6.1 Introduction

Blackboard Ultra is the learning management system (LMS) at Fort Hays State University. This chapter is designed for beginners and will guide you through the essential features of Blackboard Ultra, helping you leverage its capabilities for designing your courses.

6.1.1 Ultra Navigation

In Blackboard Ultra, the primary method of navigation within courses is through the Course Tools, positioned at the top of the screen. The Course toolbar includes Content, Calendar, Announcements, Discussions, Gradebook, Messages, Analytics, and Groups. These tools are displayed by default and cannot be changed. This ensures that toolbar items remain accessible as you and your students navigate through different sections of the course. Additionally, the toolbar features a Student Preview option on the far right, which enables instructors to view the course from the perspective of a student. The Analytics item in the toolbar does not show In the Student View.

Figure 6-1 Screenshot of an Ultra Course

Some tools, such as the Calendar, Grades, and Messages, match tabs in the Base Navigation (the streamlined menu bar on your Institution Page). When accessed from the Base Navigation, these tools provide a global view, displaying information across all courses in which you are enrolled. Conversely, when you access these tools within a specific course, they present information related only to that particular course.

All courses in Blackboard Ultra land on the Main Page. The Main Page is one of the most prominent differences between Blackboard Original and Blackboard Ultra, so it’s important that you familiarize yourself with this layout. The following video outlines the unique features of Blackboard Ultra’s Main Page.

Main Page Overview Part 1 (4:01 min)

6.1.2 Just Click the Plus Sign!

Now that you’ve had some time to look at the Main Page, let’s review the top menu of Blackboard Ultra.

Main Page Overview Part 2 (1:49 min)

6.1.3 Student Preview

Use Student Preview to see how your course will look to your students.

Seeing things from your students’ perspective will help you see how your design decisions look and feel for them.

The following video will outline how Student Preview works in Blackboard Ultra.

Student Preview (1:35 min)

6.2 Creating Your Welcome Module

Best practice in course design suggests creating a welcoming learning environment for your students. In TILT, we recommend opening each of your courses with a “Welcome” module.

To create content on the Main Page, just click on the plus sign and select “Create.” This will open a menu on the right-hand side with different course content items to select from.

In the Welcome module, you can include a course overview, tips for getting started in the course, your contact information and policy, technology support and requirements, course expectations and relevant course, department, and university policies.

These are the steps:

1. Click on the “+” sign on your Main Page.
2. Select “Create.”
3. Select “Learning module” from the right-hand menu.
4. Name your learning module “Welcome.”
5. Click the drop down box and make the learning module “Visible to students.”
6. Optional: Add a description about your Welcome module.
7. Click “Save.”
8. View your Welcome module on your Main Page.

6.2.1 Create a Document

To create a document within a Learning module, click on the module, and then click on the plus sign. Select “Create” and select “Document” from the right-hand menu. You’ll notice that the document will appear within the module.

If you made the document but it is NOT in the module, you can drag the document and place it in the desired module.

These are the steps:

1. Click on your Welcome module.
2. Click on the “+” sign within your Welcome module.
3. Select “Create.”
4. Select “Document” from the right-hand menu.
5. Name your document “Welcome (START HERE).”
6. Click the drop down box on the right-hand side of your document and make the document “Visible to students.”

6.2.2 Add Content to Your Document

To create content within a document, click on the document and then on the “Add Content” button. This will open a text box where you can type, add links, and upload media.

Once you have added content to your document, you can continue adding content by clicking on the “+” sign.

Create a Document Page (2:24 min)

These are the steps:

1. Click on your Welcome document.
2. Click on the “Add Content” button.
3. Within the text box menu (located at the top of the text box), click on the “+” sign.
4. From the drop-down menu, select “Content Market.”
5. Select the video player you use from the menu and then your recorded Welcome video.
6. Title your video “Welcome Video” or similar and then insert it following the protocol for your player.
7. Click “Save” on your document.

Embedding a VidGrid Video in a Document (3:41 min)

Once you have created content in your document, you can add additional content by clicking on the plus button. You can select where you would like to add new content by selecting the “+” button above or below the original content. This will open a text box where you can type, add links, and upload media.

Uploading PDFs (2:37 min)

These are the steps:

1. Click on your Welcome document.
2. Click on the “+” button below your Welcome Video.
3. Within the text box menu (located at the top of the text box), click on the paperclip sign.
4. This will allow you to upload an attachment from your computer.
5. Select a PDF or other document type and click “open.”
6. Title your PDF in the “Display Name” text box and choose the File Option “View and download.”
7. Click “Save.”
8. This will upload the PDF into your Welcome document.
9. Click “Save” on your document.
10. You can expand the PDF by clicking on the file.

6.3 Engaging Students in a Blackboard Ultra Course

6.3.1 What is an LTI Tool?

Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) are vendor courseware that is integrated into a learning management system (LMS). Some common examples of LTIs are Zoom, GoReact, and Yellowdig.

Adding LTI Tools From the “Content Market” in Ultra (4:33 min)

6.3.2 Need a Tool, ask TILT!

The FHSU Teaching and Learning Ecosystem has many tools to help you engage with your students.

You can learn more about all of our EdTech tools on the TigerLearn Blog EdTech Support Page: https://tigerlearn.fhsu.edu/tilt-tool-picker/.

These are the steps:

1. Create a Module in your Ultra Course Shell.
2. Name your Module.
3. Create a Document in your new Module.
4. Name your Document.
5. In your Document click on the “Add Content” button.
6. Within the text box click on the “+” sign.
7. Click on “Content Market” from the drop-down menu.
8. Choose a LTI Tool of your choice by clicking on the tool.
9. Decide what settings you need for your tool (i.e. Will this tool be used for an assignment? Does it need to be graded? etc.).

6.3.3 Assignments in Ultra

In the following video, you can see how to create an assignment in Ultra.

Create an Assignment (1:02 min)

These are the steps:

1. In a Module, click on the “+” sign.
2. Select “Create.”
3. Select “Assignment” from the right-hand menu.
4. Name your assignment and make it “Visible to students.”
5. Add content to your assignment by clicking on the “+” sign.
6. Select “Add text” from the menu.
7. Add instructions for your assignment in the text box.
8. Click “Save.”
9. Make sure to “Allow students to add content at the end of assessment.”
10. In the “Assignment Settings” select a “Due Date” in the future.
11. Select any changes you want in the “Assignment Settings.”
12. If you made any changes in the “Change grade posting setting” click “Save.”

6.3.4 Rubrics in Ultra

Using the Ultra Gradebook, you can create rubrics to provide clarity and consistency to your students. Providing students with a rubric is an important aspect of OSCQR’s Assessment and Feedback #46, “Criteria for the assessment of a graded assignment are clearly articulated (rubrics, exemplary work).”

Create Rubrics in the Ultra Course View (1:46 min)

These are the steps:

1. In the assignment you made, open the “Assignment Settings” by clicking on the cog icon.
2. Scroll down until you see “Additional Tools.”
3. Under “Additional Tools” click on “Add Grading Rubric.”
4. This will pull up any rubrics you have, click on “Create New Rubric.”
5. Create a rubric for your assignment.
6. Name your rubric.
7. Change the “Criterion” by clicking on the pencil button in the top right-hand corner of the cell.
8. Type in descriptions.
9. Change the titles and percentage of total grades as fits your teaching context.
10. Click “Save.”

6.3.5 Why use “Discussions” in Ultra?

Discussions in Ultra have changed from Original, but for the better. Students can access the Discussions from the top tabs on the Main Page. Discussions in Ultra also have built in Analytics. Check out some of the features Discussion Analytics provide below.

Create a Discussion (2:01 min)

These are the steps:

1. On your Main page click on the “+” sign.
2. Select “Create.”
3. Select “Discussion” from the right-hand menu.
4. Name your discussion and make it “Visible to students”
5. In the text box add a discussion prompt.
6. Add a YouTube video to your discussion prompt.
7. Click on the “+” sign in the text box.
8. Select “YouTube video” from the drop down menu.
9. Search for a relevant video in the search bar and click on “Search.”
10. Choose your desired YouTube video by clicking on the “Select” button next to the video.
11. Change the “Alternative Text” as necessary.
12. You may change the “Display Content” settings – “The content displays inline if the browser allows. If not allowed, the content displays as a link” is recommended.
13. Click “Insert.”
14. Click “Save” under the text box.
15. Change the “Discussion Settings” by clicking on the cog icon.
16. Decide which settings you want for your Discussion.
17. You can now view your Discussion on the Main Page and from the Discussions tab.

6.3.6 Discussions Analytics

Discussions in Blackboard Ultra allow instructors to access student analytics. These include looking at the critical thinking level, participation, sentence complexity, and word count.

You can access discussion analytics by clicking on the three horizontal dots from the Discussions tab on the Course Tool Bar.

From the Discussion Analytics page, instructors can message students who need additional support.

Discussion Analysis (1:12 min)

6.4 Communication in Blackboard Ultra Courses

6.4.1 Making Announcements

Announcements are a great way to ensure you are implementing RSI in your courses. In Blackboard Ultra, Announcements are a tab on the Course Tool Bar.

To create an announcement, navigate to the Announcements tab and click on the “+” button on the top right-hand side.

Course announcements can be sent to all course members, including guests, or to select groups or individuals. You may also choose to send the announcement as an email or to schedule it. Note: You can schedule the announcement or send it as an email, but you cannot do both. If you choose to post the announcement immediately, you will need to click “Post Now.” Once the announcement has been shared, students will see the announcement as a pop-up when they enter the course.

Create Announcements (1:40 min)

6.4.2 Groups in Blackboard Ultra

Instructors can assign groups in Blackboard Ultra to encourage peer collaboration. You may choose to customize groups, randomly assign students into groups, or have your students self-enroll into groups.

These are the steps:

1. Select Groups from the top Course Tool Bar.
2. Select New Group Set.
3. To create a single group click on the + (plus) or click on More Options (ellipsis) next to someone’s name and select Create a New Group.
4. To create several groups and have Blackboard Learn randomly assign group members, choose Randomly Assign.
5. Select the number of members per group from the Number of Groups drop-down menu.
6. Choose the visibility settings for the group as either Visible to students or Hidden from students.
7. Select the Save button.

Course Groups in Blackboard (2:50 min)

6.5 Blackboard Ultra’s AI Assistant

Blackboard Ultra’s AI Assistant was released in Spring 2023. While new features are still being developed, the AI Assistant currently includes the following: 1) Simplifying course creation, 2) Content-based assessment generation, 3) Rubric creation, and 4) Royalty-free image generation.

Creating course content works best if you already have uploaded your course syllabus, and have a course description and course schedule to structure the course creation.

AI Design Assistant with Syllabus (4:01 min)

For a full in-depth exploration on the AI Assistant features, check out our 2024 AI Institute session. Please note that some features may have changed.

AI Institute: Blackboard Ultra’s AI Design Assistant (46:50 min)

6.6 Grading in Blackboard Ultra

The Gradebook in Blackboard Ultra is available from the Course Tool Bar. Click on “Gradebook” to access student grades. The Gradebook is viewable in different tabs as “Gradable Items,” “Grades,” and “Students.” Gradable Items is a list of all the assignments created. From this view, you can sort based on the category of the assignment, due date, grading status, and post (i.e. whether or not you have posted the grades to the students.).Instructors may arrange the assignments in this view by clicking on the arrows on the right-hand side of the assignment row. The Grades tab within the Gradebook most resembles the Gradebook in Blackboard Original, displaying student names and assignments in a table. The Students tab in the Gradebook lists each student in the course, their student ID, username, last access, and overall grade. From the Students tab, you can set up accommodations and message individual students.

Gradebook – Blackboard Learn (2:20 min)

To complete your course set-up, you must determine and finalize your Overall Grade settings. You can choose to calculate grades via Points, create Weighted categories or select Advanced to create customized grade calculations.

Setting Up Student Grades in Ultra (2:23 min)

Additional Resources

TigerLearn Blog

Blackboard Learn Help for Instructors – Ultra Course View