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Upgrades Coming to Blackboard (For Instructors)

Upgrades Coming to Blackboard (For Instructors)

Blackboard is continuing to make upgrades and edits to Ultra based on user feedback. This page is intended to provide instructors with updates regarding the changes coming to Ultra.

This page will be updated often, so please check back frequently.

Available Now:

  • Multiple Choice and Multiple Answer Questions: Instructors have the ability to lock specific answer options in place when randomizing answers. Additionally, instructors can provide feedback for individual answer choices.

    Screenshot of Blackboard Lock Answer Option

  • Announcement Tracking: From the student overview page, instructors can see which announcements each student has and has not viewed.

Screenshot of Blackboard Announcement tab in Student Activity

  • Course Switcher: a Favorites tab will be added to the Course Switcher which will allow instructors to identify which courses are indicated as their favorites and provide quicker access between courses.

    image-20260701-120804.png

 

Coming Soon:

  • Redesigned Group Management Experience:

    • Creating Group Sets: To start grouping, instructors will begin by choosing the structure of the group prior to managing individual members.

      image-20260701-120506.png

       

    • Clarity with Automatic Enrollment: Instructors can specify the number of members per group while HuskyCT creates the required number of groups and assigns students randomly in one step. This reduces setup time.

      image-20260701-120528.png

    • Sorting Features: Instructors now have the ability to sort group members by first or last name, NetID, or by group names and members.

      Screenshot of sorting students by name in new group setting

  • Home Button: By clicking the home button, users will be brought back to the courses page. Previously, users were brought back to the institutional page.

  • Full Screen: Specific content such a learning modules, folders, and documents will take up the full width of the screen. Additionally, a breadcrumb trail will be added to provide clarity.

    image-20260609-172910.png

    • Breadcrumbs: Instructors can navigate back to modules or folders more efficiently using breadcrumbs, rather than exiting content.

      image-20260701-115836.png

  • NEW Gradebook View: A new, more efficient Gradebook view is set to release in August 2026. The updates are intended to reduce clicks and create a more efficient workflow for instructors.

Screenshot of Current and future gradebook view in Blackboard

  • Release Conditions: Instructors can now create release conditions based on engagement. Rather than requiring a specific grade for students to achieve, students can simply engage with the material to progress through the course.

    image-20260707-175233.png

  • Export Question Banks: In addition to exporting question banks to QTI 2.1 packages, banks can also be exported into zip files.

image-20260707-175301.png

  • Submission Types: Instructors will soon be able to specify the exact upload type for students to submit.

    image-20260707-175507.png

 

For more information or assistance with HuskyCT, please contact the Educational Technology Office at edtech@uconn.edu or (860) 486-5052