Ready to learn some new tech skills this fall? We’ve got a full slate of course and workshops this fall to help you learn all things Blackboard. Here’s what’s coming up over the next few months. All courses that require registration can be accessed through Cornerstone via the Portal.

On-Demand

You can learn when and where you want with these self-paced courses. Sign up in Cornerstone!

  • Blackboard Ally This training will help you to learn to use Ally and familiarize yourself with the student side of Ally. You’ll come away with a more accessible syllabus, and the foundations of making all course content more accessible.
  • Blackboard for New Users Through this course, Blackboard for New Users, you will learn to use Blackboard effectively including; navigating Blackboard, adding content, and communicating with and assessing your students. You’ll learn to make Blackboard work for you in your courses, regardless of delivery mode.
  • Grade Center Essentials Blackboard Grade Center Essentials is a fully online, self-paced online course designed for faculty. This course addresses the COD instructor’s basic needs for use of the Grade Center in Blackboard and provides detailed instructions and hands-on activities for faculty to gain technical skills necessary in order to efficiently utilize Assignment, Test and Rubric features in the COD Blackboard Learn system.

September

Regional Center Visits

We’ll be heading to each of the regional centers this September for Blackboard Assistance Labs. Here’s where you can find us.

  • Carol Stream Center, September 17, 10:00 a.m. to Noon
  • Westmont Center, September 17, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Addison Center, September 18, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Naperville Center, September 19, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

After Hours Support

Need help with Blackboard but can’t come in during normal business hours? We’re on call this September. Take advantage of one of our later evening or weekend support sessions.

Courses and Workshops

  • Hosting Effective Online Discussions, September 9 through September 22, Online. Designed for faculty members who want to get more out of online discussion forums, this two week fully online session will dive into strategies for creating and managing an online community that encourages effective interactions. Discover new tips to increase instructor presence, share your experiences, and learn how to set up discussion forums in your course sections.
  • Blackboard Grade Center Workshop II: Assignment, September 18, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., SCC 123. This workshop is intended for all COD instructors who want to utilize Blackboard’s Assignments tool to create assignments, and grade student submissions.
  • Blackboard Ally, September 18, 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., SCC 123.
    This training will help you to learn to use Ally and familiarize yourself with the student side of Ally. You’ll come away with a more accessible syllabus, and the foundations of making all course content more accessible.
  • Introduction to Collaborate Ultra, September 23 through October 9, Online. This online workshop offers an opportunity for you to become familiar with the Blackboard Collaborate environment. You will experience a Collaborate room and use tools and features available for the Participant role and Moderator role.
  • Foundations of Online Teaching, September 23 through October 25, Online. Designed for Faculty and Administrators, the focus of this online course is on being an effective online facilitator. Topics include: Developing your online course environment,Effective communication online,Techniques to build instructor presence, Media in the online environment, and Adaption and accessibility.
  • Blackboard Grade Center Workshop: Test, September 26, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., SRC 3030. This workshop is intended for all COD instructors who want to utilize Blackboard’s Test tool to create tests and grade student submissions, regardless of instructional delivery modes. 
  • Trends of Successful and Engaging Courses, September 30, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., SSC 123. This highly participatory session will highlight concepts and strategies for developing an organized, engaging and student-focused course environment. Topics covered include: best practices for developing your course environment, effective ways to communicate online, and techniques to build instructor presence.

October

  • Ally The Road to IncluCity Tour, October 7 through October 8. Join us for workshops and presentations all about Blackboard Ally. More details will be available soon! Learn more about the tour.
  • Blackboard Grade Center Workshop: Combined Assignment and Test, October 18, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Blackboard Grade Center Workshops II and III, Assignment and Test, will be combined for special sessions in Fall 2019.
  • Blackboard Ally, October 29, 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., SCC 121. This training will help you to learn to use Ally and familiarize yourself with the student side of Ally. You’ll come away with a more accessible syllabus, and the foundations of making all course content more accessible.

November

  • Blackboard Grade Center Workshop: Rubrics, November 5, 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. SCC 123. This workshop is intended for all COD instructors who want to utilize the Rubrics tool for grading assignments. Must have completed the Assignment workshop or have familiarity with the Assignment tool.
  • Trends of Successful, Engaging Online Courses, November 6, 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., SCC 123. This highly participatory session will highlight concepts and strategies for developing an organized, engaging and student-focused course environment. Topics covered include: best practices for developing your course environment, effective ways to communicate online, and techniques to build instructor presence.
  • Blackboard Grade Center Workshop V: Weighted Grades, November 15, 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., SCC 123. Learn how to use the Weighted Grades feature in the Bb Grade Center.

December

  • Blackboard Grade Center Workshop: Basics, December 4, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., SCC 123. Instructor-led course covering Blackboard Grade Center Basics