Training Opportunities for Blackboard Ultra Courses
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Self-Paced Training Options
An Ultra self-paced Blackboard course is available to guide you through the different functions and features of Ultra courses.
Click to Enroll (login required)
You can also explore our Video Playlists
- Blackboard Student Experience
- Course Communications
- Adding Content to your Ultra Course
- Creating Effective Discussions
- Grading Student Work
- Exploring the Content Market
Assistance with any use of Blackboard or associated learning tools is always available. Submit a ticket at UnivITHelp@rochester.edu.
Workshops to Support your Teaching within Blackboard
Using AI Features in Blackboard Ultra to Streamline Course Design
Blackboard Ultra has a number of AI Assistant features that can help you with your course design and save you time in the development of your course. Join us to learn about how the AI Design Assistant can assist with the generation of assignment and discussion prompts, the generation of test questions, naming of learning modules, development of grading rubrics, and more.
- Monday, March 2 at 2pm, Register here
- Tuesday, March 3 at 12noon, Register here
More Offerings in Spring 2026 Coming soon
Tell us what workshops are of interest to you.
- December 2025 – Using AI in Blackboard Ultra to Streamline Course Design
Workshop Series for Faculty Transitioning to Ultra
Workshop #1 – Building and Organizing Content in Ultra Courses
This workshop will help you learn how to organize your Ultra course best. It will also cover how to copy content from your Original course into Ultra.
- Check back for the next offering
Workshop #2 – Setting Up Graded Items in Ultra Courses
This workshop will cover using all of the Graded Items (Discussion, Journal, Tests, Assignments) in Blackboard Ultra. It will also briefly discuss how to connect to the external tools that the University has available for use with Blackboard.
- Check back for the next offering
Workshop #3 – Teaching in Ultra Courses
This workshop will cover things you need to know as you begin teaching your course in Ultra, including sending announcements, messages, progress tracking, and setting up your overall grade column.
- Check back for the next offering
Creating Content
- Workshop Slides from December 2025 (PDF)
- Blackboard Ultra Course Structure (Video, about 11 minutes)
- Blackboard Ultra Content – Creating Containers (Video, about 5 minutes)
- Blackboard Ultra Content – Creating Informational Content (Video, about 16 minutes)
- Copying Content INTO Ultra Courses (Video, about 3 minutes)
Creating Gradable Items
- Workshop Slides from December 2025 (PDF)
- Blackboard Ultra Discussion Boards, Journals, and Surveys (Video, about 12 minutes)
- Blackboard Ultra Assignments (Video, about 7 minutes)
- Blackboard Ultra Tests (Video, about 10 minutes)
- Blackboard Ultra Test Question Types (Video, about 5 minutes)
- Blackboard Ultra – Setting up the Gradebook (Video, about 7 minutes)
- Blackboard Ultra – Access to non-Blackboard Tools (Video, about 4 minutes)
Teaching in Ultra
- Workshop Slides from December 2025 (PDF)
- Blackboard Ultra Communications with Students (Video, about 8 minutes)
- Blackboard Ultra Progress Tracking and Analytics (Video, about 7 minutes)
- Blackboard Ultra Grading (Video, about 5 minutes)
- Blackboard Ultra Setting the Overall Grade (Video, about 7 minutes)