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Center for Teaching and Learning

Learn Ultra FAQs

Blackboard Learn text with Anthology logo

Have questions about Ultra Course View? Our FAQ guide addresses common inquiries regarding navigation, content migration, and more. Whether you are transitioning from Original or optimizing your current layout, find quick answers to streamline your teaching experience and maximize student engagement within the Blackboard Ultra environment.

    How Can I Request a Blackboard Learn Ultra Shell?

    To obtain a Learn Ultra Sandbox shell, you simply need to complete the Blackboard Ultra Sandbox Request form. Upon the successful processing of your request by the Center for Teaching and Learning, you will receive a confirmation email containing direct instructions on how to access your new shell, as well as a collection of helpful resources to guide you through the getting-started process.

    Should I use a Folder or a Learning Module to organize my content?

    Both folders and learning modules serve as effective tools for organizing course materials, offering students a streamlined, collapsed view that simplifies navigation and allows instructors to apply release conditions or copy batches of content from previous semesters. While both structures support nested folders up to two levels, learning modules provide a superior experience for structured learning by allowing students to navigate through content sequentially using forward and back arrows. Furthermore, learning modules offer built-in progress tracking, using checkmarks to help students monitor their completion of required readings or assessments. However, instructors should be aware of a key trade-off regarding portability: while the contents of traditional folders can be copied granularly from one course to another, learning modules must be transferred in their entirety, requiring a more holistic approach to content migration.

    Can I Copy My Learn Original Course Materials to My Learn Ultra Course?

    When migrating content from a Learn Original course to a Learn Ultra course, you have the flexibility to copy anything from a single item to an entire course. However, it is important to be aware that not all Original features are compatible with the Ultra environment; for instance, tools like Blogs and Wikis are not supported and will not transfer during the copy process. To assist with this transition, a provided reference table outlines exactly how various content types are converted into the Ultra format. Any items marked as "N/A" (Not Available) indicate that the content is incompatible, meaning these elements cannot be selected for copying or will be automatically flagged as exceptions by the system.

    Supported content types and features:

    ORIGINAL COURSE VIEW CONTENT TYPECONVERTS INTOFULL COURSE COPYINDIVIDUAL ITEM COPY
    Course BannerCourse ImageYESNO
    Course Menu Content AreaFolderYESYES
    Course Menu Blank PageDocumentYESYES
    Course Menu Module PageN/AN/AN/A
    Course Menu Tool LinkN/AN/AN/A
    Course Menu Course LinkN/AN/AN/A
    Course Menu SubheadN/AN/AN/A
    Course Menu DividerN/AN/AN/A
    ItemDocumentYESYES
    FileFileYESYES
    AudioFileYESYES
    ImageFileYESYES
    VideoFileYESYES
    Web LinkWeb LinkYESYES
    Learning ModuleLearning ModuleYESYES
    Lesson PlanFolderYESYES
    SyllabusN/AN/AN/A
    Content Package (SCORM)SCORM packageYESYES
    Content FolderFolderYESYES
    Blank PageDocumentYESYES
    Flickr MashupWeb LinkYESYES
    TestTestYESYES
    Question PoolQuestion BankYESYES
    SurveyFormYESYES
    AssignmentAssignmentYESYES
    Self and Peer ReviewN/AN/AN/A
    BlogN/AN/AN/A
    JournalJournalYESYES
    WikisN/AN/AN/A
    Discussion Forum with "allow members to create new threads" selected.DiscussionYESNO
    Discussion Forum with "allow members to create new threads" not selected.FolderYESNO
    Discussion Threads within a Forum with "allow members to create new threads" not selected.DiscussionYESNO
    AnnouncementsAnnouncementsYESYES
    GoalsGoalsYESNO
    RubricsRubricsYESYES
    CategoriesCategoriesYESNO
    Grading SchemasGrading SchemasYESYES
    Why Am I Seeing So Many Exceptions When Copying Learn Original Course Materials into a Learn Ultra Course?

    If the system encounters any issues during a content copy, an error report will prominently appear at the top of your Course Content page. You can click "View Exceptions" to investigate why specific items failed to transfer; notably, most of these exceptions are minor and typically require no further action on your part. To manage these, you can organize the Exceptions Report by category, allowing you to review a list of the affected items and read brief explanations regarding their status. In certain cases, such as when migrating Wikis or Blogs from an Original course to Ultra, you may need to manually recreate the content, as these features do not convert automatically. For these instances, you can easily rebuild your materials by utilizing the available Discussions, Journals, or Assignments tools.

    How Can I Reorder Course Content Items?

    Organizing your course content in Blackboard is fairly simple, whether you prefer using a mouse or keyboard shortcuts. To rearrange items, simply select the row using the six-vertical-dot move icon and drag it to your desired location, or drop it directly into a folder to nest content. Blackboard supports up to three levels of hierarchy by default—such as a folder inside a learning module. If you prefer keyboard navigation, you can tab to an item’s move button (represented by two vertical arrows), press Enter to activate move mode, use the arrow keys to find a new placement, and press Enter again to drop the item. Additionally, for quick adjustments, you can access the Edit and Delete functions by opening the menu located within each item’s row.

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