Staff Guide: This guide will detail the changes of features from Blackboard Original to Blackboard Ultra.
Feature name changes
Blackboard Ultra has changed the names of some the features found in Learn Original, this is to support the simplified user interface and minimise the use of technical terminology for its features.
| Feature name in Original | Feature name in Ultra | Description | Further guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adaptive Release | Release Conditions | Release conditions enable content to be made available based on pre-determined conditions. | Content Visibility and Release Conditions guide |
| Content Editor | Editor | Editor is the toolbar used to create and format ‘what you see is what you get’ content. | Create and Edit Content guide |
| Course Links | Links | Links enables instructors to create a shortcut to an existing area, tool or item in a module. | External Course Links guide |
| Course Reports | Analytics | Analytics enables instructors to track and measure course activity across activities on the module. | External Analytics guide |
| Course Surveys | Form | Form is similar to a survey or assessment activity that can offer essay, Likert, MCQs and true or false question types. | Using forms guide |
| Discussion Forum | Discussions | Discussions encourage students to ask questions to explore and share their knowledge. | Discussions and Journals guide |
| Messages | Messages enables instructors to contact other instructors, students or student groups. | Messages Guide – coming soon | |
| Embed HTML | Add HTML | Instructors can add HTML to embed web-based resources. Always share a hyperlink to the resource, as embedded content can render inaccessibility. | External Add Custom HTML |
| Grade Centre | Gradebook | The gradebook manages the assessment grades and conditions for students enrolled onto the course. | External Ultra Gradebook guide |
| Tool availability | Books & Tools | Books and Tools offers a streamline set of academic tools to support your content design and teaching delivery. | External Add Content from External Sources Guide |
If you cannot locate a feature in Ultra, check Blackboard’s feature terminology guide.
Features status changes
Accompanying the streamlined Blackboard Ultra experience, Ultra is evolving to support tools that improve the experience for users and where the function of the tool is not duplicated elsewhere. Note: some features of Ultra are still in development.
| Feature name in Original | Is present in Learn Original? | Is present in Learn Ultra? | Is planned for future development in Learn Ultra? | Description | Alternatives |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Achievements | Yes | No | Yes | Blackboard are actively developing a new achievement feature, Milestones. | |
| Blogs | Yes | No | Yes | Blogs are not available in Ultra, but they are planned for future development. | Journals or Discussions |
| Contacts | Yes | No | No | Contacts is not likely to be implemented in Blackboard as the feature duplicates the features other applications such as Microsoft Teams. | MS Teams |
| Teaching Styles | Yes | No | No | The course structures from the Teaching styles feature is unlikely to be implemented in Ultra due to Ultra’s simplified user interface reducing the need for this feature. | |
| Themes | Yes | No | No | Themes are not likely to be implemented in Ultra, this is to ensure a universal and inclusive experience for all users. | |
| Glossary | Yes | No | No | Blogs are not available in Ultra, and no there have been no announcements of future development. | |
| Lesson Plans | Yes | No | No | The lesson plan feature have been implemented into Documents to enable less navigation between learning objectives and learning content. | Use Learning Modules for teaching content |
| Portfolios | Yes | No | Yes | The Blackboard portfolio assessment type is not yet available in Ultra, this is being researched for implementation. | |
| Self and peer assessment | Yes | No | Yes | Blackboard are planning on implementing self and peer assessment options to the existing assessment types. | |
| Tasks | Yes | No | No | This feature has been implemented with Ultra’s Progress Tracking feature. | Progress Tracking |
| Wikis | Yes | No | No | The wiki feature has not been implemented in Ultra, instead you could explore the Cloud Collaboration feature in Ultra. |
New features in Blackboard Ultra
Learn what is coming to Blackboard Ultra by visiting the Anthology’s Ultra Blog.