Registration & Access
Workshops will be held either face-to-face in the Woods Classroom in Harrison Libraries (unless otherwise indicated) or online via Microsoft Teams. Faculty interested in attending these sessions do not need to pre-register unless otherwise indicated; however, we would appreciate it if you do. To join a virtual workshop, click on the link for the date/time of your session. If you do not have a headset, there is a call-in line for audio during the conference. If you want to pre-register, email actech@hartford.edu, and a calendar invitation will be sent. We hope to see you soon!
Workshop Details
New to Blackboard Ultra or looking for a refresher? This hands-on workshop is designed to help faculty get comfortable navigating and using the Ultra Course View. Participants will explore the intuitive interface, learn how to create and organize course content, set up assignments and discussions, communicate with students, and manage grades. Whether you’re transitioning from Original Course View or starting fresh, this session will give you the confidence to build a streamlined, student-friendly course in Blackboard Ultra.
Wednesday, January 14, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries
Thursday, January 15, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM (Virtual)
Tuesday, January 20, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM, Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries
Tuesday, January 20, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM (Virtual)
Instructors with questions about the transition to Blackboard Ultra are encouraged to contact the Office of Academic Technology, Teaching, and Learning at 860.768.4661 or actech@hartford.edu.
Small changes, big difference—30 minutes to accessible content that empowers all students!
Ready to make your Blackboard course content work for everyone? Join us for this hands-on workshop where you'll learn how to use Blackboard Ally to improve accessibility. Your students are already downloading alternative formats in Blackboard—now discover how to make that process even smoother. We'll show you how to spot accessibility issues, fix them in minutes, and create content that works for students with diverse learning needs. Whether someone needs audio, large print, or translated text, Ally helps you deliver.
Topics covered:
- Alternative Text for Images
- Quick Fixes for PDFs (Titles, Language, OCR)
- Headings for Documents & PowerPoints
- Tables
- Editing Captions for Videos
No accessibility expertise required—just bring your willingness to learn!
Monday, January 12, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM (Virtual)
Wednesday, January 14, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM, Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries
Tuesday, January 20, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries
Wednesday, January 28, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM (Virtual)
Wednesday, February 4, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Virtual)
Tuesday, February 17, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries
Wednesday, March 4, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM (Virtual)
Thursday, March 12, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM, Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries
Wednesday, March 26, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Virtual)
Tuesday, April 7, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries
Wednesday, April 22, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM (Virtual)
Please RSVP to actech@hartford.edu and an invite will be sent to you.
Microsoft Education is a comprehensive suite of digital learning tools and services that integrate seamlessly with Learning Management Systems like Blackboard to enhance teaching and learning experiences. Through the Microsoft 365 LTI (Learning Tools Interoperability) integration, faculty can access powerful collaboration tools, assignment creation capabilities, and AI-enhanced learning accelerators directly within their Blackboard courses. The platform includes tools for real-time collaboration, video meetings, file sharing, AI-powered assignments, and learning accelerators—all designed to create more engaging, personalized learning experiences without requiring students or faculty to leave their familiar Blackboard environment. Think of it as bringing the best of Microsoft's educational technology directly into your existing course structure, making it easier to collaborate with students, create interactive assignments, and track learning progress.
Tuesday, January 13, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM (Virtual)
Wednesday, January 21, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM, Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries
Wednesday, January 21, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM (Virtual)
Monday, February 16, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM, Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries
Tuesday, March 10, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM (Virtual)
Thursday, April 16, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries
Please RSVP to actech@hartford.edu and an invite will be sent to you.
This hands-on workshop is designed for staff and administrators who use Microsoft Teams for meetings, collaboration, and day-to-day communication. Participants will learn best practices for organizing teams and channels, managing chats and files, scheduling and running effective meetings, and using collaboration tools to streamline workflows. This session focuses on operational and administrative use of Teams rather than classroom or instructional applications.
Wednesday, January 28, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM (Virtual)
Monday, March 23, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM (Virtual)
Please RSVP to actech@hartford.edu and an invite will be sent to you.
Wave your wand and let AI work its magic! This spellbinding session unveils Blackboard’s AI Design Assistant for effortless quizzes, assignments, rubrics, and visuals, plus the AI Roleplay tool for immersive, interactive learning. Save time, spark creativity, and enchant your students with AI-powered tools that make course design feel like wizardry. Join us and add a little magic to your teaching!
Wednesday, April 8, 12:45 PM - 2:00 PM, Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries
Join us to explore Google's NotebookLM, an AI-powered research assistant that transforms how you work with documents and sources. Upload PDFs, articles, notes, and other materials to create a personalized AI that can summarize content, answer questions, generate study guides, and help synthesize information across multiple sources. Perfect for research projects, course preparation, literature reviews, and collaborative analysis. We'll cover practical applications for both teaching and research, including how to generate podcast-style audio discussions from your materials and create interactive study resources for students.
Bring your laptop and a few documents you'd like to experiment with!
Wednesday, March 11, 12:45 PM - 2:00 PM, Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries
Unleash the potential of interactive learning with Blackboard’s AI Roleplay tool. This workshop explores how to design dynamic roleplay scenarios that promote student engagement, critical thinking, and real-world application. Learn to create immersive simulations and adaptable role-based activities that bring course concepts to life. Whether you're teaching case studies, fostering collaborative problem-solving, or preparing students for professional interactions, this tool empowers you to craft impactful learning experiences. Recommended: Completion of Getting Started with Blackboard Ultra training.
Thursday, January 29, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM, Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries
Monday, March 9, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM, Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries
Tuesday, March 31, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM (Virtual)
Kaltura works like an in-house YouTube, allowing faculty to upload videos to a media library quickly and easily, then link to them from Blackboard and other websites. Faculty who are flipping the classroom, teaching online, using video clips in instruction, or working with student video projects should plan to attend this special information session about Kaltura. Kaltura Capture is a simple, convenient tool that can capture your voice, the action on your computer screen, and webcam video to create lecturettes. You can use it to record audio podcasts, video lectures, or narrated presentations and demonstrations. This session will guide you through the process of recording a narrated screen capture, editing it, and publishing it to Blackboard. Video and audio files should never be added directly to Blackboard; instead, instructors should be using Kaltura. If you require a 1:1 assistance to set up Kaltura, email actech@hartford.edu, and we will be happy to arrange either a face-to-face or virtual appointment.
Tuesday, January 13, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM (Virtual)
Thursday, January 22, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries
Monday, February 16, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM (Virtual)
Tuesday, March 24, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries
Thursday, April 23, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM (Virtual)
This interactive workshop introduces faculty to Microsoft Copilot and other generative AI tools for instructional use. Participants will explore practical, ethical, and accessible ways to integrate generative AI into teaching, including lesson planning, content creation, feedback support, and student engagement. The session will also address academic integrity, transparency, and responsible AI use, with examples that can be adapted across disciplines.
Wednesday, February 18, 12:45 PM – 2:00 PM, Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries
Tuesday, March 24, 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM (Virtual)
This workshop explores how generative AI tools can support the research process, from idea development and literature discovery to organization, synthesis, and writing support. Participants will examine practical use cases, limitations, and ethical considerations, including accuracy, bias, citation practices, and responsible disclosure. The session emphasizes AI as a support tool—not a replacement—for scholarly judgment and rigor across disciplines.
Wednesday, March 4, 12:45 PM – 2:00 PM, Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries
Thursday, April 2, 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM (Virtual)
Have a quick question about Blackboard? Need help with a specific feature or troubleshooting an issue? Stop by one of our Blackboard Drop-in sessions for on-the-spot support and guidance. These informal, come-and-go sessions are perfect for faculty and staff who need personalized help with Ultra Course View, content setup, grading, communication tools, or Organizations. No registration or agenda—just bring your questions! Drop-ins are available in person in the ACTECH Office or virtually via Microsoft Teams for your convenience.
Monday, January 12, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Tuesday, January 13 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Wednesday, January 14, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Thursday, January 15, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Friday, January 16, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Tuesday, January 20 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM or 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday, January 21, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Thursday, January 22, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM