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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

9. Assessment folder

Tip: You may wish to work through the section Create and move content before attempting to build out the Assessment folder.

It is recommended that the Assessment folder follow this general structure (sample assessment item names). 

Note: In the template you will only see the Assessment Summary and the Student assessment instructions.

Assessment summary

  1. From your Course Profile, transfer the information from the Assessment Summary into the table provided on the Assessment Summary document.

One folder for each assessment item

  1. Create a folder for each Assessment Item after the Assessment Summary.
  2. Within the folders, place the items in the following order.  You may list all of these on fewer documents; however, limit the amount of scrolling for students.
  • Submission link
    Note: If the submission link is Turnitin, click into it and update the Feedback release date to the end of the semester examination period.
  • The relevant Student assessment instructions document
  • Task/instructions document (and marking rubric)
  • Marking rubric
  • Exemplars
  • Helpful resources

Student assessment instructions

  1. Student assessment instructions (MUST remain Hidden from Students).
  2. This folder contains useful instructions that you can drag or copy into your assessment item folders above.
  3. The relevant document needs to be placed under the submission link it relates to.

Note: It is recommended to make the assessment item folder Visible to students, but the items inside Hidden from students.