at your convenience.
Sincerely,
Kim Kenward, Director of eLearning Technologies
kenwardk@gvsu.edu
GVSU Information Technology
Visit our eLearning Technologies website
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