Updated Gradebook grid view coming 7 August
Blackboard’s Gradebook grid view will be updated on 7 August 2026. The updated view introduces changes to the way staff interact with Gradebook, so staff may need time to familiarise themselves with the new layout. eLearning Gradebook guides will be updated ahead of the release to support staff through the transition. For a full list of changes and impacts visit the project page.
Make your course sites and Course Profile available to students this week
Please ensure Learn.UQ (Blackboard) course site(s) and course profile(s) are made available to students at least one week before your first teaching activity, as outlined in the Course Design Policy site. As a minimum requirement, course sites must contain a welcome announcement. The remaining online course requirements should be met by the first teaching activity.
Support your students with Learn.UQ
Course coordinators are encouraged to complete the following Learn.UQ course orientation activities:
- create a welcome announcement to greet and orientate students
- give students a tour of your course site in the first lecture
- encourage students to access the Getting started with Learn.UQ guide.
Get ready for Semester 2 with Ready to Tutor Week
Ready to Tutor Week will run from 28–30 July to help tutors prepare for the upcoming semester. Sessions will explore working with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) students, academic integrity for tutors, SETutors and other ways of evidencing tutoring expertise and more.
Explore the program and register
H5P’s new look and feel is now available
Staff and students will now see a refreshed look and feel for all new and existing H5P content. The refresh includes a new purple colour scheme, along with standardised colours, contrast and spacing for a more consistent and accessible user experience. Most H5P content types already support the new theme and remaining content types are scheduled for upgrade over the coming months.
How accessible is your Blackboard course content?
Review accessibility scores and improve accessibility
Course accessibility tools are integrated within Learn.UQ (Blackboard) to assist staff in understanding and addressing accessibility issues in their courses. Course content is automatically checked and scored based on accessibility. Detailed guidance in Blackboard is available to instructors on how to fix identified accessibility issues and the interactive Accessibility Report helps drive accessibility improvements at a course level.
Alternative formats for students
All students have access to a range of alternative formats for course content, which can be downloaded directly from their Learn.UQ course, including Audio, Immersive Reader, OCRed PDF, HTML, ePub, BeeLine Reader and Electronic braille.
Enhancements to Groups functionality now available
Enhancements to Blackboard Ultra Groups are now available, with a redesigned experience that improves usability, performance and flexibility for instructors. Groups options will include manually assigned, automatically assigned, self-enrol and import from CSV group sets.
Get to know your students
Course Insights, UQ's course-level learning analytics dashboard, is available to all course coordinators via Learn.UQ. Review student demographic information this week through the enrolment section to help inform your teaching strategies.
Course coordinators can also access student headshots through my.UQ and generate a PDF document to familiarise themselves with student faces prior to classes.
eLearning Adviser consultations
The eLearning Systems and Support team offer eLearning Adviser Consultations to assist course teaching and administrative staff with implementing effective eLearning solutions. Our experienced advisers can guide you in using centrally supported eLearning tools.
What's on
AI in Practice: Lunchtime Insights Series I 21 July 2026, 12–12:30pm
Join presenter Nora Leopardi for an exploration of “Vibe-Coding: Building Custom Tools Without Writing Code” at the launch of the AI in Practice: Lunchtime Insights Series! This fortnightly, 30-minute online series features presentations across AI in teaching, research and productivity, communication and operational enhancements. The series is an opportunity to come together and ensure that AI innovations across the University are visible, shared and beneficial to all, in the rapidly evolving landscape of AI.
Racing the Clock: Education's Response to AI’s Rapid Rise I 1 October 2026
AI is transforming knowledge, learning and work at an unprecedented pace. This one-day conference brings together educators, researchers, students and industry leaders to explore how education can respond with urgency, purpose and leadership.
Specialisation Series
ITaLI’s Specialisation Series offers staff opportunities to engage with targeted tools and strategies, alongside workshops with specialist feedback and peer collaboration. Explore the topics and register to secure your spot!
- Specialisation: Teaching and Learning with Integrity in the Age of GenAI
- Specialisation: Teaching Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Students
- Specialisation: Strategic Assessment Design: Innovation, Integrity and Impact Series
- Specialisation: Designing for Critical Thinking Series
- Specialisation: Infusing Creativity and Digital Expression across the Curriculum with Adobe
eLearning online workshops (Zoom) within Ready to Tutor Week
- Learn.UQ Ultra Basics for Tutors | 28 July, 10am–11am
- Turnitin (updated) Marking for Tutors | 28 July, 1pm–2pm
- Turnitin (updated) Marking for Tutors | 29 July, 11am – 12noon
- Learn.UQ Ultra Basics for Tutors | 29 July, 1pm–2pm
eLearning online modules (self-paced)
- Learn.UQ Ultra Basics
- Learn.UQ Ultra Assignments (group & video)
- Learn.UQ Ultra Tests
- Learn.UQ Ultra Gradebook
- Turnitin
- Inspera Assessment – Exams
- Inspera Assessment – Quizzes
- Inspera Assessment – Marking
Teaching and learning support
eLearning support
For technical support with central eLearning tools, email eLearning support.
eLearning Advisers
To receive pedagogical advice from UQ's leading teaching technology experts on using our central eLearning tools, including how to select and configure learning technologies, book a Zoom consultation with an eLearning Adviser.
Workshops
Workshops (via Zoom) and self-paced online modules are available for a variety of systems and tools. eLearning advisers are available to deliver custom workshops in your school or faculty. Organise a custom workshop.
Learning Designers
Learning Designers provide pedagogical support to academics in curriculum and assessment design, collaborating on learning experiences and activities, and integration of evidence-informed teaching and learning practices.
For faculty or school-level support, please refer to the list of Learning Designers in your area.
Educational Media Production
The ITaLI Educational Media Production Team works closely with academics and Learning Designers to produce educational videos, audio content, graphics and animations that support teaching and learning initiatives across UQ. If you have a project that could benefit from video, animation or graphic design, you are invited to submit an Expression of Interest.
