Center for Teaching & Learning: Visionary leadership for academic excellence
By Laura Pohl, Contributing Writer
When the COVID-19 pandemic required the cancelation of in-person classes, Governors State University (GovState) was at the forefront of institutions prepared to transition to online learning.
The technology infrastructure was in place as a result of hard work by the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) (pictured right to left: Annette Keca, Scott Thesen, Thomas Daily, Judith Keigher, Dr. Nikki LaGrone). “Faculty had to scramble during Covid but we were ready to support them,” said Dr. Nikki LaGrone, program director for CTL. Read more about LaGrone who talked about her own academic journey here.
Today, CTL continues to anticipate change and implement visionary initiatives that position GovState as a leader in online teaching and learning. Since LaGrone’s arrival at GovState in 2011, CTL has been dedicated to supporting programs and professional development that address emerging technologies, student engagement and success, and federal regulations.
“Importantly, the relationships we’ve built with faculty allow us to anticipate their needs and provide adequate resources,” LaGrone said.
For 2025-26, CTL’s six staff members are working on three major initiatives: transitioning to Blackboard Learning Management System; employing the use of Blackboard Ally to address 2026 federal disability accessibility requirements; and implementing and supporting collaborative Communities of Practice (CoP).
Focusing communities around shared goals
By November, five Communities of Practice will be underway across the University. “Each CoP has a specific topic, focus, goal and /or outcome,” LaGrone explained. “The work becomes very intentional and focused, and the members of the community decide on goals and outcomes.”
Each CoP will share a domain that establishes common ground among the members. They will undertake joint activities, discussions, problem-solving and information sharing. The community members will develop, share and maintain their collective knowledge and build new insights together.
“CoP’s are not just another meeting or a project with a prepackaged solution,” said LaGrone. “A CoP is a space for collaborative sense-making and emergent learning. This is also a good opportunity for faculty to take a leadership role on campus.”
The Center received a 2025 Institutional Engagement and Excellence (IEE) mini-grant to develop the CoP concept. That funding supported an event to host speaker and consultant Susan Adams, who is a seasoned expert in curriculum, digital learning, data analytics and other relevant topics.
LaGrone said the communities will come together at the end of this academic year to present their results.
Below are the CoP topics that will be explored during the 2025-26 academic year. The first three align with Institutional Strategic Framework.
1. Relational and Inclusive Teaching
2. Rethinking Student Feedback and Assessment Instruction
3. Scaling Open Educational Resources at GovState
4. Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education
5. Student Success through Accommodations and Supportive Practice
Those interested in CoP’s can attend the Lunch n Learn scheduled for November 6th at 12:00 p.m., or contact Dr. Nikki LaGrone, nlagrone@govst.edu.
CTL leads rollout of Blackboard Ally and Ultra
Among the Center’s foremost responsibilities is to support the use of the Blackboard Learning Management System (LMS). LaGrone and her staff are in the midst of two major projects: implementing Blackboard Ultra Learn and Blackboard Ally, which is accessibility software within Blackboard.
Blackboard Ally offers faculty multiple methods for students to access and download their course materials. Examples of Ally’s features include an immersive reader, searchable scanned documents, e-books, an audio option, electronic braille and translated versions of documents.
“Blackboard Ally will help us address the upcoming regulations from the ADA,” said LaGrone. “And these regulations also affect our website, email and mobile app.”
Blackboard Ally will be fully available in all Spring 2026 courses and the national/federal deadline for ADA compliance by the University is April 24, 2026.
Blackboard Ultra moving toward full implementation
The first step in the multi-year rollout of Blackboard Ultra began during spring 2025, with a pilot program involving 33 courses.
“Ultra incorporates features like an AI tool and a uniform interface to provide a more consistent learning experience for students,” LaGrone said. “Panopto, a video streaming software, allows faculty to upload video to their courses as well as student presentations.”
Additional faculty are participating during fall semester, with 260 courses underway in Ultra. LaGrone is hopeful that at least 50 percent of faculty will transition during the upcoming spring semester, leading to full implementation in fall 2026. “This a huge project but the benefits will be worth the effort,” said LaGrone.
Dr. Sara Schnoor, University Lecturer, used Blackboard Learn as a graduate student and wanted to participate as an early adopter of Blackboard Ultra at GovState. She volunteered for the pilot program.
“I had the opportunity to think more critically about my course design and how Ultra can help me create the best learning experience for our students,” Schnoor said. “Blackboard Ultra is more intuitive and easier to use for faculty and students. The ease of navigating and presentation clarity mean higher levels of engagement. And changes to discussion boards and assessment options increase collaboration and communication between instructor and student.”
For assistance with transitioning to Blackboard, contact the Center for Teaching and Learning here.