What's Happening?
The University of Bristol has issued comprehensive guidance for faculty on reusing content when transitioning from Blackboard Original to Blackboard Ultra. The university advises against using Blackboard's copy function to move an entire course's content at
once, as this can lead to disorganization in the new Ultra course due to differences in structural levels and tool functionalities. Instead, the recommendation is to copy specific content directly into its final position in the Ultra course, working section by section. Key considerations include planning the Ultra course's structure, which is limited to three levels, and identifying content that needs to be transferred. The guidance also highlights that some items, like Blogs, Wikis, and Achievements, cannot be directly copied, while others, such as Adaptive Release rules and Course Tools, need to be recreated using Ultra's new functionalities. Formatting may be lost when copying items, and discussions will not retain threads. Special instructions are provided for copying tests and question pools, with a strong recommendation to copy questions and recreate tests in Ultra due to potential errors and changes in question types.
Why It's Important?
This guidance is important for U.S. educational institutions undergoing similar transitions between learning management system versions or platforms. It underscores the significant challenges and complexities involved in migrating large volumes of educational content, particularly the potential for data loss, formatting issues, and functional discrepancies between old and new systems. The University of Bristol's recommendations emphasize a strategic, phased approach to content migration, which can save institutions considerable time and effort while minimizing disruption for both faculty and students. The detailed advice on specific content types, such as tests and discussions, highlights the need for careful planning and execution to ensure academic integrity and effective course delivery. This transition process also brings to light the importance of accessibility, as faculty are advised to check Ally scores and fix accessibility issues before transferring materials, reflecting a broader commitment to inclusive education.
What's Next?
Faculty at the University of Bristol will continue to transition their course content from Blackboard Original to Ultra, following the provided guidelines. This will involve careful planning of their Ultra course structure, identifying and selectively copying necessary content, and recreating elements that do not transfer seamlessly. After copying, faculty are advised to check all transferred items and their settings, re-add resources from external tools, optimize naming conventions, and generate Ally reports to ensure accessibility. The university also suggests making course content visible to students once all checks are complete. This ongoing migration process will likely involve continuous support from the university's digital education office, with potential for further updates to the guidance based on faculty feedback and emerging best practices in content migration.
Beyond the Headlines
The challenges faced by the University of Bristol in migrating Blackboard content are indicative of a larger trend in educational technology: the continuous evolution of learning platforms and the subsequent need for institutions to adapt. This process is not merely a technical one; it has profound implications for pedagogy, course design, and faculty workload. The shift to Ultra, with its different structural limitations and functionalities, encourages faculty to re-evaluate and potentially redesign their courses, moving away from simply replicating old content. This can lead to more streamlined, accessible, and engaging learning experiences. However, it also demands significant investment in faculty training and support. The emphasis on accessibility during migration highlights a growing awareness of legal and ethical obligations to provide equitable access to education, pushing institutions to integrate accessibility considerations into every stage of their digital strategy.
