Blackboard Ultra New Features
Blackboard releases usually occur once a month and include features or updates requested by customer input. The following list is not exhaustive but consists of features released within the noted time period and the most relevant items for U of R faculty and staff. If you have questions about these updates or would like to learn more, please contact the Teaching and Learning Support Services team at univithelp@rochester.edu.
New Course Navigation was released in January and features a full-width course display, course switcher (to easily navigate between courses), streamlined course navigation, and an updated course banner/navigation.
AI Tools
- Within a document, you can now use the AI tool to generate knowledge checks based on the content in the course.
Please remember that whenever you use AI Tools, it is your responsibility as the instructor to review AI-generated content for accuracy and relevance.
Content
- Within a document, options for changing the row, size, or position of a block are now organized by type.
- There are new improvements to improve readability and reduce unnecessary white space.
- Blocks can now be stacked vertically in single columns.
- Inherited release conditions can be viewed for items within a folder or a learning module.
Discussions
- There is now a second participation requirement that instructors can turn on. This allows instructors to set an initial post requirement and then a second requirement for replies. Additionally, both due dates show up on the content page, in the calendar, and in the Gradebook.
Tests / Knowledge Checks
- Question titles now appear when the question metadata setting is turned on.
- Partial credit limits removed for Multiple Choice/Multiple Answer questions, which. Means that the answer options no longer need to add up to 100%.
- Instructors can now grade by question anonymously
- Better performance/loading for tests with 200+ questions
Gradebook
- The option to download hidden gradebook columns only shows when there are hidden gradebook columns.
- True/false questions now have options beyond just true/false. Options include Yes/No, Right/Wrong, Agree/Disagree.
- Group filters can be applied to the grading areas.
- Icons showing student accommodations have been reduced in size.
- Achievements: students now see a badge with a count when there are achievements to be earned, or when they have earned a new achievement.
Communication Features
- Automations: A new feature called Automations was added, allowing instructors to set up automatic messages to students based on graded items (scores higher than # or lower than #). An automation was added that allows instructors to send students a reminder to review their feedback. This tool will also show a log of the automation runs.
- The location of Automations in the right-hand course menu clarifies that Automations are not part of AVA (AI) tools
- When users change their email address, they must now confirm it.
- Course Messages now automatically organizes new messages into existing conversations. This means that all messages between specific users appear in a single thread.
Content
- Block Styling Options allows instructors to highlight specific pieces of text in a Blackboard Document as questions, tips, key points, next steps, or highlights
- The table of contents view in a module is now visible to instructors
Discussions
- When discussions are graded, instructors can set up participation requirements (i.e., a certain number of posts, replies, or posts or replies).
Tests / Knowledge Checks
- Instructors can add titles to quiz questions
- Question banks can now be exported via QTI v2.1 format, which is the standardized format across LMS tools
- Students can now see per-question feedback on group test submissions
- Time formats across assessment settings (instructor settings, students taking assessments, etc.) are now consistent
- Consistency in save and cancel options for test settings
- Fill-in-the-blank questions have a better interface for students
- Instructors can select multiple questions in a test to update the point value in bulk
- Questions can be tagged using metadata
Gradebook
- Continued accessibility improvements on the Submissions list page in the Gradebook
- Rubrics can be popped out now in group submissions
- Gradebook columns for Assignments, Tests, Forms, Discussions, and Journals now have a View Submissions option (instead of an edit option), and the grade cell menu option (when you click into an individual student’s grade) changed from View to View Submission.
- Gradebook columns for Manual Items, Calculations, and Total Calculations now have a View option that directs instructors to a submissions page
- Gradebook columns for SCORM items now have a view submission option and a preview SCORM option (instead of edit)
- Gradebook columns for Attendance now have a view option (instead of edit)
- When instructors download their Bb gradebook, they can choose to include hidden items in the download
- When a student is removed from a course and the course setting of “Hide students in the gradebook who no longer have access to the course,” the grade count excludes the hidden student’s submission
- When grading, instructors now see a tabbed view regardless of whether there are instructions or students’ input text (as opposed to uploading a file). If students upload multiple files, each file shows up in its own tab.
- Grade pills for incomplete/complete grade items now differentiate between incomplete (in gray) vs. complete (green checkmark)
- Achievements: Badges can now be customized using AI-generated images, stock images, and manual image uploads
Communication Features
- New announcements no longer require instructors to select recipients
Other Features
- Forms: now requires a question to make the form visible to students
AI Tools
- AI Design Assistant: Create up to 20 learning modules, 20 test questions, and 20 Question Bank questions at a time to create content in bulk.
Please remember that whenever you use AI Tools, it is your responsibility as the instructor to review AI-generated content for accuracy and relevance.
Content
- Print Documents: Instructors and students can print or save documents created in Blackboard as PDFs. This is a great feature for students with limited data or internet access, as it allows them to access content offline.
- Learning Module to Folder Transition: Ability to transition between learning modules and folders, which is particularly useful if you bring content from Original into Ultra.
- Image Block: Blackboard documents now include a new content block for uploading, searching, and resizing images. You can choose to upload your images, generate images with AI, or search for images on Unsplash.
Discussions
- Participation Metrics: Instructors can see participation metrics on the discussions homepage to easily see who is/isn’t engaging in course discussions.
- Improved Discussion Layouts: Larger avatars and relocated timestamps for easier replies, easier access to edit button for posts, text for students creating a post says “Post a response to the discussion,” text area entry moved directly below the discussion prompt, and tags to indicate drafts as well as instructor posts.
Tests
- Access Code: If you use a password for students to access tests, the password is now hidden from students, which would allow you to copy in a code for a student to access.
- Student Test Continuation: If a student is in the process of taking a test when an instructor hides it, the student can continue and submit the test.
- Test Result Setting: Instructors can set up a new test result setting that allows students to view their test results immediately after submitting, with immediate feedback, while maintaining test security. Issue noted for essay questions.
Gradebook
- Text-Based Columns: You can create columns for text input/grading in the gradebook.
- Rubrics: If you use rubrics for grading, you can now create rubrics without point values. You can also pop rubrics out of the grading window when assessing student work.
- Student Feedback Review: You can now see whether students have read the feedback you provide to them in Blackboard.
- Group Grading: The experience of grading group assignments now closely mirrors that of grading individual assignments.
- Accessibility Enhancements: The gradebook is now navigable using the arrow and Enter keys. The gradebook was also optimized for screen reader users.
Settings/Features
- Release Conditions: When using release conditions, you can now see the due dates of items you’re using to set up the conditions.
- Course Settings Page: The explanations of course status (i.e., open or closed) were updated to be clearer.