AI Initiatives

The DoIT AI site is here to help the community with information on using artificial intelligence (AI), especially generative AI (GenAI), to support UMBC’s Administrative, Instructional, and Research efforts. This site is designed to support employees looking to advance their use of GenAI. We recommend that our UMBC community start by visiting GenAI Tools, this page will highlight what free resources are available to use and what options exist to safely use GenAI while safeguarding UMBC institutional data.

For staff providing support, we encourage people to look at Administrative AI, as a starting point. Our goal is to save people time and hopefully improve the quality of their work, thus increasing productivity. We highlight some tools that DoIT is providing for support and we are seeking partners to work with DoIT on expanding myUMBC Answers. The real key to your office leveraging myUMBC Answers is to be able to provide validated and accurate content, such as FAQs or a handbook produced annually.

For faculty, we encourage you to also explore instructional AI and research AI. A wonderful resource in the College of Engineering Center for AI.  You can follow news about the UMBC Center for AI on social media through its sites 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

June features printer-friendly tests & new Courses page

Language support for AI course tools, grading enhancements

This June, Ultra users can look forward to updates that enhance user experience and functionality including a new language selector when generating content with the AI Course Design Assistant,...

Posted: May 30, 2024, 2:26 PM

Advanced release conditions customize Ultra content in May

Improvements to gradebook calculations, reduce animations

With the latest update to Ultra in May, instructors can design a learning pathway where students must demonstrate proficiency in multiple content areas (e.g., at least 80% mastery on separate...

Posted: April 29, 2024, 2:38 PM

Deeper Feedback Options & Anon Discussions in Ultra

Improvements to grade calculations with BigFraction update

The April update to Ultra features several enhancements designed to improve the teaching and learning experience. This update, driven by user feedback from UMBC and the broader global community,...

Posted: March 26, 2024, 12:02 PM

Ultra Courses to Support Additional Level of Nested Folders

Availability to begin after spring break

Designed for mobility, Ultra supports a condensed hierarchy for content nesting on the main course content page. Student preference and support were the primary purpose for Blackboard to reduce...

Posted: March 7, 2024, 9:19 AM

Gradebook statistics coming to Ultra courses in March

Additional features include AI enhancements, new settings

In continuous effort to improve the digital learning environment for both faculty and students, the March update to Ultra features several improvements designed to streamline course management,...

Posted: February 27, 2024, 3:02 PM