Video Guide to Blackboard Ultra (Home)

• Students and instructors will notice some ‘built in’ consistency as top and side toolbars are consistent in ALL ultra courses

• Folders (or modules) can group information related to a specific topic/area (Similar to the area headings you may have had on your left side panel if you are transitioning from Original).

  • A document is can further organize contents by combining images, videos, word/pdf/ppt files, and text to help guide students through a more specific area (Instead of adding independent items that need to be opened and closed, a document allows the student to see text, images, etc all at once).

• Instructors can easily move content in and out of folders by using the up and down arrows that appear when you hover over the content.

• Instructors can access, edit, and grade assessments directly from the gradebook! You can also choose an individual student to see all their assignments and assessments.

• Progress tracking (on by default) can help students keep track of where they have been in the course and which tasks they have completed.

• Students can access and submit assessments from the gradebook OR where the assessment is located in the course.

• Students see a pop-up when the instructor has sent them out a new announcement to the class.

Are you looking for something specific? You can search the video transcript by clicking on '…' on the bottom right of the video viewer!

• Setting up a Sandbox: Can be useful areas to try building your course and exploring the tools. A sandbox is non-course specific play area.

  • Click here to request a Sandbox

• Master: A course master is specific to a course and content is never deleted

  • Click here to request a Course Master

• Copying content:

  • It is recommended that you do a granular copy, which means copying over only the content you wish to have in your new course rather than doing a full course transition.

  • Start in your destination course and copy FROM your other course (could be a previous semester OR the same course).

  • Easily copy quizzes to new course; easily copy multiple items.

  • You can also use batch edit to delete multiple items from your course from one place.

Are you looking for something specific? You can search the video transcript by clicking on '…' on the bottom right of the video viewer!

• There are two types of ‘containers’: Folders & Modules.

• Folders: Folders can hold different types of items.

  • Click here to learn more about how to set up a folder

• Modules: Modules direct students to complete tasks in a sequence.

  • Click here to learn more about how to set up a learning module

• Documents are a great way to visually display different types of media. Students can scroll through information, watch videos and even create learning activities directly in the document

  • Click here for more information on Documents

• A restriction in Blackboard Ultra is that you can only have one folder within a folder. However, you can further group items together by putting them into a document.

Are you looking for something specific? You can search the video transcript by clicking on '…' on the bottom right of the video viewer!

• You can insert text, images, videos, PDFs, Word files, etc. into documents.

• PDF and Word items will open with a preview that students can scroll through when embedded in documents.

• You can add files directly into folders. However, these files open in a new panel and you’re not able to make any notes before or after the file as you would in a document.

Are you looking for something specific? You can search the video transcript by clicking on '…' on the bottom right of the video viewer!

• To add files to your course content, hover to where you want to add the file and a purple horizontal lien with a + symbol will appear.

• Files can be added from your computer or from cloud storage (such as OneDrive).

  • Click here for more information on uploading from cloud storage

• Files (documents, PDFs, PowerPoint presentations, etc.) can also be added within ‘Documents’.

• Each file type (word document, pdf, or ppt document) will have different icons.

Are you looking for something specific? You can search the video transcript by clicking on '…' on the bottom right of the video viewer!

• Instructors can add their prerecorded lectures in their content market by adding it directly on y our content page, in a document, which is then embedded.

• Instructors can add content by adding a quick link to their Kaltura media gallery. Students can view their instructors videos, and also add their own media to this area for their classmates to view.

• Instructors can add a quick link to their Kaltura my media, which is a quick link to an instructor’s media. For the student, they see their own media.

• If you upload media from your computer or storage (rather than Kaltura), you will quickly use up the space in your course.

Are you looking for something specific? You can search the video transcript by clicking on '…' on the bottom right of the video viewer!

• Instructors can create links so that even though content lives in a specific location, students can access it from another location. To create a link (ie: to an assignment), click on the + symbol in the course content where you want the link to appear.

  • Click here for more information on creating course links

• If an assessment is located in a folder that is hidden from students, the assessment and the feedback is no longer visible for students in the course content or the gradebook.

• Assessments will also be hidden by adding release conditions. These assessment will still appear in the gradebook.

  • Click here for more information on release conditions

Are you looking for something specific? You can search the video transcript by clicking on '…' on the bottom right of the video viewer!

• Benefits of course groups:

  • 1 student can submit an assignment on behalf of the whole group.

  • They allow for small group discussions.

  • Click here to learn more about group assignments

• In “Course groups”, you can set up a group set, which is an organization of multiple groups such as discussion groups, group assignments, lab groups, etc.

  • Click here for more information on setting up groups

• You can select the group members, students can self-enroll, or they can be randomized (if the group set is visible to students).

• You can also choose to reuse group configurations when creating a new group set.

Are you looking for something specific? You can search the video transcript by clicking on '…' on the bottom right of the video viewer!

• Create your assignments in the course content page. It’s a good idea to create a designated assessment folder and link to the assessments from the appropriate unit folders.

• You can copy over assignments from a previous course (Ultra or Original) or create a new one.

• Once an assignment is live and has been accessed by a student, you cannot edit the assignment instructions or add assignment groups (but you can change the due date, grade category, and grading rubric). If you need to make changes, you can make a copy of your assignment.

• If an assessment is hidden, students won’t see the assessment in their course content, gradebook, or calendar.

• Under the option of release conditions, you can adjust release conditions and variances for specific people and groups.

Are you looking for something specific? You can search the video transcript by clicking on '…' on the bottom right of the video viewer!

• You can add due dates for assignments, or choose to have no due date at all.

• You can collect submissions offline in class, but you can grade them via the gradebook. Make sure to click “1 attempt”.

• Students will get automatic zeros for late assignments, even though you are collecting assignments offline. Grades will have to be entered manually to override the zero or the instructor can add a submission on their behalf and adjust the submission date.

• You can post assessment grades automatically, which means students get their results as soon as you grade.

• You can add or edit rubrics. You can create a new one, or use a previous one.

• For group assignments, one student can submit on behalf of their group.

Not in video: Reminder, Automatic zero is a global setting; adjust from the gradebook

Are you looking for something specific? You can search the video transcript by clicking on '…' on the bottom right of the video viewer!

• Set up your group sets in Course Groups. For ease, give the groups a descriptive name (ie: the topic or the names of the group members).

• In settings, click Assign to groups and choose the appropriate group set under Reuse groups.

• Students can see the name of their group for group assignments in Course Content.

• You can assign discussions to group members in the same way as assignments.

• Students can view their groups attached to their group assignments or discussions, as well as in Groups in Details & Actions. Students are not able to see who is in other groups.

• Submitting group assignments:

  • Only one student can be viewing the group assignment at a time.

  • When another student enters the assignment, they can request to Take control. The student viewing the assignment can either Ignore or Give Control.

  • When a student clicks ‘submit’, the assignment is submitted for all students in the group.

  • All students can view the submission.

• Using group discussions:

  • Instructors can toggle between group discussions.

  • A blue symbol indicates when there are new discussion posts.

  • Students can only access group discussion forums they are a member of.

  • Students can click on their instructor’s name on the right panel, and all their contributions will be highlighted in purple.

Are you looking for something specific? You can search the video transcript by clicking on '…' on the bottom right of the video viewer!

• You can copy rubrics from a previous course using the + sign in course content. You can copy your entire rubrics folder, or select a specific rubric.

• You can choose the rubric you want for each assessment from the gradebook or assignment page.

• Use the + symbol to edit as necessary.

• You can create, add, or copy rubrics in the gradebook.

• For rubrics with percentage ranges, the criteria total must total 100%.

• To grade assignments, you can grade according to the rubric alongside the student’s submission.

• Students are able to see how they scored according to the instructor’s rubric.

• Tests must be in a visible folder (not hidden from students). If not, the test and any related feedback or grades will not be visible to the students.

Are you looking for something specific? Open in Youtube and find quick links to sections of the video

• Students can access assessment from Gradebook or Content area

• From the content area, student will see title of quiz, due date, & short description (750 characters max)

• From the gradebook, student will see the title of the quiz & due date

• When they click on the heading (From either view), a side panel opens, Student will see:

  • due date (red past due if late)

  • any parameters you have placed around the submission (e.g. prohibit late submissions)

  • time limit (if there is one)

  • # of attempts remaining

  • Grading information

  • Your short description of the test

• Students click ‘Start attempt’ to begin

  • If it is a timed test, the timer will begin (message pops up to ‘start timer’)

• Once they have completed the assessment, what they will see depends on the settings you have deployed

• From content area, click ‘+’ create, from the side panel, select Test

  • Name your quiz (this is what students will see, so it’s good to be descriptive but concise; some instructors like adding what the assessment is valued in the overall course)

  • Add a short description for your test (that will be seen from the content area & when the side panel opens) 750 characters

  • Adjust remaining settings accordingly

• Click Add content in the ‘Create your assessment’ section

  • Select the plus icon

  • Add text if you would like to provide more instruction OR if you would like to add text or visuals for student to use in future questions

• Pagination can be set to organize text & questions in a specific way

• Choose a question type and build your question

• Currently the default points is 10, adjust if you wish

• Reuse questions – will take you to all of the questions you have used in this course (copy a full test over … or mass upload questions … )

• You may add automated feedback (calculated formula; calculated numeric; hotspot; matching; multiple choice; true false) or Example of correct response for (essay)

• Reorder questions by sliding up or down

• If you check on ‘extra credit’ these points are ABOVE the total points for exam

• Turn off additional content to reduce confusion

• When a test is visible, students can start it

• If a test is ‘hidden’ from students (or in a hidden folder), they can not access or complete it

• You can set up release conditions to make it available at a certain time.

• Start in destination course > copy content > drill down to find the test you would like to copy

• Alter due dates

  • can alter many due dates/visibility quickly through batch edit area

• Alter release conditions

• Questions from copied test can be accessed and used in another test (and you can edit specific questions/points etc)

• When you make it visible students can see it and start it right away

• Once a student has accessed the quiz, there are some settings you can no longer change

  • Time limit

  • Cannot add/delete questions

• Change visibility to avoid students accessing before you are ready

• If a student accesses the test, but does not complete it, there is no way to adjust the test

• If it was your preview user that started the test, you can delete the attempt… (fully submit the attempt from the preview user > then delete it)

• If it was a student, and they didn’t submit the test, the test will show ‘saved draft’ and you cannot do anything about it.

• You can make a copy of the test, make the original hidden from students, edit the copy and then make it visible

How to delete an attempt

• Open the assessment, click on the students submission,

• Click on ellipses > delete

Are you looking for something specific? You can search the video transcript by clicking on '…' on the bottom right of the video viewer!

Adjust your test settings to alter what students can see after their submission.

• In Assessment Results, you can choose if or when (ie: after the grades are posted) students can see certain information: Submission View, Automated Question Feedback, Question Scores, and Correct Answers.

• If Submission View is turned on, students will be able to see their entire assessment.

• Student view:

  • Students can access their results by clicking on Your Grade for the assessment in the Gradebook.

  • If multiple attempts have been set up, students can click Start attempt 2, etc. when clicking on their assessment.

  • If set up by their instructor, students can see their questions, scores, correct answers, and feedback for correct and incorrect responses, so that students know how they were supposed to answer the question.

• Turning off certain features will automatically make other features unavailable. For example, if you hide the submission from students, you will not be able to show correct answers.

• Note: If you have selected ‘available after all grades are posted’ for any setting- this includes ALL students and the preview user - if someone has not completed the exam and therefore does not have a posted grade, the setting will not be visible to students (not shown in video)

Accommodations

• Useful if you have received a letter from accessibility services specifying accommodations

• A due date & time limit accommodations within Blackboard will apply to all graded assessments for a specific student in your course.

• Can be set up from the roster or the gradebook

• A purple flag will appear beside the student with an accommodation (it is only visible to the instructor, not the student)

Due date accommodation:

• Students with a due date accommodation will not see ‘late’ in any of their items in the gradebook.

• If instructors have set up ‘prohibited late submissions’, and a student has a due date accommodation, their tests will not automatically submit.

Time limit:

• Setting a time limit accommodation will provide specific students with extra time on any timed assessment in their course

• Note: Students with a time limit accommodation are allocated their full time on tests even when they start very close to the due date. For example, the time limit overrides the automatic submission for students with a time limit accommodation.

Exceptions

• Exceptions can be made for specific students who need different parameters for a specific assessment

  • Locate the assessment in the gradebook.

  • Locate the student you would like to add an exception for.

  • Make alterations to due date, release conditions, or number of attempts.

Exemption

• Are used to excuse a student from completing a graded activity (so that it does not impact their overall grade).

• When an instructor exempts a gradebook item:

  • it not factored into the Overall Grade calculation.

  • It is not marked late for students who do not submit.

  • The students with an exemption will not receive an automatic zero (if this setting is set up).

  • Students can still submit for exempted items and instructors can grade and provide feedback (which mean it still appears in the students gradebook).

Are you looking for something specific? You can search the video transcript by clicking on '…' on the bottom right of the video viewer!

• You can see your your students' submissions in the gradebook (via the gradable view and grid view).

• In gradable view, you can see gradable items and students.

  • You can add a new item, a calculation, or attendance.

  • You can move items by using the up and down arrows and sort by date, grading status, or post.

  • To grade, click on the item you wish to grade and you can see all the submissions that need grading.

  • Under students, you can see all the students in the course and sort by category and click on individuals to see their progress and view their assignments.

  • Only in gradable view:

    • You can re-order items in your gradebook.

    • You can post all of your students' grades at once in gradable items.

• In Grid view, you can see gradeable items on the top row, and students in the left column. In this view only, you can filter information (ie: by individual student, groups, gradable item).

• In both views:

  • You can search for submission via a submission receipt number (which students get via email).

  • You can upload and download your gradebook.

  • You can adjust your settings (more on this in the “Overview of gradebook settings” video.

  • (Not featured in video.) You can view the student’s submission in gradeable view when clicking on individual students' names (under students) and in the grid view by clicking on “Grade now”.

Are you looking for something specific? You can search the video transcript by clicking on '…' on the bottom right of the video viewer!

• You can find the gradebook settings (gear icon) in the gradebook in both the gradable items and grid view.

• Grade Schema:

  • The Douglas College letter grade schema can be found here and you can also add your own grade schemas.

  • When setting up an assignment, click on “points” under “Grading” and you can change what grading schema you want to use.

  • Note: There is now a Complete/Incomplete grade schema in Blackboard Ultra.

• Student performance: You can set up activity stream alerts to students based on number of days they are inactive or their grades.

• Automatic zeros:

  • You can choose to set up automatic zeros to students if the deadline passes without submitting their assignments. You can turn off this feature and choose to manually add the zeros in.

  • They are important if you are using overall grade. If zeros are not given to students for incomplete assignments, their grades will appear inflated.

  • However, at this time using automatic zeros can cause glitches in Ultra. There will be further updates by Blackboard to resolve them.

• Overall Grade Notations: You can add an “I”(for Incomplete, or you can choose UN etc) grade to appear for a students overall grade. This will override the student’s grade in the gradebook.

• Overall Grade, Grade Categories and Course Rubrics will be discussed in another video.

Are you looking for something specific? You can search the video transcript by clicking on '…' on the bottom right of the video viewer!

Please note, instructors now have the option to show a running total!

Categories:

• You can assign it to a category (organize it into theme) for your assessments. This gives you the option to calculate your overall grade using categories.

• Items in your category are calculated based on ‘points’ - so only use categories if the assessment in the category is worth the same number of points.

• If you have a category that is not a default category, you can add them to your gradebook.

• Click here for more information on categories.

Points vs Percentage: You can choose to show students' grades using a letter grade, points, or percentage.

Overall Grade:

• Set up an overall grade for your course in your gradebook at the bottom of the page or in settings.

• You can choose to use points if you have give your assessment a specific number of points.

• You can choose weighted if you want to focus on what percentage each assessment or category of assessments are worth.

  • By default, every category will be equally weighted equally.

  • If you are not using certain categories, make sure to exclude them from the list as every category is weighted equally, whether there are any items in that category or not. Excluded categories will have a purple ⊘ symbol next to it.

  • Decide how each category should be weighted.

  • If you have items in your category that are worth varying points, they will be weighed accordingly.

  • If you want the items in the category to be weighed equally despite having different points, unlink the items and remove them from the category to make them stand-alone assessments. Exclude the category if it’s empty.

  • It’s best practice to only use categories if the items contained in them have the same amount of points.

• Decide how you want the overall grade to appear (points, percentage, or letter grade).

• If you are using a points system, it’s best not to use categories.

• When checking their overall grade, students won’t be able to see their grades for individual items in categories. However, they can see the stand-alone assessments that are not categorized.