Northern Illinois University
Teaching with Blackboard
Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning

The following archive serves as a permanent record of the NIU Blackboard news and announcements posted on the Teaching with Blackboard website since January 1, 2007. Stay up-to-date with latest news regarding teaching with Blackboard at NIU by following @NIUBlackboard on Twitter.

For the latest updates to the Ultra Course View, check out What's New in Ultra?

• 11/19/2020 - Manage your Zoom Sessions in Blackboard
• 11/13/2020 - Review of Blackboard and Other Learning Management Systems to Be Conducted
• 11/04/2020 - New Content Editor for Blackboard Original Course View
• 10/28/2020 - Blackboard Courses from Spring 2010 to Summer 2015 to be Deleted Beginning December 1, 2020
• 07/10/2020 - Updated Course Menu for Blackboard Original Course View Debuts in Time for Fall 2020 Course Requests
• 05/06/2020 - Create Microsoft Teams Meetings from Within Blackboard
• 03/13/2020 - Support Available to Use Blackboard During COVID-19 Disruption
• 03/12/2020 - Blackboard Courses Automatically Created for Spring 2020
• 02/03/2020 - New Process to Link eReserves Content In Your Blackboard Course
• 04/29/2019 - Blackboard Ultra Course View coming in May 2019
• 04/15/2019 - Blackboard Ultra coming in May 2019
• 08/24/2018 - What's New in Blackboard for Fall 2018?
• 08/10/2018 - Summer 2018 Blackboard Grade Submission Window
• 04/30/2018 - Blackboard Learn Outage Associated with May 2018 Upgrade
• 04/13/2018 - May 2018 Blackboard Learn Upgrade 
• 03/05/2018 - SafeAssign Outage on March 8, 2018 - POSTPONED
• 12/20/2017 - Update to Inline Grading for Assignments
• 08/14/2017 - New Blackboard Instructor App Joins Blackboard's Mobile App Suite
• 05/31/2017 - More About New Mobile-Responsive Course Theme
• 05/09/2017 - Blackboard Learn Upgrade: Memorial Day Weekend 2017
• 04/13/2017 - New Features for Combined Courses in Blackboard
• 04/12/2017 - Upgrade to Blackboard Coming May 2017
• 03/07/2017 - Trends in Blackboard Tool Usage at NIU – 2016
• 02/10/2017 - Course Request Process in Blackboard Now Faster with More Features
• 11/22/2016 - Students May Now Use a Preferred Name in Blackboard
• 08/22/2016 - MEDIAL: Updated Video Management with Webcam Recording Now Available in All NIU Blackboard Courses
• 08/19/2016 - Breakout Groups, Polling, Closed Captioning Added to Blackboard Collaborate Ultra
• 08/08/2016 - Introducing Blackboard Collaborate Ultra
• 05/05/2016 - Blackboard Learn Upgrade: Memorial Day Weekend 2016
• 09/23/2015 - Blackboard Notifications Issue
• 08/17/2015 - Blackboard Reminders for the Beginning of the Semester
• 07/21/2015 - Avoid Using Force Completion in Blackboard Tests
• 06/22/2015 - Changes to SafeAssign in Blackboard
• 06/19/2015 - Collaboration Tools to be Discontinued in Blackboard
• 05/08/2015 - Blackboard Learn Upgrade: Memorial Day Weekend 2015
• 05/05/2015 - Blackboard Video Everywhere: Message regarding Google API Changes
• 05/01/2015 - Learn the Basics of Using Blackboard, At Your Own Pace
• 03/18/2015 - Trends in Blackboard Tool Usage at NIU - 2014
• 09/19/2014 - Tips for Increasing Student Retention with Blackboard
• 08/12/2014 - Scheduled Blackboard Outage - 8/16/14
• 06/19/2014 - New Tool Available for Posting Audio and Streaming Video
• 04/29/2014 - Scheduled Blackboard Outage - 5/24-5/25
• 04/28/2014 - Update to SafeAssign Originality Reports
• 03/25/2014 - A Look At What's Next for Blackboard - May 2014 Upgrade
• 02/13/2014 - Issue with Java 7 Update 51 Causes Problem Running Apps
• 05/22/2013 - Blackboard Collaborate 12.5 Now Available
• 04/18/2013 - Scheduled Blackboard Outage - 7/8/13
• 01/17/2013 - 2013 Blackboard Catalyst Awards
• 12/13/2012 - Wimba Classroom to be Deactivated 12/21/2012, Replaced by Blackboard Collaborate
• 09/14/2012 - Designing an Exemplary Course: Online Course Offered
• 08/01/2012 - Blackboard Collaborate Now Available at NIU
• 05/29/2012 - Introducing New iOS and Android Updates for Blackboard Mobile
• 05/03/2012 - Blackboard Collaborate Pilot for Summer 2012 - Full Release Expected Fall 2012
• 04/20/2012 - Scheduled Blackboard Outage - 5/26-5/28
• 02/10/2011 - What's Next for Blackboard (SP8)
• 11/28/2011 - Scheduled Blackboard Outage - 12/19-12/21
• 11/01/2011 - 2012 Blackboard Catalyst Awards
• 10/10/2011 - Blackboard Scholar to be Discontinued 12/31/2011
• 08/19/2011 - Blackboard Reminders for the Beginning of the Semester
• 07/28/2011 - Scheduled Blackboard Outage - 8/14-8/15
• 06/28/2011 - Scheduled Blackboard Outage - 7/9-7/10
• 06/23/2011 - Known Issues in Blackboard NG
• 05/29/2001 - Blackboard NG Upgrade Completed
• 05/04/2011 - Scheduled Blackboard Outage - 5/27-5/30
• 05/03/2011 - Major Upgrade to Blackboard and Upcoming Training Programs
• 04/25/2011 - Existing Courses and Shells Available in Blackboard NG 
• 03/22/2011 - New Course Menu Features Coming in Blackboard NG
• 03/07/2011 - Course Removal: Summer and Fall 2009 Courses
• 02/03/2011 - Blackboard Next Generation Upgrade Scheduled
• 01/03/2011 - Blackboard Mobile Learn App Now Available
• 06/17/2010 - Blackboard Mobile Learn
• 02/19/2010 - SafeAssign Error for the Course Builder and Organization Builder Role
• 11/12/2009 - New Blackboard Grade Submission Tool
• 04/18/2009 - Scheduled Blackboard Outage and Upgrade to Version 8.0
• 04/17/2009 - NIU Blackboard Notices Now Available on Twitter
• 04/01/2009 - New Master Course Tool Available in Blackboard
• 10/24/2008 - Requesting Blackboard Courses Using the New Blackboard Faculty Tools
• 10/01/2008 - Enabling Guest Access to Wimba Classroom
• 07/30/2008 - Wimba Classroom Online Collaboration Suite
• 02/26/2008 - New Online Collaboration Suite Features in Blackboard
• 01/14/2008 - New Content Management, Plagiarism Prevention, and Academic Resource Sharing Features in Blackboard
• 12/17/2007 - Blackboard Content Collection Coming Soon
• 05/29/2007 - Blackboard Upgrade Completed
• 05/04/2007 - Blackboard Outage / Upgrade Notice
• 04/18/2007 - New Blackboard Features Available Soon

Last updated: 11/19/2020