Email: Blackboard News - Friday, September 1, 2017

Hopefully your semester is off to a great start.  This email will update you on the implementation of the new and improved Blackboard platform.  Currently, there are ten courses running in the Blackboard SaaS platform. The bold faculty who are working in the new system are called Trailblazers for their willingness to teach their classes and experiment with the new features in Blackboard SaaS this Fall.  These Trailblazers will help us learn the intricacies of Blackboard SaaS.  In addition, Blackboard, IT, and the Instructional Design Center are hard at working developing training materials that will be made available throughout the semester.  

Blackboard SaaS has several advantages over the current version.  The frustration that some of you experienced when IT had to take Blackboard down for critical updates will no longer be a part of your experience.   Now, Blackboard SaaS is hosted in a cloud environment which means that small updates will happen throughout the year with no interruption because there will be no need to take the entire system down.   Another new featurein Blackboard SaaS, and one that is particularly exciting is a tool called Collaborate.  For an overview of Collaborate, click on this link to see a video description https://youtu.be/Qya2MrXNA1o

In the near future, IT will offer 24/7 support for Blackboard.  This service was one of the most requested services from faculty, especially by those who teach online.  IT will have protocols in place to monitor the quality of the service and will make adjustments as needed.

You will receive regular updates throughout the semester on the status of the implementation.  Please watch for announcements and information in IT Notices, in EKU Today, on Twitter @EKUITColonels, and on Facebook  @ekuitservicedesk.  The old LMS Review website will come down soon and be replaced with a page of helpful links, training materials, and other information. If all continues to progress smoothly, all spring courses will run in Blackboard SaaS. 

Here is a list of Trailblazers and their courses.    More Trailblazers are coming on board this Fall!

Published on August 31, 2017