The Office of Academic Technology & Digital Innovation is excited to share the latest updates to Blackboard Ultra for October 2026. These updates bring more precision to your assignment settings, enhanced gradebook visibility, and powerful new rubric and AI tools.
Key October Highlights
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Restrict Submission File Types: Limit assignment uploads strictly to accepted formats like
.pdfor.docx. -
Central Rubric Hub & Transfer: Access a new dedicated Course Rubrics page, with the ability to export and import rubrics between course shells.
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Gradebook Upgrades: Track student usernames, last access dates, and active exception indicators directly in the Grid view, and view total points possible in List view.
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Language-Locked AI Conversations: Utilize a new immersive AI conversation interface with the ability to lock the session to a specific target language.
Coming Nov. 5...
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Print & Download Rubrics: Export clean PDF/printable copies of rubrics for offline grading or distribution.
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Submit In-Progress Attempts: Manually submit stuck or unsubmitted attempts on behalf of students.
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AI Writing Tools in Feedback: Generate, polish, or reframe overall feedback comments using built-in AI assistance.
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Expanded Group Search: Effortlessly filter and search students when configuring course groups.
Need assistance? Contact the Office of Academic Technology & Digital Innovation at actech@hartford.edu to schedule a consultation.