Ultra Training Opportunities and Video Library

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

Faculty are strongly encouraged to complete the (5) Training Topics provided:

Trainings were conducted from Fall 2023 through July 2024.  
 

Ultra Bootcamp Training

In August 2024, CIS offered Ultra Bootcamp training session.  This 90-minute session is jam-packed with an overview of Ultra, its features, and capabilities. A recording to this session is provided below:

 

Blackboard Fundamentals

Blackboard Fundamentals is a self-paced workshop that provides a robust training on the Blackboard interface.  It will give instructors key insights and abilities to create, manage, and maintain your course content and graded activities.  All faculty at CMU are automatically enrolled in this workshop found on the Workshops & Orientation tab on the Bb homepage.

Bb Fundamentals

See Also:

 

Drop-In Sessions (Virtual & In-Person)

CIS staff are available both virtually on Wednesdays and in person throughout the week to meet with faculty, answer questions, and provide support with learning Ultra and migrating course content.  Wednesday Virtual Sessions are from 9 am to 3 pm and are held in the Ultra Webex Meeting room.

In-person, support is held at CIS Monday through Friday, during normal business hours thorughout August.  CIS is equipped with computer stations and dual monitors for faculty to be able to view their course in Original Course View and Ultra Course View simultaneously.

Video Tutorials

Ultra can also be learned through the collection of video tutorials provided below.  These allow you to review various topics on Ultra 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.  NOTE:  The Ultra training videos were created in the Summer of 2023 and may not reflect the current set up of an Ultra course.  Anthology, Inc releases new features or updates to existing features every 30 days in our Blackboard environment so the training videos may be slightly out of date.  

ULTRA OVERVIEW

Ultra Overview Video Series Tour and explanation of an Ultra course.
Video 1:  Content Page and Menu Tabs Explanation of Course Content Page and Upper Menu Tabs
Video 2:  Student Preview, Course Image & Other Course Content Areas Using Student Preview, Adding a Course Image, and Miscellaneous Items

THE DETAILS & ACTION MENU

The Details & Actions Menu Video Series Tour and explanation of the Details & Action menu
Video 1:  Details & Actions Overview and the Roster  Introduction to the Details & Action menu and the Class Roster
Video 2:  Creating Groups for Student Collaboration Creating and Managing Groups.  NOTE: Groups have since been relocated to the upper menu tabs.
Video 3:  Progress Tracking:  Viewing Student Activity & Engagement Using Progress Tracking to view student activity and engagement in your course
Video 4:  Adding a Course Image Adding an image to your Ultra course
Video 5: Setting Your Course Availability Setting the availability of the course to students
Video 6:  Attendance Tracking Using the Attendance Tracking feature
Video 7:  Books & Tools: Additional Blackboard Integrations Accessing and using additional vendor integrations in your course
Video 8:  Managing Test Question Banks Creating  and managing question banks
Video 9:  Using Microsoft Teams Integrating use of Microsoft Teams into your Ultra course

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

Class Communications Video Series This video series demonstrates ways to communicate with your class.
Video 1: Creating & Managing Announcements Creating, sending, and scheduling announcements
Video 2:  Course Messages Creating and sending messages
Video 3:  Using Class Conversations Purpose of class conversations; how to create, post and respond to a conversation

GRADED ACTIVITIES

Assessment & Assignment Creation and Management Video Series In this video series, you will learn how to create and manage assessments and assignments.  Features and configuration settings will be explained and demonstrated
Video 1:  Introduction to Ultra Discussions Creating and managing discussions
Video 2: Creating an Assignment Creating an assignment; assignment configuration settings
Video 3:  Creating a Test Creating a test; adding test questions; using question pools; test settings, question presentation options, and assessment results & feedback
Video 4:  A Deeper Dive into Question Banks, Question Pools, and Adding Questions to a Course Reusing test questions; creating a new test bank or importing a question bank; Uploading test questions via a Text File

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.

 

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