Blackboard Ultra

blackboard ultra screenshot

Get started with setting up your course in Blackboard Ultra, the upgraded version of Blackboard Learn. Using Ultra is optional for faculty, but eventually it will completely replace the original version of Blackboard Learn that UAA faculty are most familiar with. The transition will take 2 - 3 years, so there is no rush for you to upgrade to Ultra unless you would like to! Find more information on Ultra and our Ultra trainings below, and contact uaa_design@alaska.edu if you have any questions.

 

Register for Blackboard Ultra training

If you鈥檙e interested in converting your Summer 2025 course(s) to Ultra, register for a Blackboard 1-week Ultra Course Conversion Training. The training is required to teach in Ultra this summer, but will be optional for Fall 2025 courses. More spring dates will be coming soon.

Training dates: 

  • Feb. 24 - Feb. 28
  • Mar. 10-17 (Spring Break)
  • Mar. 31 - Apr. 4
  • Apr. 14 - 18

 

Learn more about Blackboard Ultra

Ultra Basics

Ultra is the new course view in Blackboard that we鈥檙e moving to at UAA. UAA started introducing it in 2024, and the university is in a multi-year process of transitioning to the majority of courses being in Ultra course view. It鈥檚 still within Blackboard, and the way you and your students access the courses is the same (classes.alaska.edu). The difference comes with how the course appears and functions once you鈥檙e inside of the course. The general rule of thumb for Ultra is that it's a little cleaner, a little simpler, a little more consistent between courses for students, but in exchange, it鈥檚 less customizable.

Comparing Blackboard Ultra and Original

The first difference is the course menu, In Original, you have the green customizable menu on the left hand side. In Ultra, it鈥檚 a horizontal menu at the top of the course that is consistent between courses and not customizable. Another thing that鈥檚 different is where you land when you open the course. In Original, you generally landed on the Announcements page, though that was customizable as well. In Ultra, you鈥檒l always land on the Course Content page when you open a course. This is because students spend a lot of time learning how to navigate each course, so having the structure and navigation be more consistent from course to course, simplifies the student鈥檚 花季传媒.

Blackboard Ultra

  • Cleaner appearance
  • Easier to navigate and make edits
  • Better for group work
  • Works better on a mobile device
  • Student-facing progress tracker
  • AI tools (image and module generators)
  • Landing page is Course Content

Blackboard Original

  • More customizable
  • More tools and tool settings (Wiki and Blogs)
  • Works best for tests/pools with complex feedback
  • Landing page is Announcements

Here are a few options to preview Blackboard Ultra before deciding if you want to make the change:

  • (video 4:43)
  • (UAA video 29:25)
  • (Blackboard/Anthology video 1:18)

Blackboard Ultra Conversion Timeline

UAA will be converting all courses from Blackboard Original to Ultra over a period of time. The Provost has given a 2-3 year timeline for converting all UAA courses to Blackboard Ultra.

Spring 2025: Instructors who completed training could convert their courses to Ultra before the term started

Summer 2025: Courses are set to Original. If you鈥檙e interested in converting your Summer 2025 course(s) to Ultra, register for a Blackboard 1-week Ultra Course Conversion Training (training required for converting Summer courses)

Fall 2025: Courses will be set so instructors can choose Original or Ultra. Training is recommended, but not required

Spring and Summer 2026: Courses will be set so instructors can choose Original or Ultra (training recommended)

Fall 2026: Courses will be set to Ultra, but instructors can apply to use Original (tentative)

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What if I don鈥檛 want to switch to Ultra right now?

    You don鈥檛 have to! For Summer 2025, Blackboard courses are in Original by default. You don鈥檛 need to do anything extra in order to continue teaching in Original for the Summer. We don鈥檛 know when Blackboard Original will become unavailable at this time. 

  • Will all of my content in Blackboard Original copy over to Ultra?

    Most of the work you鈥檝e done in Original will convert to Ultra. There are a couple tools that are not available in Ultra such as Blogs and Wikis, but our team can help you find solutions in your course. If you have complex situations in your Blackboard Original course, email the Instructional Designers (uaa_design@alaska.edu).

  • What is Instructor Choice?

    The lets you choose whether you want to teach in Blackboard Original or Ultra Course View. Interested in converting your course(s) to Ultra? The training is required to teach in Ultra for Summer 2025 courses, but will be optional for Fall 2025 courses, session. 

  • What are the steps for setting my course to Original or Ultra?

    If your Blackboard shell has been set to Instructor Choice, you should see a pop up prompting you to 鈥淭ry the Ultra Course View鈥� when you enter your course for the first time.

    • To stay in Original, simply dismiss the pop-up by clicking 鈥淚鈥檒l keep the Original Course View for now.鈥滻f you don鈥檛 see the prompt, make sure your course is unavailable by clicking the lock in the top right corner to turn it red. 
    • To preview Ultra, Click the pencil next to it to open the pop up and choose 鈥淭ry the Ultra Course View鈥� to preview Ultra. 
    • After your course finishes converting, open it and you鈥檒l see a bar at the top showing you鈥檙e in Ultra Course Preview.
    • Exiting the Ultra Preview, even after you preview Ultra, you can continue teaching in Original, by clicking on the Back to Original course button in the bottom right. 
    • Making Ultra Permanent, If you're ready to make Ultra official in your course, click Use the Ultra Course in the bottom right. Click again on the dialog box that comes up to confirm that you want to use Ultra. (You鈥檒l need to make Ultra permanent before opening your course to students)

    Questions? Email uaa_design@alaska.edu or .

  • What support options are available?

    For faculty:

    UAA Office of Faculty Success, Instructional Design

     

    For students:

    UAA IT Services