Building out your module template

Owned by ellen bell, created
Last updated: Sept 11, 2024
5 min read

When you request a module, it will now contain a module template consisting of a

ultra-staff-interface.jpg

This guide helps you get started on building out these into a live teaching module. Use the module checklist when building a new module or reviewing an existing module.

Troubleshoot Blackboard Ultra (staff)

Troubleshoot Online learning (students)

 

 

The new Ultra module template

Understanding the new Ultra interface

ultra-screenstaff-course-tools.jpg

 

The structure and navigation of the Blackboard Ultra interface have been simplified to enable students and staff to access their learning and assessment materials more efficiently on desktop and mobile devices.

There’s a Blackboard Ultra Interface support page that provides a guide to the new course tools and course areas. The new interface uses icons to quickly identify different content types:

A line through the icon means it’s not visible to students, new items are set to hidden from students by default.

 

Remember to make the item Visible to students when the content is ready, by using the arrow:

What’s in the template?

These are the elements your new course will contain:

 

Troubleshooting your Online Learning (Students)

Troubleshooting Blackboard Ultra (Staff)

Module information folder

The Module Information folder is for general module information such as the module handbook, module description, reading lists, library information, a module welcome message and contact details for staff. See Learning Enhancement’s Module Handbook toolkit

 

Assessment and Feedback folder

This folder will generally contain a Coursework 1 and Coursework 2 folder where you can add the relevant supporting documentation and create your assignment dropboxes.

Please include a link to the Academic Misconduct Policy in your assessment and feedback folder.

 

Weekly Learning Modules

Learning modules are like folders, they are used to organise learning content such as text, pdfs, images, videos, etc. The difference between a learning module and a folder is that content is displayed sequentially and can be navigated using forward and back arrows.

 

Renaming the Learning modules (and folders)

Choosing an intuitive name for your Learning modules and folders will help students to find and understand your learning content.

  • If your course consists of weekly classes, use the format: Week X - Week topic e.g. Week 1 - Introduction to HTML.

  • If your course is thematic, rather than chronological, remove the ‘week’ and use the format : Topic- subtopic e.g. Web-design basics - Introduction to HTML

  • If you have different forms of delivery e.g lab, tutorial and/or lecture think about incorporating that into the title of the folder or Learning module e.g.

You can change the name of the learning module, add a description, an image and you can set it to force students to work through content in a sequence.

 

  1. Click on the ellipsis and select Edit from the context menu

This opens up the Learning module settings menu.

  1. Click on the title to change the name to something that is meaningful for students

 

  1. Add a meaningful description to help students to find and understand the learning materials.

 

  1. Advance in sequence option. Turning on Forced Sequence will force students to follow through the learning content in the order you have added it. When this is turned on the students will move through the learning content using arrows at the top of the page:

 

… and students will be able to see their progression through the content. This functionality is particularly good for workshops and labs.

  1. Click on Add image to add an image to the module, this will help students differentiate between learning content. Remember to insert alternative text to describe the image. View the adding images to modules guide for more detailed instructions.

Click Save.

 

Add new content to your learning modules

  1. Open the Learning module using the drop-down arrow

  1. Click on the plus

 

 

  1. Select Create from the drop -down menu.

  1. To add a page of content select Document from the right-hand menu.

  1. To add your title to the page, click on the top left hand side where it says ‘New Document’ and start typing.

 

Next click on Add Content:

  1. This will open up the Content editor, which is similar to the Blackboard Learn content editor. You can type directly into the editor or copy and paste text, using the toolbar to format and add headings.

You can also use the toolbar to add other types of content including images, tables, pdfs and videos. Use the plus symbol at the end of the toolbar to add other elements such as video.

Follow our guide on adding new learning content for more information on adding different content types.

 

Copying content into the Learning module folder

  1. You can copy content across from a development area or previous course.

You can copy it into the course content area …

In your Ultra module, at the top of the course content area, click the ellipsis (three dots)

Select Copy Items from the menu

Or you can copy content into a folder or Learning Module using the + and selecting Copy Content from the drop-down menu.

  1. This will bring up the Copy Items dialogue box.

Enter your module code in the Course name or ID search box.

 

  1. Click on the course that contains the folder or document to be copied …

 

  1. Then navigate to the folder you wish to copy e.g. Week 2 folder which is located in the Learning Content folder. So click on Learning Content …

 

… then select the tick box beside the Week 2 folder and select Start Copy.

Follow our guide on how to copy content from another module for more detailed instructions.

Module checklist

Use our module checklist to make sure you’ve covered all the key elements when preparing your module for the start of semester.

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Centre for Digital Learning Enhancement
ulster.ac.uk/learningengancement/cdle