eLearning

Convert your course to Blackboard Ultra

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What is Blackboard Ultra?

Blackboard Ultra is the new version of our learning management system.  UQ is transitioning from the previous version of Blackboard Original from Semester 2, 2025 to Semester 1, 2027.

View the Ultra Courses Activation Project page for more information.

How long will it take me to convert my course to Blackboard Ultra?

Note: This guide assumes you have already requested your course on Learn.UQ. See the Order SI-net Courses and UQ Extend Courses (Ultra) guide.

The course conversion tidy-up could take between 10 to 20 hours, depending on its complexity.  Note that when you access your course, you will need to copy in content from the Original course yourself.  Factors are:

  • how many videos you have that are not stored in Echo360
  • how much content you have nested deeply in folders
  • whether your main learning resources are in UQ Extend.

Is it possible for professional staff to convert my course?

Yes. But in this case, you will need to submit a course request again, asking for a copy of a previous course so they have the content to work with. Use the Learn.UQ Site Request form (or contact your school admin if they usually order your course for you).

Note: There will be a delay between ordering the course and having professional staff complete the Ultra conversion work.

Where can I get help?

What do I need to convert my own course?

To build your course from scratch in Ultra you will need:

  1. Ultra course template
  2. Ultra content types
  3. Course banner
  4. Course profile
  5. Content copy from Original
  6. MS Teams link and Ed Discussion
  7. Course Resources folder
  8. Course Staff document
  9. Assessment folder
  1. Create and move content
  2. Create a document
  3. Work on a document
  4. Condense content onto a document
  5. Other top level folders
  6. Meet accessibility standards
  7. Visibility settings and student preview
  8. Make your course available
  9. Checklist

16. Visibility settings and student preview

Use this section to ensure that:

  • students cannot see items that are time-sensitive e.g. assessment submission links that can only be released after groups are formed
  • students can see items needed to complete their learning (in sequence)
  • the course navigation behaves as expected.

Visibility settings

Before completion of the course conversion, check the visibility settings for all course content items using the Batch edit function.

Refer to the Batch Edit guide by Anthology.

  1. Click on the three dots More options at the top right of the content area.
  2. Select Batch Edit from the dropdown list.
  3. The top level of all content will appear.
  4. Click through folders and learning modules to find the items you wish to edit.  Only check the box for the individual items required.  Alternatively, check whole modules or folders as required.
  5. The final row will update to declare the number of items you have selected.
  6. In the bottom right, select Edit visibility.
  7. Change as required to either Hidden from students or Visible to students.
  8. Click the Save visibility button.

The Batch Edit function in Ultra allows you to also change dates and release conditions of multiple items.

Student preview

It is strongly recommended that you preview the course as a student before making it available.  Do this after you have checked the visibility settings.

Refer to the Student Preview guide by Anthology. 

Note: Students will go from one item to the next, regardless of whether it is in the next Learning Module.  Therefore, using the consistent and recommended naming convention is vital.

Note: The preview_user data stays in the course if you Save the student preview user.  Use this option if you are testing an assessment submission, for example.  If you are just checking what content looks like, select Discard when you exit the Student Preview.