Basics of Course Creation
This page is designed to assist instructors in getting started with designing your Blackboard ultra course, including some steps to take at the beginning that can save you work later.
Blackboard Ultra courses have a single course content page where all course materials are organized using modules, folders, and multimedia documents. Click and expand to view content within modules and folders . you are not familiar with the navigation in Blackboard Ultra. We have put recommendations throughout this guide to reduce additional work after course setup.
Working from your syllabus during the course creation process will help ensure that your course is fully set up and organized effectively.
Course Organization
Blackboard Ultra courses have a single course content page where all course materials are organized using modules, folders, and multimedia documents that you can click to expand. Please visit Ultra Course - Navigation for more details.
Modules and Folders are the two main ways instructors can group course material. It's helpful to determine your course structure and create the folders or modules you need for the content before you begin creating/coping course materials. Our course structure gallery has examples of approaches you can take. If you are using modules, you can take advantage of the AI module generator to help create them quickly.
Modules and Folders Comparison
| Modules | Folder |
|---|---|
| Exists only as a "Top Level" item | Exist as a "Top Level" item or can exist within another folder or module. |
| Ability to force the sequence of items within the module. (Not required. Modules can exist without forced sequence, as well.) | N/A |
| Ability to add a banner image. | N/A |
| Progress tracking ability: Students are alerted to which items are still in need of viewing/completing; Instructors can view students' progress with course items. | Progress tracking ability: Students are alerted to which items are still in need of viewing/completing; Instructors can view students' progress with course items. |
Advanced module navigation will be available (coming soon.)
| N/A |
- Decide top level organization: see table to left for comparison
- Click on the plus sign
- Click module or folder from the slide out menu
- Add title and adjust additional settings if necessary.
Create Content
Once your course organization is in place, click to expand the folder/module and display the plus sign within. Use the plus sign to create or copy content into the folder/module.
If utilizing weighted categories for grading purposes, it is important to properly categorize your content items. This may require creating custom categories in the Gradebook. See Gradebook setup for more information before proceeding.
- Select the plus sign within the folder/module you wish to create content.
- Choose the "Create" option to add items such as content items, links, and assessment items . Create content by selecting an option from the slide out menu.
- Choose the "Content market" for items such as Kaltura, PlayPosit, Turnitin, and Zoom, as well as links for major e-textbook publishers such as McGraw Hill or Pearson. /wiki/spaces/blackboard01/pages/154390821
Prior to opening the item to students, Journals and Discussions should be set as a graded item, if necessary. If you plan to create Group Assignments or Discussions, we recommend creating these group sets prior to creating the associated content. Please read more about Groups and Group Assignments & Discussions here.
Note to Instructors previous using Blackboard Original courses:
Content is copied in reverse fashion from Original courses. Be sure to precisely follow the instructions below.
To Copy Content:
- Enter the new course where you want the content to appear.
- Select the "Copy Content" option (either within the "Add Content" options or the options menu via the ellipse icon).
- Search for course that contains the content you wish to copy.
- Check the box to select content that Is to be copied. Entire courses or individual items can be copied into your course.
- Search for additional courses if copying content from multiple courses at the same time.
For more ideas and information about course content, visit our creating content and /wiki/spaces/blackboard01/pages/154384915 pages.
Gradebook Setup
While gradebook setup can be performed at any point in your course, it is advisable to work on your gradebook during course setup. This approach minimizes additional work when calculating final grades at the semester's end.
The following settings can be adjusted by clicking the gear icon within the Gradebook section of your course:
Grading categories should match the weighted categories in your syllabus to ensure an accurate overall grade calculation. If using a points-based grading system, grading categories may not be needed to calculate your Overall Grade.
Custom categories should be added before graded items are created. Create custom categories by clicking "Add New Category." Reference the image to the right for default categories that already exist in Blackboard courses.
- Configure your overall grade by selecting the "Set it up" prompt in the gradebook or from inside the Gradebook settings.
- Points, weighted, or an advanced calculation can be used for the overall grade.
- Manual columns can be utilized for items included in your overall grade such as participation or offline submissions
- Add manual items by hovering between two columns and clicking → "Add Item."
- Add manual items by hovering between two columns and clicking
For more information please visit: Overall Grade.
Once inside the Gradebook settings...
- Locate and select "Manage Grade Schemas" within the Gradebook settings.
- Click the " Add" button located in the upper left.
- Edit the rubric's title to your preferred title.
- Click "Add" to save and create a table for the new grade schema.
- Edit the Grade Name and Grade Ranges according to your custom schema
For more detailed instructions, visit our Answers page: Ultra Course - Grade Schemas
Once inside the Gradebook settings...
- Locate the "Course Rubrics" section.
- View previously made rubrics or create new rubrics.
- Click on the black "Create" button to create a new rubric. (For more information on the "Generate" button, see our Answers page on Blackboard's AI Design Assistant.)
- Edit the table according to your custom rubric criteria.
For more detailed instructions, visit our Answers page: Ultra Course - Grading Rubrics.
Utilize progress tracking to monitor student progress in your course. For more information please visit, Progress Tracking. For additional information about the gradebook including additional settings , please visit Ultra Gradebook and Ultra Gradebook Settings. For information about how to apply accommodations for students, exceptions, and exceptions, please visit our answers page Accommodations, Exceptions, and Exemptions.
Course Communication
Blackboard Ultra has multiple ways to communicate with your students. Utilize announcements and messages for communication with students. View due dates and events like office hours conveniently on the course calendar.
Announcements can be used to communicate information with your entire class. Ultra announcements are delivered by pop-up banners upon entering the course or via the Activity Stream. Some faculty opt to create a document in the Content area, serving as a dynamic course information hub akin to the old announcements page, requiring students to check it frequently for updates.
- To add an announcement, click the plus sign .
- Assign a date and time if you wish to schedule the announcement into the future.
- Select the indicated checkbox if you wish to also send the announcement via email.
- Once the announcement is saved, be sure to select "Post" on the announcement draft.
Select the "New Message" button to compose and send a message within the Messages tab of your course.
Messages can be sent to individual students or groups that have been created in the course.
Copies of the message can also be sent via email if the indicated checkbox is selected.
Due dates can be easily viewed on the calendar. Click the Plus sign to add office hours, important events, and the course schedule to the calendar helps students stay organized.
Item visibility
By default, items in an Ultra course are set as "Hidden from students." Prior to opening your course to students, you will need to change this setting to "Visible to students" for any items you wish for student to access.
Visibility settings can be changed on an individual item basis or by "Batch Edit" in the Content options menu.
Release conditions can set the visibility of items for a scheduled date and time. These conditions can also be employed to make items visible to specific group(s) or student(s). Release conditions can be applied to folders and modules if a group of items need to be available simultaneously.
For more information about content visibility and release conditions, visit our Answers page: Ultra Course - Content Visibility and Release Conditions.
Opening Your Course
Once your course is configured, it is ready for students to view.
To open your course:
- If inside of your course, navigate to the “Details and Actions” menu of the Content area
- Locate "Course is private to students"
- Click "Students can't access this course"
- Select "Open course to students"
or
- If outside of your course, navigate to your "Courses " page
- Select the ellipse icon on your course
- Select "Open course"