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The first day of the first year is an overwhelming day for most students. Teachers who communicate clearly and empathetically can have a huge impact on their students' perception of higher education, and tend to start out ahead of their colleagues when it comes to cultivating student trust. Read more to learn how to be that teacher.

Join us for our first post in our new Instructional Design blog series. This is Phase 1 - How Learning Works, Post 1. Today, we'll be talking about why course organization shapes how students learn, and what Cognitive Load Theory says you can do about it.

Here are some quick tips for anyone working in Class for Teams, especially if you’re supporting accessibility in your sessions.

Blackboard Ultra has grown into a powerful and intuitive learning platform, but many handy features still slip under the radar. So let's dive in and learn about some cool tools that instructors often overlook (but would actually love)!

Across disciplines, faculty play an essential role in helping students develop soft skills through everyday teaching practices. Having these skills allows students to navigate career paths no matter what is transpiring in the job market. Let us help you reflect, brainstorm, and develop soft skill ideas to empower your students.

Welcome to Part 4 of our Demystifying Accessibility series. Today, we're diving into image accessibility by defining alternative text and image descriptions and offering guidance on how to write these critical accessibility tools.

Students think about AI differently from the faculty who teach them, and we need to consider their perspective when trying to address AI use in Higher Education.

So, your course got flagged. We know it's upsetting, but we promise we're not the bad guys. An honest, occasionally funny look at what instructional designers actually do, and why a QA review is the beginning of a conversation, not a verdict.

Last month, Risepoint joined Â鶹ӳ»­Ó°Òô's academic leadership to discuss online course quality and the integration of AI across all programs. The summit was an inspiring event, and this post recaps the activities and resulting insights discovered together.

While higher ed is often associated with young adults fresh out of high school, it is also full of students of all ages above, from moms in their late thirties to seniors taking advantage of their retirement years. But the human brain changes dramatically as we age, and the best methodology for teaching also changes.

Keeping our students' attention can be challenging, especially when there is so much competing for it, be that work, family, or social media. But what if we took a cue from social media to give us an edge? This blog explores how modern science communicators on Youtube keep their viewers entertained while they learn, and how educators can adopt certain principles to keep students engaged.

Welcome to Part 3 of our Demystifying Accessibility series. Today, we're looking at how you can make video and audio files accessible using tools like captioning, transcripts, and audio descriptions.

As institutions prepare for the upcoming ADA Title II accessibility updates, faculty play a vital role in ensuring that digital learning environments are free from discrimination and compliant with federal requirements. To support this important work, Â鶹ӳ»­Ó°Òô is leveraging the Anthology Ally tool, an integrated accessibility solution that helps instructors identify, understand, and remediate accessibility barriers directly within Blackboard.

Through our partnership with the Texas State University System (TSUS), all Â鶹ӳ»­Ó°Òô faculty, staff, and students now have optional access to Google Career Certificates and the new Google AI Essentials course.

As we look to the future of digital learning, the Division of Digital Learning is making an important shift in how we invest in quality. One way we are doing that involves the QM Stipends model.

The Instructional Technology team has received multiple support requests related to Side Camera implementation. To help ensure a stable and supported testing environment, the Division of Digital Learning has removed access to the Side Camera feature.

In an effort to help strengthen the learning experience Â鶹ӳ»­Ó°Òô offers, CITL is proud to introduce its new Quality Assurance Review Process.

Welcome to Part 2 of our Demystifying Accessibility series. Today, we're focusing on general rich text documents such as PDFs, word documents, and RTF files. Learn how to make these documents accessible, as well as why each suggestion helps.

The fall semester has ended and the spring semester is still distant on the horizon, meaning it's the perfect time for faculty to take a breath and recharge.

As we begin to prepare for the Spring semester, the Division of Digital Learning is pleased to announce a significant update to our proctoring capabilities: the Honorlock Side-Angle Camera. Learn more about how this feature works and how best to prepare students for this new update.

Proctored exams are a key element of online courses, but sorting through the results can be time consuming and repetitive. These tips can help streamline the process and save faculty valuable time.

The Division of Digital Learning is proud to present it's new podcast series, LU Innovations, where we take you behind the scenes of Â鶹ӳ»­Ó°Òô's Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (CITL). Whether you're a faculty member looking to enhance your teaching, a student curious about what goes on behind the scenes, or simply interested in the future of higher education, this show offers insights into how we're building a culture of teaching excellence at Â鶹ӳ»­Ó°Òô.

Teaching large classes can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. In this blog, we'll explore five tips for managing large classes efficiently and effectively.

The blog marks the first in a series dedicated to Demystifying Accessibility in Higher Education. It acts as a primer, helping readers to understand what accessible design is and why its important.

Prompt Literacy has become a critical skill in today's ever evolving digital landscape, especially as AI use becomes the norm in industries all over the world. In this blog post, we explore the different elements that make up effective and useful prompts for generative AI, as well as provide strategies for cultivating this skill in our students.

An overview of the best new features added to Blackboard Ultra throughout the third quarter of 2025

Â鶹ӳ»­Ó°Òô faculty now have access to AVA (AI Virtual Assistant), Blackboard's newest suite of AI-powered tools designed to support common teaching tasks.

Creating a welcoming classroom environment is essential for fostering student engagement, resilience, and success. In this blog post, we explore various strategies for encouraging such an environment.

A look back at Cardinal Kickoff: Faculty Professional Development Day, sponsored by the Office of the Provost and the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (CITL).

This post provides sample syllabus language Â鶹ӳ»­Ó°Òô instructors can use or adapt to clearly communicate expectations around student use of AI-based tools, including Microsoft Copilot with Data Protection. These statements reflect Lamar’s institutional policies and commitment to ethical, secure, and pedagogically sound use of generative AI. 

An overview of the best new features added to Blackboard Ultra throughout the second quarter of 2025

Engaging in hobbies outside of work can help faculty members develop a wide range of soft skills that are valuable both in the classroom and in their personal lives. In this workshop / blog, we discuss the secondary benefits and value of various common past time activities.

Microsoft Class for Teams is a robust virtual meeting platform that can be used in many ways beyond just lectures. Learn about the different access points, as well as how to create and schedule sessions from each.

In preparation for the full transition to newer tools, faculty are advised to download any materials they would like to keep from their Adobe Connect accounts. This tutorial outlines the process of doing that.

An overview of the best new features added to Blackboard Ultra throughout the first quarter of 2025

Finding and maintaining students’ engagement and motivation is extremely important in the digital learning environment. In this workshop / blog, we explore key elements needed to keep students invested in class.

Finding and maintaining students’ engagement and motivation is extremely important in the digital learning environment. In this workshop / blog, we explore key elements needed to keep students invested in class.

Faculty members often face unique challenges that can negatively impact their mental health. In this workshop / blog, we go over useful strategies to help prevent stress and burnout.

The Final Grade Submission tool in Blackboard has been fully upgraded to work seamlessly in all modern web browsers. Follow these steps to easily submit your final grades at the end of each term.

Online courses rely heavily on discussion boards to facilitate student engagement, but crafting prompts that spark genuine, in-depth conversations can be time consuming and sometimes hit-or-miss. Enter generative AI

We are pleased to announce that Class is now fully integrated with Blackboard for all courses.

Â鶹ӳ»­Ó°Òô’s Center for Teaching and Learning Enhancement held a pinning ceremony to honor 45 current and former Â鶹ӳ»­Ó°Òô faculty members who have successfully completed the Certificate in Effective Teaching Practice Framework through the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE).

Utilize the Transparency in learning and Teaching Framework to enhance clarity and increase student success.

Microsoft Copilot with Data Protection service, a new service endorsed by Â鶹ӳ»­Ó°Òô through the Center of Teaching and Learning Enhancement and Information Technology, is now available for all faculty, staff, and students.

Learn to efficiently management course resources with Blackboard's new feature - the Unused Files tool. This innovative tool is designed to help instructors streamline their course content by identifying and removing files that are no longer in use.

An overview of the best new features added to Blackboard Ultra throughout the months of October and November.

The concept of using a backwards design approach and a course map in course development is pivotal to creating quality, learner-centered courses. Read on for examples and an explanation of their importance.

An overview of the best new features added to Blackboard Ultra throughout the month of September.

A comprehensive guide for creating properly aligned course objectives and measurable learning outcomes.

Learn how you can save time and enhance your course outcomes with AI powered rubric generation.

The Division of Digital Learning is writing to provide you with an important update regarding the use of AI detection software for evaluating student work. After careful consideration and evaluation of the technology, Â鶹ӳ»­Ó°Òô is not currently supporting the use of artificial intelligence (AI) detection software for assessment of student’s potential use of AI.

Learn new ways to enhance the look and feel of Blackboard Ultra courses using images from Unsplash and the new AI assistant.

Enabling class conversations for individual content items in Blackboard allows students to discuss content with you and their classmates. They can ask for help, share sources, or answer questions others have.

An overview of the best new features added to Blackboard Ultra throughout the month of August.

We are excited to introduce a comprehensive guide created by the Center for Teaching and Learning Enhancement.

Details on the upcoming resource fair event hosted by CTLE.

Tips, tricks, and best practices for preparing and managing your syllabus using the Concourse syllabus management tool.