Blackboard Ultra FAQs

Blackboard Ultra FAQs 

Q: Should I use a folder or learning module to organize my content? 

A: Folders and Learning Modules are both great ways to organize your course materials so that it is easier for students to find what they are looking for. Learning Modules offer additional benefits over folders, however. 

BENEFITS OF FOLDERS AND LEARNING MODULES 

• Both present content in an organized manner for easy navigation 

• Both collapse for a streamlined view of materials 

• Both include a sub-folder (i.e., a folder inside of a folder or a folder inside of a learning module; you cannot nest a learning module inside a learning module, nest a learning module inside of a folder, or nest beyond 2 levels) 

• Both can be used to set overall release conditions to control access to content, such as releasing content on a specific date or to a specific group of students 

• Both can be copied from past courses as a block of materials with all of the contents inside 

BENEFITS OF LEARNING MODULES  

• Students can navigate from one item to the next via forward and back arrows 

• You can enable sequential viewing to require that students view content or complete an assessment before moving to the next item 

• With sequential viewing enabled, the learning module displays checkmarks to show students what they have completed 

LIMITATIONS OF LEARNING MODULES  

• Contents of folders can be copied granularly from one course to another (e.g., you can copy a single file from within a folder) 

• Learning Modules must be copied in their entirety from one course to another (e.g., you must copy the entire learning module and its contents, as opposed to a single item inside of the learning module) 

Q: How do I drop a grade (such as the lowest quiz grade) from my Gradebook in the Ultra Course View? 

A: You can drop one or more grades from a category in the Overall Grade calculation. To do so, you must be calculating the overall grade by categories as opposed to individual items. 

To drop one or more grades: 

1. Go to the Gradebook and edit the Overall Grade calculation. If you have not previously set up the Overall Grade, you will find the option to set it up at the bottom of the list view. 

2. Under Overall Settings to the right, select Grade category weights from the drop-down menu. 

3. Set the appropriate weights for each category. 

4. Click the Add Rule link for the category from which you wish to drop a grade.  

Q: How do I drop a grade (such as the lowest quiz grade) from my Gradebook in the Ultra Course View? 

A: You can drop one or more grades from a category in the Overall Grade calculation. To do so, you must be calculating the overall grade by categories as opposed to individual items. 

To drop one or more grades: 

1. Go to the Gradebook and edit the Overall Grade calculation. If you have not previously set up the Overall Grade, you will find the option to set it up at the bottom of the list view. 

2. Under Overall Settings to the right, select Grade category weights from the drop-down menu. 

3. Set the appropriate weights for each category. 

4. Click the Add Rule link for the category from which you wish to drop a grade.  

5. In the panel on the right, click to Enable the rule, click the radio button to Drop Scores, and enter how many of the highest or lowest scores you wish to drop. 

6. Click Continue at the bottom of the side panel. 

7. Click Save at the bottom of the page. 

Q: Can I convert my course back to the Original Course View if I have confirmed the conversion to the Ultra Course View? 

A: No, once you have previewed your course in the Ultra Course View and then selected the option to keep the Ultra Course View, the conversion is permanent and cannot be reversed. You will be able to preview the course first in the Ultra Course View to determine whether you want to keep the Ultra Course View or return to the Original Course View. If you select to keep the Ultra Course View and then confirm the decision (this requires 2 clicks), the change will be permanent. 

Q: After I convert my course materials from Original to Ultra Course View, why is it so difficult to move content around? 

A: The Ultra Course View only permits 2 levels of course folders. However, when you convert a course from Original to Ultra Course View, the content areas from your course menu become top level folders in the Ultra Course View. If you had more than a single level of folder within a content area, you can end up with three folders nested in the course in the Ultra Course View. This makes it difficult or impossible for you to create new content or move content in the course. 

For example, if you had a content area named "Course Modules", with a folder for each module, and a folder for the activities within that module, that is 3 levels of folder: Course Modules > Module 1 > Activities.  

To make it easier to move and create content in your Ultra course, we recommend moving the second level (e.g., Module 1) out of the top level (Course Modules) folder. Once you have moved them, everything should work as expected.  

If you are still having difficulty moving content with only 2 levels of folders, try moving content with your keyboard instead of drag and drop. 

Q: After I convert my course materials from Original to Ultra Course View, why is it so difficult to move content around? 

A: The Ultra Course View only permits 2 levels of course folders. However, when you convert a course from Original to Ultra Course View, the content areas from your course menu become top level folders in the Ultra Course View. If you had more than a single level of folder within a content area, you can end up with three folders nested in the course in the Ultra Course View. This makes it difficult or impossible for you to create new content or move content in the course. 

For example, if you had a content area named "Course Modules", with a folder for each module, and a folder for the activities within that module, that is 3 levels of folder: Course Modules > Module 1 > Activities.  

To make it easier to move and create content in your Ultra course, we recommend moving the second level (e.g., Module 1) out of the top level (Course Modules) folder. Once you have moved them, everything should work as expected.  

If you are still having difficulty moving content with only 2 levels of folders, try moving content with your keyboard instead of drag and drop. 

Additionally, the role names will be updated as follows for Organizations: 

• Instructor → Leader 

• Course Builder → Organization Builder 

• Teaching Assistant → Assistant  

• Student → Participant