Meeting the Learn@Seneca Minimum Requirements in Blackboard Ultra

Learn@Seneca Blackboard Ultra is our branded version of Blackboard Ultra, the official learning management system at Seneca.

The use of Learn@Seneca is a requirement for all of the courses at the college, as explained in the Learn@Seneca Minimum Requirement Policy. 

To meet the minimum requirements, you must

• post course specific information that includes:
  • a link to the approved course outline from the Seneca Subject Outline System
  • accessible versions of the addendum and/or proposed schedule
  • weighted evaluation breakdown for the current term
  • required resources such as software, materials, supplies, etc.
• set up the Gradebook to communicate grades to students with individual assessment items and an overall/weighted grade
• enter grades in accordance with the Student Assessment Policy, (i.e., within 10 business days, or prior to the date of the next assessment)
  • use the announcement tool to post a welcome announcement and meaningful, regular course updates as per the communication plan
  • post a communication plan that includes:
    • faculty contact information
    • preferred method of communication
    • expected response time (two business days)
    • announcement schedule (e.g., weekly announcements, test/assignment reminders, updates)
    • a clear place for students to ask questions
  • post online or in-person office/student hours
  • open the course to make it available to students in Learn@Seneca (earliest one week prior to the beginning of the term and no later than the first day of the term), subject to change pending teaching assignments.
  • communicate, distribute and/or collect (where applicable) assessments using Learn@Seneca. Assignment communications will include the following:
    • instructions
    • rubrics or marking guide/criteria
    • due dates
    • submission instructions
    • the academic integrity statement
    • feedback
  • make recordings available to students for synchronous classes when possible; when not possible, provide alternate equivalent materials asynchronously
  • run an accessibility check on the course using Blackboard Ally. At a minimum, 100 percent of the materials should meet 67 percent (pale green for Blackboard Ally)
  • provide a course orientation for students in a digital format that will include:
    • how to navigate the course
    • where to find information
    • a review of key contents
    • guidelines and expectations (e.g., netiquette, participation)
    • a communication plan
    • academic integrity and copyright statements

Helpful Resources and Tools

Checklist

Use this simple Learn@Seneca Minimum Requirements Checklist (PDF) to make sure you have met the minimum requirements when setting up your course(s).

Default Items in All Course Shells in Blackboard Ultra

To assist instructors in meeting the Learn@Seneca Minimum Requirements Policy, there are four key items included in the Course Content in all empty course shells.

• Seneca Student Resources [Document] (Make "Visible to students")
• Student Blackboard Ultra Resources [Hyperlink] (Make "Visible to students")
• Instructions for Creating Course Information/Details (Read Me) [Document] (Make "Hidden from students")
• Course Information/Details [Document] *To be completed by instructors* (Make "Visible to students")

Links to Resources

1. Log into Learn@Seneca at https://learn.senecapolytechnic.ca/. This video will help you get oriented with Learn@Seneca Blackboard Ultra interface [Video] and take a look at our Blackboard Ultra Crash Course article which includes recorded videos of our series of Blackboard Ultra webinars.
2. Edit the Course Information/Details document to add your faculty contact information, course information/details, and course orientation. Instructions are in the Instructions for Creating Course Information/Details (Read Me) document.
   1. Edit the “Faculty Contact Information” section of this document to add your contact information, office hours, expected response time, announcement schedule, and direct students to where they can ask questions.
   2. Edit the “Course Information/Details” section to add a link to your course outline, post the accessible version of the addendum and/or proposed schedule, post the weighted evaluation breakdown, post any required resources, and post the academic integrity and copyright statements.
      • To locate your course outline, visit the Seneca Subject Outline System and enter your course code or title at the top, then select your school and the relevant term, then copy the URL to your course outline and add that link to your course.
      • To post the accessible version of the addendum and/or proposed schedule, see Adding Files, Images, Audio, and Videos.
      • Edit the “Course Orientation” section to add or embed your digital course orientation that includes information for students on how to navigate the course and where to find important information, a brief overview of the course and its learning outcomes, and guidelines and expectations.
      • To post the accessible version of the addendum and/or proposed schedule, see Adding Files, Images, Audio, and Videos.
      • Remember to include an academic integrity statement, see an example at the bottom of this article on Promoting Integrity Online.
3. To learn more about assessments in Learn@Seneca, see Creating an Assignment, Creating a Test, and Creating a Rubric.
4. Take a look at the information on how to use and set up the Gradebook:
   • Understanding Gradebook Settings
   • Edit or Delete a Gradebook Item
   • Setting Up the Overall Grade (Weighted Total)
   • Setting Up the Overall Grade (Grand Total): If applicable to your course.
5. Open your course to make it available to students.
6. Create an announcement in your course to welcome your students.
7. Run an accessibility check on your course using Blackboard Ally.
8. Provide a course orientation for students in a digital format.
9. All videos being shared in Learn@Seneca must be first uploaded to Microsoft Stream and then shared with students, read more about how to upload and share videos.