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Blackboard Ultra Modernization Updates
Posted February 11, 2026
by IDLT
As previously announced in campus communications, SIUE is transitioning fully to the Blackboard Ultra course experience, with the Original view being retired by Fall 2026. While this change is required, it is designed to be a smooth and well-supported transition. Ultra offers a streamlined layout, improved accessibility, and a more consistent learning experience, making courses easier to build, navigate, and maintain.
Current resources to help you prepare:
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Blackboard Teaching Essentials (self-paced training, requires registration)
Explore Ultra at your own pace by requesting a developmental shell . This sandbox-style space will let you experiment with the Ultra course view, explore new workflows, and start thinking about how your course materials will translate to the new experience.
Webinar Series
Join us for a four-part webinar series led by Corey Ray, our Blackboard Ultra expert, designed to help faculty and staff make the most of Blackboard Ultra’s tools and features. Whether you are just getting started or looking to refine your approach, these sessions will focus on practical strategies you can apply right away to improve course design, communication, collaboration, and grading.
Each session will include demonstrations, examples, and time for questions. All sessions are open to faculty and staff.
Be sure register even if you can’t attend live. All registrants will receive the session recordings.
Creating Dynamic Content
Thursday, February 5 | 9:30–11:30 am CSTThis session focuses on building strong, engaging course content in Blackboard Ultra. Participants will explore how thoughtful course planning supports student learning and how Ultra tools can help bring content to life. Corey will demonstrate a variety of tools for creating online content while emphasizing best practices and accessibility considerations to ensure materials are usable by all learners.
Communicating with Students
Thursday, February 12 | 1:30–3:30 pm CST
Effective communication is key to student success. In this session, participants will learn how Blackboard Ultra helps students manage their time and stay organized. The session will also highlight ways instructors can foster a sense of community and create intentional opportunities for communication that support student engagement and connection.
Collaborative and Personalized Learning
Thursday, February 19 | 1:30–3:30 pm CST
This session explores strategies for designing learning experiences that are both collaborative and personalized. Participants will learn how to use groups for instructional and administrative purposes, create customized learning paths, and apply release conditions to differentiate learning. Corey will also demonstrate ways to assign and assess collaborative work while keeping students actively engaged.
Gradebook Management
Thursday, February 26 | 1:30–3:30 pm CST
Designed to help instructors work more efficiently, this session provides an in-depth look at grading workflows in Blackboard Ultra. Participants will learn how to configure and adjust the gradebook for different course modalities, identify tools that align with their grading strategies, and use the gradebook to monitor student progress and streamline instructional tasks.
Open Lab
Drop in anytime during Blackboard Ultra Open Labs on Friday, February 20 (9:00 am–12:00 pm and 1:00–3:00 pm) to practice the skills you’ve learned and learn how to bring over old course content. The IDLT team will be on hand to answer questions in real-time. Please register in advance to receive a sandbox course. More open labs will be scheduled for future dates.
Contact idlt_center@siue.edu with questions about the Ultra transition.
