Ultra Update – December 2024

This release has new or updated features in the following areas: 

  • Instructional design;
  • Communication and collaboration;
  • Learner progression and personalised experience;
  • Flexible grading;
  • Gradebook;
  • Integrations;  

These improvements impact instructors, students, and administrators. Below you’ll find our top highlights, and more detail on the most relevant updates.

Top Highlights

AI Design Assistant: Rubric Generation Improvements

The AI Design Assistant will now generate more complex rubrics more quickly. Instructors can expect better rubric generation, even for long, complicated assessments.

Screenshot of rubric generation screen, showing configurable settings for complexity, rubric type, and a generate button.

Discussion Enhancement: New Post Indicator

A New indicator now displays next to posts and replies that a user has not yet accessed. This helps direct engagement by making new discussion activity easier to find and access. 

Screenshot showing the new post indicator. The word New appears in capital letters and highlighted in purple next to the time the post was made.

Link to Attempt Log Added to Activity Log

You can now go directly to the attempt log for any test or assignment from the activity log by selecting the Attempt Log button associated with the item.

Screenshot showing the activity log, with an attempt log column on the right-hand side. For several items, a selectable icon shows in this column.

Further help and support 

The full release notes for this update can be found here: Release Notes for Learn SaaS | Blackboard Help

For more guidance on using Blackboard Ultra please explore this site Ultra Essential Guidance via the site menu on the right.