Level Up Your Course: Join Us for Blackboard Week (August 10th–14th)
Daily webinars to optimize your Fall courses
As we gear up for the FA2026 semester, Instructional Technology is hosting Blackboard Week from August 10th to August 14th. Whether you are completely new to Blackboard or a seasoned pro looking to optimize your course, this daily webinar series is designed to help you build, organize, and manage your virtual classroom with ease.
All sessions are open to all faculty and instructional staff and will take place online via Google Meet. Here is the lineup for the week:
Organize Your Course Content & Check Accessibility
Monday, August 10th (12pm-1pm) - register online
Get guidance on copying and reusing prior course content, building Ultra modules and folders, embedding materials/LTI tools, controlling content release, and using Ally to check accessibility.
Create Assessments in Blackboard
Tuesday, August 11th (10am-11am) - register online
Discover how to create and customize tests, set up assignments with Blackboard's newest features, construct question banks/pools, design rubrics, and configure secure assessment settings.
Discover What's New in Blackboard for Teaching & Learning FA2026
Wednesday, August 12th (12pm-1pm) - register online
A comprehensive look at recent spring updates and what's newly developed for FA2026, specifically covering fresh features in grading, assessments, student engagement, groups management, and content creation.
Optimize Blackboard Course Groups
Thursday, August 13th (12pm-1pm) - register online
Learn best practices for creating and organizing groups, managing group activities and assignments, enhancing student communication, and effectively grading group submissions.
Navigate the New Blackboard Gradebook
Friday, August 14th (12pm-1pm) - register online
Wrap up the week by learning how to navigate the brand-new Gradebook experience. Topics include managing assessments, creating custom grade categories, grade calculations and schemas, and more.
How to Attend & Important Details
To secure your spot, select "Sign Up" on the corresponding myUMBC event post and add it to your calendar. Registered participants will receive a calendar invitation from the host at least one week before the session.
Connect with Instructional Technology
As always, if you have any questions about teaching, learning, and technology at UMBC, please consider the following options:
Posted: July 28, 2026, 10:00 AM
