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All Courses Now in Blackboard Ultra
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College of DuPage has completed transitioning to the Ultra version of Blackboard. All courses for the Spring 2026 term now appear in Ultra.
If you have not yet set up your courses for the Ultra Course View, please review the asynchronous training resources below. These can help you get started and understand the basics prior to the start of the term. You can also sign up for our upcoming Zoom training. If you prefer in-person, we will be staffing support labs for any questions or individual concerns you may have about your courses.
We kindly request that you take advantage of these learning opportunities and start setting up your courses BEFORE making an appointment with Learning Technologies.
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Ultra Asynchronous Training
If you want to learn about Ultra but can't make it to one of our trainings you can register for one of our asynchronous online courses and learn at your own pace.
You can choose from a PDH option or one that offers the same information without the PDH component.
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Blackboard Ultra Open Lab
LT Open Labs are ready for all your Ultra questions. During the Spring 2026 Term, labs will be in SRC 3007 on:
- Mondays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
For Ultra questions outside of lab hours, we prefer you make an appointment by emailing learningtech@cod.edu.
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Ultra Training for Spring 2026
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We're here to help you learn all about Ultra this term! Sign up now for one of our upcoming training sessions:
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Blackboard Ultra: Converting Your Course
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A guided walkthrough on how to transition your content from Original Course View to Ultra Course view and how to add new content from other sources.
- April 29 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Zoom
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Blackboard Ultra: Gradebook
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Covers an overview of the Ultra Gradebook and how to set up your Gradebook to ensure that you and your students have a successful term.
- March 18 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Zoom
- May 15 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Zoom
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Blackboard Ultra: Building a Course in Ultra
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A guided walkthrough on how to build a course optimized for the Ultra experience. Learn how to build an outline, add content and assessments, and even copy items from Original courses.
- May 5 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Zoom
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Blackboard Ultra: Creating Tests and Assignments
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Learn how to build tests and assignments in Ultra. We will discuss the benefits of using tests and assignments for online submissions in Blackboard and learn how to create your own test or assignment manually or using the AI tool.
- February 24 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Zoom
- April 15 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Zoom
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Level Up Your Accessibility This Term
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There's no better time to learn how to improve the accessibility of your courses!
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On Demand: Blackboard Ally Course Accessibility Report Training
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Learn more about the Ally Accessibility Report! You can choose from two versions-- one offers PDH (perfect for faculty looking for PDH hours) and one doesn't. Information and registration information can be found below.
This training introduces faculty to practical methods for identifying, resolving, and prioritizing accessibility issues in their course materials using Blackboard Ally. It highlights common barriers for students, quick wins, and strategies for utilizing the Course Accessibility Report, empowering instructors to make steady, meaningful progress on accessibility without becoming overwhelmed.
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New YuJa Training Sessions
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Recording a Video in YuJa
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Video content can boost student engagement, build instructor presence, and provide alternative ways for students to learn. YuJa makes creating those videos simple.
In this session, you’ll learn how to record with your webcam, capture your screen, or combine both for more dynamic content. We’ll highlight quick tips for making polished looking videos, important settings for recording in YuJa, and walk through how to share your finished video in your course. By the end, you’ll see just how easy it is to create effective instructional videos with YuJa in a few simple steps.
- February 12 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Zoom
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Captions make your videos more accessible and more effective for every student. Captions can help all students stay focused, search video content, and learn more effectively.
In this session, you’ll discover how easy it is to add and edit captions to your videos in YuJa. We’ll walk through auto-captioning, quick caption editing tools, and how to share your finished video in your course all in just a few simple steps. Creating and Remediating Accessible Content in Blackboard Ultra
- February 18 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Zoom
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Register for Spring 2026 Foundations
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Spring sessions for Foundations of Online Teaching are now open for registration! Part 1 has already started but you can still register for Part 2!
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Foundations of Online Teaching Part 2
April 6, 2026 to May 10, 2026
This five-week, hybrid course is designed to build on the skills that were developed in Foundations of Online Teaching Part 1 but can also be taken if you would like to enhance a course you have already developed.
Using the OSCQR Rubric, participants will develop their entire course structure and complete at least two units of work. This course will tackle more advanced topics regarding content development and assessment building.
This hybrid course is highly participatory in nature, combining practical hands-on learning with engaged discussion and meet twice on Zoom on Thursday at 6pm of weeks 2 and 4.
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Submit Your Course for the 2026 Anthology Exemplary Course Awards
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Do you have a course that deserves recognition? The Exemplary Course Program (ECP) recognizes excellence in: Course Design, Interaction and Collaboration, Assessment, and Learner Support.
Submission Deadline: Friday, February 20, 2026
To submit, review your course against the full set of criteria laid out in the Exemplary Course Program Rubric, highlight three stand out practices for reviewers, and provide access to a clean copy of your course with no student data with instructor-level access using a separate reviewer ID.
Courses are reviewed in March 2026 by two Anthology Community peer reviewers using the ECP Rubric. Award outcomes are shared in April 2026.
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PD Opportunity: Growing Online Learning Digital Conference
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Register now for the 2026 Growing Online Learning digital conference on February 17th through the 19th. The topic this year is OER. Sessions include:
- Keynote: The Importance of Community Support in OER
- OER Work at Illinois Community Colleges Panel Discussion
- Supporting OER in Illinois Through the OER Commons and the Open Illinois Hub
- OER You Ready? Faculty Created Course Content
- OER Development and Implementation in Chemistry and Math
- Partnering with the SIU Press to Grow OER Capacity for Illinois
Visit the conference site for the full list of sessions and registration.
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Make an Appointment with LT
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Need a little extra help with structuring your courses? Have specific questions about Blackboard? Looking to make your courses more accessible? We have support for that! Visit our appointments site to book a 30-minute session (either virtual via Teams or in-person) with one of our team members.
Not sure who you need to meet with? You'll find an explanation of what each type of support covers so you can choose what's right for your needs. If you're still not sure, please email us at learningtech@cod.edu and we'll route you to the right person.
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New Posts on the LT Blog!
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Christine Monnier is back to blogging for LT! Check out her latest posts (most recent at the bottom, newest are bolded):
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Contact Learning Technologies
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