UToledo Online

Student Ultra Course View

Introducing Blackboard Learn Ultra: A New Way to Learn

Blackboard Ultra Course View (UCV) is a whole new Blackboard experience. It brings together all the information you need in one place, making it easy for you to connect with your classmates, check your grades, and plan your assignments – all within a sleek, new design. UToledo Online began piloting UCV with a small group of faculty in Summer 2022, with expanded pilots each subsequent semester. Since that time, over 100 faculty have adopted UCV in one or more of their courses. 

While the Blackboard name is the same, UCV is very different from the previous version of Blackboard (sometimes referred to as Blackboard Original). Blackboard Original Course View (OCV) is the classic version of Blackboard currently used for the majority of UToledo courses. UCV has a cleaner and more modern design compared to OCV.

• course content
• calendar
• announcements
• discussions
• gradebook
• messages
• groups

 

 

Course Content is one of the main features of Blackboard Ultra Course View, where students can view course materials such as syllabi, lecture notes, videos, and assignments, and has features for communication and collaboration using discussions and journals.

 

Calendar enables students to keep track of important dates and deadlines specific to the course and view any scheduled meetings or office hours made by instructors. In the Ultra Base Navigation, outside of the course, the calendar will display due dates for all your courses.

 

Announcements is where students can find important updates and information from their instructors. Students can regularly check this page to stay informed about course changes, upcoming deadlines, and other important messages from their instructors.

 

Discussions allow instructors and students to create, view, and respond to discussion topics and threads within a course. When a new reply has been made to a discussion, instructors and students will both see a blue indicator that it has been unread.

 

Gradebook allows students to view their grades, due dates, submission status, and feedback for assignments, tests, quizzes, and other assessments in their course. 

 

Messages provide a platform where instructors and students can send messages to individual students, groups of students, or the entire class, and receive responses. Students should verify the preferred method of communication with their instructor as some instructors prefer to use their @utoledo.edu email address to communicate instead of using the Blackboard Messages tool.  

 

Groups is where students can access information and resources related to group work in their course. Students can use this tab to collaborate with group members, access group assignments, and group communication. .

Students enjoy enhanced features and tools in UCV:

• Most common document types can be viewed directly inside the course such as PDFs, Word, and PowerPoint files.
• Accessibility options, such as high-contrast mode, keyboard navigation, and screen reader support make it easier to access course materials.
• UCV offers an improved mobile experience.
• Static menus provide consistent navigation with fewer clicks.