Ultra Courses to Support Additional Level of Nested Folders

Availability to begin after spring break

Designed for mobility, Ultra supports a condensed hierarchy for content nesting on the main course content page. Student preference and support were the primary purpose for Blackboard to reduce the number of folders that can be nested from unlimited in Original to two in Ultra. Many faculty adopted the streamlined approach to redesign and organize their courses for efficient access.

Two levels of folders, however, could be somewhat limiting for certain types of courses and organizations. Beginning in mid-March, Ultra will support an additional level of nested folders to faculty as they develop and teach their Ultra courses. The top level applies to either learning modules or folders, and within this top level, two additional levels are then supported. This change aims to provide faculty with greater flexibility in organizing course materials, especially for complex topics that require a more hierarchical content structure.

Image 1: Example of nested folders featuring addition level, starting with a Learning Module at the top to allow for visual identity and creativity in the course outline.

Image 2: Example of nested folders featuring additional level, starting only with folders.

The new folder settings will be available in Ultra courses after spring break.

Preparing For Course Migration to Ultra

While it is possible to convert courses from Original to Ultra, DoIT's Instructional Technology team recommends starting fresh. This approach allows for copying content from Original or rebuilding courses from the ground up to ensure an optimal experience for both faculty and students. Starting fresh in Ultra enables you to take full advantage of the platform's new features and design capabilities.

A wide range of Ultra training is posted through the Instructional Technology myUMBC events page.
For departments or disciplines that want to adopt Ultra by default, Blackboard course shells can be designated as Ultra when courses are created.
Instructional Technology will also work with departments to customize Ultra workshops and provide dedicated support sessions according to faculty schedules or specific use cases for teaching with Ultra.

Connect with Instructional Technology

As always, if you have any questions about teaching, learning, and technology at UMBC, please consider the following options: