Blackboard Updates

Blackboard Update will show Course Panels as Full-Screen Course Pages

Courses now open in full-screen mode. This update applies to top-level panels such as Course Content Homepage, Calendar, Announcements, Discussions, and Gradebook.

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The “X” to exit a course is replaced with a Home button that returns you to your institution’s landing page (Activity Stream, Institution page, or Courses page). The “X” remains for lower-level panels like learning modules.

Users can quickly jump between their four most recent courses or go to the full Courses page.

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Stack blocks vertically in Documents

Instructors can stack blocks in a single column in Documents to create cleaner layouts and reduce whitespace. A new toggle in the block toolbar allows switching between column-level and block-level editing. In column mode, actions apply to the entire column. In block mode, instructors can resize, move, or delete individual blocks.

Columns can also be dropped into another block’s area for more flexible layouts. These changes work with existing features such as undo/redo, printing, and AI layout generation. This enhancement also includes accessibility improvements for screen readers.

Image 1: Instructors can stack blocks in a single column, such as next to an image in a column.

Two paragraph content blocks are stacked in a single column, with an image in the column on the right that takes up only one row.

 

Use automatons to remind students to check their feedback

Instructors can create automations that send a message to students who have unread feedback after an instructor-defined number of days. This feature saves time by automatically encouraging students to review their feedback, promoting student engagement.

This release adds the Send feedback reminder option to the Automation gallery.

Image 1: The Automation gallery now includes Send feedback reminder.

The Automation gallery, including Send congratulatory message, Send supportive message, and Send feedback reminder

For the automation trigger, instructors select how many days feedback must remain unread before the message is sent.

Image 2: The Automation trigger includes a dropdown menu for the number of unread days.

The automation trigger window for When feedback is read, showing an expanded Number of days dropdown menu. There is an option to type to refine list.

A default reminder message is provided, and instructors can fully customize it at this stage. The message is sent to the student when the rule is triggered.

Content Creation

Furthering our commitment to AI-powered instruction, we’ve added AI suggestions for knowledge checks to Blackboard LMS documents. Using the existing workflow for adding a knowledge check, faculty will now be presented with the option to either design it themselves or auto-generate. Should they select the latter, they retain full control to edit and accept all AI suggestions—just as they do when using the Blackboard LMS: AI Design Assistant for course and assessment creation.

Image 1: Instructors can select Enter my question or Auto-generate question when creating a knowledge check.
Image 1: Instructors can select Enter my question or Auto-generate question when creating a knowledge check.

Image 2: After the system generates questions, the instructor selects which question to add to the Document. After adding a question, instructors can edit the question, question options, and question settings.
Image 2: After the system generates questions, the instructor selects which question to add to the Document. After adding a question, instructors can edit the question, question options, and question settings.

As with all Blackboard LMS AI features, this can be enabled at the institution’s discretion. Admins must turn on the new toggle AI Design Assistant and Unsplash to be able to switch Generate Knowledge Checks on.

 

Communication

First is an enhanced threading experience in course messages. With this update, the system will recognize existing conversations between users and add new messages to the current thread where appropriate. For instance, if a student messages their instructor about an assignment, having inquired the previous week about a test, this will now appear for both as a continuation of the current conversation—simplifying the messaging experience and reducing clutter. Review the release notes for full details on how this applies to group conversations and other messaging variables.

Image 3: The Messages feature now attributes a new message to an existing conversation between participants.
Image 3: The Messages feature now attributes a new message to an existing conversation between participants.

Two discussion due dates

Also enhanced in the March release are discussion participation requirements. When creating a graded discussion, instructors can now add two distinct due dates, with unique requirements for each. This makes discussion tasks more engaging, by offering instructors the opportunity to set multiple contributions for their students, requiring them to participate on an ongoing basis rather than with just a single response. Instructors can also close responses at the final due date if they wish.

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