Author: Celena Westlund, Senior Marketing Manager for Business and Government at Anthology

In the ever-evolving landscape of education technology, course creators and subject matter experts are faced with the dual challenge of developing engaging and impactful training content while navigating the intricacies of learning management systems. The process of setting up a course can often become as labor-intensive as creating the content itself. Recognizing this challenge, Anthology is simplifying the course creation process and providing creators and subject matter experts with unparalleled empowerment through the AI Design Assistant for Blackboard® Learn.

Unlocking the Potential of Blackboard Learn: A Comprehensive Learning Management System

Blackboard Learn has long been the bedrock of the world of learning management systems, offering instructors the autonomy to design and deliver contemporary, inclusive, and consistent training experiences that cater to the diverse needs of learners. With Blackboard Learn, educators can:

• Foster blended learning experiences that enhance learner outcomes by seamlessly integrating various modes of instruction
• Centralize all course materials and resources in one place, simplifying workflows for both instructors and learners
• Enable learning teams to work independently from HR systems while maintaining vital connections
• Drive continuous improvement through real-time insights that facilitate iterative course enhancements
• Ensure compliance with agency requirements for system security and data protection

Revolutionizing Course Creation with the AI Design Assistant

Anthology's commitment to innovation continues with the AI Design Assistant, a groundbreaking feature developed in partnership with Microsoft. Created in accordance with our Trustworthy AI Approach, and with privacy, security and inclusivity in mind, this integration positions Blackboard Learn as the first major LMS to harness the capabilities of generative AI for instructors, revolutionizing course creation, tests, and rubrics. By automating time-consuming tasks like course structure creation, image sourcing, rubric creation, and more, the AI Design Assistant accelerates the journey from concept to implementation, granting instructional designers more time to focus their efforts on supporting learners and developing engaging course content.

From Ideation to Implementation: How the AI Design Assistant Works

The AI Design Assistant can suggest the structure of a course, recommend royalty-free images to make courses more engaging, and create rubrics to accompany assignments—all in a matter of minutes. The process is intuitive and efficient and gives instructors a head start on some of the more time-consuming aspects of course creation while still keeping them in control.

Step-by-Step Course Structure Creation

• Course Details: Begin by entering essential information such as the course name, description, desired complexity level, the number of modules, and the preferred structure type (e.g., topic-based, unit, week, chapter, or module).
• AI-Powered Suggestions: Within moments, the AI Design Assistant provides intelligent course structure suggestions, complete with module titles, descriptions, and thumbnails. These suggestions are aligned with the outcomes you've defined.
• Refinement and Customization: Tailor the suggestions to your liking by refining or adding contextual details if needed. The AI Design Assistant ensures that your vision remains at the forefront.
• Module Selection: Review the generated modules and choose the ones that best suit your course's objectives. Add them seamlessly to your course layout.
• Enhancing Engagement with Visuals: To make your courses more engaging, the AI Design Assistant integrates with Unsplash Images. It automatically populates relevant search terms based on your course name and description when searching for a primary course image. Moreover, the AI can generate images based on the course information itself, using its “generate image” feature.

Simplifying the Creation of Quizzes, Tests, and Rubrics

• Effortless Question Bank Creation: The AI Design Assistant offers a “generate a question bank” feature to streamline quiz and test question creation. You can choose from various question types such as Essay, Fill in the Blank, Matching, and Multiple Choice, including an “Inspire Me” option that creates questions from a mix of the other question types. You have control over the complexity and quantity of questions generated.
• Select and Edit: From the auto-generated questions, you can handpick the ones that align with your course goals. Once selected, you can further modify and refine the questions before finalizing and publishing them.
• Seamless Test Generation: Similar to the question bank, the AI Design Assistant enables the automatic generation of tests. You can also choose to pull questions from the previously created question bank, organized by module, adding an extra layer of customization and coherence to your assessments.
• Efficient Rubric Creation: Crafting rubrics for assignments is simplified with the AI Design Assistant. While creating an assignment, you can effortlessly add a grading rubric. The AI takes your input, including the description, and generates a rubric tailored to your requirements. You can choose from four rubric types (percentage, percentage range, points, and points range), and specify complexity and column and row counts.

The AI Design Assistant for Blackboard Learn revolutionizes course creation by not only suggesting the structure and content but also enhancing engagement through images and automating the generation of questions, tests, and rubrics. This innovative tool empowers instructors to focus on their unique vision while efficiently crafting impactful and dynamic courses.

A Leap Toward Efficiency and Excellence

The introduction of the AI Design Assistant for Blackboard Learn signifies more than just a feature addition—it represents a transformative leap in the world of course creation. Subject matter experts and course creators can now reclaim valuable time in their day to focus on the creative and strategic aspects of content development. Furthermore, the collaborative spirit is retained as learning teams retain control over the final product, with the freedom to edit and customize any content generated by the AI Design Assistant.

Blackboard Learn: A Beacon of Innovation

As an education technology company, Anthology remains committed to providing the most innovative and flexible learning management system on the market. With the AI Design Assistant for Blackboard Learn, the potential to inspire, educate, and engage learners is unprecedented. Empower your learning teams with the finest tools available, equipping them to deliver the training necessary for learners to succeed today and in the dynamic landscape of their careers. The future of education starts here—discover the possibilities with Blackboard Learn by Anthology.