What’s New

CourseArc offers new AI-supported features including image descriptions

Improve accessibility in your CourseArc content

CourseArc offers new AI-powered features to make content creation smarter and faster. From generating alt text and long descriptions to transforming outlines into full lessons and creating quizzes...

Posted: June 10, 2025, 8:41 AM

A hammer and wrench with text that reads "CourseArc"

New Voicethread URL starting June 30

UMBC users will use: voicethread.com

Please note that after June 30, 2025, your UMBC VoiceThread account may be accessed via: https://voicethread.com Currently UMBC users may access VoiceThread via: https://umbc.voicethread.com. ...

Posted: June 9, 2025, 1:16 PM

The letters v and t surrounded by a circle. The word Voicethread appears below, in boldface.

Explore Jumbled Sentences and Gradebook Tools in Ultra’s June Release

Track unread discussions & student activity

The June 2025 update to Blackboard Ultra brings a fresh set of enhancements designed to support instructional efficiency, student engagement, and accessible course design. From new question types...

Posted: June 3, 2025, 12:56 PM

Black and white robot dog running with the words "New to Ultra" written on light turquoise background

Using Google Doc "Versions" to Detect Student Originality vs. AI Abuse

Note: The following tip was shared as part of a 2/18/25 Faculty Development Center workshop, "Encouraging Academic Integrity in the Era of AI." Please feel free to adapt and make it your own....

Posted: May 14, 2025, 2:25 PM

A screenshot of a Google Doc version history to help determine student originality vs. AI detection.

Why & How to Explore Analytics@UMBC

A brief (8 min) orientation and refresher

As part of UMBC’s data warehouse migration to HelioCampus, the Data Management Committee’s “Training & Outreach” working group has published a brief (8 min) video orientation on why and how to...

Posted: May 14, 2025, 1:44 PM

A thumbnail image of Purdue's analytics model. Used with permission.

2025-26 Learning Analytics Mini Grant Proposals Due 6/6/25

All faculty and staff are eligible

The Division of Information Technology (DoIT), in partnership with the Office of the Provost, invites UMBC faculty members to submit proposals for the 2025 Learning Analytics (LA) Mini Grants....

Posted: May 14, 2025, 11:56 AM

A flat-style digital illustration shows four diverse individuals sitting around a table with laptops, engaged in discussion. A cartoon Chesapeake Bay Retriever playfully sits behind a central laptop displaying a bar graph. Surrounding them are various icons representing data, including pie charts, line graphs, and data points, symbolizing collaboration and analytics.

New grading features include no points rubric & text-based column for Ultra courses in May update

Updated assessment setting & discussion enhancements

The May 2025 Ultra release delivers several meaningful updates that improve how faculty assess student work, support engagement, and manage course tools. From expanded rubric options to accessible...

Posted: April 29, 2025, 8:44 AM

SU2025 Courses Created in Blackboard on April 24, 2025

New Process To Request Merged Course Shells

Blackboard course shells for Summer 2025 were created on April 24, 2025. All Summer 2025 courses listed in the UMBC Schedule of Classes (SOC), regardless of designation as lecture, lab, etc, or...

Posted: April 25, 2025, 9:30 AM

Maryland Open Source Textbook (MOST) grants due April 18th

Advance educational excellence and affordability

The 2025 M.O.S.T. Grant Cycle We hope that you would consider submitting a proposal either for an individual faculty or institutional grant supported by the Maryland Open Source Textbook...

Posted: April 14, 2025, 1:11 PM

Issue Affecting Panopto/Blackboard Grades

Panopto assignments not passing to Blackboard gradebook

Panopto has reported an issue affecting the accurate passing of grades from Panopto assignments to Blackboard's gradebook. Some grades for both quizzes and video progress are not being reported...

Posted: April 11, 2025, 2:46 PM