Blackboard has been upgraded to another environment called Ultra. The new Ultra Base Navigation includes menu items such as the Institution Page, Profile, Activity Stream, Courses, Organizations, Calendar, Messages, Grades and Tools.
This menu stays visible on the left side of your screen as you move through Blackboard, making navigation easy and consistent.
Profile
On your Blackboard profile page, you can update your personal information and preferences.
There are a few exceptions:
- You cannot change your email address.
- You cannot change your username.
- You can only edit how your name appears to others.
For all other editable fields, just click the pencil icon to make changes.
You can also change your Blackboard password from the Profile tab.
Activity Stream
The new Activity Stream is the former Updates area. It helps keep you up to date with anything new that’s going on in the courses and activities – groups you might be a part of. The flow of new actions from the courses is recorded with a detailed date and time at which you can take them. At the same time, you can go to the respective page of the lesson – an activity that has been updated with a single click by clicking on the new information.
Courses
From the menu at the “Courses” option, you can see the list of your courses and have access to them. Each course card lists the course ID, course title, and the instructor’s name. If your course has multiple instructors, select Multiple Instructors to see them all in one list.
If you don’t see any card, then it is in list mode. If you wish to change it, press above the word “Favorites” the sign with the square and a cross in it.
Organizations
From here, you can access the school’s Societies and other container Services, such as the ACG Health & Wellness Center.
Calendar
View events and due dates for all your courses. Find and navigate the full/general calendar. From the full calendar to the list where your name appears, you can see all your upcoming due dates and appointments in all your courses – all in one place.
Messages
You can send messages to each other, to multiple people, or to the whole class. Message activity remains within the system without using email addresses.
As an instructor, you can quickly message all students about important deadlines and schedule changes. This information also applies to organizations.
Grades
In the list where your name appears, you have access to all grading assignments on the Global Grades page. All your grading assignments are organized by subject. By logging in to the Grades tab, you can observe all the courses you are taking and your grade in each of them. If you select a course title, you’ll see all the assignments you have submitted that you expect to be graded on or have already been graded on.
The courses are displayed together in alphabetical order.
Tools
In the list where your name appears, select Tools to access general features outside of the course. Blackboard tools, available in all courses, can be found on the Tools page, including Content Collection, Portfolios, App Authoring, and Microsoft OneDrive.
Content Collection
Content Gallery replaces the Files area of your course. This is the area where all the files you upload for the course are stored. In Content Collection, you can store, share, and publish digital content in personal and course folders.
Portfolios
With portfolios, you can build your own resume of your skills and share it with others as proof of your skills and future potential. You can organize a collection of items or create more than one portfolio.
Application Authorization
Manage your authorized app integrations with Blackboard. You can revoke access to any app that you don’t want to act on your behalf.
Anthology Course Evaluation
Course feedback to improve teaching and learning
Microsoft OneDrive
Microsoft OneDrive is a cloud-based storage service that allows you to save and access files and folders online anytime. By linking your school email account to your Blackboard account, you can easily upload your files.
OneDrive seamlessly integrates with Blackboard, enabling you to access and upload documents stored in your school’s OneDrive account directly to your Blackboard courses.
To upload files from OneDrive to Blackboard, follow the steps below:
- Save your files to OneDrive. Then, connect your OneDrive account to Blackboard by navigating to the Tools section on the Blackboard homepage. Click on Microsoft OneDrive, and you’ll be prompted to log in and connect your account.
- Access your course. Once connected, go to the Courses page and select the course where you would like to upload your files.
- Upload your files. Within the course, create a new content item or publication for students. When prompted to add files, select Browse Cloud Service and choose the files from your OneDrive.