The most common questions that arise regarding Ultra are addressed to provide clear and informative responses to assist GSU users.

  • How can I gain access to an Ultra Sandbox shell?

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    To begin your journey with Blackboard Learn Ultra, Instructors are encouraged to complete the Blackboard Learn Ultra Sandbox Request form. This initial step is crucial for gaining access to a dedicated Ultra environment. To ensure a smooth and effective transition, we strongly recommend participation in Ultra training sessions. These workshops are designed to equip you with the essential skills and knowledge needed to leverage Blackboard Learn Ultra to its fullest potential. You can discover and register for workshops that best suit your availability by visiting the Faculty Workshops page.

    Once your sandbox request has been submitted and processed, you will find your Ultra Sandbox shell readily available within the "Courses" section of your Blackboard account. If your "Courses" list doesn't immediately reflect this new shell, a simple refresh of the page may be necessary. Should the shell still not appear, please adjust your display filters to "Current Courses" and "Open Courses," and then search for "Ultra." The sandbox shell should then become visible. For ongoing convenience, we suggest clicking the star icon next to the Ultra Sandbox to mark it as a favorite, ensuring it remains prominently displayed at the top of your Courses list.

  • When I’m ready to teach in Ultra, how do I receive my Academic shell?

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    Once you've created/restructured your course content within the Sandbox environment, it's crucial to signal your readiness for the next step. Please complete the Ultra Conversion Confirmation form. This form acts as a green light, informing us that you're satisfied with the materials developed in the Ultra Sandbox and are prepared to transition them to a live course shell. Once the official semester shells become available, we'll leverage this confirmation to initiate the conversion from your existing Original shell to the Ultra format. Following the conversion, we'll copy the content you've created and refined within the Ultra Sandbox, ensuring a seamless transition into your active course for students.

  • When will GovState transition to Ultra completely?

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    GovState is set to transition to Ultra for all future courses, commencing in Fall 2026. All previous terms, including coursework and content from semesters prior to Fall 2026, will remain accessible within the Original format and will not need to be converted to Ultra by Instructors

  • Will old terms be archived?

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    GovState courses will be archived for a period of up to five years. After this five-year period, courses will no longer be readily accessible.

  • Will the Original format remain available?

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    The Original experience will remain accessible until December 31, 2026. After this date, a transition period will begin: from January 1, 2027, all courses previously held in the Original format will become read-only, preserving them for reference until December 31, 2027. Following this, on January 1, 2028, Blackboard Learn Original will be permanently decommissioned and will no longer be accessible.

  • How should I organize my materials within the course?

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    We highly recommend using Learning Modules first, then you may add folders and other content within the Learning Module to organize as needed. While Learning Modules are highly recommended, you may prefer to use folders to organize your course content. Folders can also be effective, especially if you have a large amount of diverse content that does not fit neatly into a module structure.

  • Can the Course Messages send to email in Ultra?

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  • Will Ultra work with my Publisher Content?

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  • Can the Calendar sync with Outlook Calendar in Ultra?

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  • Where can I find grading schemas in the gradebook?

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  • Can the gradebook download to Excel?

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