COEHD Faculty, Students will be able to access Blackboard tomorrow. UTSA has provided so many resources and support. Please read below. A Message from Academic Innovation… I am following up to this communication with a few action items to support your faculty. The goal of giving students access to their courses on August 20th is to allow them to get familiar with Blackboard and the technology they need to be successful in their courses. We have also finalized a Guide to Online Learning<https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%... Blackboard course that will help them to build or reinforce their online learning readiness. If your faculty need help to have theirs courses ready with these 3 elements (syllabus, communication plan, short bio or welcome video), we will be available next week with virtual office hours or we can join you in a college or department meeting: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday office hours from August 17-September 4 (10:00-11:00 am)<https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2F... Tuesdays and Thursdays from August 17- September 4 (8:30-9:30 am)<https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2F... ________________________________ From: Academic Innovation <AcademicInnovation(a)utsa.edu&gt; Sent: Thursday, August 13, 2020 10:19 AM To: UTSA Faculty <UTSAFACULTY(a)utsa.edu&gt; Subject: Early Blackboard Access to Students As the new semester approaches, your students are thinking about how to prepare for their Fall 2020 return. The start of a new acarwhelming for students, especially those who will be experiencing a college online course for the first time. For this reason, students will be able to access their Fall 2020 Blackboard courses on Thursday, August 20, 2020. View this email as a web page.<https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2... [Early Blackboard Access to Students]<https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A... As the new semester approaches, your students are thinking about how to prepare for their Fall 2020 return. The start of a new academic year can be both exciting and overwhelming for students, especially those who will be experiencing a college online course for the first time. For this reason, students will be able to access their Fall 2020 Blackboard courses on Thursday, August 20. Allowing students early access to their courses before the semester officially starts will enable them to have a general walkthrough of their online courses and get familiar with the course layout. They can better prepare for your online class by having access to the course syllabus, textbook information, and student resources on Blackboard. It will also help reduce the number of emails you receive for questions about textbook and course requirements before the start of the semester. To help your students prepare in advance for your online course, we recommend uploading the following information to your Blackboard shell before August 20. 5 Must-Have Elements for Preparing Students for Your Online Class: 1. Course Syllabus<https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%... and detailed schedule with deadlines. 2. Contact information and communication plan<https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2...;. 3. Technology requirements<https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https... for computer equipment and software. 4. A personalized introductory announcement with a short bio or a welcome video for community building<https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%...;. Assure your students that your class doesn’t start until August 24. 5. Provide information about the Student Guide to Online Learning<https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%... in Blackboard. This open course will help your students become familiar with the latest digital tools, provide them with tips to be a good online student, and give them a better idea of what to expect this semester. Academic Innovation Support Channels 24/7 Blackboard Support * Phone: Call 210-458-4520 and press option 1 to access Blackboard Support anytime. * Email: Blackboard Support can be emailed directly at utsa@edusupportcenter.com<mailto:utsa@edusupportcenter.com> (for faster service, please use your UTSA email account) * Self Help Portal: Visit https://utsa.edusupportcenter.com<https://nam03.safelinks.protection.o... for live chat support; to create a case or access Bb knowledgebase articles (please log in for full experience) Virtual Support and Events * Blackboard Support Virtual Consultation: Book a virtual appointment with a Blackboard Support Specialist for a 30-minute consultation, Monday-Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Click on the book a consultation<https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https... link to get started. * Upcoming Webinars: Take advantage of our live webinars led by subject matter experts on campus by visiting the faculty event calendar<https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%...;. * AI’s Virtual Office Hours: Have questions? Join Academic Innovation's Virtual Q&A sessions<https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%... from 10-11 a.m. and Digital Accessibility Virtual Office Hours<https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%... from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. every Friday this Fall. Other Support * Teaching and Learning Support: Email academicinnovation@utsa.edu<mailto:academicinnovation@utsa.edu> or call 210-458-4520 Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. * Accessibility Support: Email DigitalAccessibility@utsa.edu<mailto:DigitalAccessibility@utsa.edu> for support related to accessibility in your online courses. * Student Resources: Looking for resources to help your students get through the semester? Check out our student resources<https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A...;. * Teaching Resources: Academic Innovation provides various options for faculty and students to meet, collaborate, and learn. Use this resource page<https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2... to get started. General Questions or Support: Email academicinnovation@utsa.edu<mailto:academicinnovation@utsa.edu> or call 210-458-4520 Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. to speak to one our team members. UTSA's CORE VALUES Integrity • Excellence • Inclusiveness • Respect • Collaboration • Innovation [https://www.utsa.edu/emails/pixel.cfm?utm_medium=email&utm_source=VPA...]