Convert your course to Blackboard Ultra
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?
- Refer to the Blackboard Learn Help for Instructors - Ultra Course View by Anthology.
- See advice from your faculty or school Learning Designer. Go to the Learning Designers list.
What do I need to convert my own course?
To build your course from scratch in Ultra you will need:
- Blackboard Ultra Example Course The purpose of this course is for staff to experience Blackboard's new look and functionality for course sites from a student perspective. You can self-enrol in the Ultra Example course.
- Ultra Resources - icons and banners
- your course profile
- Instructor access to both the Original and the Ultra courses
- learning materials on your device.
7. Course Resources folder
In the course template, a top-level folder named Course Resources has been provided to give generic university-wide support and links to students.
Your main task here is to move all the relevant content that you've just copied over from the Original course into this Course Resources folder. These items might include the following items from Original.
- Course Staff
- Course Help
- Learning resources that are used across the whole course, i.e. they do not belong to just one learning module.
Tip: Temporarily while you are working, drag the Course Resources folder down close to the copied items at the bottom of the content area so it is easier to drag items into their position. Don't forget to move the whole Course Resources folder back up to above the learning modules.
The following items are technically required if your course uses them.
- Lecture recordings
Note: This link also gives you access to your EchoVideo account. - UQ Extend course content
- UQ Extend technical instructions and support
- Course reading list
- Subject guides
The following items are strongly recommended in line with standard student expectations and support.
- Course Help: This document provides students with helpful links to AskUs, the Library and other services. It is likely that you will copy and paste information from the Course Help item from Original into this item in Ultra. Then delete the Original one.
- Course Staff: See the next section for editing this document.
Note: Do not remove the Transcripts advice as this is required by UQ policy, section 6.9 of Recording of teaching at UQ procedure.
Other items that you should place in the Course Resources folder are whole-course resources or other helpful generic or non-time-based resources.
Tip: Do not exceed 10 items in this folder. This is to limit scrolling and make it easier to locate resources.