The Office of Academic Technology and Digital Innovation is dedicated to supporting faculty with comprehensive educational technology solutions, including Blackboard and a diverse range of digital learning tools.
Our services include:
- Professional development workshops and training sessions
- Personalized one-on-one consultations
- On-demand resources and support materials
Explore our full range of services and resources at https://hartford.edu/actech.
Join us for our Fall 2025 professional development offerings. To register or learn more about upcoming sessions, please contact us at actech@hartford.edu.
Getting Started with Blackboard Ultra
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, Dec. 10, 6:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m. (Virtual)
Monday, Dec. 15, 2 p.m.–4 p.m. (Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries)
Tuesday, Dec. 16, 1 p.m.–3 p.m. (Virtual)
Friday, Dec. 19, 10 a.m.–noon (Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries)
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.
Digital Accessibility: Let’s Build Better Together
We're here to help you create inclusive learning experiences that benefit all students! With simple daily actions and the right support, improving digital accessibility is absolutely achievable. Our bite-sized microsessions are designed to fit your busy schedule while giving you practical skills you can use immediately. Whether you prefer face-to-face collaboration or virtual flexibility, we've got you covered. Start with checking your Ally Score in Blackboard, then join us for these focused 30-minute sessions where we'll tackle one topic at a time. Small steps, big impact – and we're with you every step of the way.
ACCESSIBILITY MICROSESSIONS
Choose your format – same great content either way
SESSION SCHEDULE:
Session 1: Images & Visual Content
- Tuesday, Sept. 9 | 1 p.m.–1:30 p.m. | Woods Classroom
- Thursday, Sept. 11 | 6:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m. | Virtual (Teams)
Session 2: Document Structure
- Tuesday, Sept. 16 | 1 p.m.–1:30 p.m. | Woods Classroom
- Thursday, Sept. 18 | 6:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m. | Virtual (Teams)
Session 3: Tables & Data
- Tuesday, Sept. 23 | 1 p.m.–1:30 p.m. | Woods Classroom
- Thursday, Sept. 25 | 6:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m. | Virtual (Teams)
Session 4: Videos & Interactive Content
- Tuesday, Sept. 30 | 1 p.m.–1:30 p.m. | Woods Classroom
- Thursday, Oct. 2 | 6:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m. | Virtual (Teams)
Session 5: Advanced Techniques
- Tuesday, Oct. 7 | 1 p.m.–1:30 p.m. | Woods Classroom
- Tuesday, Oct. 7 | 6:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m. | Virtual (Teams) - rescheduled due to Fall Break
Virtual sessions recorded • Resources provided • Individual support available
Register & Questions: actech@hartford.edu
Microsoft Education
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.
Wednesday, Sept. 3, 1 p.m.–2 p.m. (Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries)
Wednesday, Sept.17, 1 p.m.–2 p.m. (Virtual)
Monday, Oct. 6, 11 a.m.–noon (Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries)
Wednesday, Oct. 8, 6:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m. (Virtual)
Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2 p.m.–3 p.m. (Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries)
Tuesday, Nov. 11, 3 p.m.–4 p.m. (Virtual)
Tuesday, Dec. 9, 6:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m. (Virtual)
Wednesday, Dec. 17, 1 p.m.–2 p.m. (Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries)
AI Magic: The Ultimate Toolkit for Spellbinding Course Design w/Blackboard
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, Sept. 10, 12:45 p.m.–2 p.m. (Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries)
Wednesday, Dec. 10,12:45 p.m.–2 p.m. (Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries)
AI Magic: Google NotebookLM
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, Nov. 12, 12:30 p.m.–2 p.m. (Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries)
AI-Powered Roleplay: Enhancing Engagement in Blackboard
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, Oct. 16, 3 p.m.–4 p.m. (Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries)
Wednesday, Oct. 29, 6:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m. (Virtual)
Getting Started with Kaltura
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.
Thursday, Aug. 21, 6:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m. (Virtual)
Tuesday, Sept. 30, 11:00 a.m.–noon (Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries)
Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2 p.m.–3 p.m. (Virtual)
Tuesday, Oct. 21, 6:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m. (Virtual)
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is a video-conferencing application that now integrates with Blackboard. It is a platform that can be employed for remote instruction, office hours, or collaborative group work in your courses. Microsoft Teams can be accessed via a desktop application or a browser and is available on mobile devices as well. In this session, we will show you how to set up a Teams Meeting in your Blackboard course, how to navigate the Teams interface, how to share files or documents with students, and how to share screens. We will also show you how to set up groups so your students can work on collaborative activities together. If you require a 1:1 assistance to set up Teams, email actech@hartford.edu, and we will be happy to arrange either a face-to-face or virtual appointment.
Monday, Sept. 22, 11 a.m.–noon (Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries)
Thursday, Oct. 16, 6:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m. (Virtual)
Wednesday, Oct. 22, 11 a.m.–noon (Virtual)
Understanding University Data Storage Options
Learn about the different ways you can store and share your files at the university. We'll explain the uses and benefits of OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams, Network Drives, and Local Drives in simple terms. Discover the best practices for each option to keep your data organized, secure, and easy to access.
Thursday, Aug. 21, 2 p.m.– 3 p.m. (Virtual)
Tuesday, Aug. 26, 11 a.m.–noon (Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries)
Monday, Oct. 20, 12:30 p.m.–1:30 p.m. (Virtual)
Tuesday, Nov. 11, 10 a.m.–11a.m. (Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries)
What do All of these Microsoft Apps do Anyway?
Dive into the expansive suite of Microsoft applications in this informative workshop. Learn the key functions and practical uses of popular tools like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneNote, and more. Whether you're a beginner or looking to enhance your productivity, this session will demystify each app's purpose and show you how they can streamline your work and personal tasks. Join us to unlock the full potential of Microsoft's powerful software ecosystem!
Monday, Nov. 17, 12:30 p.m.–1:30 p.m. (Virtual)
Blackboard Organizations for Staff
Blackboard Organizations at UH are designed for communicating with students outside of traditional courses—ideal for sharing information with majors, supporting student clubs, managing campus programs, or building community sites for staff and students. This workshop introduces staff to the basics of using Organizations in the Ultra interface, including how to structure content, post announcements, manage membership, and share resources. Whether you're coordinating advising, supporting co-curricular initiatives, or creating a central hub for student engagement, this session will help you make the most of Blackboard Organizations. Please join us for an information session.
Request a Blackboard Organization
Wednesday, Aug. 27, 1 p.m.–2 p.m. (Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries)
Wednesday, Oct. 1, 11 a.m.–noon (Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries)
Wednesday, Oct. 29, 12:30 p.m.–1:30 p.m. (Virtual)
Monday, Dec. 1, 2 p.m.–3 p.m. (Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries)
Blackboard Drop-In Sessions
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 or virtually via Microsoft Teams for your convenience.
Friday, Aug. 22, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. (Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries)
Friday, Aug. 22, 5 p.m.– 8 p.m. (Virtual)
Monday, Aug. 25, 10 a.m.– 3 p.m. (Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries)
Monday, Aug. 25, 5 p.m.– 8 p.m. (Virtual)
Tuesday, Aug. 26, 6 p.m.– 8 p.m. (Virtual)
Thursday, Aug. 28, 10 a.m.– 3 p.m. (Woods Classroom, Harrison Libraries)
Thursday, Aug. 28, 6:30 p.m.–8 p.m. (Virtual)
Need a One-on-One Appointment?
If none of our workshop times or topics fit your needs, we’re happy to meet with you individually. Faculty and staff can schedule a one-on-one appointment for tailored support with Blackboard Ultra, course design, Organizations, or other academic technology tools. Appointments are available in-person or virtually via Microsoft Teams—whichever works best for you. Let us know what you’d like to focus on, and we’ll match you with the right team member to assist you. Email us at actech@hartford.edu to schedule your appointment.