CIT offers workshops, webinars, and individual and group training on Blackboard Ultra and other UA instructional technologies. Register for upcoming offerings, watch recorded sessions, or request a virtual or in-person consultation or training with CIT staff.
The Ultra Demo & Info Session session is 30 minutes long. For other topics, we typically reserve 1 hour for a lecture/demonstration and 2 hours for a hands-on workshop.
Blackboard Ultra Workshops and Webinars
Meet the New Blackboard: Blackboard Ultra Demo & Info Session
A simpler, more modern Blackboard is here! UA instructors can now explore—and teach with—Blackboard Ultra Course View. CIT and OTIDE have established a goal of having all courses designed and delivered in “Ultra” by Spring 2026. Join us for a 30-minute presentation followed by Q&A to see Ultra for yourself and find out what you need to do to prepare.
Upcoming sessions
- Monday, March 3, 2-2:30 PM via Teams
- Friday, March 21, 11-11:30 AM in A232 Gordon Palmer Hall (no registration required)
- Monday, March 24, 11-11:30 AM in A232 Gordon Palmer Hall (no registration required)
- Monday, April 1, 9:30-10:30 AM via Teams
- Friday, April 11, 2-3 PM in Gorgas Library Camellia Room (Room 2020) (no registration required)
- Monday, April 15 11 AM – 12 PM via Teams
- Tuesday, April 29, 1-2 PM via Teams
- Thursday, May 8, 2-3 PM in Gorgas Library Camellia Room (Room 2020) (no registration required)
- Tuesday, May 13, 4-5 PM via Teams
- Thursday, May 29, 10:30-11:30 AM via Teams
- Friday, June 27, 2-3 PM in Gorgas Library Camellia Room (Room 2020) (no registration required)
- Tuesday, July 22, 2-3 PM in Gorgas Library Camellia Room (Room 2020) (no registration required)
Recorded session
- Meet the New Blackboard: Blackboard Learn Ultra Course View – Recorded CIT session.
Resources
- Blackboard Ultra Course View – Learn more about the Ultra rollout at UA, request a practice or live course, and access Ultra resources from CIT and Blackboard/Anthology.
- Learn to “Ultrafy” Your Original Courses and Teach with Ultra – Workshops, webinars, self-paced online courses and more, from CIT and Blackboard/Anthology.
- Blackboard Help for Instructors – Ultra Course View – Step-by-step guides, with pictures, from Blackboard/Anthology.
Blackboard Ultra Basics
The new Blackboard is here! Join this session to learn the basics: navigation, key features, and how to build course content from scratch and by copying from Original courses.
Upcoming sessions
- Thursday, March 6, 2- 3 PM via Teams
- Tuesday, March 25, 2-3 PM in A232 Gordon Palmer Hall (no registration required)
- Friday, April 4, 2- 3 PM via Teams
- Tuesday, April 15, 9:30-1o:30 AM via Teams
- Tuesday, April 25, 11 AM – 12 PM PM in A232 Gordon Palmer Hall (no registration required)
- Friday, May 9, 12-1 PM via Teams
- Thursday, May 15, 11 AM – 12 PM PM in A232 Gordon Palmer Hall (no registration required)
- Tuesday, May 20, 9:30-10:30 AM via Teams
Recorded session
- Blackboard Learn Ultra Basics – Recorded Anthology session.
Resources
- Getting Started with Blackboard Ultra – Prepare, navigate, create, interact, assess, and more with these resources from the CIT Knowledge Base.
- A Quick Start for Blackboard – Course building basics for those new to Blackboard Ultra, from Blackboard/Anthology.
Blackboard Ultra AI Design Assistant – Coming soon!
Learn how to easily create learning modules, test questions and question banks, grading rubrics, images, and more – Blackboard’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Design Assistant helps instructors create and design courses using generative AI.
Recorded session
- Introducing the Blackboard AI Design Assistant – Recorded CIT session.
Resources
Blackboard Ultra: Analytics for Instructors
Learn about Ultra features you can use to keep track of how your students are performing and how they are interacting with your course, such as the Student Activity Log, Course Activity Report, Student Activity Details for Assessments, Student Activity Details for Courses, Observer Role, and Analytics.
Resources
Blackboard Ultra: Creating Dynamic Content
Build your Ultra course! Learn how to create new content, copy content from other courses, and add content from external sources, such as academic publishers.
Resources
Blackboard Ultra: Communicating with Students
Learn how to use Announcements, Messages, Discussions, and email to communicate with students. We’ll also explore Class Conversations, an Ultra feature than allows students to discuss course content with you and their classmates.
Resources
- CIT KB: Overview – Communicating with Students
- Blackboard Instructor Help: Announcements
- Blackboard Instructor Help: Messages
- Blackboard Instructor Help: Discussions
- Blackboard Instructor Help: Class Conversations
Blackboard Ultra: Assessing Student Learning
Learn how to create and evaluate Assignments, Tests, and other assessments. We’ll also talk about grades and feedback, rubrics, and accommodations.
Recorded session
- Creating Assessments in Learn Ultra – Recorded Anthology session.
Resources
- Blackboard Instructor Help: Create Assessments
- Blackboard Instructor Help: Grade Assignments
- Blackboard Instructor Help: Grade Tests
- Blackboard Instructor Help: Create Rubrics
- Blackboard Instructor Help: Make Accommodations
Blackboard Ultra: Collaborative and Personalized Learning
Learn how to use Groups, Release Conditions, Progress Tracking, and other features to engage students in active learning though customized learning paths and group activities.
Recorded session
- Improving Student Engagement in Learn Ultra – Recorded Anthology session.
Resources
- Blackboard Instructor Help: Groups
- Blackboard Instructor Help: Content Release Conditions
- Blackboard Instructor Help: Progress Tracking and Student Progress Reports
Blackboard Ultra: Grading and Managing the Gradebook
Explore grading workflows, set up and adjust the Gradebook, and navigate the Gradebook’s student view.
Recorded session
- Grading and Managing the Gradebook in Learn Ultra – Recorded Anthology session.
Resources
- Blackboard Instructor Help: Assessments and Grading
- Blackboard Instructor Help: Grade Assignments
- Blackboard Instructor Help: Grade Tests
Blackboard: Transitioning Original Courses to Ultra Courses
In Ultra, you can copy content from other courses you teach so you don’t have to start with a blank slate. Join this session to learn how to copy an entire course or individual course items from Original to Ultra courses. We’ll also look at Ultra Course Preview, which instructors can use to see changes before converting their courses permanently, and CIT resources for course conversion.
Resources
- CIT KB: Prepare for Blackboard Ultra
- Blackboard Instructor Help: Copy Content from Courses
- Blackboard Instructor Help: Ultra Course Preview
Blackboard Original Workshops and Webinars
CIT is no longer scheduling Original Course View workshops and webinars. You may explore these resources for teaching with Original and/or request a virtual or in-person consultation or training with CIT staff.