backtoschool
Getting Started Resources
Welcome back, faculty! We hope everyone enjoyed a great summer. We're ready to help get you up and running with the Fall 2025 Term! 
Important Note About Follett Discover
Please note: Starting with this term, faculty will no longer use the Follett Discover integration in their courses. They should now select their materials in Blackboard via the Bookstore: My Materials tool.
book with arrow click
starting line
Faculty Get Started 
Find help with a range of basic beginning-of-term tasks, like course copy, gradebook set up, and more on our LT site. 
Get Started Page
book with lightbulb
LT Knowledge Base
Have a quick question about Blackboard? Look up the answer in the Knowledge Base! 
 
LT Knowledge Base
gradebook with various grades
ARI Tool Support 
Get help with putting in your roster verifications as the term begins! 
 
 
ARI Tool Website
checklist
Syllabus Process Support
Getting your syllabus uploaded to Blackboard and in the right place so that the extraction tool can find it can be tricky. Use our helpful guide to make the process a little easier. Also helpful: the Fall 2025 Due Dates calendar
Syllabus Process Page
new with computer screen and pop out calendar
New: Make an Appointment with an Instructional Designer
Need a little extra help with your courses or specific questions about moving to Ultra? We've got Instructional Designers for that! We now have a request form that allows you to book a 30 minute session with one of Instructional Designers. 
 
Before booking a 30-minute appointment with an instructional designer, we strongly encourage you to complete Blackboard Ultra training (available in both live and self-paced formats). These sessions will give you the foundation you need so our meeting time can focus on your specific questions and course needs.
Request an Appointment
Blackboard Ultra
Important Notes About Ultra
Here are just a few things to note as we start our final term with two versions of Blackboard: 
  • Ultra in the Blackboard URL doesn't mean your course is in Ultra. We know this can be confusing but ALL courses show up as bb.cod.edu/ultra. This does not mean that your course is in the Ultra Course View. 
  • Courses in Original will not be deleted. While you will no longer be able to have active courses in Bb Original, courses from past terms will not be removed simply because they are in Original. We do remove courses on a scheduled basis for storage space reasons (we will always let you know when this is happening) but will only be removing Original courses using this term-based schedule. 
Ultra Training for Fall
Fall 2025 Ultra Training Sessions
While the transition deadline is fast approaching, you still have plenty of time to learn about Ultra and start moving your courses over. We can help! Here's our training schedule for this fall--and don't forget we also have asynchronous training you can do on your own and support labs where we can answer all of your Ultra questions! 
Building Your Course in Blackboard Ultra
Whether you are building a brand-new course or are looking to redesign an existing course, this session will include a guided walkthrough on how to build a course optimized for the Ultra Course View. Stick around after the session to ask more questions or get hands on help from Learning Technologies.
 
  • Wednesday, September 24 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in SRC 3013
  • Tuesday, October 28 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Zoom 
  • Wednesday, November 26 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in SRC 3013
 
Register for Building Your Course in Blackboard Ultra
Blackboard Ultra Gradebook
This session will cover an overview of the Ultra Gradebook and how to set up your Gradebook to ensure that you and your students have a successful course.
 
  • Wednesday, September 3 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in SRC 3013
  • Tuesday, October 7 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Zoom 
  • Friday, November 7 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. in SRC 3013
  • Wednesday, December 10 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Zoom 
Register for Blackboard Ultra Gradebook
Converting Your Course to Blackboard Ultra
Our Converting your Course session will include 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. You can then take what you have learned and begin transitioning your content into the Ultra Course view. Stick around after the session to ask more questions or get hands on help from Learning Technologies.
 
  • Thursday September 18 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Zoom 
  • Wednesday, October 15 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in SRC 3013
  • Monday, November 17 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Zoom 
  • Tuesday, December 16 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Zoom 
 
Register for Converting Your Course to Blackboard Ultra
Decorative--computer on desk
Ultra Asynchronous Training
Want to learn about Ultra but can't make it to one of our trainings? You can now register for one of our asynchronous online courses! You can choose from a PDH option or one that offers the same information without the PDH component. 
Learn More and Register
Decorative-- three people on computers
Blackboard Ultra Open Lab 
LT Open Labs are ready for all your Ultra questions this fall.
From August 27 through December 19 find us in SRC 3013 on:
  • Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. 
  • Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 
 
Foundations of Online Teaching
Starting Soon: Foundations of Online Teaching
Haven't taken Foundations of Online Teaching? Want to level up by taking Part Two? Registration for both sessions is now open! 
 
Foundations of Online Teaching: Part One
From September 8 to October 12 
This five-week, online course is designed to promote instructor development and enhance instructor engagement whether you are teaching NET, Hybrid, or VCM courses. Participants explore techniques and best practices for online course development and instruction.
 
 
Foundations of Online Teaching: Part Two 
From October 20 to November 23
 
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.
 
Blog page with new bubble
New Posts on the LT Blog!
Christine Monnier is back to blogging for the Fall Term! Check out her latest posts: 
Joke of the Week
Why did the apple pie go to the dentist? It needed a filling!

Contact Learning Technologies

Created with Publicate