Since Fall 2018, the default Blackboard course template has had the Ultra Course Preview setting enabled, which allows faculty to convert a new Original course to see what it looks like in Ultra and adopt Ultra. During the Fall 2021 semester, 735 courses adopted the Ultra Course View, the largest adoption of Ultra courses to date. 

A significant increase in adoption of Ultra has come from individual faculty converting their courses. Though, there are a growing number of departments and program coordinators that are intentionally creating Ultra courses templates which has also increased Ultra adoption. These templates allow instructors to receive a copy of content, materials, and assessments natively designed in Ultra for their specific courses. All sections are created from one template that is updated and maintained by a course coordinator to ensure consistency in curriculum, program outcomes, and course design.

Customized Ultra Templates

English 100:

Beginning in Spring 2022, ENGL 100 courses will utilize an Ultra template that has materials and assessments pre-populated by program coordinators, following an opt-in pilot of the Ultra template that began in Fall 2020. Content includes library resources, grammar tutorials, self-check quizzes, and resources to improve scholarly writing.

IHU:

Since Fall 2020, IHU courses have employed a Blackboard Ultra template that includes 19 weeks worth of content, including CourseArc modules co-created by campus offices and faculty partners. The shell allows for part-time instructors to choose content that is suitable for their course and utilize pre-made assessments that align with course learning objectives. 

Spanish:

Leveraging open educational resources, the first year of Spanish language courses (101-102-103) uses an Ultra template that integrates content and assessments across several learning modules for students to complete. Likewise, the second year of Spanish language courses (201-202) also uses an Ultra template with content and assessments from the McGraw-Hill Connect platform. 

Department Adoption of Ultra

Even if customized templates may not be of interest, departments can request to receive a default UMBC Ultra template. The Ultra template means that faculty receive Ultra course shells natively, and are not required to complete the steps to convert new Original shells. FREN 101 is utilizing the UMBC Ultra template, and the Theatre Department is the first department to make the switch from Original to the new Ultra template. 

Next Steps

If your department is interested in a customized template or receiving the UMBC Ultra template, please place an RT ticket to get in touch with an Instructional Technology Specialist. Our staff will work with you to determine the next steps and design an appropriate timeline for your department to make the transition. 

As always, if you have any questions about teaching, learning, and technology at UMBC, please consider the following options:

• PIVOT | Academic Continuity | Keep On Teaching | Student Technology Resources

• Check our extensive FAQ collection 

• What’s new in Ultra? | Known Issues 

• Open a ticket via RT

• Follow the Instructional Technology & DoIT myUMBC groups

• Request a consult with instructional technology staff

  
  

~ by Mariann Hawken & Collin Sullivan

A wide range of technologies and resources are available to faculty at UMBC to support teaching and learning in various online or hybrid modes within Blackboard. Trends and tools evolve quickly, and DoIT recognizes faculty interest in exploring or using these newer technologies. Before implementing a new instructional technology tool for your course, there are a few key factors faculty should be take into consideration:

1. DoIT supports a robust catalog of approved LTI tools 

Blackboard supports third-party tools primarily through Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) integrations. These integrations allow single-sign to content and services and improve instructor/student efficiency by streamlining usage and synchronizing grades.

Faculty can review the current list of our integrations here. 

2. Choosing an instructional technology tool doesn’t have to be overwhelming! 

Based on faculty and student feedback, DoIT recognizes a degree of "tool fatigue," and we want to be mindful of the total number of tools that students use across all of their courses. In turn, we recommend faculty leverage LTI tools already approved for use that fit a given pedagogical need rather than adopting non-approved tools, or attempting to find an instructional purpose for tools because they appear interesting. 

Unsure which tool is best to use and how to use it? Review this chart to compare your options, or request a consultation with an Instructional Technology Specialist. 

3. Be weary of cold emails or cold calls from vendors

DoIT staff has noticed a rise in cold calls and emails from vendors attempting to entice members of the community to adopt their tools. Sometimes vendors claim that the tool is already installed on our system, or that contacting central IT is not necessary. These messages can be misleading, spam, or potentially security threats. Also, all software must go through a security review to be considered for a site license. Please be sure to consult with Instructional Technology staff before implementing a new, third party tool through your Blackboard course.  

4. Faculty can request a new Blackboard tool integration

If there is a new or unique application for instruction that addresses a use case our existing tool suite does not, DoIT staff will work with faculty members and departments to install the tool appropriately. Requestors will need to review all of the information outlined in this FAQ to submit a ticket to prepare for installation of the tool as a Blackboard integration.  

Please note that DoIT reserves the right to reject the installation of a new tool based on a number of criteria including, but not limited to, the installation of the requested tool would be duplicative of existing tools, security and/or privacy concerns, cost, potential degradation of overall platform performance, and requirements for long-term support and maintenance.

As always, if you have any questions about teaching, learning, and technology at UMBC, please consider the following options:

Ease stress during the final weeks of your semester with our closing checklist. Leverage these Blackboard course tools to complete helpful and simple tasks for a successful semester conclusion. Each tip takes you through an important step in your closing checklist for your course.

1. Insert Automatic Zeros (Ultra only)

In your Ultra course, you can set the gradebook to automatically assign zeros for any missing work beyond the due date. This feature can be enabled any time in the semester. If enabled earlier, students can still submit work after a zero is assigned, if you allow late work, and you can grade the submission. Automatic zeros apply to assignments, tests, and discussions, but do not apply to offline assignments.

2. Download Your Gradebook (Original / Ultra)

As a matter of best practice, you should always download a copy of your gradebook after you are finished entering grades and submitting final marks to PeopleSoft, the official record. Remember, while your Blackboard gradebook is downloadable in CSV format, which can be opened in Excel or Google Sheets, it does not synchronize to PeopleSoft.

3. Download Student Submissions (Original / Ultra)

If you need to refer to student work after a class ends, it is faster to download the entire collection of student submissions to review at a later date rather than go back into your course and find the individual file for a specific assignment. You can download student submissions in bulk for both Original and Ultra courses.

4. Clean Up Your Course Files (Original / Ultra)

While a course export is created in Blackboard’s proprietary format, instructors can download and access course files uploaded to the Content Collection. Once these files are on your computer, you can review and remove duplicate or outdated documents, presentations, handouts, etc. Be sure to move media files (audio and video) to Panopto to optimize your students' streaming experience and keep your course quota healthy.

5. Export Your Course (Original / Ultra)

While your course to course preparations will leverage the course copy tool, it is helpful to have your own back-up of your course content. Generate an export at the end of the semester and save it in the cloud for your future reference. When courses are retired, you will already have a copy of your courses with syllabi, rubrics, handouts, presentations, etc. 

NOTE: If you do nothing else in your end of semester course wrap-up process, this is the most important tip!

6. Modify Course Duration (Original only)

By default, DoIT sets all Blackboard course shell durations to expire approximately 6 weeks after the end of a given semester. Some instructors change the duration of an Original course to continuous, which means the course always appears as “current” to both instructors and students. This can be frustrating to students who see courses they’ve already completed on the main Courses page as a new semester starts. Therefore, make sure you change the course duration back to a reasonable end date.

7. Identify Students Who Need Incomplete Access (Original / Ultra)

If a course has an end date, and the end date passes, then students can't access the course any longer, whether or not the course is still available. For example, by default, all Fall 2021 shells will be made unavailable to student access January 9, 2022. Instructors can request special access to their courses for students who need to continue to work in a course beyond the semester’s conclusion. You may need to adjust any relevant dates within the course so students can access content or assignments.

Once the semester over, grades are submitted, and your Blackboard course closing checklist is complete, take a deep breath and enjoy your break.

Do you have a tip to share with other faculty? Please comment in this post and let us know!