Content Editor is a tool that has many new and enhanced features compared to the old text editor. Features include lists and bullet choices, symbols, block quotes, emoticons, table creation/editing, expanded support for files such as graphic images, media, mashup objects, and an easy-to-use visual mathematics editor.

Discussions are a tool used to enhance student engagement, encourage critical thinking, and increase interactions with fellow students’ ideas. Your instructors may assign discussions. They can adjust settings so that you must respond to the initial question before you can view/respond to your classmates’ responses.

The gradebook in Blackboard Ultra can be accessed from several different places. In the gradebook, you can manage grades, leave feedback, view student engagement, set accommodations, and message your students about the assignments. 

Creating groups within your Blackboard course can be done four ways: custom, randomly assign, self-enrollment, and reuse groups. With groups you can create group assignments and encourage collaboration between students.

Journals are a private communication tool between you and your instructor. Journals can be assigned for individual projects, ideas, and self-reflection. Instructors have two options to make journals a graded assignment and create a rubric for grading.

Journals are a private communication tool between a student and instructor. Journals can be used for individual projects, ideas, self-reflection, or however you see fit. Instructors have two option to make journals a graded assignment and create a rubric for grading.

Enhance engagement with Kaltura. Kaltura is a tool that allows you to integrate rich media content into your courses. You can use Kaltura to create, host, and share videos, images, and audio files within your courses directly. 

Use Kaltura Capture to record videos of your desktop and webcam then embed them directly in your Blackboard Ultra course. This tool can record two camera inputs simultaneously, or a camera and a screen, or two screens. The recordings are automatically stored in your Kaltura My Media. You can even record and place it directly in your course for ease of use and enhanced student engagement.  

Use Kaltura Capture to record videos of your desktop and webcam then embed them directly in your Blackboard Ultra course. This tool can record two camera inputs simultaneously, a camera and a screen, or two screens. The recordings are automatically stored in your Kaltura My Media. You can even record and place it directly in your assignment for ease of use.

Express Capture allows you to record from the browser without needing to install any software. You can record and embed right in your course where you want the media. Record video or audio directions or course announcements while you are already in Blackboard Ultra. Express Capture will not record the screen only audio and video. 

Express Capture allows you to record from the browser without needing to install any software. You can record and embed right in your assignment, journal, or discussion post. Record video or audio while you are already in Blackboard Ultra. Express Capture will not record the screen only audio and video.

Kaltura Media Gallery is like My Media. However, it is a storage space for media within your course. Unlike My Media, which is private to you, the Media Gallery is visible to everyone enrolled in the course. You can host multiple videos/media in one place. This allows you to add videos/media from the Media gallery directly to the Course Content page, so you do not have to search for content. 

Kaltura My Media is a private, personal storage space for your media. You can upload and manage your media content (video, audio, and image files). While you are in My Media you may edit video options, manage captions, create clips from your videos, delete videos, publish videos to the Course Media Gallery, and more. 

Kaltura My Media is a private, personal storage space for your media. You can upload and manage your media content (video, audio, and image files). While you are in My Media you may edit video options, manage captions, create clips from your videos, delete videos, publish videos to the Course Media Gallery, and more.

Kaltura Video Quiz allows you to embed questions or polls within the video for learners to answer as they watch the video. Questions and text can be in the form of multiple choice, true/false, open ended, or a reflection point.  The video will pause at the question then play again once the question has been answered. 

Think of a learning module as a container for an organized collection of content. Learning Modules let students navigate from one content item to the next with out the added distractions and extra clicks. Modules promote a more immersive learning experience for students. You can create a module for each week, chapter, unit, or any other grouping to enhance learning. 

Instructors and students can send messages to each other, multiple people, or an entire class. The message feature remains inside Blackboard, so there is no need to worry if an email address is incorrect. You can also send a copy of a message to the recipients’ email, so they get an extra notification. When composing a message, you have full access to the text/content editor box. You can change the font, font size, and color or add bold or italics to enhance your message. You are also able to insert links, file and image attachments, and videos.

A question bank is a pool of questions that is saved in Blackboard allowing for repeated use. Question banks allow instructors to reuse questions, diversify the type of questions available for students, and create multiple assignments with ease. There are several question types that you can add to a question bank: calculated formula, calculated numeric, essay, fill in the blank, matching, multiple choice, and true/false. 

Rubrics are a great tool for both instructors and students. Use a rubric as a scoring tool and to provide a clear description of the characteristics desired in the assignment. Students can use a rubric to plan and organize their thoughts and as they work through the assignment. Using rubrics is a good way to provide transparency in grading.

An infographic detailing the new version of Bloom's Taxonomy for digital use. Originally created by the Global Digital Citizen Foundation. Created by Ascend at Los Angeles Pacific University.