An Ultra Extravaganza – The Remix

An Ultra Extravaganza – The Remix, is set for Tuesday, April 1. Members of the Anthology Customer Success Team, Edgar Gonzalez and Danny Frank,  will be on campus to assist with delivering the latest and greatest information about Blackboard Learn Ultra to USI faculty and others!

All sessions will be held in WA I; swag will be available, and light refreshments will be served. If your schedule does not allow you to attend sessions in person, all sessions will be recorded and posted to the Blackboard Learn Ultra Upgrade website.

Fall course shells will be available to faculty by the April 1 event, so even if you are not teaching this summer, you will be able to dive right in! Please take a look at the schedule for the day’s events and join the sessions sounds interesting to you. No registration necessary!

9-10:15 a.m.: Ultra 201: Deep Dive into Course Design and Document Creation

This session will provide a brief refresher on the basic functions of Blackboard Ultra for those new to the platform, while also exploring some best practices in course design. Topics will include the differences between Modules and Folders, as well as an in-depth look at using Documents to create engaging and interactive content. 

10:30-11:45 a.m.: Set up and Manage Gradebook, Groups, and Assignments

This session will cover how to create various types of assignments, setting up grading criteria and rubrics, and effectively using groups. We'll also explore different grading methods, how to align assignments with these options, configure the overall grade, and dive into advanced features and settings for a more streamlined grading experience.

1:15-2:30 p.m.: AI Design Assistant: Features, Examples, and Use Cases

This session will provide an in-depth exploration of the AI Assistant, highlighting new features, upcoming updates, and practical examples of how to use AI tools within the Ultra interface. Faculty will have the opportunity to share ideas and collaborate with colleagues on the best ways to incorporate these modern AI features into their teaching.

2:45-4 p.m.: Roadmap and Q&A

The Anthology Team will address a series of questions and issues submitted by the campus community, offering solutions and insights. They will also be available to answer any questions you have and provide an update on the new and exciting features coming soon!

Don’t forget, the Blackboard Team is available at 2 p.m. every Tuesday in the Rice Library, Lab A and at 10 a.m. every Friday via Zoom (Meeting ID: 986 3696 4585) to assist with your Blackboard Ultra needs. You can also reach out to schedule one on one sessions with members of your Blackboard Team.

While your Fall courses will be delivered to you in the Ultra interface, you will need to request that your summer courses be converted from Original to Ultra if you would like to do so. You can make that request by using the Request Form for Ultra Course Conversions.