Blackboard Ultra course interface
The responsive Blackboard Ultra course interface enables students and staff to access their learning and assessment materials on desktop and mobile devices. The Ultra interface is accessible for students as it is designed to comply with accessibility standards defined in WCAG 2.1 Level AA and Section 508.
BB Ultra course on desktop
- 1 Course Tools
- 1.1 Course Content
- 1.2 Gradebook
- 1.3 Calendar
- 1.4 Announcements
- 1.5 Messages
- 1.6 Discussions
- 1.7 Analytics
- 1.8 Groups
- 1.9 Student Preview
Course Tools
The Blackboard interface consists of two key areas: the Course toolbar at the top and the corresponding Course area in the main body of the page.
The course tools along the top of the page allow you to navigate between different areas of your course.
Course Content
Content is the default course view for staff and students. On the right-hand side, course instructors are listed under Course Staff. The Details and Actions pane contains the Class Collaborate tool, a Class register of enrolled students, and access to Panopto Course folder via Books & Tools.
The Course Content area is where you add your course content such as the module information, learning and or lecture materials and assessment information and drop boxes etc. For improved student access, the new interface only allows a depth of two folders.
You use the plus icon to add items to the Course Content area
To add or copy content to the Course Content area
Mouse over where you want to add an item, click on the plus icon.
This brings up the add content context menu, select Create, Upload or Copy Content
Course content will have an icon to help you to identify the format, here’s a selection:
A line through the icon means it’s hidden from students, new items are set to hidden by default.
The Blackboard Ultra interface allows you to drag and drop content between and within content areas including folders and learning modules. You can drag and drop items using the mouse or keyboard.
Find out more about the adding course content, copying course content and adding assessment drop-boxes.
Gradebook
Like the Grade Centre in the original Blackboard, the Blackboard Ultra Gradebook allows you to mark coursework, view submissions, and post and view marks and feedback from four views. Overview gives you an overview of pending marking/feedback tasks. Markable items provides a list of assignments. Marks view displays the assignments as columns and students as rows in a grid and Students view provides a list of enrolled students.
Find out more about Gradebook.
Course tools prioritises communication with your students. In addition to Content and Gradebook, the Calendar, Announcements and Messages tools ensure that students are kept up-to-date with the latest course information such as assignment due dates.
Calendar
The course Calendar can be used to communicate time-sensitive course information such as assignment due-dates, the course schedule, office hours, and Collaborate Live session times. When you create assignments with a due date, they will appear automatically in the calendar.
Find out more about the Calendar tool
Announcements
The Announcements tool allows you to schedule and post important and/or time-sensitive messages for students such as reminder of due-dates for assignments and projects, changes to the syllabus, and exam dates.
On the scheduled date, the announcement will display as a pop-up when students log in to the course.
Find out more about Announcements.
Messages
Course messages are a private and secure text-based messaging tool that allows you to quickly send messages to any course members (students and staff). The Messages tool allows you to contain communication within the course environment but you can send a copy of message to email as well.
Find out more about course Messages.
Discussions
The Discussions tool allows you to create and manage discussion forums where students can exchange ideas through posts and replies. Discussion Analytics allow you track student participation in each forum.
Find out more about the Discussions tool
Analytics
The Analytics tool generates course activity reports which record student participation in the course. The course activity report can be viewed as a graph or list and allows you to track students' performance based on their grade and hours spent in the course, you can also set performance alerts.
Find out more about Analytics
Groups
The Groups tool allows you to create groups of students that you can assign to tutors or activities such as discussions or assignments.
Find out more about Groups
Student Preview
The Student Preview allows you to view your course from the perspective of the student. Use this functionality to ensure your course structure is intuitive and that the assignments are accessible to students.
Find out more about Student Preview
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Useful Links
Centre for Digital Learning Enhancement
ulster.ac.uk/learningengancement/cdle