Blackboard Terminology

Assessment

A gradable item added to a Blackboard course that assesses student learning.

Banner

A user information system used at the University of Alabama

Blackboard Original

The most common view for Blackboard courses (until Jan 2026)

Blackboard Ultra

The newest course view for Blackboard courses

CRN

Course Registration Number

12345

Course ID

A string of numbers that includes the CRN and the semester code

12345.202610

Content Market

The Content Market is where you can find third-party tools to use in your course.

Course Name

A string of letters and numbers that indicates the semester, subject, course number, and section number

202610-CIT-100-001

Disabled

A student’s Blackboard enrollment status when they drop a course.

Gradebook

For instructors: a tab to view and track assessments and student grades

For students: a tab to view grades and course progress

Knowledge Checks

Knowledge checks test student comprehension of a document by asking a multiple choice or multiple answer question.

Non-integrated course

A Blackboard course that is not integrated with Banner. Users are not added automatically via Banner.

Overall Grade

The Overall Grade is what your students will see as their grade in the course. In the Gradebook, it is the first column after your students' names.

Practice course

A non-integrated course in which instructor users can practice and develop content in Blackboard.

Preview course

A non-integrated course in which instructor users can preview their Original content in Ultra.

Publisher content

Content added to a Blackboard course via a textbook publisher.

Semester Code

The numbers the precede the course name; includes the year and a semester number.

Spring 2025 = 202510

Spring = 10
Summer = 30
Fall = 40

Third-party tools

Tools that are add-ons and not in Blackboard by default; usually textbook publisher or external software.