Blackboard Ultra

While both versions of Blackboard are effective teaching platforms, we recommend using Ultra for any new or redesigned content. The learning curve for Ultra is lower and the course building process is more streamlined. Blackboard Ultra is also designed with mobile devices in mind, so the interface is more accessible for students using phones or tablets.

Instructors can convert their course to Ultra using the steps below:

1. Upon entering your course, click the orange pencil icon on the top right corner of the screen.

You can create a development course where you can experiment with Ultra or copy materials from a previous course to update. 

If you are listed as the instructor in both courses involved, you can copy an Original course into an Ultra course. You will notice a new layout but most features in Blackboard Ultra function the same as they would in Original. 

If you are not listed as the instructor of both courses involved in a course copy, a course export and import will be required. The instructor of the course being copied can export their course as a zip file and send it to the instructor who will import the zip file into their own course. You can import a course in Ultra by navigating to Course Content, clicking on the three dots on the right side of the screen, and selecting Import Content.

If you have any questions about importing and exporting a course, reach out to the ITL at itl@gwu.edu or 202-486-0485.

You can view your roster on the Details and Actions menu on the right side of your Course Content Area. Click View everyone in your course to view your students. To access the GW photo roster, visit 

You can add a TA by accessing the Books and Course Tools tab followed by the More Tools (GW) option. You can follow step-by-step instructions here: 

Yes, you can request textbooks by using the Follett Discover tool in any of your Blackboard courses; you do not need to go through a specific course. To access the Follett Discover Tool in Blackboard Ultra:

1. Navigate to any Blackboard Ultra course Books and Course Tools tab.
2. Click on Follett Discover. 

For questions about Follett Discover, contact the GW Bookstore. 

Yes, just as you can in Original, you can view the course from a student’s perspective by using Student Preview. This feature allows you to experience your course with a “preview user” account that can view content, submit assessments, and receive grades. 

Below are the steps for navigating your course as a student:

1. Click the Student Preview Mode icon located near the top-right corner of your course and select Start Student Preview on the popup that appears.
2. Navigate the course as a student, and complete the desired activity (e.g., submit an Assignment, take a Test, view grades).
3. When you are finished, click Exit  at the top of your screen.
4. Choose to either save or discard the preview user before exiting the session by selecting Save or Discard.

If you choose to Keep the preview user and all data, you can return to Instructor Mode and view the activity of YourUsername_PreviewUser in the course such as Assignment submissions and Test results just as you would do for other students.

Additional Resources:

• Learn more about using Student Preview (external link)

For Blackboard assistance, students can consult the Student Blackboard FAQs or contact GW Information Technology at (202) 994-4948.

Additional Resources:

• Blackboard’s Online Support for Students (external link)

You can add content to Blackboard Ultra in a few different ways, but the most common way is to use the Documents feature. Documents in Blackboard Ultra allow you to add a variety of items, including files, text, weblinks, and media, all to one page.

 Additional Resources:

• Add Content to Blackboard Ultra (172.74 KB)

• Learn more about Documents in Blackboard Ultra (external link)

If you would like to upload video files to your course, we recommend first uploading your files to Echo360 and then linking them to your Blackboard course. You can access Echo360 in Ultra in More Tools (GW). 

For more information about using Echo360:

• Learn more about Echo360 at GW

Yes, you can restrict access to course content using a feature in Blackboard Ultra called Release Conditions. This feature allows you to restrict access to content based on dates, group membership, or work completed.

Learn more about Release Conditions (external link)

Blackboard Announcements are an ideal way to post timely information critical to course success such as assignment due dates, exam schedules, changes to the syllabus, and other corrections or clarifications of materials.

You can add, edit, and delete announcements from the Announcements page. When you add an announcement, you can also send it as an email to everyone in your course, so students receive the announcement even if they don't log into your course.

1. Click the Announcements tab on the top course menu.
2. Select the plus sign in the top right.
3. In the Title box, type a subject for your message, which appears as the announcement's title on the Announcements page.
4. In the Message box, type the body of your message.
5. Optionally, select the Send an Email Copy to Recipients check box to send an email with the announcement to all course members, including students, instructors, and teaching assistants. Note: if you schedule the Announcement to post later, it will not send a corresponding email.
6. Optionally, select the  Schedule Message check box to release the announcement at a specific time.
7. Select Post to finish or Save as Draft to save your work and finish later.

 Learn more about course announcements (external link)

Email can be sent to all course users as well as to specific users or groups in Ultra using the Message tool. Messages are delivered to recipients' GW email addresses (@gwu.edu).

To send a message: 

1. Select Messages on the top menu above the Course Content Area in your Ultra Course.
2. Click Send Message.
3. Click on the Recipient box and either enter a user’s name or select an option such as All Users.
4. Optionally, check the box next to Allow replies to this message.
5. Enter text in the Message box.
6. Click Send. A copy of the message will be sent to your GW email inbox.

 Learn more about messages in Blackboard Ultra (external link)

To begin using the asynchronous online discussion board tool:

1. Select Discussions on the top menu above the Course Content Area.
2. Click New Discussion.

Additional Resources:

• Set Up a Discussion in Ultra (270.05 KB)

• Blackboard Ultra: Create Discussions (external link)

You can schedule Zoom meetings directly in Blackboard Ultra  using Blackboard’s Zoom integration tool. To get started:

1. On the Course Content Area, click on the plus sign where you would like to add your Zoom link on the page.
2. On the dropdown menu that appears, select Content Market.
3. On the Content Market page, click on the small plus sign on the Zoom Meeting box.
4. A link labeled Zoom Meeting will appear in your Course Content Area. Click on Zoom Meeting to schedule upcoming meetings.

You can use the Assignment Tool to allow students to upload documents to Blackboard, which then can be viewed and downloaded in the Gradebook. To begin:

1. Click on the plus sign on the Course Content Area page where you would like to add the Assignment.
2. Select Create.
3. Select Assignment on the side panel that appears.
4. Enter, at minimum, a Name and Points Possible.
5. Click on the Hidden from students box and select Visible to students to make the Assignment available to students.

After a student successfully submits their work, a message will appear on the page confirming their submission. They will also receive a confirmation email with this information

Additional Resources:

• Creating Assignments in Ultra.pdf (260.39 KB)

• Learn more about Blackboard Ultra Assignments (external link)

Yes, you can create quizzes and tests using the Test tool in Blackboard Ultra.

1. Click on the plus sign on the Course Content Area page where you would like to add the Assignment.
2. Select Create.
3. Select Test on the side panel that appears.
4. Enter the name of the Test at the top of the page.
5. Click on the plus sign at the center of the page to select a question type.
6. After you have added your questions, adjust the Test Settings on the side panel.
7. Click on the Hidden from students box and select Visible to students to make the Test available to students.

Additional Resources:

• Creating and Administering Tests in Blackboard Ultra.pdf (352.36 KB)

• Learn more about Tests in Blackboard Ultra (external link)

You can build a grading rubric directly in Blackboard Ultra and add it to assignments. 

To build a rubric:

1. Click on Gradebook on the top menu.
2. Select the Grades tab.
3. Click on the Settings icon in the upper right corner.
4. On the side panel that appears, scroll down to Course Rubrics and click Create.
5. Give the rubric a name and enter the appropriate criteria and corresponding values.
6. Click Save.

To add a rubric to an Assignment:

1. Click on the Assignment to which you would like to add a rubric. Note: rubrics can only be added if no student work has been graded for the Assignment.
2. Click on the gear icon across from Assignment Settings.
3. On the panel that appears, under Additional Tools, select Add grading rubric.
4. Click Add next to the grading rubric you would like to use.
5. Click Save.

Additional Resources:

• Creating Rubrics in Blackboard Ultra (external link)

• Video: Rubrics in Blackboard Ultra (external link)

You can adjust assessment parameters such as due dates, availability settings, and time allowed for individual students. Accommodations apply to all assessments for a student and exceptions and exemptions are applied to individual assessments. Exceptions refer to adjustments to due dates and time allowed, while exemptions excuse a student from participating in an assessment.

 To grant an accommodation:

1. Click on Gradebook on the top menu.
2. Click on the Students tab.
3. Click on the name of the student for which you would like to grant an accommodation.
4. Click Accommodations in the upper right corner of the page.
5. Select the check boxes next to Due date accommodations and Time limit accommodations depending on the student’s needs. If Time limit accommodations is selected, specify the amount of extra time required.
6. Click Save.

To grant an exception or exemption:

1. Click on Gradebook on the top menu.
2. Click on the Grades tab.
3. Click on the box across for the student’s name in the appropriate Gradebook column.
4. Select Add or Edit Exceptions or Add or Edit Exemptions.
5. Specify the assessment exceptions or exemptions on the side panel and click Save.

Additional Resources:

• Make Accommodations in Blackboard Ultra (external link)

• Grant Exceptions and Exemptions in Blackboard Ultra (external link)

Student submissions appear in the Gradebook. You can find submissions by student or by assignment by clicking on either the Students or Grades tab in the Gradebook. You can also see a full list of assignments that need grading in the Needs Grading and Overview tabs. 

To grade student submissions, you can follow our step-by-step guide: 

Additional Resources:

• Blackboard Ultra Gradebook Basics.pdf (263.46 KB)

• Blackboard: Overview of the Ultra Gradebook (external link)

The Gradebook in Blackboard Ultra includes an Overall Grade column that can display students’ grades according to points, percentages, or letters. To set up your Overall Grade: 

1. Navigate to the Gradebook and click on the Grades tab.
2. On the right side of the page, under Set up the overall grade, click Set it up.
3. On the following page, select whether the column should be calculated as points, weighted (percentage), or advanced (calculated using a custom formula).
4. Click Next.
5. On the following page, select which columns should be included as part of students’ overall grades and, if necessary, adjust each column’s respective grade weight.
6. Choose how you would like the grades to be displayed on the right side of the page.
7. Click Save.

Learn more about the Overall Grade column. (external link)

You can also put assessments into Categories to apply specific grade weights to each group of assessments. Learn more about Blackboard Ultra Categories.

 Additional Resources:

• Blackboard Ultra Gradebook Basics.pdf (263.46 KB)

• Blackboard: Overview of the Ultra Gradebook (external link)

• Blackboard Ultra: Grading Schemas (external link)

Yes, you can set up your Gradebook to assign automatic zeros after due dates have passed. 

1. Navigate to the Gradebook and click on the Grades tab.
2. Click on the settings gear icon on the right side of the page.
3. Under Automatic Zeros, check the box next to Assign zeros for past due work.

Additional Resources:

• Blackboard Ultra Gradebook Basics.pdf (263.46 KB)

• Blackboard: Overview of the Ultra Gradebook (external link)

Yes, you can send your final grades to GWeb by using the Send Grades to GWeb Tool. 

1. Set up your Overall Grade Column to calculate your students’ final grades. Note: grades can only be pushed from the Overall Grade Column.
2. Navigate to Course Content and click on Books & Tools on the right side of the page.
3. Click on Send grades to GWeb.
4. On the following page, ensure that all of the grades displayed are accurate and add any incompletes if necessary.
5. If everything is correct, click Submit.

Additional Resources:

• Submitting Final Grades from Blackboard Ultra to GWeb (393.67 KB)