This guide pertains to Ultra Course View.
If your course is in Original Course View, see the Original Course View tutorial collection.
See also the Bb Ultra Knowledge Base Article Collection for tutorials and how-to guides for using Ultra.
Recording of the Ultra Kick-Off Event September 15, 2023
Ultra Training Overview
CIS staff will host virtual training sessions from September through November 2023.
Training sessions will be offered on a weekly basis on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday at a variety of different times to allow faculty, based on their unique availability, the opportunity to join all sessions.
Faculty are strongly encouraged to complete all (5) Training Topics:
- Ultra Basics
- Creating & Managing Content Using Sound Principles of Course Design
- Mastering Graded Activities
- The Ultra Gradebook
- Reaching the Summit: Ultra Course Migration
Ultra Training Card
To help you keep track of the trainings you have completed, we have created an Ultra Training Card (see attachment in the lower right corner). Here, you can enter the date each training topic was completed. Once all five trainings have been done, add your name and email and send it to cis@cmich.edu to be entered into a drawing for $250 worth of Professional Development funds. A drawing will be held in the Fall and Spring semesters. You can enter the drawing only once and all (5) sessions must have been completed. Download the Training Card, found in the lower right corner, to your computer.
Virtual Training Offerings | How to Access
All sessions will be hosted in the Ultra Webex Training Room.
Calendars are attached to the right that show the topic being presented and the date and time of the training.
Drop-In Sessions (Virtual & In-Person)
In addition to the above trainings, CIS staff will be available both virtually on Wednesdays and in person on Fridays to meet with faculty, answer questions, and provide support with learning Ultra and migrating course content. Both virtual and in-person sessions are offered from 9 am to 3 pm. Wednesday Virtual Sessions are in the same Ultra Webex Meeting room that the trainings are occurring in.
In-person, BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) Fridays are being offered on the following dates in the CIS 413D Classroom from 9 am to 3 pm:
- October 13th
- October 27th
- November 10th
- December 1st
The CIS classroom will be equipped with monitors for faculty to connect their laptops and be able to view their course in Original Course View and Ultra Course View simultaneously using the second monitor provided.
Virtual and in-person sessions will be offered in the Spring 2024 semester.
Video Tutorials
Accompanying the virtual training offerings is a collection of video tutorials that will allow you to re-review the topics presented at trainings and re-visit this information when needed. You can watch the video series in its entirety or the video track within the series that is specifically needed.
ULTRA OVERVIEW
THE DETAILS & ACTION MENU
BUILDING COURSE CONTENT | SOUND PRINCIPLES OF COURSE DESIGN
| Sound Principles of Course Design |
As you re-image your course in Ultra, use these Course Design Principles to guide you in creating a course centered on the student learning experience. |
| Creating and Managing Course Content Video Series |
An overview and explanation of creating, organizing, and managing content within an Ultra course. |
| Video 1: Introduction to Course Content |
How Content is added; Types of Content; Levels of Content; Explanation on Modules & Folders |
| Video 2: Adding & Creating Content |
Demonstration of adding the various types of content; Explanation of Forced Sequence; Tracking Student Progress; Explanation of Ultra Documents, Cloud Documents, and Collaborative Cloud documents; Creation of Links; Explanation of Release Conditions |
| Video 3: Copying Content |
Copying Content Methods; Selecting Content to Copy |
| Video 4: Organizing & Managing Content |
Rearranging content via the drag and drop feature; Using Batch Edit; Content Search Feature |
CLASS COMMUNICATIONS
GRADED ACTIVITIES
THE ULTRA GRADEBOOK
| The Ultra Gradebook Video Series |
The Ultra Gradebook is one of the most powerful tools that comes with the Blackboard upgrade. The Gradebook provides multiple views, various filtering capabilities, a flexible grading experience, and access to data on student engagement and performance not previously available. |
| Video 1: Introduction to the Ultra Gradebook |
Begin your exploration of the Ultra Gradebook and learn the difference between Grid View and List View, how to organize the Gradebook, and master the basics of the Gradebook. |
| Video 2: Gradebook Default Settings Explained |
Explanation of the default settings of the Ultra Gradebook. Understanding these default settings will help you accurately interpret a student's academic standing in the course. |
| Video 3: Explore the List View of the Ultra Gradebook |
Exploration of the List View of the Ultra Gradebook including a review of the Gradable Items and Students tab. |
| Video 4: Explore the Grid View of the Ultra Gradebook |
Exploration of the Grid View of the Ultra Gradebook including manually adding a Graded Column, accessing the Student Overview Page, and adding a calculation. |
| Video 5: The Student Overview Page |
Accessing the Student Overview Page to review an individual student's performance and activity level in the course. |
| Video 6: Managing the Gradebook |
Learn pertinent functions and configuration of the Gradebook such as insight on Grading Schemas, setting Student Performance Thresholds, Grading Categories, and the Overall Grade Column, creating a Gradebook Notation, and Submission Receipts. |
| Video 7: Grading & Grading Tasks |
In this video we will demonstrate the ways submitted work can be identified and accessed for grading and how grading is completed in Ultra including grading by student, grading by question, grading group work, and grading discussions. |
| Video 8: Grading Actions |
Learn how to complete common Gradebook activities such as posting grades, clearing an attempt, overriding a grade, or re-grading questions. |
| Video 9: Additional Grading Options |
Learn about grading options of Parallel (2 or more graders) and Annonymous Grading (grading submissions without seeing the student name). |
COURSE MIGRATION PROCESS
| Course Migration Video Series |
Migrating course content from Original to Ultra is not as simple as completing a course copy, requiring pedagogical decisions to be made on the organization and presentation of content while also ensuring proper formatting and configuration. This video series explains the course migration process, provides a demonstration of how to prep and move content and complete a post-migration review to finalize your new Ultra course. |
| Video 1: Migration Overview |
An introduction and overview of the steps involved in migrating a course from Original Course View to Ultra. |
| Video 2: Migration Prep |
Learn how to prep and organize your course in anticipation of migration to Ultra. |
| Video 3: Content Migration |
See how migration is completed and content is pulled from the Original Course into the Ultra shell. |
| Video 4: Post Migration Review | New Feature Consideration |
Complete a Post-Migration Review of the Ultra course to ensure proper presentation of content, user-friendly navigation, and configuration of settings. Consider use of new features now available in your Ultra course. |