What is the difference between course views in Blackboard?

There are two main course views in Blackboard – Original and Ultra – with two steps in between.

Original Course View

This is the current look and functionality of a Blackboard course.

Note the orange pencil icon in the upper right corner. This tool allows you to activate the Ultra Course Preview to see how your course will convert to Ultra.

Ultra Course Preview Prompt

You may see the prompt for the Ultra Course Preview in two circumstances:

  1. You have activated the Ultra Course Preview

  2. Your course shell has been abled by default with the Ultra Course Preview

You can choose to enter the preview or go back to the Original course.

Ultra Course Preview

The preview mode is not permanent. It allows you to review your course before committing to Ultra.

Once you convert your course to the Ultra Experience, you cannot return to the original course view. 

Any changes you make to your course while in the Ultra Course View preview won't be saved if you exit the preview and choose to continue in the Original Course View. If you choose to permanently convert your course to Ultra, the changes you made during the preview are saved.



Ultra Course View

The Ultra course looks completely different from an Original course. It also functions differently. Be sure to review your conversion log or the FAQs on what's different about Ultra.

You may also want to attend training, review self-paced resources, or visit a walk-in clinic.