Austin Community College District (ACC) is upgrading its virtual classroom to the latest version of Blackboard. It will transition the whole College to Blackboard Ultra as of the summer 2025.
Blackboard Ultra’s intuitive interface design, advanced features, and seamless integration is designed to create a more engaging and productive educational journey for faculty and students.
A large team was put together to ensure the transition goes smoothly. Led by Academic Programs Associate Vice Chancellor Dr. Elizabeth Mosser-Knight and Distance Learning Associate Vice Chancellor Dr. Erasmus Addae, and under the guidance of Vice Chancellor of Instruction Dr. Gaye Lynn Scott, it comprised mainly of faculty, instructional staff, instructional designers, educational technologists, and IT staff.
Instructional planning for the transition began at the start of spring 2024 when a comprehensive change management plan was developed.
The team started to spread awareness of the upgrade by hosting a Blackboard Ultra Road Show in the spring. The topics covered include background and context for the upgrade, a high-level timeline, training options, and a demonstration of Blackboard Ultra features.
Starting September 17, the team will host training sessions and support faculty with course build-outs throughout the fall and spring semesters. Faculty can select the best option to attend based on date, time, location, and modality. There are also drop-in sessions offered for faculty who would also like 1-on-1 assistance. Faculty can sign up for a training session HERE.
You can learn more, find upcoming trainings, and sign up for the Blackboard Ultra newsletter on the Blackboard Upgrade web page.