Summary
The new Microsoft 365 (MS 365) Integration in Blackboard Ultra connects instructors and students with familiar Microsoft tools like Teams, Meetings, and OneNote Class Notebook. This integration streamlines communication, collaboration, and content sharing directly in Blackboard. Instructors can configure which Microsoft apps are available, set up course integrations, and manage access throughout the term. Learn how to access, set up, and navigate the Microsoft Education tools.
Body
The new Microsoft 365 (MS 365) Integration in Blackboard Ultra connects instructors and students to familiar Microsoft Tools, including Microsoft Teams, Meetings, and OneNote Class Notebook. As the instructor, you control which MS apps are available to your students.
Index
Access the Microsoft Education Integration
To access the Microsoft Integration in Blackboard Ultra
- Navigate to the Books and Tools menu in your course.
- Locate the Microsoft Education integration under the Available Tools Menu. If you do not initially see this tile, scroll to the bottom and select Browse All Course Tools.
- Select the plus (+) icon to add the Microsoft Education integration to your Course Content.
Alternatively, you can add the Microsoft Education integration directly from your course content area.
- Select the Plus (+) icon in the content area where you want to place the integration.
- Choose Content Market.
- Locate the Microsoft Education integration
- Selecting the plus (+) icon in the lower-right corner of the tile.
Set Up Your Integration
- Select the Microsoft Education integration tool in your course content.
- Log into the integration using your NDUS identifier (ex:jane.doe@ndus.edu). You will NOT have to do this every time.
- A welcome screen will appear with links to help you learn more about the tools included in this integration. You may review these resources if you wish.
- Select Continue Setup. This will open the course settings page, where you can choose which Microsoft Integration tool(s) you would like to utilize in this course.
- Navigate to the General tab in the left pane.
- Use the sliders to enable or disable specific tools. Note that not all tools are available within our Blackboard environment.
- Navigate to the Notifications tab in the left panel.
- Use the slider to opt-in or opt-out of email updates regarding new features and service changes.
- Return to the General tab and select Done at the bottom of the screen. Microsoft will then complete the setup, sync your course roster, and load the Microsoft Education Dashboard.
Navigating the Microsoft Education Dashboard
The dashboard serves as the hub for the Microsoft Education integration. From the dashboard, users can adjust settings, alter the user interface, and quickly launch Microsoft applications.
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The “I” icon contains links to third-party notices, privacy and cookies, and terms of use.
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The “user with speech bubble” icon contains links to contact support and submit feedback
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The “Refresh” icon refreshes the page and syncs the available roster when creating Teams Meetings.
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The “Profile” icon allows users to switch between light and dark themes and to access and edit course settings.
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The “Grid” icon allows users to launch tools easily while working in another application.
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Tools
Teams Meetings
Easily schedule, join, and manage Teams meetings directly from your Blackboard Ultra course.
Navigating in the Teams Meeting Tool
- Navigate to the Teams Meetings tool from the Microsoft Education Dashboard.
- Use the tabs at the top of the page to navigate.
- Upcoming: view scheduled future meetings
- My Meetings: view meetings you were invited to
- Previous: view a list of past meetings
- Attendance: View attendance records for specific meetings.
- Recordings and Files: access meeting recordings and shared files. This tab appears only when a meeting has been scheduled.
- To start a meeting right away, select Meet Now. To schedule a meeting for later, select New Meeting.
Meet Now
The Meet Now option allows you to launch a Teams Meeting immediately.
- When you enter the meeting, a link will be generated. This link can be shared with prospective participants. This link should NOT be reused. Every time you launch Meet Now, a new meeting link will be generated.
- Since Meet Now meetings are not scheduled in advance, they will not appear in the Upcoming, My Meetings, or Previous tabs.
Schedule a Meeting
The New Meeting button allows you to schedule a meeting for a future date and time. To schedule a New Meeting:
- Select New Meeting. A settings page will appear.
- Enter a meeting name. It’s best practice to include the course name and section number.
- Select participants who may attend.
- Enter in meeting details (title, date, time, meeting notes, etc.).
- Save the meeting.
Additional Resources
Class Notebook
Class Notebooks allow instructors to create a collaborative digital notebook that organizes class materials and engages students in interactive learning.
Set Up a Class Notebook
- Navigate to the Class Notebook tool from the Microsoft Education Dashboard.
- A Welcome Screen will appear. Select Set Up A OneNote Class Notebook.
- A new screen will display information describing how each folder within the notebook is designed to be used. Review this information carefully.
- Select Next.
- The next page will allow you to add, remove, and rename sections within the student folder.
- Select Create to finalize the setup.
Remove Student Access
At the end of each semester, instructors may choose to make their Class Notebook unavailable to students. OneNote Class Notebooks are not automatically made unavailable at the end of a term.
- Sign in to Office 365
- Select Apps from the left-hand column.
- Select the Class Notebook app. If you don’t see the Class Notebook app in your Recents, click All Apps.
- On the resulting screen, select Manage Notebooks.
- Select the notebook you want to manage/lock.
- Under Lock Collaboration Space, move the slider to the locked position.
Managing Student Access
Students are automatically added to a Class Notebook and can access course content either:
- From the Microsoft Education tile in the Books and Tools menu, or
- From a direct tool link added to the course.
The integration automatically syncs and adds each student when the Class Notebook is first created. After this initial sync, students retain access to the notebook.
Note: The integration does not automatically remove students that drop the course, but students can be managed within the OneNote App of your Microsoft account or in Teams.
Course Copy
When copying a course from one semester to the next, Blackboard Education tool links will copy into the content. However, scheduled meetings, recordings, and OneNote Class Notebook content does not copy over. Instructors will need to set up and configure the Microsoft Education tool each semester to ensure all tools function properly.
Additional Resources