Blackboard Training Sessions
Welcome to the Blackboard Ultra Experience
Important Announcement: End of Support for Original Courses
Blackboard has officially announced the end of support for Original Courses!
Please review the timeline and resources below to understand what this change means for you, your remaining Original courses and how to transition to Ultra.
Blackboard Training Sessions
UTMB Academic Computing partners with Anthology Blackboard to provide a structured training session approach that will help support instructors in Spring, Summer and Fall 2026 semesters.
These sessions align with our self-imposed deadline to migrate all schools from Original to Ultra course views by December 31, 2026. The information on this webpage is subject to change. Email edtech@utmb.edu for the latest information.
Upcoming Sessions
Read More: Blackboard Training Sessions - Draft (.docx)
Session 2: Maximizing Accessibility (Title II & You)
Date: February 26, 2026 | RSVP Today! | Meeting Link: https://utmb.us/f5w
What this session covers
- The role of Title II compliance in online course delivery
- Common accessibility mistakes and how to correct them
- How Blackboard Ally evaluates accessibility and suggests fixes
- Designing inclusive documents, images, videos, tests and presentations
- Practical “fix-as-you-teach” strategies for faculty with heavy workloads
Participants will gain
Skills and tools to ensure courses are navigable, perceivable, and compliant for all learners.
Who should attend: ETA Group, Instructors, Course Builders, Instructional Designers
Session 3 - Course Creation & Management with AI Design Assistant
- Date: March 26, 2026, at 2:00 pm
- Platform: MS Teams
Blackboard Day #1
also known as: Instructor Onboarding Training Session
- Date: May 21, 2026, Time: TBD
- Platform: MS Teams
Session 4 - Groups & Group Assignments
- Date: June 18, 2026, at 2:00 pm
- Platform: MS Teams
Session 5 - Gradebook (Grading Discussions & Gradebook Reporting
- Date: July 23, 2026, at 2:00 pm
- Platform: MS Teams
Blackboard Day #2
also known as: Instructor Onboarding Training Session
- Date: September 3, 2026,Time: TBD
- Platform: MS Teams
Session 6 - Analytics & Student Activity (Illuminate)
- Date: October 8, 2026, at 2:00 pm
- Platform: MS Teams
Past Session
Session 1: What’s New in Blackboard Ultra?
Read: Training Session Summary (.docx)
Watch Video Presentation (01:18:29)
What this session covered
- A tour of the newest Ultra features released in 2025-2026
- Best practices for adopting new Ultra updates each semester
Participants gained
A clear understanding of new capabilities, how new Ultra features benefit student learning and how to immediately apply them to Spring and Summer 2026 courses.
Blackboard Modernization with Transition to Ultra
Blackboard Ultra is the modern, streamlined version of the Blackboard Learning Management System (LMS), designed to offer a more intuitive, responsive, and engaging experience for both instructors and students.
Since UTMB's initial move to Ultra Base Navigation in December 2023, most schools have transitioned to Ultra Courses—or are in the process.
UTMB's deadline to transition to Ultra is Fall 2026.
We strongly recommend making the move well before this date to ensure adequate time for training, design, and support.
Read More: Blackboard: End of Support for Original Courses (.docx)
Review: Transition Timeline | Resources | FAQ | Retention Policies
Ultra Transition Timeline & Original Course End-of-Life
Note: scroll left to view full table on mobile devices.
| Dec 2023 | Ultra Base Navigation enabled – a modern, intuitive menu outside of courses. No change to existing course format (Original courses remain). |
| Spring 2024 | Explore Ultra Courses – AC provides sandboxes and resources and works with schools/groups to facilitate transition planning and to provide support for early adopters. |
| Summer 2024 | Ultra Courses available for pilot groups. |
| Fall 2024 | Ultra Courses officially supported; depending on a school/program transition plan, instructors may choose Ultra or Original format. |
| Fall 2026 | UTMB's official deadline to transition to Ultra: All courses must be transitioned to Ultra by the beginning of the Fall 2026 semester. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Blackboard ends support for Original Courses. Learn what this means for you and your Original courses. |
| Jan 01, 2027 | Remaining Original Courses become Read-Only in the system. |
| Jan 2028 | Remaining Original Courses are automatically converted to Ultra format. |