Blackboard Ultra Course View (UCV)

UToledo has joined peer institutions nationwide in the move to the Blackboard Ultra Course View (UCV). UCV offers improved workflows, intuitive design, mobile optimization, and a more user-friendly course experience for both faculty and students.

Faculty FAQs

Can I still teach in Original?

In short, no. Spring 2025 was the last semester of Original Course View. As of Summer 2025, all new course shells at UToledo are being created in Ultra Course View. You will be able to copy Original course content into Ultra.

will i lose access to blackboard original course view (OCV)?

You will still be able to access and edit past courses in Original through 2026; past courses in Original will revert to read-only in 2027 pending Anthology's sunset date of Blackboard Original.

UCV demos & training

UToledo Online will continue to offer demonstrations and support for transitioning to Ultra throughout the 2025-2026 academic year. Check out our Blackboard Ultra Training Schedule for more information about upcoming demo and training sessions. You will also receive registration information via email.

UCV resources

UToledo Online has developed a collection of resources to assist your teaching experience in Ultra:

Blackboard Ultra Course View (UCV) Quick Start Guide: Learn the basic functionality of tools in Ultra for a quick conversion.
Blackboard Ultra Course View (UCV) Template: Helps you design a new Ultra course from scratch, ensuring a strong start.
Anthology Blackboard Learn Idea Exchange: A hub where faculty and staff can share, discover, and refine ideas for improving teaching and learning experiences in Blackboard Ultra Course View. Note: this is not a UToledo resource, it is a site managed by Anthology/Blackboard.
If you require additional design assistance, please arrange an appointment with your instructional designer.

Student Resources

In addition to faculty resources, UToledo Online has developed a series of student end user guides:

Blackboard Ultra Course View Student FAQ: Provides basic information about the Ultra interface.
Blackboard Ultra Course View Student Screensteps Guide: A comprehensive guide covering all aspects of Ultra.

faculty testimonials

UToledo Online began piloting UCV with a small group of faculty in Summer 2022, with expanded pilots each subsequent semester leading to full adoption in Summer 2025. Here are some testimonials from our pilot faculty:

“Blackboard Ultra has a clean, well-organized user interface that students can easily navigate. Over the past two semesters of using Ultra, my students have enthusiastically embraced it as a significant improvement over Blackboard Original.”
– Jerry Van Hoy, Associate Professor – A&L

“The interface requires some mindset changes, but once you jump in and find your way around, the changes are mostly positive. For example, the gradebook [in UCV]…is easier and more straight forward [to use and manage] than…the classic view.”
– Kevin Gibbs, Senior Lecturer – NSM

“The new course view is refreshing and easy to use and my students find the interface effortless and intuitive. Their favorite tool is student progress tracking, which helps them keep track of the items they have completed in the course and not have to solely rely on notifications or instructor email reminders. That’s one less task for me.”
– Shagufta Sami, Adjunct Instructor – ENG