Contents
- What is Blackboard Ultra?
- How do I access my 2024/25 Blackboard Ultra module sites?
- What is happening with existing content in classic Blackboard module sites?
- Will organisation sites be moving to Blackboard Ultra?
- What else do I need to know about moving to Blackboard Ultra right now?
- Can I see a student view of Blackboard Ultra?
- What training and support is available for Blackboard Ultra?
1. What is Blackboard Ultra?
Blackboard Ultra is a whole modern interface and will look and feel quite different, but many Blackboard classic features such as announcements, discussions, groups, adaptive release and more will all still exist in Blackboard Ultra. Most differences are cosmetic, and some tools and types of content will be located in different places.
You will still have the ability to create your own content items, upload documents, share videos and other resources with your students. You can even search for content in an Ultra site! However, some content types and tools that are Blackboard classic work differently in Blackboard Ultra:
- You will still be able to organise your content into folders (or Learning Modules), however the depth of folder levels is limited to two in Blackboard Ultra. This is to support and encourage a more organised and accessible approach to content management so that sites are easier to navigate for students.
- Third-party tools such as Panopto and PebblePad are fully integrated with Blackboard Ultra. You can find these under Integrated Tools when adding content.
- Simplified descriptions for folders and documents make it much easier to navigate the site especially on a small screen or device.
- Discussions have improved functionality and are much easier to set up. There are also Class Conversations which are discussions attached to specific content items or assessments.
- The instructor Grade Centre and the student My Grades tool have both been renamed Gradebook.
2. How do I access my 2024/25 Blackboard Ultra module sites?
Blackboard Ultra module sites are being created on a weekly basis. You can check if you have access to your module sites for the next academic year by filtering the sites on the Modules page in Blackboard by selecting Academic Year 2024/25 in the Terms selection box.
If you are unable to see a site for a module that you are expecting to be delivering in 2024/25, you can check if a module site has been created by searching for the site using the Search module sites link in Support Tools on the Blackboard Institution page.
- If you are the module leader and you see that a site exists for the module you are delivering but you do not have access, the module leader information may be missing or incorrect in SITS. You can check and update the module leader information in SITS You will then be automatically enrolled on the site overnight and be able to access the site the next day.
- If you see that a site exists for the module, you will also see any current staff enrolments. If you are teaching on the module, but you are not the module leader, please contact one of those staff already enrolled to give you access to the site.
- If the module site you are expecting is missing from the module sites search results, please contact your departmental LTA or quality lead who can update the list of modules needing Blackboard Ultra.
3. What is happening with existing content in classic Blackboard module sites?
No content has been copied into the new 2024/25 Blackboard module sites from previous sites. Copying content in Ultra is simple with an easy-to-use copy tool, and you can copy selected content from classic sites across to Ultra. Watch the short video below (2 mins 15 secs) to see how easy it is to copy content!
A template has been provided in each module site to guide you when adding content and what to include.
Blackboard sites set up in previous years will continue to be available using the classic interface. These existing sites will not be converted to Ultra.
4. Will organisation sites be moving to Ultra?
From the beginning of June 2024 you will be able to request organisation sites using the Ultra interface. Course organisation sites will be populated with the Hallam Mini Modules for use with students. Like Blackboard Ultra module sites, a template has been provided to help you get started with setting up organisation sites, and you can easily copy any content you require from existing organisation sites.
5. What else do I need to know about moving to Blackboard Ultra right now?
Assessments
Folders for assessments and reassessments have been provided as part of the Blackboard Ultra module site template. Please do not rename or move these assessment folders. Submission points for summative assessments and reassessments will be automatically added into these folders based on SITS data later in the summer, so please do not set these up yourself. However, you can add any formative assessments you require, as well as creating any questions for Blackboard tests that you will be using (e.g. phase tests).
In Blackboard Ultra, Turnitin is deeper-integrated with Blackboard Assignments. This means that when students submit work to Blackboard, a copy is automatically uploaded to Turnitin and a Similarity Report generated.
A new Marks & Feedback Tool will be introduced at the beginning of June for both Ultra and classic Blackboard sites. This works in the same way of the existing Marks & Feedback Tool for batch uploading feedback file attachments, with an additional option of adding a template file. When a template file is added, correctly named feedback files are automatically generated for each student in the cohort ready to populate with feedback, at the same time as the student submissions are downloaded.
Reading Lists Online (RLO)
A placeholder for Reading Lists Online (RLO) has been added in the Module Information section of the template. The following information is applicable from 10 June 2024. If the module is repeated from academic year 2023/24 and there was an RLO for it, a copy for academic year 2024/25 will have been made and should be available via that link. If this is a new module, you will now be able to create a 2024/25 RLO for it. Please make sure the module code and academic year is attached to the RLO, if it is, it should link automatically. Do not try to manually link a list yourself. Further information regarding RLO can be found on the Staff RLO Guide. If you have any questions or issues relating to RLO, please contact your subject librarian.
6. Can I see a student view of Blackboard Ultra?
You can experience the look and feel, and many features of Blackboard Ultra by checking into the Welcome to Ultra Paradise! organisation site. Search the Blackboard Organisations page for ‘Welcome to Ultra Paradise!’ to see if you have been enrolled. If you cannot see the site, you can request access.
7. What training and support is available for Blackboard Ultra?
Your department contacts from the Digital Learning Team will be (or have been) in touch with details of training and development opportunities.
There will also be open sessions to support you in building and getting your Blackboard Ultra module sites ready for the start of the next academic year.
The Digital Learning Team are on hand to help you with Blackboard Ultra.