Ultra Course View Feature Comparison and Availability
Removed Tools
The following tools are not included in Ultra Course View:
Achievements
Contacts
Flickr Embedding
Glossary
Lesson Plans
Module Page
Slideshare Embedding
Tasks
Wikis
Changed Tools/Features
Original | Ultra | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
Adaptive Release | Conditional Release | Available | In ultra, additional content is only released based on the grade an item receives. In ultra courses, if an assessment used as a condition, it must be graded before new content is released to the student. |
Anonymous Grading | Anonymous Grading | Available | You must choose this option for each individual Assignment and Discussion you create. You cannot grade Tests anonymously. |
Announcements | Announcements | To create an announcement, click Announcements under Details and Actions in your Ultra Course. Announcements can be scheduled in advance. Announcements appear in a pop-up box when students enter the course and cannot include any formatting (plain-text only). Announcements in Ultra can also be sent to students via email. | |
Attendance | Attendance | Access Attendance by clicking Attendance under Details and Actions in your Ultra course. Functions and features identical to Original Course View. | |
Blogs | TBD | Not yet developed, but planned for Ultra Course View and still available in Original Course View. Alternatives - Use Discussion Board in Blackboard or an external blogging platform. | |
Calendar | Calendar | Click the Calendar icon at the top of an Ultra course to access. Additional capabilities are planned. | |
Content Collection | Content Collection | To access the Content Collection, click Tools in the left-hand menu on the Blackboard landing page. Additional capabilities are planned. | |
Content Editor | Content Editor | The following are not yet available in the ultra content editor:
| |
Course Banner | Course Image | When a Course Image is set, it is displayed as the Course Tile on the Courses page in the base navigation. It can also be toggled on to be displayed as a course banner. | |
Course Menu | -- | In the Ultra Course View, there is no course menu. All of the content is listed on a single page, to make it easier for students to navigate, and links to course tools are organized in the Details and Actions area or along the top right of the page. Content can be organized using folders and learning modules, which open and close. | |
Course Messages | Messages | In ultra course messages there is no subject line and there are no folders to organize course messages. | |
Course Reports | Embedded Analytics | Some items, such as assessments or discussions, have some analytics built into them. Course Reports as in original courses are no longer available, including view tracking. | |
Date Management | Bulk Edit | Date Management has been replaced with the Bulk Edit tool in which you can bulk edit content due dates and visibility. You can also delete multiple course items from Batch Edit. Additional capabilities are planned. Feature Loss - You can only edit within a single folder at a time; you cannot bulk edit items within and across folders at the same time. You can, however, edit all top-level folders, learning modules, and course materials at the same time. | |
Delegated Grading | Parallel Grading | Currently, parallel grading allows for two (2) non-student course members to grade the same student submission and for a separate individual to reconcile the grades. Additional capabilities are planned. Feature Loss - There can be only 2 graders specified, graders cannot be assigned subsets of students (anticipated in 2023), graders cannot also be reconcilers, graders cannot see the rubrics/scores or feedback submitted by other graders, and students can only view the rubric/store and feedback submitted by the reconciler. | |
Discussions | Discussions | Discussions are available but the feature is still being enhanced:
| |
Embed Media or Mashup | Embed Media | Images and web-based videos can be embedded within a Document (page) in the Ultra Course View. Feature Loss - Video can only be embedded from select sources, including YouTube and Vimeo. For other platforms, such as social media or news sites, you will need to simply create a link to the video or paste the embed code into an HTML block in a Document. | |
Folders | Folders | Ultra courses are limited to a nested folder depth of two. You can create a subfolder inside of a folder, but cannot add additional folders within a subfolder. | |
Grade Center | Gradebook | Supports weighted & points-based schemas, filters (smart-views), running total, download submissions and assessment results. | |
Item | Document | The term "Document" refers to a page in Ultra that resembles a web page. Documents can include images, text, uploaded files, and HTML content. If you only need to add a file without accompanying text, use the Upload option instead. | |
Item Analysis | Question Analysis | Run Question Analysis for a single test by clicking the ... button next to it in the Course Content view, or by clicking the pie chart icon in the upper right. Additional capabilities are planned. | |
Journal | Journal | Journals can be created by using the + menu to create content, then selecting Journal under Participation and Engagement. | |
Learning Module | Learning Module | Learning Modules can contain multiple files, Documents, Assignments, Tests, or Discussions. You can force students to view the content in a Learning Module sequentially by using Release Conditions and selecting the Sequence checkbox. This also allows students to track what they have completed in the module. Additional capabilities are planned. | |
Performance Dashboard | -- | Embedded analytics and progress tracking reports provide extensive data about learner performance. | |
Publisher Integrations | Content Market | Most publisher integrations are available in Ultra Course View; you should contact your publisher representative for more information. | |
Retention Center | Progress Tracker | Information repurposed through Activity Stream. | |
Roster | Roster | Available in the Details & Actions area within an Ultra course. You can view the full student roster, enroll a TA or another Instructor, or add an accommodation for a student (such as extended timers) that apply to all assessments in the course. | |
Rubrics | Rubrics | The following rubric features are unavailable:
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SCORM | SCORM | To add a SCORM package in your Ultra course, click the plus sign to add content, click Create, select SCORM package, and select Upload SCORM package or Browse Content Collection. | |
Self and Peer Assessment | Peer Review | Assignments can now be designated for peer review. Select Peer Review in the Assignment settings, then set up peer review settings, such as the number of reviews per student and the due dates for initial submissions and peer reviews. Peer reviews are entirely anonymous, although the instructor is able to see the review assignments and who provided feedback. Feature Loss - Peer review does not include a mechanism for self-assessment. Peer review currently only allows qualitative feedback, although you can connect it with a rubric to guide the review process. Future capabilities are planned, including quantitative scoring. | |
Send Email | Messages | When creating messages and announcements, instructors can send a copy by email to the recipients. Users can enable email notifications for messages in their profile area of the main navigation. | |
Student Preview | Student Preview | Access via the Enter student preview mode button in the Details & Actions area within an Ultra course. Click the ... menu in the upper-right corner to exit student preview. | |
Tests and Pools | Tests and Question Banks | Ultra does not yet support the full array question types that original courses do. The following question types are currently available:
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Web Link | Web Link | To create a link to web content, you can create a link directly in your course by clicking the +, Create, and then Link. |