Upcoming Sessions

Blackboard Day #2 (Instructor Onboarding Training Session)

Date: September 3, 2026 | RSVP Today!

What this session covers

• Course navigation, dashboard filters, course availability, and how to quickly locate active courses
• Course structure using folders, learning modules, content items, files, documents, and knowledge checks
• Student Preview, roster management, student availability, accommodations, and UTMB-specific enrollment guidance
• Assessment options, including tests, assignments, discussions, forms, rubrics, and AI-supported activities
• Student engagement tools, including announcements, activity stream notifications, progress tracking, and discussion boards
• Gradebook workflows, including grading options, BB Annotate, rubrics, automatic zeros, grade posting, and item analysis

Participants will gain

A comprehensive roadmap for transitioning all UTMB courses to Ultra by December 31, 2026.

Who should attend: ETA Group members, Instructors, Course Builders, and Instructional Designers

Session 6 - Analytics & Student Activity (Illuminate)

• Date: October 8, 2026, at 2:00 pm
• Platform: MS Teams

Past Sessions

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.