Books without Barriers

Ally Product Pulse

Ally 2.18.4 Release Notes

The One Where AI supports Learning This session explores how AI tools in Blackboard — including the AI Design Assistant, Anthology Virtual Assistant (AVA), and conversational AI are shaping course design, student support, and assessment. Student–AI Conversations Through a Critical Thinking Lens University of Pretoria <ol><li data-list="bullet">Ciska Snyman, Senior Instructional Designer</li><li data-list="bullet">Lucinda Kok - Lecturer in Private Law </li><li data-list="bullet">Avinash Singh - Lecturer in Computer Science </li></ol>Critical thinking is a core skill in higher education, yet it often remains hidden in students’ thought processes rather than visible in their work. This session explores how student–AI conversations in clickUP Ultra (Blackboard Ultra) can make these processes observable and provide educators with new ways to support learning. Drawing on evidence from a second-year law module, we analyse anonymised student interactions with an AI persona (“Lexi”) to trace markers of critical thinking such as clarifying concepts, probing for justification, and evaluating responses. The findings reveal both deep engagement and surface-level use, highlighting opportunities and risks when integrating AI into teaching and assessment. Key Takeaways <ol><li data-list="bullet">Discover how AI-mediated conversations can act as formative artefacts of critical thinking. </li><li data-list="bullet">Learn practical strategies to design AI-supported tasks that promote questioning, evaluation, and reflection. </li><li data-list="bullet">Gain insights into how digital tools can be used intentionally to strengthen higher-order thinking in diverse learning contexts. </li></ol> Designing for Integrity: Authentic Assessment and Ethical AI Use in Course RedesignLaura Lane-Worley, Ph.D., LMSW, M.Ed. – Lee CollegeWhen over half of student submissions showed substantial AI-generated content, rather than agonizing over AI detection with false positives, the instructor turned to course redesign. This session explores the complete overhaul of an Introductory Sociology course at a Houston-area community college, driven by a simple premise: if students are going to use AI, teach them to do it honestly and critically. Participants will see how a course of 19 assignments was restructured into thirteen high-impact, AI-resistant assessments — including interview-based projects, community observation fieldwork, and a transparent AI research portfolio. The result: reduced grading load, stronger academic integrity, and students who leave the course as informed, ethical consumers of AI tools.Key Takeaways:<ol><li data-list="bullet">Discover how redesigning for authenticity — rather than AI-proofing — produces assessments students can't outsource and won't want to.</li><li data-list="bullet">Learn a practical framework for embedding ethical AI use directly into course assignments as a transferable digital literacy skill.</li><li data-list="bullet">Gain strategies for streamlining course structure to reduce grading load while increasing student engagement and academic integrity.</li></ol>

Innovative Educator Series - The One Where AI supports Learning

We are pleased that we can now confirm the dates and venues. The 2026 conference will be held in the Teaching &amp; Learning Centre in Durham. For a change, the evening conference dinner will be held in a venue we last used in 2001 - the Dining Room of Hatfield College (a converted Georgian Coaching Inn on the historic Bailey).The optional pre-conference workshops will be on the afternoon of Wednesday the 22nd of April in the Teaching &amp; Learning Centre from 2 to 5pm. The full two day conference will be on Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th of April, with the evening conference dinner on Thursday night.<h2>Little things that make a big difference</h2>Recent discussions about technology and education have been dominated by generative AI. Indeed we have contributed to this debate ourselves through past conference themes and presentations. This year we are not trying to deny the existence of LLMs and their ilk, but rather emphasising that learning and teaching is a human endeavour and focussing our attention on the role that individual students and teachers can play.As such, the theme for this year's #durbbu is Little things that can make a big difference.It is designed so you can interpret this in multiple ways. You could talk about the positive impact of small acts by staff or students, or a feature of a tool that really makes a difference to learning and teaching today. Or you could turn it on it's head and identify small changes that would make a process simpler or more effective. This is a user-led event, so feel free to call for change if it is needed!One of the reasons behind the longevity of this conference is the range and strength of user presentations. As ever, the theme is only a prompt for ideas. If there is something else that you'd like to share with delegates that relates to learning and teaching with Blackboard and other tools (at the chalk-face or behind the scenes) then please submit a presentation or workshop proposal on that too!

Durham Blackboard Users' Conference (In-Person)

<h1>Accelerating Excellence with University of Notre Dame Australia</h1>Join us for an inspiring live webinar to discover how the University of Notre Dame Australia (UNDA) reimagined professional learning in Blackboard LMS with an aviation-themed, gamified journey designed to build confidence, capability, and community. Inspired by a “frequent flyer” model, UNDA introduced a structured framework where academics progress through tiers, complete practical challenges, and follow role-based “flight paths.” Learn how UNDA accelerated LMS adoption and built a thriving community by leveraging structured progression, tailored pathways, and purposeful gamification to drive engagement and empower educators to confidently embrace change.<h1>Why Attend?</h1>Whether you are planning your move to Blackboard or looking to increase engagement with your LMS, this session will give you practical, proven ideas you can apply immediately. Hear directly from peers and see what is possible with the right approach.

Game On: Play, Learn, Level Up with Blackboard

<h2>About the webinar series</h2>Each 45-minute session spotlights key <a href="https://www.anthology.com/products/teaching-and-learning/learning-effectiveness/blackboard" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Blackboard LMS </a>tools and features designed to help you save time and increase your impact, guided by our experts and customers. In less than an hour, you’ll discover how to solve real challenges—from boosting operational efficiency to creating engaging learning environments—while helping your institution meet today’s requirements and deliver better outcomes for both learners and staff. <h2>March Session</h2><h2>Digital Efficiency: Maximizing the Blackboard LMS Experience with Adopt </h2>Faculty inboxes are overflowing. Training sessions are forgotten. Email announcements go unread.What if support didn’t live outside your LMS but inside it?Join us for this session of the Power Up Webinar Series as we explore how Blackboard LMS: Adopt acts as the missing support layer. Designed specifically for Blackboard LMS and powered by Pendo, Adopt helps institutions increase adoption, reduce support queries, and guide faculty and students in real time at the point of need.

Monthly Webinar Series POWER UP^ | North America

Monthly Webinar Series POWER UP^ | Europe, Middle East, and Africa

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