Attention Blackboard Faculty

Spring 2023 Textbook Adoption Deadline: November 8, 2022

**Those entering adoptions should not have to wait for Blackboard shells. If the section is active in banner, the information has already been integrated into Follet Discover.**

As required by Texas House Bill 33, Texas Tech University must provide a list of the required and recommended textbooks and other course materials for each course offered every semester. To comply with state requirements, Texas Tech procedures are that all such materials be “ordered” with the Follett campus bookstore even if the materials are not to be purchased from the bookstore. Below we outline, as we have before, the options and steps to submit course materials with the Follett campus store and provide clarification regarding “no materials required” for a course and regarding Open Educational Resources (OER) materials. 

As a reminder, TTU provides the Top Hat course engagement tool for all faculty and students. This available resource eliminates the burden on students to purchase other responseware/engagement tools.  

It is understood that some adoptions may not be known until later due to pending teaching assignments and updates to course schedules. However, every unit knows its regularly recurring courses, especially lower-level and high-enrollment courses, and thus can complete those adoptions as soon as possible.

“No Materials Required”

Some faculty have indicated they do not require course materials be purchased from the bookstore but then require students to purchase materials from an outside source. However, in addition to meeting the state requirement, many students who have financial aid to cover their books and supplies must buy them from the official university bookstore. Faculty and departments should therefore adopt all materials through the Follett campus store, including those course materials from outside sources. 

In the Follett Discover adoption platform, then, please select “No Materials Required” only if there truly are no materials required for a course.

OER Materials

If a class will utilize Open Educational Resources (OER), Follett Discover has an option for OER Materials. Select this option instead of “no materials required” if using free and open materials.

Ebook vs Courseware

If your course is utilizing courseware such as Mindtap and MyLab, please submit the ISBN for the courseware.  We have encountered many instances in which only the ebook ISBN has been submitted when in fact the courseware was also needed. 

Please utilize one of the following adoption methods to submit your materials for the upcoming Spring 2023 term:  

Adopting Materials Outside of Blackboard

• Faculty who would like to adopt materials outside of Blackboard will need to request a Follett Discover account to sign-in to the campus bookstore to adopt textbooks:
• To request a Follett Discover account, please email Patty Baird, Course Materials Manager at 2254txt@follett.com, and provide your name, email address, and course prefixes.
• Once you receive the Follett Discover invitation email, click the link in the email to set your password. Note that Follett Discover invitations expire after 24 hours. If you need your Follett Discover invitation resent, please email 2254txt@follett.com.
• Do not use your eRaider account credentials.
• Once your password is set, you can login to Follett Discover.
• The Follett Discover log-in site is https://ttu.follettdiscover.com/log_in
• You can now adopt learning materials and textbooks for your students to purchase. 

Concierge on Behalf of Faculty Members

An administrative assistant or other departmental designee or “concierge” may submit adoptions on behalf of faculty and will need to request a concierge account to sign-in to Follett Discover to submit adoptions:

• To request a concierge account, please email Patty Baird, Course Materials Manager at 2254txt@follett.com, and provide your name, email address, and course prefixes.
• Once you receive the Follett Discover invitation email, click the link in the email to set your password. Note that Follett Discover invitations expire after 24 hours. If you need your Follett Discover invitation resent, please email 2254txt@follett.com.
• Do not use your eRaider account credentials.
• Once the password is set, you can login to Follett Discover.
• The Follett Discover login site is: https://ttu.follettdiscover.com/log_in
• You can now adopt learning materials and textbooks on behalf of your faculty.  

Adopting Materials from Within Blackboard

For faculty that would like to use Blackboard to adopt course materials, the Follett textbook adoption tool is already integrated fully with your Blackboard course. 

To access the Follett Discover Textbook Adoption tool:

• Access one of your courses in Blackboard
• Click on the pull-down menu “Tools”
• Click on “More Tools”
• Select “Follett Discover”
• Click Submit to Add the Link to Your Course
• Click on the Follett Discover Link from Your Course
• Be sure to allow pop-ups for the Follett site
• You can now adopt learning materials and textbooks for your students to purchase from within your Blackboard course 

**Those entering adoptions should not have to wait for Blackboard shells. If the section is active in banner, the information has already been integrated into Follet Discover.**  

Training Videos  

Follett, in partnership with the Teaching, Learning, and Professional Development Center (TLPDC), has developed two training videos to assist faculty and staff with adopting textbooks and other materials:

• Faculty: https://youtu.be/Iq45qy8R4Vs
• Concierge: https://youtu.be/QCxUD9Lhvb0

  If you have any questions or issues with adopting required course materials, please contact Patty Baird, Course Materials Manager at 2254txt@follett.com.

Archival of Blackboard courses

As part of our TTU Blackboard Archival Policy, Blackboard Learn, working in cooperation with the TTU IT Division, eLearning and Academic Partnerships, and the TLPDC, will perform a routine archive of the Fall 2019 through Summer 2020 courses, on Friday, August 19^th, 2022.  While the process may take several hours to complete, we do not anticipate any impact on Blackboard services.  At the completion of this archival process, Fall 2019 through Summer 2020 courses offered on the main campus will no longer be accessible in the Blackboard environment.  Classes offered by the School of Law follow a different archival policy that mirrors their academic calendar.  Information regarding restoration of courses can be found within the TTU Blackboard Archival Policy, located here.

Should you experience any issues with Blackboard Learn during this time, please contact IT Help Central at (806) 742-4357 (HELP) or ithelpcentral@ttu.edu.

TTU Transition to Top Hat: Turning Point Solution No Longer Available in Blackboard

As announced to campus last fall and this spring, Texas Tech University has transitioned to a single response ware system, Top Hat, as a result of petitions and concerns raised by the Student Government Association (duplicative systems and charges to students).  Top Hat is now available at no cost to all faculty and students, fully integrated with Blackboard, and can be easily used for attendance, polling, and student engagement.  We worked with faculty to migrate from other platforms, includingTurning  Point, and beginning Friday August 5^th, 2022 at 6:00 am, Turning Point will no longer be available in Blackboard.  If you have questions about Top Hat or need assistance, please contact Robert Ward (rob.ward@ttu.edu). For other online learning questions, please contact TTU eLearning (elearning@ttu.edu). Please  monitor TechAnnounce for additional Top Hat preparation and training sessions in the near future.

NCAA Compliance

Compliant with NCAA requirements, athletic academic advisors have "observer" access in Blackboard for their student-athletes. Observer access provides limited view-only course progress and performance information. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of the Provost: eLearning & Academic Partnerships at elearning@ttu.edu.