Faculty Need to Transition Courses to Blackboard Learn Ultra by May 12

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The Office of the Provost, IT Services and Teaching Innovation and Pedagogical Support (TIPS) request that faculty transition all courses to Blackboard Learn Ultra by May 12. Blackboard Original will not be available for fall 2024 classes and beyond.

Earlier this month, fall 2024 Blackboard courses became available to faculty in the new Blackboard Ultra interface. However, faculty will still need to create or move course content (including syllabi, videos and class materials, etc.) into Blackboard Ultra if they haven't done so already.

The new Blackboard Ultra interface is different from Blackboard Original, and some users may need extra time to set up their fall classes. TIPS has developed several resources to help faculty move their course content into Blackboard Ultra by the end of the spring semester. Faculty can start moving course content now by following these five steps: 

1. Look at your new fall 2024 course shells in Blackboard Ultra, and familiarize yourself with the Blackboard Ultra interface.  Please note, the default view for the Courses area is "Current Courses." To view future courses, instructors will need to select "Fall 2024 [1249]" in the drop-down menu.
2. Attend a Blackboard Ultra Monday session or learn with the self-paced Blackboard Ultra Basics interactive tutorial if you need help with navigation and understanding how it all works. 
3. Create content in your new course shell or copy content over from a previous course. 
4. Ask a Blackboard Ultra ambassador in your department for their advice and support. 
5. Get personalized help through a two-hour mini bootcamp or a one-hour TIPS consultation. 

Additionally, faculty can follow these tips to ensure a smooth transition to Blackboard Ultra: 

1. Get started now! If you wait until August to learn how to use Blackboard Ultra, you may encounter long wait times for support. 
2. Keep an open mind. Many features from Blackboard Original exist in Blackboard Ultra but will probably be in a different location or have a different name. Use tips.uark.edu to search for helpful articles or reach out to bbhelp@uark.edu for immediate assistance. 
3. Reach out to Global Campus, if you teach an online course and haven't heard from your instructional designer. Global Campus is already working on communicating with online instructors and getting courses converted to Blackboard Ultra.  
4. Go to tips.uark.edu/ultra to read more articles, watch the Blackboard Ultra video series and sign up for other workshops.    

For more information, visit tips.uark.edu/ultra or email tips@uark.edu.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.