Blackboard rollover 2023/4
We have completed the process of automatically creating Blackboard sites for the 2023/24 academic year. You should now be able to access your new sites. If you find that a Blackboard site you require for the upcoming academic year has not been created, you should request it.
Staff enrolments
Staff enrolments have been carried across to the new sites. You will need to use the Staff Enrolment Tool in the Control Panel to add any new staff or unenroll staff who no longer need access. Course and Module Leaders are automatically enrolled on Blackboard sites based on data in SITS. If the incorrect Course or Module Leader is shown in the Blackboard site, you can update them using the self-service option in SITS online. If the External Examiner is incorrect, please email externalexaminers@shu.ac.uk.
Assessments and Grade Centre
Please do not create assessment items (such as Assignments and grade columns) for summative tasks and subtasks as these will be automatically created in your 2023/24 module sites in readiness for the start of the academic year. This process is governed by the assessment data held in SITS which you will be required to have checked/updated by the end of July 2023. Any formative assessments can be set up as required.
Content and other activities
All content has been copied to the new sites and should be reviewed and updated.
Blackboard tests have been copied to the new sites but will need redeploying. Tools such as discussion boards, blogs, wikis, Turnitin Assignments and ATLAS workspaces must be set up again in the new sites. Soon, ATLAS workspaces will be created with an updated integration (this should be ready in the next couple of days). Any existing ATLAS links on Bb sites will continue to work through the end of this academic year. Please contact digitallearning@shu.ac.uk if you have any ATLAS workspaces linked to Blackboard which are already set up but will continue to be used in the 2023/24 academic year, as this will need to be converted to the new integration.
Please note that the Panopto integration is in the process of being updated to a new version. At this time, please refrain from adding new Panopto videos. We will send further communications when this is completed (expected in the next 2 weeks).
Please remember to hide any standard menu items from students which are not relevant to your practice.
Blackboard Ultra
For the small number of courses who are early adopters of Blackboard Ultra, your module sites have been created with a new Ultra template and you will have already received details about this separately.
Help and further resources
- Step-by-step guidance to help you prepare your sites for the upcoming academic year
- Resources and tools to assist you create accessible course materials
- Recordings of previous digital learning staff development sessions
- Support from the Digital Learning Team