Digital Fundamentals

Blackboard and other Learning Management Systems are important communication, information, and design tools that are used to support learning and student success.  The Digital Fundamentals for Teaching and Learning series is a group of classes that assists those who educate students in developing the skills necessary to use Blackboard effectively in a remote teaching environment. Educators also develop skills in creating multimedia elements to add to the blackboard course to promote student engagement.

Learning Outcomes

• Apply Blackboard tools to establish an online presence
• Adapt your course for Digital Teaching in alignment with best practices for the discipline
• Using Blackboard tools to assess student learning while considering alternative assessment techniques
• Utilize appropriate video conferencing software to promote student engagement
• Explore multimedia technology for use in the digital classroom.

Series Elements
Designed to be completed over a four-week period, Digital Fundamentals for Teaching and Learning is broken into four sections (1) Blackboard foundations (2) communicating with students using Blackboard, (3) assessing students using Blackboard, and (4) using and developing multimedia for Blackboard. Upon completion of the Digital Fundamentals for Teaching and Learning series, you will create a working Blackboard teaching site that demonstrates many of the elements taught throughout the series.

Blackboard Foundations
The following foundational courses are essential in helping faculty learn how to demonstrate an Online course presence, which is critical in the digital teaching environment. Foundational courses include:

• Blackboard Essentials: This course will teach you how to how to navigate Blackboard, post files, and upload a syllabus, which are skills that must be mastered before starting the rest of Digital Fundamentals for Teaching and Learning.
• Blackboard Text Editor:  This course will teach you how to create pages in Blackboard with text, links, images, and embedded videos.  Embed a video on a webpage, include student learning outcomes, and ask your students a few questions to guide their thinking as they watch the video.
• Creating an Online Presence in Your Course (Handout):  This handout helps faculty master the skills of creating course elements with proper introductory and transitioning statements to orient students.  This helps faculty make the shift between face-to-face and remote instruction.

Note: All foundational courses must be taken before completing any other course in the series.

Communicating with Students using Blackboard
The following courses are designed to help faculty learn how to communicate effectively with their students using Blackboard. To support the outcomes associated with communicating with students using Blackboard, participants choose one of the following courses:

• Blackboard Communication tools: This course will teach you how to create and manage an Online Discussion board for your students.  If you find that there are topics that you talked about in class that students want to explore further, you might set up discussions on these topics to further engage students.
• Blackboard Collaborate/Zoom: This course will teach you how to communicate with your students in real-time using audio conferencing, presentation software, and other collaborative tools.
• Teaching and Learning Tips for Developing or Improving Online Discussions (Handout):  This handout provides tips to help faculty craft engaging discussions, maintain faculty presence on the discussion board, and develop netiquette policies to successfully manage student behavior online.

Assessing Students using Blackboard
The following courses are designed to help faculty become proficient in giving and grading tests in Blackboard.

• Blackboard Assessments: This course will teach you how to create online tests for your students that are automatically scored by Blackboard.
• Blackboard Grade Center:  This course will teach you how to set up an Online Gradebook for your students that can be automatically updated throughout the semester as you enter grades.  This can help keep students on track with their grades throughout the semester and allows them to monitor their own progress and improve performance as the semester progresses.

Using and Developing Multimedia for Blackboard
The following courses are designed to help faculty create an engaging experience for their students by expanding their abilities to provide content beyond the typical use of Microsoft Word documents and PowerPoint files.

• Screen Casting Made Simple:  This course will teach you how to use Screencast-O-Matic to create simple videos that can be used on Blackboard to support teaching and learning.
• Using the Automatic Captions in YouTube: This course will teach you how to caption the videos you create to support accessibility for all students.

Welcome to the start of another exciting semester! If you’ve completed the full Digital Fundamentals for Teaching and Learning (DFTL) training, this refresher will help you confidently prepare your Blackboard Learn Ultra course shell. You’ll revisit essential steps that promote student success and align with foundational design and accessibility standards.

If you’d like video support for each step, consider enrolling in the self-paced refresher training available in Workday.

DFTL Essentials Checklist

Each item below includes what to do, why it matters, and basic directions on how to do it. For videos of each step, enroll in the self-paced refresher training available in Workday.

1. Post a Welcome Message

What to Do: Add a personal welcome and instructions at the top of the Content Area.

Why It Matters: Establishes presence and gives students a clear starting point.

How to Do It:

• Go to the Content Area
• Select Create > Document
• Add your welcome text and save

2. Upload and Label Your Syllabus

What to Do: Add your syllabus as the second item in your Content Area, clearly labeled.

Why It Matters: Helps students find essential course information quickly.

How to Do It:

• Select Create > Document
• Title it Course Syllabus
• Upload your file and add a short description

3. Organize Weekly Content Using Learning Modules

What to Do: Create modules for each week or unit.

Why It Matters: Organizes content logically and reduces confusion.

How to Do It:

• Select Create > Learning Module
• Add documents, assignments, videos inside

4. Add Images and Videos

What to Do: Include relevant media within your content.

Why It Matters: Improves engagement and clarifies concepts.

How to Do It:

• Inside a document, click + to add media
• Add a short intro above each video or image

5. Post Announcements

What to Do: Post a Welcome Announcement and another update.

Why It Matters: Reinforces presence and keeps students informed.

How to Do It:

• Click Announcements > Create Announcement
• Write and post your message, and remember to select email it to students

6. Run an Accessibility Check with Ally

What to Do: Use Blackboard Ally to scan course materials.

Why It Matters: Ensures content is usable for all students.

How to Do It:

• Go to Books & Tools > Accessibility Report
• Review flagged items and correct issues

7. Set Up Assignments and Discussions

What to Do: Add one assignment and one discussion forum.

Why It Matters: Supports assessment and interaction.

How to Do It:

• Click Create > Assignment
• Click Create > Discussion

8. Preview Your Course as a Student

What to Do: Use Student Preview mode.

Why It Matters: Ensures the course looks as intended for students.

How to Do It:

• Click the Student Preview icon
• Navigate as a student
• Exit and make adjustments

Self-Paced DFTL Refresher Training

Looking for more structure? This short, self-paced refresher is available in Workday and walks you through each of the above steps, with built-in video reminders, checklists, and access to additional tools.

Training Outcomes:

• Set up your Blackboard Ultra shell for a new semester
• Meet foundational design and accessibility expectations
• Create a welcoming, well-organized, and inclusive space

Enroll in the refresher.