How can I prepare my Blackboard module for the new academic year?
The Prepare your Blackboard module for the new year Checklist details the tasks that you will need to do:
- Delete old, out-of-date information & materials.
- When and how to make your course available to your students.
- Enrolling other staff delivering the module.
- Activating the YuJa channel for your Blackboard modules, so you can share classroom capture recordings with your students.
- Uploading and/or repurposing screencasts and ensuring new students can view them on YuJa.
- Adding module roadmaps / weekly plans.
- Using Blackboard as part of your start-of-term communications.
- Liaising with your Programme Administrator to ensure that they have the correct information to set up each assessment – including the submission deadline and assessment tool to be used.
- Adding a course banner.
You can use the Designing your Blackboard Module Toolkit for practical guidance on planning and laying out your module, including how to structure any online learning materials and activities in Blackboard.
Optimising the accessibility of your Blackboard content will improve the ability of your students to engage with and use your materials. To help you improve the accessibility of the content you upload to Blackboard, and the quality of the alternative formats available to your students, be sure to use the Blackboard Ally tool within your module.
YuJa for Learning Capture and video resources
YuJa is the University’s Learning Capture system for creating, storing and viewing your videos for teaching and learning. We recommend you:
- Remove any classroom capture recordings rolled over from 2022/23. Classroom capture recordings should only be used by the cohort of students for whom they were intended.
- Click on the YuJa link in your 2023/24 Blackboard modules to activate the YuJa channel for that course. This will enable you to publish recordings to this year’s modules.
Our Learning Capture staff development sessions offer support on using YuJa.
More information, policies and resources are available on the Learning Capture portal page
Blackboard Organisations
Blackboard Organisations have been updated to use the new Ultra layout this year. These will be available to students by 11th September.
These new Organisations replace the previous ‘Original’ ones. Colleagues responsible for an Organisation have undertaken this work over the summer and the Original Organisations made unavailable to students by them. Please be aware that some previous Organisations have been re-thought or have not been replaced.
If you link directly to an Organisation in your Blackboard course, please check what link you need and update it.
More information on Migrating to Blackboard Learn Ultra Organisations.
Blackboard Learn Ultra – Organisation Workshop
The following session is relevant to colleagues who are involved with Blackboard Organisations (not Blackboard Courses).
- Wednesday 23 August 2023, 11:00-12:30
- Tuesday 05 September 2023, 14:00-15:30
- Thursday 14 September 2023, 12:30-14:00
What staff development is available to help me prepare my module(s)?
TEL: Making your Blackboard Module more Accessible with Blackboard Ally (Webinar)
- Monday 04 September 2023, 13:00-14:00
- Friday 15 September 2023, 12:30-13:30
TEL: Learning Capture – YuJa Essentials
- Wednesday 27 September 2023, 14:30-15:30
Are there any resources for my students to help them use Blackboard?
Also detailed on the Checklist are resources you can use with your students to prepare them to use Blackboard and help them orientate themselves with the teaching tools and technologies they’ll be using in their learning.
Share the new 5 minute Introduction to Blackboard video and direct your students to the TEL/Blackboard Support for Students site. Among other things, students can find out how they can access Blackboard content in a range of alternative formats to best suit them.
Study Smart course
Please encourage new Part 1 and Foundation students to complete Study Smart, a tailored online course to help with the transition to university. Students will have received an enrolment link via email. Find more information on the Essentials Study Smart page.