This is a list of staff development sessions, organised by theme, which have already been run and can be delivered on request to schools/institutes or subject areas. To request one of these sessions is run for your group, or if you have another staff development need you would like a workshop designed for, please email setl@shu.ac.uk with the name of the session and other details about what you would like.

Blackboard-specific assessment sessions 

The Assessment Lifecycle in Ultra

This is a one-hour session which can be tailored to focus on or emphasize specific aspects of the assessment lifecycle in Blackboard Ultra, or we can simply deliver it ‘as is’. The full contents are: 

• Key differences between Classic and Ultra assessment (for 2024-25 year only) 

• Making sure Assessment points get set up automatically and correctly 

• Types of Assessment available in Blackboard 

• Manual Assessment point creation (and when / why it is needed) 

• Turnitin – integration with submission points and when / why additional Tii facilities might be wanted 

• Feedback Rubrics 

• Marking Schemas 

• The Student Assessment Experience [in Ultra] 

• Gradebook – viewing, sorting, filtering and marking in Gradebook. Posting marks. 

• Re-assessment, capping reports, reporting grades to DABS and reporting suspected misconduct. 

Each item is covered from the angle of Blackboard Ultra in relation to the item. We signpost to sources of more in-depth / pedagogical or procedural training and support where applicable. 

Blackboard Tests (MCQs) for exams 

This session demonstrates how Blackboard can be used to deliver exams using multiple choice and other objective questions. It covers authoring questions, setting and deploying the exam, and supporting students.

Designing and delivering Blackboard Tests 

This session promotes the practical benefits of automated testing and feedback in Blackboard, along with best practice guidance for using different types of test questions available in Blackboard and tips on writing effective objective questions and feedback to test a range of cognitive skills. This session does not focus on ‘how to build a test’ but the design element including writing effective questions and how questions can be written beyond simple knowledge recall.

Formative tests in Blackboard Ultra 

This session looks at Test functions in the new Blackboard Ultra, and how these can be used to create engaging formative tests, with many question types and automated feedback. We also look at how question analysis can help you look deeper at test results, and briefly cover other test options, such as in Panopto.