About the Migration

In Winter 2021, Grand Valley began a process of selecting a new learning management system (LMS). Ultimately the decision was made to migrate to Blackboard's Learn Ultra product.

Read an overview about the Migration

Ultra Base Navigation

Learn more about UBN in a webinar. 
These sessions can be found in Sprout.4/12/23, 4/28/23, 5/3/23 (12:00 pm - 1:00pm)

Watch these video overviews of Ultra Base Navigation:

• The Institution Page
• The Profile Page
• The Activity Stream
• Courses and Organizations
• Calendar
• Messages
• Grades
• Blackboard Assist
• The Tools Page

Knowledge Base Articles

• How to Login to the Learning Management System
• Getting Started with Ultra Base Navigation
• Navigating Courses and Organizations in Blackboard Ultra

Ultra Course View

Blackboard Sponsored Training
https://go.blackboard.com/Instructor-webinar-series

Self-Paced Training
All faculty have been enrolled in a Blackboard site named "Blackboard Learn Ultra Self-Paced Training." You can use this site to become familiar with Ultra Course View at your own pace. Faculty can experiment in their Practice Test Course, or request an Ultra Course View template site.

Drop-in Bb Ultra Office Hours 
We have two graduate assistants who are available Monday - Friday (9 - 4) to help with Ultra questions.  Stop by KHS 4450 on the Allendale campus. No appointment is necessary. Daniel Rikkers and Sam Nyarega are ready and eager to help you with Bb Ultra. 

Blackboard Ultra Essentials 
This webinar is recommended for faculty/staff, who are comfortable learning new applications on their own and want to learn the most commonly used features of Blackboard Ultra.  
4/24/23, 4/27/23, 5/9/23, 8/16/23  (11:00 am - noon)
5/1/23, 6/19/23, 8/14/23 (1:00 pm - 2:00 pm)
4/27/23, 6/22/23, 8/10/23 (7:00 pm - 8:00 pm)

Bb Ultra Lunch-and-Learns – Q&A Sessions 
*All sessions begin at 12 noon.  Bring your questions about Bb Ultra.  
4/3/23 4/5/23, 4/11/23, 4/13/23, 4/17/23, 4/19/23, 4/25/23, 4/27/23, 5/2/23, 5/4/23, 5/8/23, 5/10/23

Blackboard Ultra Build-a-thon Sessions
*Webinars are scheduled for 3 hours.  During Zoom sessions, participants will be put in breakout rooms with dedicated members of the eLearning team for guided practice. 
4/11/23                9 am – 12 pm       MAK B-2-226 (Allendale)
4/11/23                1 pm – 3 pm         119E DEV (Pew Campus)
4/12/23                9 am – 12 pm       RFH 404 (Health Campus)
4/13/23                1 pm – 3 pm         DCIH (Health Campus)
4/14/23                9 am – 12 pm       Zoom
4/17/23                1 pm – 4 pm         MAK B-2-226 (Allendale)
4/18/23                9 am – 11 am       119E DEV (Pew Campus)
7/27/23                1 pm – 4 pm         Zoom
8/18/23                9 am – 12 pm       Zoom  

Bb Ultra Show-and-Tell
Want some advice about how to organize your Ultra course?   Come and see how our early Bb Ultra adopters are organizing their courses and teaching in Ultra.
4/13/23 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

5 Steps for Course Design using Blackboard Ultra
This series uses best practices in course design in the most time-efficient process possible. Each webinar will cover pedagogy and strategies, as well as plenty of examples on the following topics for designing and building your course.

Step 1:  Foundational Items
Foundational Items needed for the first step will be discussed (Syllabus, Course Schedule, Learning Objectives, Begin Here/Welcome content, Navigation instruction, and more).
( information on a future date for this session will be released soon )

Step 2:  Assessments
Assessments ideas for student engagement and components available in Ultra will be discussed.
4/18/23 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Step 3:  Activities
Learning activity ideas for student engagement, rubrics, and components available in Ultra will be discussed.
5/9//23     2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Step 4:  Navigation
5/30/23  2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Step 5:  Tech Check
6/20/23 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Blackboard Ultra Special Topics
Using Data in Learn Ultra
(5/11/23 11 am - noon and 6/6/23 1pm - 2pm)
Holding every student accountable and identifying individuals who are falling behind is made easier in the Blackboard Learn Ultra experience. This webinar will focus on the data and analytics that are available throughout your Ultra Course and include an overview of Blackboard’s Assessment and Accreditation solution, EAC Visual Data. During the session, we’ll guide instructors through the assignment analytics, student progress analytics, and course data that will allow you to measure and boost your students’ performance.

Blackboard Ultra Special Topics
Communication Tools
(5/11/23 1pm - 2pm and 8/21/23 10am - 11am)
Learn how to communicate with students in Blackboard Ultra using notifications, messages, discussions, conversations, and announcements.

Blackboard Ultra Special Topics
Gradebook
(5/16/23 2pm - 3pm, 6/29/23 10am - 11am and 8/22/23 10am - 11am)
Learn how to navigate and use the gradebook. You can access grades from Ultra Base Navigation or from the Gradebook tab in a course.

Blackboard Ultra Special Topics
Content Market
(5/18/23 11am - 12 ppm, 7/11/23 2pm - 3pm, and 8/23/23 10am - 11am)
Learn how to utilize course tools from the content market, which include the accessibility report, Google assignments, Panopto videos, quizzes, and assignments, Zoom, Hypothesis, etc.

Visit our eLearning Technologies webinar page to see a complete list of Blackboard Ultra training options. 

Watch short video tutorials about its main features on this video playlist.

Faculty can also browse our list of Ultra Knowledge Base articles.

See our Top 10 Bb Tools which compare Bb Classic vs Bb Ultra features.