Digital Learning:
Blackboard Ultra
Overview
Blackboard is the college's Learning Management System (LMS) and functions as the central location where faculty can post instructional materials, assessments, and learning activities. Students also access courses in Blackboard to view this material, interact with classmates, and complete online assessments. The resources on this page will support faculty in meeting the usage requirements of the college LMS which are outlined within the LMS Administrative Standards Policy.
Please note that all new courses will be created in Blackboard ULTRA as the college completed a system upgrade in 2023-24. Faculty/Staff interested in revisiting the training materials for the previous iteration of Blackboard can use the "Blackboard Original (prior to Fall 2024)" link below.
SLC Course Template (F24)
These resources will help you get started with your Blackboard Ultra course as you start your design. Remember to "chunk" your content into modules to promote cognitive presence (i.e., clear instructions with curated content) and avoid cognitive overload (i.e., giving too much information at once is confusing for students).
Blackboard DEV Shells - Submit a Request
The ITS and SCTL teams have created a new process for faculty/staff that will enable users to prepare their courses in Bb ULTRA.
All Blackboard DEV Shells will come in Bb ULTRA format and will include the new ALLY tool (see second story below).
Blackboard DEV Shells will provide faculty/staff with an opportunity to create course materials ahead of time but these are meant to be temporary spaces as they will get deleted following a specified deletion cycle (see handout)
Users can request multiple Blackboard DEV Shells as they begin to prepare or experiment with new course materials.
The creation of Blackboard DEV Shells will begin on Friday and will follow a specific creation cycle (see handout). Submit your request today to receive a DEV shell and begin exploring ULTRA.
Course Navigation, Content, and Edits
These resources will help you navigate Blackboard Ultra courses, add content to courses, and make edits.
Administration and Reports
These resources will help you manage the different Blackboard Ultra interfaces and analyze student activity.
Artificial Intelligence Design Tool
These resources will guide you through the use of the Blackboard Ultra AI Design too.
Ultra Accessibility Checker (Powered by Ally)
Accessible content ensures inclusivity and meaningful engagement for diverse learners. To create accessible content in your Ultra Documents, you can use the Ultra Accessibility Checker (Powered by Ally). The Ultra Accessibility Checker scans content in the rich content editor for Ultra Documents to identify accessibility issues. It offers explanations about these issues and offers solutions to make your content more accessible.
Gradebook
The Blackboard Ultra Gradebook is the central location for recording, calculating, and sharing grades.
Communication Tools
Whether you are teaching a face-to-face, alternative delivery, or full online courses - it's important to use a consistent communication strategy. Use these tools to maintain a strong teaching presence within your course.
Assessments
Diversify your assessment strategy by using multiple tools to provide formative and summative feedback to students. Review the Teaching Resources to learn how to design effective rubrics before you build them in Blackboard.