News - Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning

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Save the Date! Ask the expert: Book chat with Jessamyn Neuhaus, author of Snafu Edu

January 28, 2026 Yvonne Johnson Best Practices, News, Newsletter, Teaching, Tips

Wednesday, February 18, 2026, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm CST Online event—registration required! The Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning is delighted to continue the conversations begun during our Spring 2026

Save the Date. Concept with announcement message with megaphone.

Save the Date! Spring 2026 Presidential Teaching Seminar Featuring Dr. Mylan Engel

January 21, 2026 Yvonne Johnson Best Practices, News, Newsletter, Teaching

Thursday, March 5, 2026 Informal conversations: 11:30 a.m. Seminar: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm CST Location: Holmes Student Center, Sky Room No registration is required —

A flat, pastel-colored illustration showing a computer monitor with a simplified Blackboard interface on the screen. A woman with long dark hair stands in front of the monitor, pointing toward the layout blocks. Above the scene, large text reads “New changes to Blackboard layout and navigation,” with a white arrow pointing to the right. Stylized leaf shapes frame the background, creating a clean, modern look.

Blackboard’s new look for 2026!

December 10, 2025 Kevin Harris News, Resources, Teaching, Technology Trends, Web Tools

On January 8, 2026, a few areas of Blackboard will receive a visual refresh. These changes will be part of the Blackboard January update and

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Congratulations to our Fix Your Content Day 2025 accessibility champions!

December 3, 2025 Amanda Hirsch News

This year’s Fix Your Content Day was a powerful demonstration of what our campus community can accomplish when we come together with a shared purpose.

Office of Online Learning launches “Wellness Wednesday”

October 28, 2025 Tedra Mewhirter News, Resources

At NIU, we know that student success extends far beyond the classroom, and for our online Huskies, connection and well-being are central to thriving in

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How you can make quick PDF fixes in Anthology Ally right now

October 13, 2025 CITL Best Practices, News, Resources, Teaching, Technology Trends, Tips, Web Tools

Adapted from an article originally published to the Anthology Community Blog by Mindy Mekhail, Director, Product Marketing, Anthology PDFs are among the most frequently used file types

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Fall 2025 events focused on well-being, resilience, and transformative teaching

October 7, 2025 Yvonne Johnson News, Newsletter, Teaching, Technology Trends, Workshops

The atmosphere at NIU was buzzing with excitement as we prepared for the Fall 2025 semester. The Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL) hosted

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CITL launches review of key online learning tools

October 6, 2025 CITL News, Technology Trends, Web Tools

During the 2025–2026 academic year, Northern Illinois University will conduct a comprehensive review of three enterprise online learning tools currently integrated with Blackboard: Yellowdig, VoiceThread,

What's New in Blackboard on laptop screen - Laptop sitting on desk with hands touching keyboard - Huskie dog on flower pot and coffee cup in background on desk

What’s New in Blackboard – Fall 2025

August 22, 2025 Kevin Harris News, Technology Trends, Web Tools

Blackboard released several updates over the past few months aimed at improving teaching and learning. Below we’ve outlined the most significant updates. Additional information can

New Resource for Students – Getting Started with Blackboard Tutorial

August 11, 2025 CITL News, Resources

It is important for students to be comfortable using Blackboard so that they can focus on the content and not how to use the system.

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Integrating artificial intelligence in nursing education programs

July 7, 2025 Kevin Brent Forman News, Teaching, Technology Trends

Written by Kevin Forman and Rob Piercy Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL) instructional designers and NIU faculty are collaborating and integrating AI tools

Huskie 3-2-1 Stay on track. Stay in the pack. Finish strong and graduate.

Supporting First-Year Undergraduate Students: Huskie 3-2-1

May 8, 2025 CITL News, Resources

To support the success of incoming students, we have developed “Huskie 3-2-1” – a simple plan to help new Huskies succeed during their first year