Blackboard Instructor Help
Blackboard is the University of Alaska’s virtual learning environment. It provides a course site to manage your classes, share resources and files, post and grade assignments, hold online discussions, and more.
- Core tools: UAA provides these tools, including Google Workspace and Microsoft Office 365, to students, faculty, and staff at no cost
- Accessibility and privacy information for UAA tools
- UAA’s Blackboard use policy
Blackboard Original
Blackboard is UAA’s primary online space for courses. It includes tools for several common instructional functions. There are two versions of Blackboard available now - Original and Ultra. Learn more about Ultra on the next tab.
- Getting Started in Blackboard
Getting Started in Blackboard
At UAA, new Blackboard course shells are created automatically each semester and students are added to the course as they enroll. Students can’t see the course, however, until the instructor makes the course available when it’s ready for them.
If you are new to Blackboard or want a refresher, start with these UAA-specific resources, which cover basic course setup, posting your syllabus and a welcome announcement, and organizing content:
- Getting Started with Blackboard guide
- Get Your Course Up and Running webinar (video, 20:10)
- Blackboard 101 YouTube playlist (5 videos, 16:47 total)
Blackboard Help
Visit Blackboard Instructor Help for step-by-step instructions for common functions or watch the Blackboard Instructor YouTube playlist (95 videos). Our Blackboard Learn course view is Original, not Ultra.
Reuse a Course
To reuse content from a previous Blackboard shell, you can choose from two similar methods: Course Copy (one step) or Export and Import (two steps). Follow these tips for a successful copy:
- Start by going to Packages and Utilities in the "old" course
- Select All components and then uncheck any you don’t want (e.g., Announcements)
- For Discussions, include only the forums, with no starter posts
- Grade Center Columns and Settings must be checked for assignments, tests or anything connected to the grade center to copy over correctly
- Keep the default settings for File Attachments (links and copies of the files)
- Do not Include Enrollments in the Copy
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Accessibility in Blackboard
Accessibility in Blackboard
Blackboard is fully committed to ensuring the platform contains no barriers for users with disabilities and is accessible to everyone, regardless of age, ability or situation.
- Accessibility in Blackboard
- Blackboard Ally accessibility tool: Ally lets students convert files to their preferred format (e.g., DOCX to MP3 for listening) and gives instructors feedback and guidance on how to make their content more accessible. Students do not see the Ally accessibility scores
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Blackboard Communication Tools
Blackboard Communication Tools
Blackboard has built-in tools for student interaction. In addition, UAA has added several third party tools to Blackboard for student engagement, including Zoom Meetings for web-conferencing (see the Third Party Tools tab for more).
You can use these tools for student introductions, in-depth content conversations, posting presentations, and more. Our Peer Interaction page includes additional information on using Blackboard tools.
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Assessment and Grading in Blackboard
Assessment and Grading in Blackboard
You can use Assignments and Tests to collect student work in the Grade Center and provide feedback to students.
Additional resources:
- Assignment Inline Grading
- UAA Testing Resources
- Assignments & Grades in Blackboard webinar (video, 24:09)
- Converting Paper Tests to Blackboard webinar (video, 9:21)
- Remote proctoring with Honorlock
Blackboard Ultra
Get started with setting up your course in Blackboard Ultra, the upgraded version of Blackboard Learn. Using Ultra is optional for faculty, but eventually it will completely replace the original version of Blackboard Learn that UAA faculty are most familiar with. The transition will take about 2-3 years, so there is no rush for you to upgrade to Ultra unless you would like to! Find more information on Ultra and our Ultra trainings below, and contact uaa_design@alaska.edu if you have any questions.
Learn more about Blackboard Ultra
Register for Ultra training!
If you’re interested in converting your Summer 2025 course(s) to Ultra, register for a Blackboard 1-week Ultra Course Conversion Training. The training is required to teach in Ultra this summer, but will be optional for Fall 2025 courses. More spring dates will be coming soon.
Training dates:
- Feb. 24 - Feb. 28
- Mar. 10-17 (Spring Break)
- Mar. 31 - Apr. 4
- Apr. 14 - 18
Blackboard Third Party Tools
These tools inside Blackboard are supported through collaborative efforts of UAA and the vendor. If your program is interested in integrating a different third party tool with Blackboard, review the UAA Blackboard use policy for the process.
Zoom Meetings
Zoom video/web conferencing is integrated into Blackboard at UAA. (Blackboard also has an internal tool, Collaborate Ultra.) Zoom lets you share files and applications, use virtual whiteboards, communicate via audio/video/chat, divide students into breakout rooms, and more. If you set Zoom meetings through your Blackboard course and choose to record the meeting automatically to the cloud, Zoom recordings will automatically post to the Zoom area of your Blackboard course. Please review our Web Conferencing page for more details.
Kaltura Media
Faculty, staff and students have access to Kaltura Media, within Blackboard, to create and share videos and other media as course content. Please review our Creating Videos page for more information.
- Getting Started with Kaltura: Personal Capture
- Embedding Video from Kaltura: My Media into Blackboard Courses
VoiceThread
VoiceThread is an interactive visual collaboration and sharing tool that can be used for discussion boards, instructor lectures, student presentations, and more.
Please review our Peer Interaction page for more information. Visit Using VoiceThread in your LMS to get started with VoiceThread.
Teaching with Blackboard
Almost all UAA courses use Blackboard to share course information, such as the syllabus. Most face-to-face instructors use Blackboard for some functions like posting reminders, sharing materials, collecting assignments, and tracking grades. Online and hybrid courses also frequently use Blackboard-integrated tools for communication, peer interaction, course activities, and assessments.
These resources can help you develop your courses and teaching strategies to use Blackboard effectively:
Assistance
Information Technology Services
If you need assistance with computer or software support; internet or wireless issues; username or password help; or technical questions regarding Blackboard, please call UAA Technical Support Center at 907-786-4646 or 877-633-3888 or via email at uaa.techsupport@alaska.edu. For more information, visit the Information Technology Services website.
Instructional Design Support
For more assistance on designing and teaching your courses, contact the Instructional Design team at 907-786-6219 or via email at uaa_design@alaska.edu. Instructors at Kenai Peninsula College can contact the KPC Educational Technology Team for assistance.
Disability Support Services
If you have questions or concerns about accommodations or if you need additional information regarding student requests for assistance, call DSS at 907-786-4530 or email DSS at uaa_dss@alaska.edu. For more information, visit the Disability Support Services website.
Faculty Success
Library 213 • 907-786-4496 • uaa_facultysuccess@alaska.edu • Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.