Original Course vs Ultra Course feature comparison table

The following list of features is accurate as of Learn SaaS release 3900.91.0 released 3 May 2024.

Overview of Ultra vs Original features

Ultra vs Original features

New features

Progress tracking for students and staff
Class 'Conversations' collaborative tool for documents and assignments
Course content search function
Batch editing
Analytics

Changed features

Test question types:
- Either/or question type (Merged into Multiple Choice question type)
- File response question type (Merged into Essay question type)
- Fill in multiple blanks question type (Merged into Fill in the blank question type)
- Multiple answer question type (Merged into Multiple Choice question type)
- Short answer question type (Merged into Essay question type)
Forms (previously Surveys)
Gradebook (previously Grade Centre)
Gradebook filters (previously Smart Views)
HTML editor
Messages (previously email)
Release conditions (previously Adaptive release)

Features in development

Blogs
Gradebook text columns
Test: Jumbled sentence question type

Discontinued features

Contacts (Can be built using the document content type)
Custom HTML in text editor
Glossary (Can be built using the document content type)
Course Structures
Course Themes
Guest Access
Mashup: Flickr
Mashup: Slideshare
Test: Ordering and Quiz Bowl question types
Tasks
Wikis

Content tools

Feature name	Original Course	Ultra Course	Notes	More information
Achievements	Yes	No	Achievements are planned for inclusion in Ultra Courses. Not currently used at UQ.
Adaptive Release	Yes	Yes	Called Release Conditions in Ultra courses. Options available include: Date and time, force sequence (within Learning Modules) performance-based release conditions by users and groups	More information
Add a blank page	Yes	Yes	Blank pages are called documents in Ultra	More information
Add item or page	Yes	Yes	Same as above	More information
Ally	Yes	Yes	Not currently used at UQ
Batch (Bulk) Edit	No	Yes		More information
Banner Image	Yes	Yes		More information
Contacts	Yes	No	Use a document for adding staff information within your course	More information
Content Collection	Yes	Yes		More information
Content Editor	Yes	Yes		More information
Course Builder Role	Yes	Yes		More information
Course Link	Yes	Yes		More information
Course Structures	Yes	No
Course Themes	Yes	No
Display one question at a time	Yes	Yes
Dropping grades	Yes	Yes
Email	Yes	Yes	Called Messages in Ultra courses	More information
Files	Yes	Yes		More information
Folders	Yes	Yes	Ultra courses only allows for a maximum nested folder depth of 2 with level 3 restricted to content.	More information
Glossary	Yes	No	In Ultra courses this can be created using the document content type	More information
Goals	Yes	Yes	Called Goals and Standards in Ultra courses	More information
HTML (embed)	Yes	Yes	Available via the Add HTML option in a document and is purely for HTML code only.	More information
HTML (text editor)	Yes	No	The Vendor's focus is on improved accessibility of content In Ultra courses so HTML is restricted in Ultra and is not available in the text editor.
Items	Yes	Yes	Items are replaced by documents in Ultra	More information
Learning Modules	Yes	Yes		More information
Mashup: Flickr	Yes	No
Mashup: Slideshare	Yes	No
Mashup: YouTube	Yes	Yes	Located in the text editor of documents
Rich Text Editor (RTE)	Yes	Yes	Fewer editing options available in Ultra to ensure accessibility of content
SCORM	Yes	Yes	SCORM is not recommended due to known issues with data transfers back to Learn Ultra and Original
Web Link	Yes	Yes		More information

Communication and collaboration tools

The following list of features is accurate as of Learn SaaS release 3900.91.0 released 3 May 2024.

Feature name	Original Course	Ultra Course	Notes	More information
Announcements	Yes	Yes		More information
Calendar	Yes	Yes		More information
Course Messages	Yes	Yes		More information
Discussion boards	Yes	Yes	Called Discussions in Ultra	More information
Discussion Analysis	No	Yes		More information
Email	Yes	Yes	Called messages in Ultra courses	More information
Glossary	Yes	No	In Ultra courses this can be created using the document content type	More information
Groups	Yes	Yes		More information
Journals	Yes	Yes		More information
Blogs	Yes	No	Planned for future inclusion in Ultra.
Conversion	No	Yes
Wikis	Yes	No	Wikis are not planned for inclusion in Ultra Courses

Groups

The following list of features is accurate as of Learn SaaS release 3900.91.0 released 3 May 2024.

Feature name	Original Course	Ultra Course	Notes	More information
Groups	Yes	Yes		More information
Assignments (Group)	Yes	Yes		More information
Groups – Manual Enrollment	Yes	Yes
Groups – Random Enrollment	Yes	Yes
Groups – Self Enrollment	Yes	Yes
Tasks	Yes	No	Tasks are not currently planned for inclusion in Learn Ultra

Tests

Feature name	Original Course	Ultra Course	Notes	More information
Tests	Yes	Yes		More information
Surveys	Yes	Yes	Replaced by Forms	More information
Decimal Points in Tests	Yes	Yes
Display one question at a time	Yes	Yes
Either/or question type	Yes	No	Use multiple choice question type in Ultra
Essay question type	Yes	Yes	Currently their is not the option to add a marking rubric to the essay question type in Ultra but this feature will be added in a future release
File response question type	Yes	No	File response question has been removed from Ultra tests, Files can be uploaded to an Essay question type.
Fill in the blank question type	Yes	Yes
Fill in multiple blanks question type	Yes	No	Use the fill in the blank question type in Ultra
Hotspot question type	Yes	Yes
Item Analysis	Yes	Yes	Called Question analysis in Ultra and is more accessible in Ultra Courses	More information
Matching question type	Yes	Yes
Multiple choice question type	Yes	Yes
Multiple answer question type	Yes	No	Use the multiple choice question type in Ultra
Ordering question type	Yes	No
Password protected assessments	Yes	Yes
Prevent late submissions	Yes	Yes		More information
Quiz Bowl question type	Yes	No
Rich Text Editor (RTE)	Yes	Yes	Fewer editing options available in Ultra to ensure accessibility of content
Rubrics	Yes	Yes		More information
Question Pools	Yes	Yes	Replaced by Question banks	More information
Question Regrading	Yes	Yes		More information
Score per Question	Yes	Yes
Short answer question type	Yes	No	Replaced by Essay question type in Ultra
Tests – Additional Time	Yes	Yes	In Ultra these are called Accommodations and are applied to the student directly; they affect all their times in assessments automatically. The additional time is entered as a percentage of extra time.	More information
True/False question type	Yes	Yes

Blackboard assignments & Self and Peer Assessment

The following list of features is accurate as of Learn SaaS release 3900.91.0 released 3 May 2024.

Feature name	Original Course	Ultra Course	Notes	More information
Assignments	Yes	Yes		More information
Additional Attempts to students in specific Assessments	Yes	Yes	Called Exceptions in Ultra courses	More information
Anonymous Grading	Yes	Yes		More information
Audio/Video Feedback	Yes	Yes		More information
Bulk Download	Yes	Yes
Delegated Marking	Yes	Yes	Delegated Marking has been redesigned in Ultra and provides different functionality to that found in Original courses.
Groups	Yes	Yes		More information
Parallel grading	Yes	Yes	Previously delegated marking in Original courses	More information
Password protected assessments	Yes	Yes
Prevent late submissions	Yes	Yes		More information
Rubrics	Yes	Yes		More information
Self and Peer Assessments	Yes	Yes	In Ultra instructors can enable peer reviews on assignments without having to use a separate assessment type.	More information

Gradebook (Grade Centre)

Feature name	Original Course	Ultra Course	Notes	More information
Grade Centre	Yes	Yes	Called Gradebook in Ultra courses	More information
Additional Attempts to students in specific Assessments	Yes	Yes	Called Exceptions in Ultra courses	More information
Attendance	Yes	Yes		More information
Batch (Bulk) Edit	No	Yes		More information
Bulk Download	Yes	Yes
Date Management	Yes	Yes
Dropping grades	Yes	Yes
Grade Center Search and Filter	No	Yes	Gradebook includes the ability to search for individual students or use filters which allow Gradebook to be filtered by students, groups, columns, assessment types or categories.
Progress tracking	Yes	Yes	More advanced and also allows students to track their progress and mark items off as completed.	More information
Rubrics	Yes	Yes	This is done by creating a non-submission assignment.	More information
Tests – Additional Time	Yes	Yes	In Ultra these are called accommodations and are applied to the student directly and will affect all their times assessments automatically. It is entered as a percentage of extra time.	More information
Grading Schema	Yes	Yes	Now called Mark Schema.
Unsubmitted Work Counts as Zero	No	Yes	Unsubmitted work counts as zero is an Ultra only feature and can be turned on as required.
Text columns	Yes	No	Planned for inclusion in Ultra courses.

Administration tools

The following list of features is accurate as of Learn SaaS release 3900.91.0 released 3 May 2024.

Feature name	Original Course	Ultra Course	Notes	More information
Attendance	Yes	Yes		More information
Calendar	Yes	Yes		More information
Course Builder Role	Yes	Yes		More information
Date Management	Yes	Yes
Achievements	Yes	No	Achievements are planned for inclusion in Ultra Courses
Goals	Yes	Yes	Called Goals and Standards in Ultra courses	More information
Guest Access	Yes	No
Observer Access	Yes	Yes
Student Preview	Yes	Yes		More information

Learning Analytics

The following list of features is accurate as of Learn SaaS release 3900.91.0 released 3 May 2024.

Feature name	Original Course	Ultra Course	Notes	More information
Analytics	No	Yes
Discussion Analysis	No	Yes		More information
Item Analysis	Yes	Yes	Called Question analysis in Ultra and is more accessible in Ultra Courses	More information
Performance Dashboard	Yes	Yes	Replaced by Course Activity located in the Analytics section of your course	More information
Progress tracking	Yes	Yes	More advanced and also allows students to track their progress and mark items off as completed.	More information

Other

The following list of features is accurate as of Learn SaaS release 3900.91.0 released 3 May 2024.

Feature name	Original Course	Ultra Course	Notes	More information
Ally	Yes	Yes	Not currently used at UQ
Attendance	Yes	Yes		More information
Blackboard Mobile App	Yes	Yes		More information