Getting Around Blackboard Ultra

Before you do anything else, add a profile photo. Online courses can feel anonymous, and a photo changes that. It tells your instructor and classmates that there's a real person on the other end of the screen, and it makes discussions feel more like actual conversations.

You don't need a professional headshot. A clear, recent photo where people can see your face is all it takes.

1. Select your avatar or initials in the top-right corner of any Blackboard page.
2. Select Profile from the menu.
3. Select the profile image area and upload a photo from your device.
4. Save your changes.

Inside each course, a menu takes you to the main areas you'll use every week:

Course Content

Home base. Your modules, lessons, and assignments are listed here in order, top to bottom. Open a module to see everything inside it. Most weeks, this is where you'll start.

Calendar

What's coming up in this course: assignment due dates, plus class meetings if your instructor has added them. Switch to the Due Dates view to see your assignments listed in order, soonest first.

Gradebook

Your grades for everything you've submitted, plus what's still ahead. Select any item to see your score and the feedback your instructor left. (More on feedback in step 5.)

Messages

Private messages between you and your instructor or classmates, sent inside the course. It's a quick way to ask your instructor a question about this class. Some instructors prefer email, so check your syllabus.

Announcements

Updates from your instructor: reminders, changes, and heads-ups. New announcements often appear when you open the course, and they're also sent to your KCTCS email. Check these regularly.

One calendar for all your courses

The Calendar inside a course shows only that course. For the big picture, go to the main Blackboard page you see right after you log in, before you open any course, and select Calendar from the menu there. That calendar pulls in due dates from all of your courses at once, color-coded by course, so you can see a busy week coming before you're in the middle of it.

Assignments in Blackboard Ultra are submitted through the course, not by email. Most follow the same steps:

1. Open the assignment from its module.
2. Read the instructions carefully before you start.
3. Type your response in the text box, or attach a file if the assignment calls for one.
4. Select Submit when you're done. You'll see a confirmation that your work was received.

Discussions usually work in two parts: your first post, and your replies to classmates. Many discussions have two separate deadlines, one for each part. Check the discussion in Blackboard for the exact dates.

1. Open the discussion from its module.
2. Select Add a Response to write your first post.
3. After posting, read what your classmates have written.
4. Reply to classmates by the reply deadline.

After your instructor grades your work, they often leave written feedback along with your score. It's one of the most valuable parts of a course and one of the most commonly ignored.

Your instructor took time to write it. In an online class, it's the closest thing you get to a one-on-one conversation, so read it.

1. Go to the Gradebook.
2. Select the assignment you want to review.
3. Look for written comments alongside your score.
4. If something is unclear, use Messages to follow up with your instructor.

Instructors post announcements throughout the semester: reminders, clarifications, encouragement, and updates. Announcements appear in your course and are also sent to your KCTCS email.

Make a habit of checking both. Missing an announcement is one of the most common reasons students are caught off guard by a change.