Add Content

The editor is available in most areas where text can be added. You can use it to add and format text, embed images, attach files, and insert equations, links, and tables.

Add Media

You can utilize the “Insert Media” option to add media and Office 365 files directly into the editor. The editor automatically embeds the media alongside your other content. This allows students to view the media, such as videos, within the same window—there's no need to navigate to the media's website.

To add any type of media:

• In the editor, select Insert Content - the plus button -> Media.
• Paste the source URL from the site.
• Add alternative text that describes the item for people who use screen readers or may not be able to load the content.
• Select Insert.
• The item automatically embeds in the editor.

Insert Images

In some areas of a course, you can add images from the content editor functions along with text content. The images can be hosted online or uploaded from your local drive. You can directly insert images into the text editor by selecting the Image button. Again, you can select whether the viewers can only see or download the image.

Note: Only JPEG and PNG files can be uploaded into the text editor.

Math Editor

You can insert math equations and formulas into tests, assignments, discussions, and journals by using the math editor. Access the math editor by selecting the + icon in the rich text editor. Select “Math” in the menu. You can access many features in the math editor by selecting different tabs at the top.

Use your keyboard to enter numbers, letters, and symbols. Select the appropriate icon in the math editor to create complex formulas, such as creating a square root.

Some of the options for building formulas in the math editor include:

• Basic operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, square roots, exponents, fractions
• Greek alphabet: alpha, beta, gamma, and others
• Matrix calculus
• Integrals, derivatives, and limits
• Trigonometric functions: sine (sin), cosine (cos), tangent (tan)
• Font styles and sizes

Learning modules help structure course content in a clear and organized way, enabling students to progress from one item to the next without distractions. They are particularly effective for textbook-based courses or structured materials, as they group content to align with the pace of your curriculum.

You can use modules to support specific course objectives or concepts. This could involve setting a sequence that guides students step by step, or allowing for flexible exploration when the order of content doesn’t affect understanding, such as with a collection of images or descriptions.

Create a Learning Module

To create a learning module and add content, go to the Course Content page. You can drag in existing content or use the plus icon to add new material directly into the module.

Learning modules can include:

• Documents
• Files
• Tests and assignments
• Folders
• Multimedia
• Links to websites, discussions, and journals

Click the plus sign where you want to place the learning module. In the menu, choose "Create" to open the Create Item panel, then select "Learning Module."

Enter a name, an optional description, and set visibility for the module. To control whether students access the module’s content sequentially, choose Conditional availability under visibility settings.

You can enrich the module with interactive elements like assignments, group projects, and collaboration tools. For example, add assignments for practical application of concepts, or discussions for students to share ideas and brainstorm on module topics.

Auto-Generate Learning Modules

If you're seeking guidance on course design, the AI Design Assistant can help you structure your course by generating learning modules based on the course title and description. To get started, select Auto-Generate Modules within your course.

The Auto-Generate Modules panel will appear, displaying each generated module with a suggested name and description. There are multiple ways to tailor the learning modules generated by the AI Design Assistant:

• Add a description (up to 2000 characters) to refine the modules' focus. You can use the course's syllabus catalog description.
• Choose a prefix for module titles (by Week, Topic, Unit, Chapter, Module).
• Decide if you’d like to include AI-generated images for the modules.
• Adjust the focus complexity of the modules.
• Select the desired number of modules to create.
• Expand Advanced options to set a different output language.

You can choose specific course items to provide the AI Design Assistant with additional context when creating learning modules. Select "Select course items" if you have already added materials to your course, such as files, discussions, documents, or other content. These items will help shape the module's structure.

 Note: Auto-generated modules offer only a framework and do not include actual content.

Click Generate to get the results. You can select the modules you wish to add to your course.

Customize the Appearance of Your Learning Module

You have the option to add an image to your learning module for better visual appeal. To begin, click the three dots next to the learning module on your course content page and select Edit to open the editing panel.

Scroll down to locate the Image section.

• Select a Meaningful Image: Choose an attractive image that represents your learning module well. An image adds a visual identity to your course, helping students easily identify the module.
• Upload the Image: Click the image icon in the edit panel to upload your selected image. Both JPEG and PNG formats are accepted.
• Preview the Image: After uploading, a preview will appear. Click Next to proceed, or select the trash icon to cancel the upload.
• Adjust the Image Position: You can use a slider to zoom in or out and drag to adjust which parts of the image are visible in the learning module. Click Save to continue.
• Image Upload: The image will be uploaded to your learning module, which may take a few seconds depending on your internet connection.
• Accessibility Settings: By default, images are marked as decorative, which hides them from students using assistive technologies. If you want all students to understand the image's content, uncheck the option to mark it as decorative and provide a description in the Alternative text field.
• Finalize Your Image: Click Save to enable the image for your learning module.

On the Course Content page, you can create a document or page to present a combination of content.

Select the plus sign wherever you want to add a document. In the menu, select “Create” to open the Create Item panel and select “Document”. The New Document page opens.

You can also expand or create a folder or learning module and add a document.

• The Content block
  You can add content via the content editor.
   
• HTML block
  You can add content via HTML or CSS in the Document.
   
• Knowledge check block
  You can add a knowledge check.  A Knowledge check tests students' comprehension of a document by asking a multiple-choice or multiple-answer question.
   
• File upload block
  Browse for files on the local machine to upload to the Document.
   
• Cloud upload block
  Log in to OneDrive with your ACG Email user account and select a file to add to the Document.
   
• Content Collection block
  Browse the Content Collection and select a file to add to the Document.
   
• Image block
  You can add an image by uploading it from your device.
   
• Divider block
  You can add a resizable divider between blocks.
   
• Convert a file block
  Browse for files on your local machine. Once selected, the system converts the file into the Document format. Supported file types include PDF, PowerPoint (ppt, pptx, pps), and Word (doc, docx, odt). Converted content should be reviewed for accuracy. 

Edit, reorder, and delete Documents

You can make changes to existing documents and change where they appear on your Course Content page. Select the row of the document you wish to move and drag it to a new location. You can also move a document into an expanded folder.

• Tab to an item's three-dot button.
• Press Delete or Edit to activate either of those modes.
• Drag and drop the document to choose your preferred location.

A course link is a shortcut to an existing area, tool, or item in a course. Add course links next to relevant course materials to enrich student experience.

For example, you may want students to revisit an earlier reading assignment to reinforce their learning before a quiz. Course links provide access to target content without extra scrolling and clicking to find the target item’s original location.

When you create a course link, it appears on the Course Content page as a link symbol over the target item’s icon.

To add a link, select “Create” by selecting the plus option on the Course Content page where you want your link to appear. This opens the Create Item panel. Select the “Link” option.

This opens a New Link page with two tabs:

• Create Web Link - for linking to websites external to a course
• Create Course Link - for linking to content within a course

Select the Create Course Link tab to add a course link.

Web links: Web links enable users to access content located outside of your course. Use a web link to link to a website you want students to access alongside other materials in your course. For example, you may want to direct students to an external dictionary or thesaurus to use during a writing assignment.

Tests in Blackboard help instructors evaluate student learning through a variety of question types and settings.

You can create tests alongside the other content students need as they prepare. On the Course Content page, select the plus sign wherever you want to add a test. In the menu, select “Create” to open the Create Item panel and select “Test”. The New Test page opens.

Test Visibility

Students can't see a test until you choose to show it. You can create all your content ahead of time and choose what you want students to see based on your schedule. You can also set availability conditions based on date, time, and performance on other items in the course gradebook. On the Course Content page, students can see when you set the test to show.

You can create assignments alongside other content. This enables students to access their work next to the content they need, right when they need it. 

When you create an assignment, you can: 

• add assignment instructions and content
• control assignment visibility to students
• apply assignment settings

Forms can be used in various situations to get feedback from your students. You can use a form to place students in a clinical experience or learn about their interests and opinions.

The following question types are supported in a form:

• Essay question
• Likert question
• Multiple Choice question
• True/False question
• Text
• Local File
• File from Cloud Storage

Create a cloud collaboration

Collaborative documents allow students to interact with one another and engage with course content. As an instructor, you can create a Microsoft OneDrive collaborative document directly from Ultra.

Supported file types for collaborative documents include:

• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft PowerPoint

To create a collaborative document:

• On your Course Content page, click the plus sign and select “Create”. The Create Item panel will open.
• Choose “Cloud Collaboration”.

You may need to sign in to your Microsoft account to proceed.

A new panel will open, where you can create a new collaborative document. Choose the file type you want to create, or select an existing document as a template. You can then add a title and description to guide your students on their assignment.

When assigning students as collaborators, they will see an “Edit” button. Upon selecting “Edit”, they can begin collaborating on the document. They may need to sign in with a Microsoft account to do so. Any existing “OneDrive” files linked to your course will remain unchanged and will be read-only for students.

Discussions foster critical thinking and the exchange of ideas among students. You can create discussions tied to specific course lessons or for the course as a whole. Once a discussion begins, you can participate by posting your own responses to guide and engage students.

Tips for Successful Online Discussions

Foster a sense of community and engagement in your online discussions with these four steps:

• Set Participation Guidelines: Define expectations for behavior, etiquette, and grading. Model proper interaction and publicly recognize positive contributions.
   
• Ask Engaging Questions: Use multimedia, like YouTube clips, to make questions more dynamic and interactive.
   
• Promote Diverse Perspectives: To avoid repetitive responses, assign groups to explore opposing viewpoints.
   
• Guide the Conversation: Stay active in the discussion. Seek clarification, encourage silent participants, and request additional resources.

Creating Discussions in Your Course

Discussions can be created in two ways:

1. From the Course Content Page:

• Select the plus (+) button on the page.
• Find the option to create a discussion under “Participation and Engagement” - you may need to scroll to locate it.

2. From the Discussions Page:

• Click the “New Discussion” button at the top of the page.

Organizing Discussions

To manage multiple discussions or guide students through content, create folders.

Use the “Add Folder” option, then either create new discussions within the folder or drag existing discussions into it.

Discussion Settings

Customize discussions to fit your needs using the Discussion Settings panel.

General Settings

• Display on Course Content page: By default, discussions appear on the Course Content page. Deselect this to make them visible only on the Discussions page.
   
• Post first: Hide discussion activity until students post their initial responses. Enable this before assigning groups.
   
• Prevent editing: Stop students from editing posts after submission.
   
• Allow Anonymous responses and replies: Enable anonymous replies for open sharing of ideas.   
  Note: Anonymous discussions cannot be graded.
   
• Grade discussion: Assign grades to encourage quality contributions. Set due dates and maximum points for posts.
   
• Goals & standards: Attach institutional goals to discussions for tracking progress (not currently in use).
   
• Group discussion: Assign students to discussion groups for focused conversations or specific topics.
  
  

Journals provide students a private space to communicate with you and reflect on their learning. They can share opinions, analyze course material, or document challenges and solutions.

You can assign broad, student-led journals for self-reflection or focused, instructor-directed journals with specific topics. Journals are ideal for individual projects, such as creative writing, where students can refine their work over time with your feedback. Students can also add comments to their own entries to continue the dialogue.

Create a Journal

To create a journal, go to the Course Content page and click the plus sign in the location you would like to add it. Select “Create”, then scroll to the Journal button in the Create Item panel.

Give the journal a clear title to help students identify it. If no title is added, it will default to "New Journal" plus the date.
 

Add a prompt to provide guidelines and expectations. Use the editor options to format text, attach files, or include multimedia. If no prompt is added, a default message will inform students that instructions are missing.

By default, journals are hidden. You must make them available before students can access them. You can also set availability based on date, time, or performance on other course items.

In the Journal Settings panel, you can choose whether students can edit or delete entries and comments. You can assign a grade to encourage thoughtful contributions. Graded journals offer additional settings options.

You can create AI conversations centered on a specific topic or scenario to engage your students. These conversations may involve Socratic questioning and role-playing exercises, allowing students to explore and reflect on their own thoughts or simulate situations related to their learning or career paths.

An AI Conversation activity consists of two key elements:

1. AI Conversation: Students are prompted to engage critically with a topic curated by the instructor.
2. Reflection Question: Students are encouraged to share their insights about the activity.

Access AI Conversation

• Select the plus button, then Create on the Course Content page.
• Select AI Conversation within the Participation and Engagement section of the Create Item menu.

Customize Your AI Conversation

• Give a title for the AI conversation.
• Define the AI Conversation Settings.
• Provide a topic:
  • Enter an open-ended topic in the content field.
  • Ensure the topic encourages critical thinking and does not have a definitive answer.

Define the AI Persona

Select or create an avatar for the AI persona.

Options include:

• Uploading your own image.
• Using an image from Unsplash.
• Generating an AI-generated avatar.

Enter details for the persona, including:

• Name.
• Occupation, personality traits, or mood.
• Adjust the persona’s response complexity if needed.
• Carefully choose personality traits to shape appropriate and unbiased interactions.
• Preview the conversation to ensure accuracy and appropriateness.

Generate AI Conversations

To generate a conversation, select “Auto-generate conversation” when you first create it.

• Enter a description to narrow the focus of the conversation
• Select the conversation type:
  • Socratic questioning
  • Role-play
  • Inspire me! provides conversations of both types
• Adjust the complexity of the AI Conversation
• Select whether or not you want to generate a title

Optionally, you can select which course items you’d like to provide context for AI Conversations. Select “Select course items” to start.

• Select any course content item to include it in the context for your discussion.
• You can select a folder or learning module to include items. When you’ve finished choosing items for context, select “Select items” to return to question generation.
• Once you’ve finalized your settings, select “Generate”.
• Review each AI Conversation for accuracy and bias.
• Choose the AI Conversation you’d like to add to your course, then select Add.

Upon finishing, remember to click Save.