What tools are available in an Ultra course?

As a completely redesigned Blackboard platform, the Ultra Experience is continuously enhanced with monthly releases. Tools listed here do not represent the full roadmap under development by the vendor.

This list focuses on core Blackboard tools. For more information, please review

Tools may appear in Ultra under another name or form and with different functionality and customizations. These will be noted under comments. Please review linked documentation for additional information.

View the granular spreadsheet comparisonThis list was last updated on September 6 2024.

Original Tool

Ultra Tool

Status

Anticipated Release & Comments

Original Tool

Ultra Tool

Status

Anticipated Release & Comments

Achievements

Achievements

Badgr

deployed

deployed

Available.

Also available for Digital Credentials, but limited availability for Achievements. Please contact Collin Sullivan, Program Director for Digital Credentials for support.

Adaptive Release

Release Conditions

deployed

Date/time, performance-based, and group/member release available now. 
Batch edit visibility. Not available: Marked reviewed.

Anonymous Grading

Anonymous Grading

deployed

Available now.

Announcements

Course Announcements

deployed

Available now. Formatting and send as email now supported.

Attendance

Attendance

deployed

Native attendance in Blackboard. Qwickly Attendance is also available for Ultra courses.

Blogs

Journals

In Development

Coming to Ultra. No timeline yet.
Consider Google's Blogger as an alternative.

Calendar

Calendar

deployed

Available now. Additional calendar options are planned.

Contacts

---

discontinued in Ultra

Content Collection

Content Collection

deployed

Available now. Additional capabilities are planned for Learn Ultra.

Content Editor

Content Editor

deployed

Available now. Additional capabilities are planned for Learn Ultra.

Course Analytics / Reports

Course Reports / Student Activity 

N/A

Available now. Some analytics are embedded.  Might not be visible until student data is generated.
Exact details of reports vary between Original & Ultra courses.

Course Link

Course Link

deployed

Available now. 

Course Messages

Messages

deployed

Available now. Messages are automatically sent as email.

Course Surveys

Forms

deployed

Available.

Date Management

Batch Edit -> Dates

deployed

Available now: Edit due dates & visibility. Enhancements expected.

Delegated Grading

Delegated Grading

deployed

Available now. Additional capabilities are planned for Ultra Courses.

Discussions

Discussions

deployed

Available now. Additional capabilities are planned for Ultra Courses.

Files

Files

deployed

Available now. Upload files from desktop.
You can also link files from Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive, both with editing capabilities for the file owner.

Folders

Folders

deployed

Available now. Limited to two folders deep.

Glossary

---

discontinued in Ultra

Goals

Goals

deployed

Available now. Goal Reporting is planned for Ultra Courses in 2024.

Grade Center

Gradebook

deployed

Supports weighted & points-based schemas, filters (smart-views), running total, download submissions and assessment results.  
In development: Send reminder.

Groups

Course Groups

deployed

Fully supported with import and export via CSV for group creation and membership enrollment.

Items & BlankPages

Documents

deployed

Available now.

Journals

Journals

deployed

Available now.

Learning Modules

Learning Modules

deployed

Available now.

Performance Dashboard

TBD

discontinued in Ultra - However, embedded analytics and progress tracking reports provide extensive data about learner performance.

Publisher Integrations

Content Market

deployed

Available now for most vendors in Ultra Courses.
Some publisher integrations are supported as Teaching Tools via LTI Connection.
Please check with your publisher or open an RT ticket to inquire about the status of your preferred tool.

Retention Center

Progress Tracker

deployed

Information repurposed through Activity Stream.
Additional information available via Student List View in Ultra gradebook.



Roster

Roster

deployed

Available now



Rubrics

Rubrics

deployed

Available now. Rubric reports are not yet available. Please use EAC.

SafeAssign

SafeAssign

deployed

SafeAssign is available for Assignments & Test Essay questions in Ultra Courses. Direct Submit also available.

Self & Peer Assessments

Assignments with Peer Evaluation enabled

deployed

Available now.

Send Email

Messages

deployed

Functioning as designed. Messages are automatically emailed.
Announcements must be specifically emailed at the time of creation.
Users may also choose to receive notifications via Email.

Student Preview

Student Preview

deployed

Available now. 

Tasks

TBD

discontinued in Ultra

Tests & Test Pools

Tests, Reuse Questions, Question Banks

deployed

Available now. Some question types are not available.
Additional capabilities are planned.

User Profile

User Profile

deployed

Available now. Additional capabilities are planned.

Web Link

Web Link

deployed

Available now. Some tools & links are supported as Teaching Tools via LTI Connection.

Wikis

TBD

discontinued in Ultra → Consider OneNote Class Notebook or Google Sites