Ally 2.18.7 Release Notes

Kelley Senkowski, Instructional Technology Project Specialist, eLearning Technologies,  Grand Valley State University

Take a tour of Kelley Senkowski (Grand Valley State Uni) Exemplary Course

Course tour of PHS 100 Introduction to Aging Studies, designed and taught by Jacie Green, Senior Educator for Wichita State University.

Course tour of Introduction to Aging Studies, designed and taught by Jacie Green, Wichita State Uni

Books without Barriers

In recognition of Global Accessibility Awareness Month, join us at this session of the Power Up Webinar Series as we explore how Blackboard Ally helps take a proactive approach to accessibility. With the accessibility legislation accelerating globally—from the European Accessibility Act and Australia’s updated Disability Discrimination Act guidelines to Title II requirements in North America—there has never been a more important moment for institutions to act. Thursday, May 28, 2026 - 11:00 a.m. BSTSpeakers: Josephine Kinsley,Senior Manager Solutions Engineer,Blackboard

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

In recognition of Global Accessibility Awareness Month, join us at this session of the Power Up Webinar Series as we explore how Blackboard Ally helps take a proactive approach to accessibility. With the accessibility legislation accelerating globally—from the European Accessibility Act and Australia’s updated Disability Discrimination Act guidelines to Title II requirements in North America—there has never been a more important moment for institutions to act. Thursday, May 28, 2026 - 10:00 a.m. SGT / 12:00 p.m. AESTSpeakers:Nick Benwell,Sr. Customer Success Manager,Blackboard

Monthly Webinar Series POWER UP^ | Asia Pacific

En el marco del mes mundial de la concientización sobre accesibilidad, y con el avance sostenido de marcos normativos en favor de la inclusión digital en América Latina y el Caribe, nunca había sido tan urgente que las instituciones educativas adoptaran un enfoque proactivo hacia la accesibilidad. Únete a esta sesión de la serie de Power UP^ mientras exploramos cómo Blackboard Ally ayuda a las instituciones a adoptar un enfoque proactivo hacia la accesibilidad, mejorando la forma en que se crea el contenido desde el inicio.Jueves, mayo 21, 2026 - 10:00 a.m. GMT-5Presentadores:Camilla TecsyIngeniera de Soluciones SeniorBlackboardCarlos GarcíaIngeniero de SolucionesBlackboard

Serie de Seminarios Web Power UP^ | América Latina y el Caribe

In recognition of Global Accessibility Awareness Month, join us at this session of the Power Up Webinar Series as we explore how Blackboard Ally helps take a proactive approach to accessibility. With the accessibility legislation accelerating globally—from the European Accessibility Act and Australia’s updated Disability Discrimination Act guidelines to Title II requirements in North America—there has never been a more important moment for institutions to act. Tuesday, May 19, 2026 - 2:00 p.m. ET Speakers: Wendy Torres-Vélez,Senior Instructional and Digital Accessibility Specialist,Coppin State University. Katie Grenell,Product Engagement Manager,Blackboard.

Monthly Webinar Series POWER UP^ | North America

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

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