Graphics Options

SHSU Branding

Typefaces

Both SHSU Online’s primary typefaces of Panton and Roboto and the broader SHSU primary typefaces of GT America and GT Flexa are unavailable by default on most computers. To ensure your text displays correctly, use the more widely available Arial typeface in the Microsoft Word or PowerPoint programs.

Colors

Course Imagery

Blackboard Ultra’s responsive design makes it easier than ever to use imagery effectively. Well-chosen visuals prevent courses from feeling empty, break up heavy text, and keep students engaged.

• Try including charts, graphics directly related to your readings, and videos to add deeper context.
• Keep images around 1200 pixels maximum in any direction to balance crisp detail with fast loading times.
• Avoid visuals that don’t contribute to the subject matter, word clouds, and cliché stock photos.
• Do not use text in course banners since it will be cut off when displayed on many devices.

Blackboard

Blackboard interfaces with Kaltura directly within the “My Media” link under the “Tools” section of the top-level navigation. You will find several self-service tools there that enable you to do things like adjust video names and descriptions, use a basic video editor, upload video thumbnails, and self-manage deletion of recordings.

Captioning

We can provide direct pop-up captioning support for videos hosted through Kaltura. While videos hosted on other non-SHSU services (like YouTube) can still be captioned we can only provide captions as a transcript file.

Zoom

Any Zoom meetings that a user has chosen to cloud-record are automatically available in Kaltura for SHSU users. Zoom also provides automatic captioning that is applied to these videos.

Kaltura Capture

Kaltura also offers Kaltura Capture, a standalone screen recording tool, which can automatically upload recordings to Kaltura.

View and Manage Recordings in My Media

1. Select the “Tools” option from the sidebar of Blackboard.
2. Select the “Kaltura My Media” option.
3. From here you can add, remove, and edit videos in your My Media library.

Placing Kaltura Media in Course (Ultra)

1. Use the insert content option in the top right of the text editor window and select “Content Market.”
2. Select “Kaltura Mashup” and choose the “Embed” option beside your video from the “My Media.”
3. Name your video in the popup box and click “Insert.”
4. The video is now accessible in your course.

Placing Kaltura Media in Course (Ultra)

1. Click the Build Content dropdown menu.
2. Under “Mashups”, select “Kaltura Media.”
3. Click the “Select” button for the desired video.
4. Title your video, add any additional information in the text box and select the corresponding options in the “Options” section.
5. Click “Submit.”
6. The video is now accessible in your course.

While Blackboard Ultra provides basic text formatting, it often lacks the deep customization needed to present course content as effectively as a structured textbook. To bridge this gap, the Media Innovation team uses the Online Course Styling Tool to bypass these default limitations and apply advanced, highly organized, and readable textbook-level stylings to your materials.

• Outgoing Links – Button-like styling for links that take a student to content outside of Blackboard
• Key Points – A titled list of key information, sometimes including a subtitle
• Content Highlights – Outlined boxes that can contain important information, quotes, or questions
• Section Headings – Headings that break lecture documents into digestable sections
• Next Steps – Boxes with distinct styling that lay out what to do once a lecture is completed
• Basic Image Cropping – Crop images to predetermined sizes that work well within Blackboard
• Full-width Video Embeds – Embedded videos that fit the full width of a blackboard document

If you need help while using the Online Course Styling Tool, you can find helpful tips and text explanations for each section at the top of the web page.

To visually identify your course, you can use the Online Course Styling Tool to create custom banners. These feature SHSU Online’s signature “pixel” styling and color overlays, helping your course stand out in the selection menu while establishing a cohesive visual identity for your materials.

If you are unable to find an appropriate option from the available selection of images, you may now upload an image from your computer to temporarily use in the tool during your current session.

The Online Course Styling Tool features a thumbnail creator to quickly generate cohesive “poster images” for your instructional videos. This ensures your thumbnails perfectly match your course banners and text stylings for a unified visual identity.

Applying thumbnails to your videos is a straightforward process that can be done in just a few steps.

1. Go to the “Tools” section of the left-hand navigation in Blackboard and choose “Kaltura My Media” from the menu.
2. Find the video to which you want to add a thumbnail and click the pencil icon on the far right of the video list item. (If you have a large library, you can use the search bar at the top of the page to locate specific videos.)
3. On the “Edit Video” screen, go to the “Thumbnails” tab located below the video and select “Upload Thumbnail” to choose your thumbnail image file.

Services and Timelines

Events require time for preparation and planning. We are here to help every step of the way and work with everyone to ensure that events are successful.

Initial Meeting

For events and streams, we usually have an initial meeting to discuss expectations, as well as options for the event. In this meeting, we walk through a timeline for media, setup, and staffing so that each party can properly prepare.

Major Events

• One or more months needed for preparation

Major events include presidential events such as Graduation, Tree of Light, and Ring Ceremony, or events with large audiences such as New Student Convocation or the White Coat Ceremonies.

These types of events take longer to plan due to the larger media playback requirements and lengthier duration of the event, and they require a script. These events typically require a larger number, typically five or more of our staff, and can also take more time when it comes to planning. They involve coordination with venue managers, planning of event logistics, and the physical setup of the event, which often requires eight or more hours to complete.

Smaller-Medium Streams

• Three weeks to one month needed for preparation

Examples of these are Open Forums, such as the Academic Policy streams, Conversations with Administrators, or Committee Searches.

These events are typically hybrid events with in-person attendees and a stream to either Blackboard or YouTube. Blackboard streams require a custom-built webpage, which takes some time to create. In addition, these streams do require some personnel (three or four) to operate the equipment and set up the event.

Virtual Zoom Streams

• Two weeks needed for preparation

These types of events are perhaps the most user-friendly events. They do not require many people to staff the event (typically one or two), and can be managed remotely, which omits physical setup times.

When requesting events to be streamed through Blackboard, we ask for at least two weeks’ notice for planning so that we can properly schedule.

Critical Information

In general, there are a few important considerations to be aware of when planning your event.

Target Audience

Is this event focused more on students, faculty, staff, or a combination of the three? If the event is geared to faculty and staff, we can utilize Blackboard to stream only to those specific audiences

Does the event involve students? If so, we may consider streaming to YouTube, so parents or guardians have a chance to see their student on the live stream.

If the event’s goal is audience or crowd engagement, the event may be better served as in-person only and not streamed encouraging more individuals to show up in person and enhancing the overall event. Livestreamed events, or events that will be posted afterward, will need cameras to function, which adds another element to the event, including more personnel.

Media Needs

Will there be a PowerPoint presentation, videos, or graphics involved in the event?

Where should the media be displayed? Certain venues have built-in screens that we can project media upon, or SHSU Online may be able to provide our own screens to project media.

Microphone Options

Who will be speaking at the event, and what will they need?

How many people will be speaking at the event, and what type of microphone will be needed?

If there is more than one speaker, we may need to discuss different types of audio setups for the event.

Location of the Event

Certain venues are better equipped with technology for livestreams or events than others, so SHSU Online may need more time to ensure the venue is prepped for a stream or event.

Event Script

Some events are lecture-based, and do not need a script, timeline, or program, and simply last however long they need to.

Other events may be on a strict timeframe and may have a script or program to follow along with to ensure the event runs exactly as desired. SHSU Online encourages those who are requesting event services to provide our team with a script or program in advance, so that we can better prepare for the event and make certain that the stream runs efficiently, and media is delivered exactly as required.