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UNotes

Blackboard Ultra Course View is Coming

May 08, 2023
Submitted By: Lorelle Wilson

Several years ago, the campus was introduced to Blackboard’s new landing page, Ultra Base Navigation (UBN), which introduced new features such as the activity stream and the Institution page. It was step one of a two-step process to move to the latest Blackboard, Blackboard Ultra Course View. Blackboard Ultra will benefit our students in many ways, as it has been designed with a more modern user interface and behaves more like other browser applications. In addition, it is responsive across any device, so the Blackboard experience will be similar whether you are using a phone, tablet, laptop, desktop, etc.

Here are some of the Ultra benefits and new features:

  • Simpler, cleaner, more modern course format, 

  • Discussion analytics (not available in original Blackboard courses), 

  • Ability to set global student accommodations, for example, setting up extra time for a student on all tests given in your class for that term, 

  • Ability to select preferred pronouns and record name pronunciation (spring 2025), 

  • Newly posted course announcements pop up, ensuring students see them,  

  • Writing analytics provide instructors with data such as the grade level of student writing, critical thinking skills, and word counts, 

  • Learning modules include student progress tracking. Students can monitor their own progress and mark items completed and instructors can also follow their progress, 

  • Streamlined ability to assign group discussions to all groups – instructors no longer need to copy and paste to each group, 

  • Group assignments will have one Grade Center column instead of separate columns for each group member, 

  • Ability to embed quiz-like questions within assignments so students can submit files and also answer questions as part of an assignment, 

  • Ability to turn on ‘conversations’ for assignments, journals, and other tools.  Students can ask questions or have discussions and the instructor can respond with just-in-time feedback, 

  • Easily embed media from many websites and applications, such as PBS, TedTalks, YouTube, Cram, Quizlet, and more. 

Courses in Online Programs have already been converted to Ultra courses and FCLD has and will continue to work with small cohort groups of interested faculty across campus, supporting them as they convert their courses. FCL has ongoing informational sessions for instructors who would like to learn more about transitioning over to Ultra courses and plans to offer training beginning this summer and fall. In the spring of 2024, instructors will have the option to choose on a course-by-course basis whether to continue with our current Blackboard Original courses or convert their courses to Ultra. Then, in spring 2025, all newly created courses will be in the Ultra course format as well as all courses created thereafter; instructors will no longer be able to choose which Blackboard format to use. Since there may be some post-conversion cleanup to do, faculty are strongly encouraged to begin the conversion process as soon as they are able to do so. 

 

SPRING 2023

Informational sessions, online programs teaching spring courses in Ultra

SUMMER 2023

Training for small cohorts and interested faculty

FALL 2023

Training offered throughout fall term for all instructors

SPRING & FALL 2024

Instructor choice option is turned on campuswide, instructors can select to convert courses on a course-by-course basis, training offered for all instructors

SPRING 2025

All spring 2025 courses created in Ultra format

 

For more information on Ultra, watch Blackboard Learn Ultra: It’s never been easier to teach and learn.

Instructors with questions about Blackboard Ultra, signing up for Ultra training, or who would like assistance using Blackboard are encouraged to contact the Faculty Center for Learning Development (FCLD) at 860.768.4661 or fcld@hartford.edu.