Online Course Training

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Blackboard Online Course Development Training

The University of Arkansas - Fort Smith requires faculty to obtain Blackboard training certification prior to teaching courses online.

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Blackboard Essential Certification

This training is for faculty members who plan to teach full-online, hybrid, or web-enhanced courses using Blackboard Learn 9.1 but have never been fully certified to teach using Blackboard at UAFS. This training will also include new hires and instructors who need to teach full-online or hybrid courses.

Blackboard Essentials Certification can either be fully online and self-paced or as a face-to-face two-hour training session. Some of the topics covered in essential training include:

• Online course design, Blackboard file structure, and homepage development
• HTML files, folders, and learning modules
• Assessments (tests, quizzes, or surveys)
• Assignments, discussions, grading forms, and course manager
• Communication and content enhancement tools
• Learning results (grade center)
• Monitoring and managing student learning activities (tracking, group management, and selective release)
• Course content import and export, troubleshooting, and general housekeeping

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Targeted Training

Instructional Support also conducts a variety of targeted training sessions on various Blackboard Learn 9.1 tools such as discussion boards, gradebook, rubrics, etc. Instructors can request such training by emailing InstructionalSupport@uafs.edu. Training can either be online synchronous or face-to-face.

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Alternate Route to Blackboard Certification

Blackboard training may be waived for faculty who can demonstrate competency in developing and designing online courses per UAFS requirements on their own. The prospective instructor will develop an online course from scratch and demonstrate to Instructional Support staff using all the teaching tools within the Blackboard Learn system.