Blackboard site creation for 2021/2 complete
The process of automatically creating Blackboard sites for the 2021/2 academic year is complete. 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 will be able to 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 2021/2 module sites in readiness for start of the academic year. This process is governed by the assessment data held in SITS, and that you were required to have checked/update in SITS Online by 12 July 2021.
Any formative assessments can be set up as required.
Content and other activities
Unless you have been notified separately, all content has been copied to the new sites and should be reviewed and updated.
Video files can no longer be attached directly to Blackboard. All video content must now be uploaded to Panopto through the integration with Blackboard. We strongly advise that you move all video content that you still require from Blackboard to Panopto, and then delete the files from Blackboard. Any video content that has been attached to Blackboard and is no longer required for the upcoming academic year (e.g. last year’s lecture recordings) should be deleted and not simply hidden from students.
Panopto folders have been created in the new sites, but videos from the old sites have not been copied. However, links have been created to the existing videos in the Panopto folder in the old sites. To simplify management of videos, usefulness of viewing stats, and allow more efficient editing and reuse of existing recordings, we recommend that if you wish to use previous videos that you delete the copied video links, copy the desired recordings to the new site and relink/embed them.
Blackboard tests have been copied to the new sites but will need redeploying. Tools such as discussion boards, blogs, wikis and ATLAS workspaces must be set up again in the new sites.
Please do not set up Turnitin Assignments at this time. We will be updating our Turnitin integration with Blackboard later in the summer and all Turnitin Assignments for the upcoming academic year should be set up using the updated integration. Further details will be communicated in due course.
Please remember to hide any standard menu items from students which are not relevant to your practice.
Help
- Guidance is available to support you in planning and delivering your teaching in 2021/2.
- Resources and tools are available to assist you in creating accessible course materials.
- Step-by-step guidance is available to help you prepare your sites for the upcoming academic year.
- A series of staff development sessions focussing on readiness for semester one, including a session dedicated to preparing your Blackboard sites.
- You can also get support by contacting the Digital Learning Team at digitallearning@shu.ac.uk or visiting the drop-in room Monday to Friday, 10:00am-3:00pm (reduced summer service).