Base Navigation
On May 15, 2022, WPU Blackboard will activate Blackboard Learn Ultra Base Navigation. This is the first step of a phased transition from the Original format to the new Ultra format. While this upgrade will lead to many improvements to user experience and navigation within Blackboard, the changes happen outside of course sites and will not affect course content, structure, functionality, and tools.
| In Blackboard Learn, base navigation is a user interface and the experience a user has outside of a course. Base Navigation, which was enabled on May 15, 2022, is a new and modern user interface and experience in Blackboard Learn Ultra and a new way of navigating Blackboard.
Base Navigation is part of the Blackboard Learn Ultra, which is comprised of:
Enabling Base Navigation brings some changes in user experience and certain capabilities. However, Base Navigation is the experience you have outside of a course. Navigation inside your current courses will remain unchanged.
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Why Is This Change Necessary?
Compared to Blackboard Learn Original, which is what we currently have, Base Navigation provides many improved user experiences:
- Offers modern, intuitive user experience. The new interface is less complex, more intuitive, and more engaging.
- Works well on mobile devices due to its Mobile First design. Base Navigation is designed to work well regardless of which device you are using.
- Streamlines user interface. The system-level navigation menu on the left hand side provides a global view across all your courses.
- Aggregates important information. All your course and organization information – like activities, calendar, messages, and grades – are now consolidated into one global view, minimizing the time spent navigating into each individual course.
- Just one click away. When you see something that needs your attention, just click it and you will be taken directly there, minimizing clicks and saving time
| Original Base Navigation | Ultra Base Navigation |
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| Once logged in, this is how the current WPU Blackboard landing page or "base navigation" looks (click on the down arrow next to your name in the top right corner, you also see the pull-down menu "My Blackboard" or "Global Navigation").
The current base navigation is a user interface consisting of tabs across the top (such as My Institution, Courses), modules (such as My Courses, My Announcements, My Tasks), and Tools that display information from all of your courses. My Blackboard, the pull-down menu shown above, is a global navigation menu, available everywhere in the current Blackboard format. These tabs and modules spread out across the landing page and other places. |
When Learn Ultra is enabled, this is how the Base Navigation typically looks (Activity Stream shown). Those spread-out tabs and modules in our current Blackboard are replaced by a streamlined system-level navigation menu on the left. From the moment you log in, you always have the same menu on the left that provides access to the most important information, tools, and activities in the course. From wherever you are—even if you're in a course, the access to core features are always on your finger tip, as the menu always peeks from behind the other layers you have open. |
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After May 15, WPU will use Base Navigation and Original Course View, as shown on the left. Click Courses icon in the Base Navigation menu, then select a course, you will enter Original Course View and see the familiar course format with the Base Navigation menu peeking from behind the course layer you have open. In Original Course View, there will be no change to the course content, and all the tabs, modules, and tools within the Original Course View will have the same functions as before. |
Resources
| Instructor Recourses | Student Resources |
| Instructor Brochure | Student Brochure |
| Instructor Video | Student Video |
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Blackboard (Bb) is the official learning management system of William Paterson University. Instructors can use Bb as a tool for sharing content, communication, and assessment in face-to-face, hybrid, and online classes. Please contact the staff of the Center Teaching with Technology for more information.
Convert Original to Ultra Courses
You can convert your Original courses to Ultra using either an Ultra sandbox or the Ultra Course Preview option as stated above.
- Submit a helpdesk ticket (help.wpunj.edu) to request an Ultra sandbox or the Ultra Course Preview option. Visit the Ultra Sandbox or Ultra Course Preview? section above to see how to request a sandbox or Ultra Preview option.
- If you use an Ultra sandbox, you can choose to:
- Copy the whole Original course into the Ultra sandbox, or
- Copy the selected individual items of the Original courses into the Ultra sandbox
Create Ultra Courses from Scratch
If you choose to create a course in Ultra Course View from scratch, follow these steps:
- Request an Ultra sandbox.
- Build your course structure first using modules and create a consistent structure.
- You are encouraged to take advantage of the CTT Ultra course template to build your new Ultra course. The template is structured in alignment with the standards of quality for online teaching.
- WPU faculty can download this zip file of CTT Ultra Course Template, and then upload it into your sandbox.
- Click here to see how to import a course package into an Ultra Course tutorial.
- It is recommended to build one learning Module with all of the components that you want to have in each module first, and then copy it for each module.
Combine Rebuilding and Copying
Combining rebuilding and copying might be the most efficient way for the transition from the Original to Ultra Course View.
- Request an Ultra sandbox.
- Build your course structure with all the components in the Ultra sandbox.
- Use CTT Ultra course template to build your course structure. Visit the Create Ultra Courses from Scratch section to see how to copy CTT Ultra Course template and how to import the zip file of the template into your Ultra course.
- Copy individual contents, especially assessments such as assignments, tests, and exams from your Original courses to the Ultra sandbox.
Copy + Rebuild
- Getting Started
- Create course content
- Course Copy: PDF Video
- Set Course Availability: Original Ultra
- Build Your Course Short Video Tutorials
- Navigation Inside a Course page
- Merge/Master course requests
Collaborate Video Conferencing
- Getting Started
- Create course content
- Course Copy: PDF Video
- Set Course Availability: Original Ultra
- Build Your Course Short Video Tutorials
- Navigation Inside a Course page
- Merge/Master course requests
Collaborate Video Conferencing
- Getting Started
- Create course content
- Course Copy: PDF Video
- Set Course Availability: Original Ultra
- Build Your Course Short Video Tutorials
- Navigation Inside a Course page
- Merge/Master course requests
10 Things to Try in Ultra Base Navigation
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Path to Ultra Courses
Since all courses at WPU will need to transition from the Original Course View to the Ultra Course View by Fall 2023, we strongly recommend that faculty get started with Ultra Course View in one or more of their courses as soon as possible.
How to Plan Your Move to Ultra?
Here are a few steps you might want to consider when you plan your move to Ultra:
- Learn about the Ultra Experience and how it changes your course by attending workshop, webinars and Learn about about training opportunities, course conversion, and other features exclusive to the Ultra Experience.
- When you decide whether to adopt Ultra Course View, you might want to take a look at what new features and functions Ultra Course View offers and what tools you currently use in an Original course that are unavailable in Ultra and evaluate how important they are to your transition to the Ultra course. Click here to learn Ultra vs Learn Original Highlights.
- Check and make sure that the third-party (such as your textbook publisher) integration with Blackboard works in Ultra by consulting your textbook publisher and CTT.
- Discuss your Ultra adoption plan and roadmap with CTT staff.
- Decide on a strategy that fits your course (e.g. convert or redesign) and schedule.
Ultra Sandbox or Ultra Course Preview?
You can use an Ultra sandbox, the Ultra Course Preview, or both to explore and try Ultra Course View and the conversion from the Original to Ultra. We strongly recommend converting and developing your first Ultra course in an Ultra sandbox, which provides a risk-free environment for you to explore the Ultra Course View and experiment. Once you are familiar with the Ultra Course View and the course conversion, you can also try to After trying out the Ultra Course View and experimenting in the Ultra sandbox, you can use the Ultra Course View conversion option on a past or current course.
Using Ultra Sandbox
- A Blackboard sandbox is an exercise course shell, which can be used to try out different settings, tools, and functionalities of Blackboard Ultra in a risk-free environment away from your live course shells.
- You can copy your Original courses into the sandbox, which will be automatically converted into Ultra Course View by Blackboard. Then you can explore your Original course in the Ultra preview and make necessary changes and resolve conversion issues.
- You can also use the Ultra sandbox to develop your new Ultra courses from scratch.
- After completing your Ultra course development in the sandbox, you can copy the course content in the sandbox to your live course shells.
Request an Ultra Sandbox and Ultra Course Preview Option
All WP faculty are invited to try Ultra Course View and the course conversion. If you are interested, please click this link and create a helpdesk ticket to request an Ultra sandbox or the option of Ultra Course Preview in Blackboard. For "Request Type", choose "Blackboard" on the first drop-down menu and "Ultra Sandbox Request" on the second drop-down menu. If you request the option of Ultra Course Preview, write "Ultra Course Preview" in the Request Detail box.
You can use the sandbox to import or copy an existing Original course and explore the features and functions of Ultra Course View. The name of the Ultra Course preview shell is “Course Name-Ultra-your username", which you should be able to find on your course list.
Ultra Course Preview
- Another option for you to explore and convert your Original course to Ultra is to use Ultra Course Preview.
- Unlike an Ultra sandbox, which is a separate Ultra course shell, the Instructor Choice option allows you to fully explore your Original course in the Ultra preview before you switch to Ultra. In the Ultra Course preview, you can see exactly how your content will look in Ultra and what changes and is not converted.
How to Use Ultra Course Preview?
- Make the Original course you want to preview in Ultra Course View unavailable to students.
- Open your course and select the Experience the new Learn icon in the top-right corner.
- Click “Try the Ultra Course View!”
- Please note that you can only preview courses that aren't currently open to students. Make your course private before trying the Ultra preview.
- If you switch your course from Private to Open during the preview, the course will be converted to Ultra Course View automatically, and you won't be able to switch back to the Original Course View.
- Any changes you make to your course while in the Ultra Course View preview won't be saved if you exit the preview and choose to continue in the Original Course View. But if you choose to permanently convert your course to Ultra, the changes you made during the preview are saved.
Request an Ultra Sandbox or the Option of Ultra Course Preview
All WP faculty are invited to try Ultra Course View and the course conversion. If you are interested, please click this link and create a helpdesk ticket to request an Ultra sandbox or the option of Ultra Course Preview in Blackboard. For "Request Type", choose "Blackboard" on the first drop-down menu and "Ultra Sandbox Request" on the second drop-down menu. If you request the option of Ultra Course Preview, write "Ultra Course Preview" in the Request Detail box.
You can use the sandbox to import or copy an existing Original course and explore the features and functions of Ultra Course View. The name of the Ultra Course preview shell is “Course Name-Ultra-your username", which you should be able to find on your course list.