The Division of Information Technology’s AI site will help the UMBC community with information on using artificial intelligence (AI), especially generative AI (GenAI), to support UMBC’s Administrative, Instructional, and Research efforts. This site has been created to help employees advance their use of GenAI.

We recommend that our UMBC community begin by visiting GenAI Tools, a page that highlights free resources and provides guidance on using GenAI while safeguarding UMBC institutional data safely.

For staff seeking support, we encourage people to look at Administrative AI, as a starting point. Our goal is to save folks time, improve the quality of their work, and increase productivity. We showcase tools that DoIT provides to support these objectives.

We have launched myUMBC Answers, an AI-supported search bar. We are seeking partners to expand this tool. The key to leveraging myUMBC Answers is providing validated and accurate content, such as annual FAQs or handbooks.

Faculty, are encouraged to explore Instructional AI and Research AI. The UMBC Center for AI in the College of Engineering is an excellent resource for AI-related research and innovation. Stay informed by following the center’s social media chnnels on LinkedIn, Bluesky, X, and Facebook.

Members of the UMBC community can subscribe to the UMBC AI Group to receive email about AI-related news and events. If you have news to share with the UMBC AI community or suggestions or comments on the site, please send them to umbc-ai@cs.umbc.edu.

AI News

Showing items tagged ultra-update. Show All

Ultra enhances usability, gradebook, test timer in November

Flag student retention and other grade alerts in your stream

Usability and a few gradebook improvements come to Ultra in November. New, larger icons with thicker line strokes and blue backgrounds improve accessibility and better support quick scanning of...

Posted: October 23, 2020, 12:29 PM

New Batch Group Management Tool Available in Bb Ultra

Custom solution works in both Ultra & Original courses

Group management is one of the most important tools in a Blackboard course. For large courses, group management is a critical component of assigning students to groups and managing engagement or...

Posted: September 18, 2020, 12:25 PM

Password protection & automated test feedback come to Ultra

Enhancements to Collaborate, gradebook & announcement tools

Password protection and automated feedback are two assessment tools coming to Ultra in September. These valuable features enhance the instructor's ability to secure assessments and provide...

Posted: August 31, 2020, 1:28 PM

Content Editor Updates Enhance Announcements, Embedded Media

Ultra journals now included in course copy

The August Blackboard update introduces an enhanced text editor to the Ultra course announcement tool, allowing faculty to add and display more types of content, embed web links and media, and...

Posted: July 28, 2020, 11:43 AM

Basic Journals Arrive to Ultra Courses in June

Tweaks include assessment feedback, course copy improvements

Next month's Blackboard update brings a frequently requested tool to Ultra courses: the Journal! Journals are a personal space for students to communicate privately with instructors or to reflect...

Posted: May 29, 2020, 10:07 AM

Division of Information Technology