March update features regrading questions & discussion data Assign exceptions to students for date, time, attempts
Ultra developers continue to enhance the core functionality of essential tools. In the March 2019 release, instructors can now grant individual students additional time to access an assessment, even if it is hidden to other students. Additional attempts may also be configured, again for an individual student on an individual assessment. Test questions can also be edited and regraded.

Blackboard added three new metrics to the Discussion Analysis area of the Ultra Course View. In addition to sentence complexity, critical thinking, and counts of responses and replies, instructors and graders can view statistics for the number of substantive posts, lexical classification (counts of content and functional words), and the percentage of word variation in a student’s posts for a given discussion.

Activity Stream notifications now have granular settings for both students and instructors, giving them the option to choose which information they wish to receive. Settings have been reformatted so users can select to receive all notifications at a high level (e.g., new discussions, edited blog posts, items to be graded).

Other new features and enhancements for Ultra courses include:
  • A word count appears when drafting responses and replies in discussions in the Ultra Course View.
  • Instructors can now rename an LTI link from the gradebook in the Ultra Course View.
  • The Messages page in the Ultra Course View is now responsive for users on mobile devices.
The next update will be posted to our test site around March 12th and pushed to production around April 4th. Faculty who are interested in test driving new features before they are released to production should open an RT ticket to request early access.

Related link: What's New in the Ultra Experience?
]]> Ultra developers continue to enhance the core functionality of essential tools. In the March 2019 release, instructors can now grant individual students additional time to access an assessment,... https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/ultra/posts/82349 https://beta.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/82349/guest@my.umbc.edu/214c249bfa34c75d79a8508e8cc74358/api/pixel monthly-update ultra-experience Blackboard Ultra Experience https://beta.my.umbc.edu/groups/ultra https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/xsmall.png?1533044655 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/original.png?1533044655 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/xxlarge.png?1533044655 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/xlarge.png?1533044655 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/large.png?1533044655 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/medium.png?1533044655 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/small.png?1533044655 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/xsmall.png?1533044655 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/xxsmall.png?1533044655 Blackboard Ultra Experience https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/082/349/43995b741edf1135d5651966789d9696/xxlarge.jpg?1551122547 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/082/349/43995b741edf1135d5651966789d9696/xlarge.jpg?1551122547 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/082/349/43995b741edf1135d5651966789d9696/large.jpg?1551122547 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/082/349/43995b741edf1135d5651966789d9696/medium.jpg?1551122547 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/082/349/43995b741edf1135d5651966789d9696/small.jpg?1551122547 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/082/349/43995b741edf1135d5651966789d9696/xsmall.jpg?1551122547 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/082/349/43995b741edf1135d5651966789d9696/xxsmall.jpg?1551122547 0 0 true Mon, 25 Feb 2019 14:39:00 -0500 Mon, 25 Feb 2019 14:40:20 -0500 Upload to Ultra gradebook available in November update! Percentage-range rubrics, batch edit visibility, and more. Offline grading is a valuable and important enhancement. Many instructors like to download the gradebook as a backup or prefer to use Excel to calculate grades. In September, Blackboard introduced the ability for instructors to download gradebook data in the Ultra Course View. 

The counterpart to downloading grades is uploading a CSV file. Instructors who need to use this feature do so to pull in grade data from manual calculations or to upload grades from other tools or services, such as Scantron scores. The November 2018 update to Blackboard will feature a popular request for the gradebook -- uploading a CSV file. 

Other new features and enhancements for Ultra courses include:
  • Filtering questions by more criteria on the Reuse Questions page for Ultra tests
  • Batch editing content for visibility
  • Creating percentage-range rubrics
  • Expanded views for Conversations
  • Additional settings for SCORM content standards and packages
For Original courses, we'll see updated versions of Cengage and Wiley Plus tools as well as VitalSource Bookshelf. Several bug fixes are corrected to address errors or formatting issues encountered with assessment and grading workflows.

The next update will be posted to our test site around November 13th and pushed to production around December 6th. Faculty who are interested in test driving new features before they are released to production should open an RT ticket to request early access.
]]> Offline grading is a valuable and important enhancement. Many instructors like to download the gradebook as a backup or prefer to use Excel to calculate grades. In September, Blackboard introduced... https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/ultra/posts/79761 https://beta.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/79761/guest@my.umbc.edu/0319fb0c446310494b42fb70e8e44748/api/pixel monthly-update ultra-experience Blackboard Ultra Experience https://beta.my.umbc.edu/groups/ultra https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/xsmall.png?1533044655 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/original.png?1533044655 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/xxlarge.png?1533044655 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/xlarge.png?1533044655 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/large.png?1533044655 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/medium.png?1533044655 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/small.png?1533044655 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/xsmall.png?1533044655 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/xxsmall.png?1533044655 Blackboard Ultra Experience https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/079/761/2bfd7e361d9fb1a6735212495c22a286/xxlarge.jpg?1540395603 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/079/761/2bfd7e361d9fb1a6735212495c22a286/xlarge.jpg?1540395603 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/079/761/2bfd7e361d9fb1a6735212495c22a286/large.jpg?1540395603 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/079/761/2bfd7e361d9fb1a6735212495c22a286/medium.jpg?1540395603 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/079/761/2bfd7e361d9fb1a6735212495c22a286/small.jpg?1540395603 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/079/761/2bfd7e361d9fb1a6735212495c22a286/xsmall.jpg?1540395603 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/079/761/2bfd7e361d9fb1a6735212495c22a286/xxsmall.jpg?1540395603 0 0 true Tue, 30 Oct 2018 12:30:12 -0400 October Update Enhances Grading for Ultra & Original Courses Expanded delegated grading & searchable Ultra gradebook
Tonight is our monthly Bb update and no downtime is expected. These key improvements will be available:
Additionally, the purple exit button [x] will no longer overlap the Add to course menu button (+) in an Original course.

The next update will be posted to our test site around September 16th and pushed to production around November 1st. Faculty who are interested in test driving new features before they are released to production should open an RT ticket to request early access.
]]> Tonight is our monthly Bb update and no downtime is expected. These key improvements will be available: Instructors can assign the "reconcile grading" function to TAs and graders when using... https://wiki.umbc.edu/x/LohnB https://beta.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/79147/guest@my.umbc.edu/f2064b0faf3fd70424d6288f74b0a23f/api/pixel monthly-update ultra-experience Blackboard Ultra Experience https://beta.my.umbc.edu/groups/ultra https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/xsmall.png?1533044655 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/original.png?1533044655 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/xxlarge.png?1533044655 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/xlarge.png?1533044655 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/large.png?1533044655 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/medium.png?1533044655 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/small.png?1533044655 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/xsmall.png?1533044655 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/xxsmall.png?1533044655 Blackboard Ultra Experience https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/079/147/57c8b4f82ea4be5b367e5c2afeee51b4/xxlarge.jpg?1538658600 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/079/147/57c8b4f82ea4be5b367e5c2afeee51b4/xlarge.jpg?1538658600 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/079/147/57c8b4f82ea4be5b367e5c2afeee51b4/large.jpg?1538658600 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/079/147/57c8b4f82ea4be5b367e5c2afeee51b4/medium.jpg?1538658600 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/079/147/57c8b4f82ea4be5b367e5c2afeee51b4/small.jpg?1538658600 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/079/147/57c8b4f82ea4be5b367e5c2afeee51b4/xsmall.jpg?1538658600 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/079/147/57c8b4f82ea4be5b367e5c2afeee51b4/xxsmall.jpg?1538658600 0 2 true Thu, 04 Oct 2018 09:16:23 -0400 Thu, 04 Oct 2018 09:16:44 -0400 September Update Brings Improvements to Ultra Grading Tools Exclusive to Ultra: Automatic zeros for missed work
Tonight is our monthly Bb update and no downtime is expected. These key improvements will be available:
The next update will be posted to our test site around September 12th and pushed to production around October 4th. Faculty who are interested in test driving new features before they are released to production should open an RT ticket to request early access.
]]> Tonight is our monthly Bb update and no downtime is expected. These key improvements will be available: Download inline grading annotations from Original & Ultra courses Grade... https://wiki.umbc.edu/x/LohnB https://beta.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/78396/guest@my.umbc.edu/b954a05bf16a9a10ca7f9461deb0c590/api/pixel monthly-update ultra-experience Blackboard Ultra Experience https://beta.my.umbc.edu/groups/ultra https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/xsmall.png?1533044655 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/original.png?1533044655 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/xxlarge.png?1533044655 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/xlarge.png?1533044655 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/large.png?1533044655 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/medium.png?1533044655 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/small.png?1533044655 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/xsmall.png?1533044655 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/426/06277c373fd4be8ecb96de3776dd0963/xxsmall.png?1533044655 Blackboard Ultra Experience https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/078/396/7f8d61290a0aa6ec39dbe67415490aff/xxlarge.jpg?1536236374 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/078/396/7f8d61290a0aa6ec39dbe67415490aff/xlarge.jpg?1536236374 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/078/396/7f8d61290a0aa6ec39dbe67415490aff/large.jpg?1536236374 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/078/396/7f8d61290a0aa6ec39dbe67415490aff/medium.jpg?1536236374 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/078/396/7f8d61290a0aa6ec39dbe67415490aff/small.jpg?1536236374 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/078/396/7f8d61290a0aa6ec39dbe67415490aff/xsmall.jpg?1536236374 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/078/396/7f8d61290a0aa6ec39dbe67415490aff/xxsmall.jpg?1536236374 0 0 true Thu, 06 Sep 2018 08:31:22 -0400 Wed, 17 Oct 2018 11:01:07 -0400