What’s New

Get Ultra-Ready: Access comprehensive training & support

Optimize your success with multiple Ultra resources

As UMBC gears up to fully adopt Blackboard Ultra by the Spring 2025 term, multiple training and support resources are available to help instructors become familiar with Ultra and successfully...

Posted: May 1, 2023, 3:53 PM

SU2023 Courses Created in Blackboard on April 27, 2023

Blackboard course shells for SU2023 were created on April 27, 2023. UMBC is committed to providing a consistent learning experience for everyone. The Ultra Course Preview setting is again enabled...

Posted: April 27, 2023, 11:18 AM

Copy test questions to Ultra question banks in May update

Additional improvements for grading, outreach, assessments

As the spring semester concludes, the May update to Ultra brings several enhancements to assessments, grading, engagement, and content creation.  Test questions are some of the most valuable...

Posted: April 27, 2023, 10:26 AM

From Syllabi to Textbooks - Accessibility in OER

Apply as a team by May 1st to participate

From Syllabi to Textbooks - Accessibility in Open Educational Resources for Institutions of Higher Education A series of 3 no-cost intensives designed to build capacity in IHE teams...

Posted: April 25, 2023, 4:38 PM

DoIT to retain Collaborate recordings for 12 months

Recordings made before July 1, 2023 to be retired

Synchronous engagement tools provide platforms for instructors and students to meet during online, hybrid, and hyflex class sessions. Many courses record these live sessions to provide a lecture...

Posted: April 11, 2023, 11:13 AM

Call for Participation: M.O.S.T. OER Virtual Showcase

Submit a proposal by Friday, April 14th at 11:59pm

Faculty, staff, and students who have created openly licensed instructional and learning materials are invited to propose sessions for the M.O.S.T. OER Creation Virtual Showcase, taking place via...

Posted: April 10, 2023, 4:57 PM

Respondus Helps Curtail Cheating while Protecting Privacy

Supported tools to address your high stakes assessment needs

As technology continues to advance, traditional classroom practices are enhanced with technologies. In-class assessments that used to take up valuable time are often administered through...

Posted: April 10, 2023, 8:57 AM

Search Ultra content & set up multiple grade schema in April

Updated functionality supports improved grading workflows

A grading schema provides a way for an instructor to establish how a grade is calculated and appears to learners. A schema takes points scored on an assessment and compares it to the chart, which...

Posted: March 30, 2023, 3:17 PM

Course Accessibility to Support All Learners

Technologies to support equitable access to course content

DoIT and Student Disability Services hosted a "Candid Conversation on Enhancing Accessibility" on March 15th. The session highlighted ways that course accessibility benefits all students and...

Posted: March 27, 2023, 9:17 AM

March streamlines multiple-attempts for ease of grading

New functionality enhances Ultra courses in time for SP2023

The March update to Ultra streamlines the grading interface for multiple attempts in a student's submission. This update reduces the number of clicks and pages, allowing instructors to quickly...

Posted: March 6, 2023, 11:40 AM