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New Media Studio Returns to Sherman Hall

Come tour the new digs, tech and set at 10/7 “Open House”

After three years operating out of temporary quarters in the Engineering Building, UMBC’s New Media Studio (NMS)—a unit of the Division of Information Technology’s (DoIT) Instructional Technology...

August 13, 2026 · 8:28 AM

13 Tips to Get Your Blackboard Course Ready

Checklist to optimize your course before the semester starts

The week before the semester starts can feel like a sprint: A full inbox, a syllabus that still needs one more edit, and a course shell that isn’t quite ready for students yet. Before the scramble...

August 12, 2026 · 10:00 AM

What Your Next Great Hire Can Actually Prove

The resume tells you what. It doesn't tell you how.

This is the fifth post in our series on the new LER briefs. Catch the intro post here if you missed it. Every resume you read makes claims: "data analysis," "project management," "cross-cultural...

August 12, 2026 · 8:35 AM

5 Quick Wins for an Accessible Syllabus

Small fixes, big difference for every student.

Picture a student pulling up your syllabus before the first day of class. If they're using a screen reader and your document contains unstructured text, complex tables, and images without adequate...

August 11, 2026 · 2:00 PM

Ready, Set, Accessible! Fall Course Prep Day Resources

Recordings, slide decks, and links... oh my!

The USM Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation shared the resources from the Ready, Set, Accessible! Fall Course Prep Day. Held on August 3rd, this half-day virtual event was designed to help...

August 10, 2026 · 9:15 AM

Blackboard's August Update Redesigns Grading, Navigation, and Group Tools

A quick rundown of what's new for faculty & students

Blackboard's August update is one of the bigger releases we've seen in a while, touching grading, navigation, assessments, and course workflows all at once. Here's what's changing, organized by...

August 7, 2026 · 3:31 PM

Beyond PDFs: 5 Better Ways to Share Content

Rethinking a default file format to remove barriers.

You've probably uploaded a PDF to your course or website dozens of times without a second thought: a syllabus, an article, a set of lecture notes. PDFs are everywhere in higher ed. For years...

August 6, 2026 · 9:29 AM

Microcredentials and Your Advising Conversations

A new data point you already have access to

This is the fourth post in our series on the new LER briefs. Catch the intro post here if you missed it. Here's a scenario that's becoming more common: an advisee mentions they earned a...

August 5, 2026 · 8:35 AM

Call for Applications: USM Faculty Mini-Grant to Boost Course Accessibility

Deadline: September 11, 2026

The USM Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation is pleased to announce a call for applications for the Boosting Course Accessibility Faculty Fellows program. This initiative will support up to 12...

August 4, 2026 · 9:30 AM

Improve Your Digital Content: Join Us for Accessibility Workshops (August 17 & 21)

Enhance digital content accessibility for all users

As we gear up for the FA2026 semester, the Instructional Technology team is hosting Improve Your Digital Content Workshops on August 17th and August 21st. Whether you are completely new to Digital...

July 30, 2026 · 12:15 PM

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