Blackboard Ultra Courses

How do I get started?

We suggest starting with a blank course to familiarize yourself with the tools and features in the Ultra course environment. Starting with a clean slate provides an opportunity to rejuvenate your course. For increased efficiency, we recommend that you build out your course structure first and then copy over assessments like tests to avoid rebuilding them.

If you would like to preview a sample Ultra Course before starting your design process, self-enroll as a student.

Blackboard Student Demo Ultra Course

Steps to Getting Started

Step 1: Create your blank Ultra course by using the Blackboard Course Generator.

How to create your Ultra Courses using the Blackboard Course Generator (pdf).

Please note, if you decide to copy your new course from an existing course, you will only see Ultra courses from the last two years available from the copy list.

Step 2: Choose to create a new course or copy content from an existing course in Blackboard.

Watch a video on how to copy content into your Ultra Course.

Step 3: Add a course banner and set-up your Course Settings.

Step 4: Use student preview to make sure your content is available to students.

Step 5: If using the Gradebook, review the getting started guide (pdf) to set up your overall settings.

Blackboard Ultra Resources

Below is a collection of on-demand videos*, guides, and additional resources to get the most out of Blackboard Ultra. Choose a resource from the list below or watch our comprehensive playlist of selected topics.

*Note: These videos were created prior to an update that relocated the Details & Action menu from the left side of the course view to the right side. There is no change in functionality and everything operates as described but may look different.

On-Demand Instructor Ultra Course Training

on-demand instructor ultra course training
Video	Resources
Getting Started
Logging into Blackboard- Customizing your Courses Tab and Navigation	Customizing the Blackboard Ultra Course Listing (pdf)
Using the Student Preview Mode as the Instructor (1:34)	Student Preview
Course Roster (4:51)	Course Roster and Enrolling Students
Using the Attendance Feature (1:37)	Attendance Tool Blackboard Ultra
Template Courses and Building Your Course
Introduction to Blackboard Law Template Course (13:27)	Blackboard Ultra Course Law School Template (pdf)
Introduction to a Blackboard Ultra Course (7:50)	Navigating Blackboard Ultra Course and Tools (pdf)
Create Learning Modules (3:21)	Types of Containers, Learning Modules
Copying Content from Existing Courses (1:32)	Copying Content
Transitioning your Original Course to the Ultra Format	Creating Ultra Courses from an Original Course (pdf)
Communication Tools
Announcements (1:33)	Using Announcements in Blackboard Ultra
Messages (1:52)	Messages Inside a Course
Create Groups (2:08)	Create Group Assignments
Assessments/Assignments
Create Assignments (1:16)	Create and Edit Assignments
Annotate in Blackboard (2:19)	Bb Annotate
Safe Assign (1:38)	SafeAssign in Your Course
Using Course Analytics (2:25)	Student Analytics & Course Activity Reports
Create Forms (2:55)	Forms in Blackboard
Create Tests (1:44)	Create a Test
Using Question Pools in Assessments (1:51)	Using a Question Pool
Student Activity Reports (2:49)	Student Activity Details for Courses & Student Activity Details for Assessments
Gradebook
Grade Using Rubrics (1:19)	Grade with Rubrics
Setting up the Gradebook (1:00:04)	Accessing the Gradebook and Settings
Grading Assignments (1:37)	Assign Grades
Gradebook Categories
Accessibility
Blackboard Ally (2:44)	Blackboard Accessibility Scores, Alternative Formats Overview, Course Accessibility Report
Grant Student Accommodations (4:51)	Accessing the Accommodations Panel
AI Tools
Introduction to AI Design Assistant	AI Design Assistant
Smart Course Creation: Leveraging AI Design Assistant (36:03)	Rubric Generation (3:19)
Auto-Generate Learning Modules (2:43)	Question Generation (2:01)
AI Conversation Tool (8:57)
Other Tools
Panopto Using Panopto with Blackboard Ultra for Instructors	Gradescope Using Gradescope with Blackboard as an Instructor
Poll Everywhere Using Poll Everywhere with Blackboard Instructor Guide	Zoom Adding Zoom to Ultra Course (pdf)

Other Resources

Anthology Community – We encourage faculty to join the Anthology Community to discuss new features and interact with those already using Blackboard Learn Ultra.

Anthology Idea Exchange- This site encourages you to share, like and vote on favorite ideas that have been submitted or proposed by clients of Anthology. Help drive the change in the EdTech community. Locate the Teaching & Learning Idea Exchange and click on Start Now. You will need to create a username and password (this is not the same as your W&M credentials).

Student Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

frequently asked questions
How can I view a Demo Course from the student perspective? The Demo Course provides a student perspective on the various functionalities of an Ultra Course. It highlights the distinctions between Learning Modules and Folders. You are invited to participate in a practice quiz or contribute to a discussion. Please note that this course is for demonstration purposes only and does not include any instructor engagement. To self-enroll as a student in the Demo Course follow the directions below: Login to Blackboard and go to the Courses tab. In the top right corner click on Course Catalog. Search for the title of the course Bb Demo Ultra Course Click on the course chevron and select enroll. Submit your request and you will see the course listed in your courses tab under courses you are taking
What best practices can you share about creating Ultra Courses? Start the process early. Don’t wait till the start of the semester to design or convert your course content. Take advantage of the on-demand resources and training offerings to get started. Organize your course in a logical manner. All content is on one page. Consider the student experience while setting up your Learning Modules or folder structure, consistently from how your syllabus was designed. Review the communication tools available in an Ultra Course. Create consistency and accountability by checking those areas often around the same time every week (e.g. Messages, Discussions, Gradebook). Considering leveraging the AI tools to help save time and design your course structure (Learning Modules, Banner Images, Discussion Questions, Tests Questions) Use the Bb Example Course to bring over any polices or Getting Started guides for your course.
What do I do if I want to convert an Original Course to an Ultra Course? The best option is to create a blank course through the Blackboard Course Generator and choose to Copy Content from your previous courses (including Original Courses) using the built-in tool available in the Ultra Course. This allows you to choose areas or items within a previous course to bring over. This will give you a chance to review old content and create new.