Blackboard Projects

Blackboard Learn Ultra Project

About the project

Status: complete/live as of fall 2024. Ultra was available to TU faculty starting in summer 2022. All fall 2024 courses are on Blackboard in Ultra format. TU's Blackboard team continues to hold in-person drop-in support sessions (login to see dates and times). 

How we got here

Blackboard Ultra was introduced at Bb World in 2015. TU's Blackboard team continued to monitor the features and growth of Ultra, which offered features missing from Bb Original.

In 2018-2019, The Academic Committee for Technology (ACT) was working on a Learning Management System (LMS) evaluation. The TU Blackboard team presented Ultra to partner groups, ACT and the Information & Instructional Technology Committee (IITC), and it was decided to stay with Blackboard and move to Ultra. To prepare for Ultra, TU's Bb team moved the environment from “Managed Hosted” to SaaS in 2020 and moved to Ultra Base Navigation in 2021. 

in 2022, the Blackboard Champions group was formed and trained, provided input on the Ultra environment. Instructors were able to opt-in to move courses to Ultra. 

Our partners in the move to Ultra

What's a Blackboard Champion?

Our Blackboard Champions are the early adopters of the transition from Original Course View to Ultra Course View and have been involved with the project since 2022. These partners were identified by their college/department. The Champions were consulted on the Ultra environment, provided feedback and input, have been trained in Ultra and act as a liaison for their colleagues. Reach out to your champion with questions and for guidance:

CBE
Aru Rao, arao AT_TOWSON 

CHP
Briana Snyder, blsnyder AT_TOWSON 

CLA
Sel Hwahng, shwahng AT_TOWSON 
Kimberly Katz, kkatz AT_TOWSON 

COE
Kandace Hoppin, khoppin AT_TOWSON 
Mahnaz Moallem, mmoallem AT_TOWSON 
Robert Caples, rcaples AT_TOWSON 
Rachel Billman, rbillman AT_TOWSON 

COFAC
Blake Abbott, cabbott AT_TOWSON 
Kanika Jackson, knjackson AT_TOWSON 

CSM
Angela Cox, amcox AT_TOWSON 
Vanesa Beauchamp, vbeauchamp AT_TOWSON 

LIBRARY
Carrie Price, carrieprice AT_TOWSON 
Bira Sinnott, bsinnott AT_TOWSON 
Lisa Sweeney, ssweeney AT_TOWSON 
Brittni Ballard, bballard AT_TOWSON 

Key Benefits

• Pedagogy: Ultra encourages positive teaching and learning practices. It provides actionable and personalized insights informed by rich data blended with deep research-informed pedagogical understanding and community best practice.
• Progress: Ultra shows instructors and learners where they are, how they're doing and what to do next. It helps them identify their next steps and supports them in taking action.
• Efficiency: Ultra is built around the natural workflow of instructors and students. It creates space for students to learn and instructors to teach, becoming more valuable over time. 
• Collective: Ultra is a shared experience. It helps students and instructors build relationships, in turn creating ongoing feedback loops, mutual support and more authentic connections.
• Best-in-Class: Ultra provides deep and seamless integrations by encouraging the use of Best-in-Class tools and resources.It connects with in-person and institutional resources where possible. 

See more benefits

• Increased efficiency: automatic monthly updates, with no downtime or actions required.
• Streamlined: See one streaming content area with a modern look.
• Convenient: Hold conversations between you and your students for items in your course.
• Expanded options: access Gradebook enhancements including the ability to post grades. Plus you can assign automatic "zero" grading features. Set accommodations per student that apply to all assessments.
• Enhanced Transparency: use Progress Tracking to allow students to mark and track their progress.

High-Level Timeline

• 2015: TU's Blackboard team begins Ultra evaluation.
• 2018-19: The Academic Committee for Technology and IITC decides to keep Blackboard as TU's learning management system and to move to Ultra.
• 2019-20: Move to SaaS. 
• 2021: Ultra planning and high-level communications start (Oct). Rollout of Ultra Base Navigation (Dec). 
• 2022: Bb Champions formed (Jan.), Ultra demos for IITC & departments (Jan.-May), Champion training complete and launch of Bb Ultra Faculty Support Organization site (April). UBN resources available to all faculty and students (April), instructors able to move courses to Ultra (summer).
• 2023-24: Addition of TU departments in Ultra for fall courses, launch of project website, ongoing campus outreach. Duo and SSO rollout (Dec. 1).
• 2024: March 1: all courses should be on Blackboard in Ultra format, March 6- May 7: TU's Blackboard team holds drop-in support sessions, fall 2024 semester: all courses in Blackboard Ultra.

What to expect

TU Blackboard team will continue to share updates and communicate project information including resources, features, important milestones and how to get support using multiple methods.

Faculty outreach and support

The TU Blackboard team will:

• Attend departmental meetings
• Utilize the Impact pop-ups in original courses
• Post brief, timely messages on the pop-up within Blackboard
• Send beginning and end of semester emails
• Send all faculty announcements/emails from the Faculty Blackboard Ultra Resources Organization site.
• Host training opportunities

See the Ultra Course Organization support forum in Blackboard for info, opportunities and resources.

Student outreach and support

The TU Blackboard team will:

• Post articles in TU Today
• Post brief, timely messages on the pop-up within Blackboard.
• Send all student announcements/emails from the Student Blackboard Ultra Resources Organization site.
• Host training opportunities

See the Ultra Course Organization support forum in Blackboard for info, opportunities and resources.

FAQ-Faculty

How do I set up my Fall 2024 Ultra course, get help or find out more about Ultra Course View?

TU Blackboard Administrators are here to help and have launched an Ultra Course Organization support forum and enrolled all current Instructors. Enter the Ultra Course Organization site to attend demos, TU-specific workshops, one-on-one consultations, and access support materials to assist with the conversion process. And you can always ask a TU Blackboard Administrator your specific questions.

What will happen when I open my fall 2024 courses for the first time? 

You'll automatically be presented with the Ultra Course View. You'll need to follow the instructions (steps 2-5) for copying to an Ultra course when populating Fall 2024 courses with material from old courses.

I don't see my course in Blackboard in the Ultra format. What should I do?

First check PeopleSoft to confirm your course is there. If it's not, contact your department chair to check status. If there's still an issue, contact the Registrar's office.

What does Ultra Course View look like and how do I navigate it?

Check out Blackboard Inc.'s help page for a quick and easy overview of Ultra courses and how to navigate.

How can my students get support using Ultra?

TU Blackboard Administrators are here to help and have launched an Ultra Organization for Students. All current students are enrolled in the organization site. Tabling events will be held in the University Union for students during the first week of classes.

Support

TU's Blackboard team is holding drop-in support sessions and live online pop-ups in August. See dates and times.

Questions? Contact TU's Blackboard team. For resources, support and info on using Ultra, check out the Faculty Ultra Course Organization support forum or the Student Ultra Course Organization support forum.

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