The New Ultra Blackboard is Coming to UHart
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:
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Simpler, cleaner, more modern course format.
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Discussion analytics (not available in original Blackboard courses).
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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.
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Ability to select preferred pronouns and record name pronunciation (spring 2025).
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Newly posted course announcements pop-up, ensuring students see them.
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New writing analytics provide instructors with data such as the grade level of student writing, critical thinking skills, and word counts.
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Learning modules include student progress tracking. Students can monitor their own progress and mark items completed and instructors can also follow their progress.
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Streamlined ability to assign group discussions to all groups – instructors no longer need to copy and paste to each group.
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Group assignments will have one Grade Center column instead of separate columns for each group member.
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Ability to embed quiz-like questions within assignments so students can submit files and also answer questions as part of an assignment.
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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.
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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. FCLD’s website has detailed information for instructors who would like to learn more about transitioning over to Ultra courses and FCLD will be offering an in-person training session on Tuesday, August 15. Additional training will be offered in fall 2023. In 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.
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Summer 2023 |
Ultra Faculty Institute Tuesday, August 15, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Woods Classroom Interested faculty should email fcld@hartford.edu |
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Fall 2023 |
Training offered throughout fall term for all instructors |
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Spring 2024-Fall 2024 |
Instructor choice option is turned on campuswide – Instructors can select to convert courses on course-by-course basis Training offered for all instructors |
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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.