What’s New

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

New Voicethread launches May 27th for all UMBC users

Enhanced commenting features and other changes

Starting May 27th all Voicethread users will experience the "new" Voicethread that includes enhanced features. These include: One Conversation – A simpler-to-use conversation structure makes...

Posted: May 23, 2024, 2:10 PM

FA2024 Courses Created in Blackboard on May 13, 2024

Blackboard course shells for FA2024 were created on May 13, 2024 per our previous announcement to support faculty preparation for Ultra in advance of the fall semester. Ultra will be the...

Posted: May 15, 2024, 1:20 PM

Enhancing Media and Accessibility Using Panopto

Updated media guidelines for Blackboard to begin this summer

As part of our ongoing efforts to improve the digital learning environment and support accessibility, all media content must be hosted in Panopto rather than Blackboard as of May 23, 2024,...

Posted: May 14, 2024, 12:20 PM

Blackboard Course File Access Outage

Students & Faculty Unable to Access File Attachments

Blackboard users may be unable to access course file attachments. Error messages may include: The specified resource was not found You do not have permission to access it Refused to connect...

Posted: May 13, 2024, 10:57 AM

Reminder: Blackboard Courses Scheduled for Server Retirement

Courses before Fall 2021 to be retired beginning 6/1

During Summer 2024, DoIT staff and Blackboard will archive our entire instance of Blackboard, which will save individually backed-up copies of every course and organization through SP2024. Courses...

Posted: May 10, 2024, 10:45 AM

Fall 24 Blackboard Courses to Use Ultra by Default

However, faculty can still use Original upon request

In consultation with the Deans as well as the Faculty Senate Computer Policy Committee (CPC), DoIT will make Ultra the default version of Blackboard for all Fall 2024 course shells that are...

Posted: May 7, 2024, 10:04 AM

4 Reasons to Use Copy Content to Prepare an Ultra Course

Choose an easy path to Ultra course readiness

It’s the start of a new semester and you open Blackboard to discover a new Ultra course. As you look over your course materials, gathered and perfected over years of teaching, the thought of...

Posted: May 2, 2024, 2:39 PM

Learning Analytics Mini Grants CFP Due 6/7/24

Prior LA workshops may help inform proposals

UMBC’s Division of Information Technology (DoIT), in partnership with the Office of the Provost, is pleased to announce the call for proposals for the 2024 Learning Analytics (LA) Mini Grants....

Posted: May 2, 2024, 9:00 AM

Panopto Mandatory Recorder Upgrade for Mac Users

Mac users required to upgrade recorder version

Panopto has announced that beginning July 19 at 4:00 AM EDT, Mac clients will be required to upgrade their recorder to version 14.0.  The next major Panopto for Windows and Remote Recorder...

Posted: May 2, 2024, 7:35 AM