Faculty will be able access to the new Blackboard 9.1 using your very own permanent course shells starting Tuesday, September 4.

Office of Technology Services and IIT Online have been working fast and furiously to make Blackboard 9.1 available to faculty well in advance of rolling it out to students in the spring 2013 term. Please keep in mind that the current semester’s courses (and students) are still in Blackboard 8, which is still accessed as usual through the myIIT portal.

Starting Tuesday, September 4, faculty who wish to sneak a peek at the new Blackboard are invited to visit the Blackboard @ IIT Google site. Faculty will be able to use your regular UID and password to log in to the new Blackboard. With your own course shell, faculty now will have an individual permanent (across terms) course development space in Blackboard to build content and try out features without disrupting a live course.

IIT Online will host the first faculty orientation sessions to Blackboard 9.1 on main campus on Wednesday, September 5, Thursday, September 6, and Friday, September 7. Details, including times and a sign up form are available at Blackboard @ IIT. This Google site will be the place to go for information, resources, and details about all things Blackboard, filling up more and more as we move through the semester.

Faculty are also invited to join the new Google group, Blackboard at IIT, a group open to faculty and staff to discuss best practices and future Blackboard functionality.