2025 Archived Release Notes

Consistent Save and Cancel options in Settings page: We standardized Save and Cancel actions across several assessment settings pages to improve usability. Instructors will now see consistent buttons in Timer, Access Code, Learning Outcome Measurements, and Turnitin settings.

Tag questions with metadata in tests and question banks: Instructors can now tag questions with metadata such as Category, Topics, Difficulty Level, and Keywords. Tags are visible during question creation and editing and can be used to filter questions when reusing or adding to pools.

Require questions before making Forms visible to students: The improvement is to bring visibility controls of Forms in line with that of Tests. Previously, forms could be made visible to students even if they didn't contain any questions. Now, instructors first have to add questions to their forms before they can make them visible to students or set release conditions.

Improved student experience with Fill in the Blank question type: Fill in the Blank questions now display blanks inline with the question text and support blanks inside table cells. We also added hidden ARIA labels for screen reader accessibility, improving clarity and usability for all students.

Course Catalog: Use Flywire to pay for courses: We added Flywire as a payment service provider. This gives students the option to use Flywire to purchase courses from Course Catalog, giving them more flexibility in how they pay.

Improved Course Messages User Interface: We’ve redesigned the Course Messages interface in Blackboard to deliver a cleaner, more modern messaging experience. Messages now appear in chat-style bubbles, with the sender’s messages left-justified and your messages right-justified—similar to popular messaging apps like iMessage or Teams. The sender’s avatar is displayed next to their messages, making it easier to visually identify participants in the conversation. Your own avatar will be visible to others when you send messages.

Manage files in the Learning Object Repository: Administrators can now upload files into the Learning Object Repository. This provides the ability for institutions to manage files centrally, saving time and maintaining consistency throughout the organization.

Locked attributes and settings for Documents in the Learning Object Repository: Visibility settings, class conversations, and goals in Documents now reliably sync and remain locked in associated courses when managed from the Learning Object Repository. This update improves consistency and lays the foundation for future flexibility in locking specific attributes.

Grade Export: Search and filter the audit history: Administrators can now search and filter the audit history of submission, approval, and extraction actions in the Grade Export tool. These enhancements streamline the process of locating specific events, improving efficiency and oversight.

Course Catalog: Access course roles in the Course Enrollment Report: A new Course Roles column in the Course Enrollment Report helps administrators distinguish between instructors, students, and other roles, improving reporting accuracy, user management workflows, and troubleshooting enrollment issues.

Enhance Documents with new block formatting options: Instructors can now enhance the visual appeal of Documents using new block styling features that support color and icons. These icons—such as Question, Tip, Key Points, Next Steps, and Highlight—help guide student attention and clarify the purpose of each content block.

Add and manage question titles in tests and banks: Instructors can now add optional titles to questions in tests, forms, and banks. Titles improve search and reuse workflows and appear in creation, editing, and reuse panels—but remain hidden from students during test-taking and review.

Export question banks in QTI v2.1 format: Instructors can export question banks in the QTI v2.1 format, supporting interoperability with other systems and simplifying onboarding for institutions transitioning to Ultra.

Generate AI-powered summaries for rubric-based feedback: Instructors using Flexible Grading can now generate overall feedback summaries using generative AI. The summary incorporates rubric criteria, performance levels, and existing feedback. Instructors can accept, reject, or regenerate the summary and refine it as needed.

Use AI to rewrite instructor-authored feedback: Flexible Grading now includes an AI-powered Rewrite option that helps instructors polish their feedback. After entering at least 30 characters, instructors can generate a clearer, more student-friendly version of their comments and refine it iteratively.

Use pop-out rubric when grading group submissions: Instructors can now use the pop-out rubric when grading group submissions in Flexible Grading. The rubric opens in a separate window, supports bulk selection, and improves grading efficiency.

Use see-more functionality in Add Question Pool filters: Instructors can now expand long filter lists in the Add Question Pool panel using a new “See more” link. This enhancement improves navigation for filters like Sources, Question Types, and Tags.

Improve accessibility on the Submissions list page in the Gradebook: The Submissions list page now uses a semantic HTML table structure, improving screen reader support and keyboard navigation. This aligns with accessibility improvements made to the student Gradebook.

Grade Export: Display record range and total number of search results: The Grade Export tool now indicates which records are currently listed out of a total number of search results. This update helps graders quickly understand how many records match their search and where they are in the list, improving navigation through search results.

Simplify announcement creation with cleaner interface: The Recipients dropdown was removed from the New Announcement page because it only offered one option—sending to all course members—making it unnecessary. This change simplifies the interface and improves the user experience by showing only relevant options.

Improved EULA Workflow for Turnitin Submissions: This new Blackboard LMS feature enhances the user experience for students submitting assessments to Turnitin by updating the End User License Agreement (EULA) workflow. This update provides clear guidance for students who haven't signed the EULA, helping them complete submissions more easily and reducing support needs for instructors.

Display per question feedback to students on group test submissions: Students can now view per question feedback on group test submissions. This update ensures group submissions benefit from the same detailed feedback experience as individual submissions.

Video Studio: Use Video Studio in Journals: Instructors and students can now record or upload video and audio directly within journal prompts and responses in Ultra Courses, supporting more personal, engaging, and accessible communication.

Customize grade pill thresholds to align with institutional policies: Administrators can now define up to 10 performance levels and assign accessible colors to each. This system-level setting ensures grade visuals reflect institutional grading policies across all Ultra courses.

Search courses and organizations by name or ID in the Learning Object Repository: You can now search courses and organizations by name or ID when reviewing object associations in the Learning Object Repository. This enhancement makes it faster and more intuitive to locate relevant learning objects and manage associations efficiently.

Update content with synced Learning Object Repository attributes and settings: The Learning Object Repository now syncs additional attributes—visibility settings, class conversations, and goals—in preparation for an October update that will allow these to be locked. Locking visibility is especially useful for protecting instructor-only materials, ensuring they remain hidden from students regardless of usage. This change supports a broader strategy of selective configurability, promoting consistency and security across learning environments.

Require confirmation for updated email addresses: A verification step has been added when users update their email address. Now, a confirmation message is sent to the new email, and the user must verify it before the change takes effect. This ensures uninterrupted delivery of important communications.

Display time limits and extra time consistently in Ultra assessments: Time limits and extra time are now displayed in a consistent format (e.g., “20 minutes + 10 minutes extra time”) across all views for instructors, students, and preview users.

Video Studio: Use Video Studio in Announcements: Announcements now support video and audio content through Video Studio, replacing the Capture tool. This feature improves usability and accessibility by allowing instructors to record or upload video and audio, with automatic generation of captions and transcripts, enhancing personalized and engaging communication.

Increased accessibility in the student Overview page: To improve screen reader support and keyboard navigation, we updated the student Overview page (instructor view) to use a semantic HTML table structure.

Enhance visual consistency for embedded LTI tools: Embedded LTI tools in Blackboard now default to 100% width, eliminating grey letterboxing and ensuring responsive tools fully utilize available space. This update aligns embedded LTI behavior with standalone tools, enhancing visual consistency and improving the overall user experience.

Add Table of Contents to Learning Modules for students: This feature introduces a collapsible Table of Contents panel to enhance navigation, orientation, and progress tracking within Learning Modules. Assessments in Learning Modules also now display as a full-page panel. These updates create a more consistent and focused user experience for students.

Course Catalog: Discover important information about courses on redesigned course tiles: Redesigned course tiles in the catalog now display essential information clearly on the tile, preventing the need to open the course details panel to access that information. This update makes course information more accessible to all students.

Course Catalog: Clarify enrollment steps with improved prompts and feedback: We streamlined the enrollment process for both guests and logged-in users by redesigning enrollment prompts to provide relevant course information, adding loading placeholders during system processing, and displaying confirmation messages after enrollment. These updates create a smoother, more predictable path from course discovery to enrollment, enhancing the overall user experience.

Increased accessibility in the student Gradebook: To improve screen reader support and keyboard navigation, we updated the student Gradebook (student view) to use a semantic HTML table structure.

Ensure new courses use the latest Learning Object Repository content: Now, when an object from the Learning Object Repository is copied to a new course, the system automatically pulls the latest version of the object, eliminating the need for manual updates after a course begins.

Ensure consistency with course-level group conversion: All activity-level groups are now automatically converted to course-level groups during course conversion or when materials are copied via the Administrator Panel. This update preserves all group associations with content items, eliminating the need for instructors to manually reassociate them. By standardizing group management at the course level, instructors benefit from a more consistent and user-friendly experience when organizing group activities.

Enhance usability on the Associations page of the Learning Object Repository: The Associations Page has been improved for better clarity and usability, including support for courses with the duration type of "Days from the date of enrollment” and clearer term labeling. Additionally, navigation and display issues were resolved, streamlining access to object associations and eliminating confusing placeholder values.

Improve LTI tool management with flexible copy options: Users with the right permissions can now copy individual LTI tools between courses, offering more flexibility than the previous full-course-only copy option. However, since LTI behavior varies by provider, it's recommended to test copied tools—especially those involving grades or user data—to ensure they function correctly in the new course.

Use upgraded Rustici SCORM Engine: We’ve upgraded the Rustici SCORM Engine from version 20.1 to version 23 to ensure continued support, improved performance, and access to the latest SCORM standards. This update enhances compatibility, applies critical security patches, and improves the stability of SCORM content delivery in Blackboard Ultra.

Use SIS Integration to Update Course Completion in Bulk: Administrators can now use the Student Information System (SIS) integration to update course and organization completion status in bulk, automating completion and uncompletion actions through SIS. This enhancement improves consistency and reduces manual work.

Turn on SafeAssign DirectSubmit functionality: After an additional review of the SafeAssign feature, we’ve decided to remove it from the July release to allow more time for improvements.

Track sync progress from Learning Object Repository to courses and organizations: A new task type called "Sync from Repository/Template" has been added to the Tasks and Logs page in the Learning Object Repository. It allows users to track the creation, start, and completion of syncs to ensure updates are successfully applied to all linked courses and organizations.

Enhance instructor efficiency with expanded Activity page: The Activity page on Blackboard has been significantly enhanced to better support instructors managing multiple courses. It now includes a dedicated course section showing new activity since the instructor's last login, along with shortcuts for grading, messaging, and reviewing student alerts.

Add captions to images in Documents: Instructors can now add captions to image blocks in Documents. Captions can provide more context and additional information to enhance the learning experience.

Review student engagement with announcements: Instructors can now review which students have or haven’t acknowledged an announcement. They can also message students directly from the list to follow up.

Support QTI question import in banks: Instructors can now import QTI v2.1-formatted questions directly into banks. The system provides real-time feedback on upload progress and alerts users to any unsupported question types. This update enhances interoperability and simplifies assessment creation across platforms.

Apply the No Category option to Gradebook Items: Instructors can now select No Category in the Grade Category dropdown to remove an item from a category without reassigning it elsewhere. This keeps grading workflows simple and consistent by storing no category data.

Enhanced pop-out rubric: The pop-out rubric now warns users before closing with unsaved changes. Selecting Save no longer closes the rubric, allowing continued editing. Keyboard navigation has also been improved for smoother interaction with the grid table.

Navigate with previous and next functionality in Group Submissions: Reviewing and grading group submissions is now more efficient with the addition of Previous and Next navigation controls. Instructors can efficiently move between group submissions using header bar controls.

Access Progress Tracking tool via Course Settings: We’ve streamlined the instructor experience by relocating the Progress Tracking tool from the Details & Actions panel to the Course Settings page, simplifying the user interface. Instructors can now activate or deactivate Progress Tracking from the Course Settings page, improving their experience by placing the tool outside of the Course Content page.

Video Studio: Create and edit recordings in Forms: Video Studio is now available in Forms, allowing instructors to create or upload video and audio content as part of form responses. This feature enhances engagement and clarity in feedback, surveys, and other form-based interactions.

Retroactively assign achievements to students: Achievements can now be awarded retroactively. This update empowers instructors to use Achievements more dynamically and ensures students are recognized for their accomplishments.

Render mathematical formulas with MathJax: We’ve enhanced the formula rendering experience in the Rich Text Editor (RTE) by implementing MathJax, improving the visual accuracy and consistency of LaTeX-based formulas. This update offers a more precise rendering style preferred by many STEM instructors and automatically renders LaTeX code entered in the RTE across supported areas of Blackboard.

Video Studio: Create and edit recordings in Assignments and Tests: Instructors and students can now create, upload, and edit Video Studio recordings directly within Assignments and Tests, enhancing multimedia instructions and submissions. This feature supports more dynamic and personalized learning experiences by allowing detailed instructions, visual examples, and expressive student responses.

Video Studio: Editing capabilities in Discussions: We’ve expanded Video Studio functionality in Discussions to include editing the title, captions, and transcripts. This enhancement supports more polished and purposeful video contributions, improving the quality of asynchronous discussions.

Course Catalog: Access More Information text with keyboard navigation: When the information icon on the course card in the catalog receives the keyboard focus, the More Information text now appears. This update ensures that users who rely on keyboard navigation can easily access additional information about courses.

Course Catalog: Enter confirmation codes with improved screen reader support: There is now a single, properly labeled input field for the confirmation code in the sign-up workflow in Course Catalog. Screen readers correctly announce the label. This provides users with the necessary context to enter information. This update improves usability and aligns with accessibility best practices.

Control how descriptions convert from Original to Ultra: We added a feature to control how folder and learning module descriptions convert from Original to Ultra. Original supports rich text and other formatting options, but Ultra doesn’t. When this new feature is turned on, descriptions are converted to Documents to avoid data loss from formatting and character limits. This feature is on by default to support smoother bulk course conversions.

Allow instructors to switch between folders and learning modules: Starting in version 3900.121 of Blackboard, instructors can always switch between folders and learning modules, as the feature flag controlling this option has been removed.  This aligns with Blackboard’s strategy of gradually rolling out new features.

Learning Object Repository: Identify object usage across courses and organizations: We added an Associations page that shows which courses and organizations use a specific object. This helps institutions assess the impact of changes and understand resource usage more clearly.

Learning Object Repository: Enhance usability with modification date: We added a “Date Modified” column to the Learning Object Repository. This enhancement allows users to quickly review the most recent modification date for each learning object.

Learning Object Repository: Updated deletion message to show effects on associated items: We updated the delete confirmation message to clarify what happens to associated objects when an item is removed, based on user feedback.

Advanced analytics with subject and term type sorting: We added new sorting options in the Administrator Panel. Courses can be sorted by subject to support program-level analysis, and terms can be sorted by type for better performance comparisons. The enhancement to terms is fully backwards compatible.

Manage Bulk Completion for Courses and Organizations: Administrators can now manage the completion status of multiple Ultra courses or organizations in bulk, marking them as Completed or Not Completed in a single action. This feature saves time, reduces manual effort, and enhances sorting capabilities with improved status column sorting.

Ensure visibility of file attachment options for node administrators in the Institutional Hierarchy: We’ve enhanced the course archiving experience for Institutional Hierarchy Node Administrators by ensuring consistent access to file attachment options without requiring administrator enrollment in the course. This update improves administrative efficiency and ensures a more predictable and professional experience when managing course archives.

Course Catalog: Navigate side panels more easily with keyboard and screen readers: On administrative pages, when a side panel opens, the focus now remains within the panel instead of returning to the underlying page. This reduces navigation disruptions for keyboard and screen reader users.

Course Catalog: Select a language with clearer guidance for screen readers: The language selection button now includes descriptive alt text and screen readers announce it with “Select language:” verbiage, which provides clearer guidance for those navigating with screen readers.

Add customizable dividers to Documents: We added a divider block to Documents: Dividers can be used to help students easily identify related and unrelated sections.  Dividers can be resized across up to four columns, providing flexible options.

Student Activity Log: Simplify review of student content access: The Student Activity Log now has a Content Access Filter, allowing instructors to review students' access to content like Kaltura without having to manually filter CSV files. Additionally, the Enhanced LTI Access Filter provides insight into student interactions with all types of LTI items, including placeholders.

Create Jumbled Sentence Questions: The new jumbled sentence question type lets instructors create questions for online exams. Instructors can define distractors, add automated feedback, designate questions as extra credit, and use accessibility tools.

Generate AI Jumbled Sentence Questions: Instructors can use AI to generate jumbled sentence questions, edit the AI-generated content, and add these questions to pools or tests.

Perform Bulk Category Changes in Item Management: Instructors can perform bulk category changes for Gradebook items, efficiently organizing and managing them without altering the items themselves.

Navigate the Gradable Items tab in the Gradebook: The Gradable Items tab uses a table-based layout to improve navigation and interaction for instructors who use keyboards and screen readers. This makes the Gradebook more accessible for all instructors. While this isn’t a new feature, we wanted to call attention to our ongoing commitment to the usability and accessibility of the Gradebook.

Bb Annotate: Enhance grading workflow with better navigation and layout: Instructors can now use bookmarks to quickly navigate between pages in a student submission, streamlining the grading workflow. Additionally, at lower screen resolutions or when zoomed in, the comment box now spans the bottom of the screen instead of appearing as a pop-up, improving accessibility and usability.

Bb Annotate: Enhance stability and usability of commenting tools: We made several changes to improve stability and consistency. These include resolving issues like the document turning opaque when selecting a comment, visual inconsistencies, and toolbar elements not displaying correctly in dark theme. Enhancements also ensure consistent colors, proper alignment of buttons, improved comment box behavior, and restored functionality for editing and formatting comments across different views and screen sizes.

Enhance student engagement with discussion activity indicators: The Discussions page now shows the number of unread posts and a "New" label for discussions with new activity. These updates encourage student engagement and help instructors monitor student participation more easily.

Enhance overall appearance and usability of Knowledge Checks: We made Knowledge Checks easier to use for both instructors and students. Changes include better placement of answer choices and labels, adjustments for small screens, and enhanced visual indicators. Instructors get clearer answer metrics, while students benefit from a more user-friendly mobile experience.

Video Studio: Create and share recordings in Discussions: Instructors and students can now record, upload, and view Video Studio recordings within course discussions. This feature allows both instructors and students to create more interactive and visually appealing discussion posts.

Assign new Viewer system role and entitlement to manage system access: Administrators can now assign a customizable Viewer role that provides comprehensive viewing access to all course materials, grades, and user information without editing capabilities (though you can add customized editing privileges as needed). This role is ideal for academic deans, department chairs, and external auditors who need to review academic content and performance within Blackboard.

Select IP Restriction Profiles with new search function: Instructors and administrators can now use a search function to easily select IP restriction profiles when creating tests, enhancing the user experience by simplifying the management of test-taking locations. This feature allows for efficient filtering of profiles, improving the process of setting up secure testing environments.

Convert activity-level groups to course-level groups during course restores: Now, activity-level groups are converted to course-level groups during a course restore, ensuring consistency across the course. This change maintains content associations and enrollment details.

Anthology Adopt: Create embedded user guides: Administrators can now create embedded guides within Blackboard using Anthology Adopt, providing non-disruptive, inline guidance directly within content areas. This feature enhances usability and allows for customizable appearance to match Blackboard's design and user experience.

Anthology Adopt: Track user interaction with Guides in Path reports: Administrators can now track user interaction with guides in Path reports using Anthology Adopt, providing insight into user behavior and enhancing guide optimization. This feature helps pinpoint where users drop off or continue their journey after interacting with guides, aiding in better path analysis.

AI Design Assistant: Auto-generate AI Conversations: The AI Design Assistant now has the capability to auto-generate AI Conversations, including Socratic Questioning and Role-play scenarios. To save instructors time, the AI Design Assistant can generate three suggestions simultaneously, allowing users to select their preferred options.

Achievements show current recipients without browser refresh: Achievements now display their current recipients automatically after grade changes, eliminating the need for a browser refresh. This enhancement guarantees that instructors can always rely on accurate and up-to-date Achievement statuses for their students.

Qualitative rubrics with no-points option: Instructors can now create no-points rubrics for qualitative assessment, emphasizing criteria-based feedback over numerical values. Additionally, the AI rubric generation feature supports this new rubric type, streamlining the process of creating detailed evaluation criteria. Instructors can toggle between percentage, points-based, and no-points rubrics when building or editing assessments.

Gradebook accessibility enhancements: The Gradable Items tab in the Gradebook now features a table-based layout for improved navigation and accessibility. Screen reader users can seamlessly hear both header and row announcements, and keyboard users can navigate rows and columns efficiently using arrow keys.

Grade Export v2: Pagination added to the approval workflow: The approval workflow pages are now paginated, limiting each page to ten items.  This eliminates the need for scrolling through a long list to find the desired item.

Grade Export v2: Select items across pages added to the approval workflow: Instructors can now select all items from a search at once across multiple pages in the approval workflow. They can easily perform actions on all search results.

Grade Export v2: Buttons that are not enabled no longer appear in the approval workflow: Buttons not enabled in the Grade Export v2 settings no longer appear in the approval workflow, removing previously grayed-out, non-actionable options. This update creates a cleaner interface and reduces confusion for instructors.

Grade Export v2: Columns renamed on the Grades Approval and Transfer screen: We renamed two columns on the grade-level Approval and Transfer screen. The Current Grade column now displays the student's current grade. The Previously Approved Grade column displays the last approved grade. This makes it easy for instructors to track grade changes.

Video Studio - Automatically detect different speakers in a recording: The new Video Studio feature automatically detects and segments different speakers in a video transcript, enhancing accuracy and clarity. Instructors can manually edit speaker labels, making the transcripts more valuable for both instructors and students.

Course Catalog: Copy discussions from course template: When managers create an offering with a template other than Blank Course Ultra View, discussions are now copied by default. A Copy Template Discussions toggle appears, which they can turn off to prevent discussions from being copied. This saves managers time because they do not have to manually recreate discussions.

Enhancements to discussions: We enhanced discussions to improve user experience and engagement. Users now select "Post" instead of "Respond" to submit responses, and instructors are identified with an indicator beside their name. In addition, the response field text has been updated to read "Post a response to the discussion" for clarity. We made several more subtle changes to streamline the experience with discussions.

“View submission one time” test results setting: When the new “View submission one time” test results setting is turned on, students can review their answers and feedback immediately after completing the test. After the initial review session, access to submission details is restricted until the instructor releases the results.

Text-based columns in the Gradebook: Instructors now have the flexibility to create text-based Gradebook columns, enabling them to record up to 32 characters of non-grade information such as group membership or performance codes. These columns support sorting and visibility controls and are accessible in both Grid view and Gradable Items pages. Students can view these columns if they are set to "Visible to students."

Video Studio - 360° Video: easy link from desktop to Virtual Reality Headset: The new Video Studio feature allows users to easily link 360° videos to any VR headset, creating immersive educational experiences. This straightforward workflow enhances learning by enabling students and instructors to virtually explore environments where physical presence is not feasible.

Learning Object Repository: New search function for inserting objects: A search function has been added to the insert object workflow for the Learning Object Repository, allowing users to search by name and view items sorted alphabetically. This update improves the efficiency and ease of inserting objects.

Learning Object Repository: Notification emails: The Learning Object Repository has been updated to remove confirmation email notifications when inserting objects into courses or organizations. This change reduces unnecessary emails, ensuring users receive only essential communications.

IP Restriction for Ultra Courses - Multiple Test Rooms – Hide Profiles: The new IP Restriction feature for Ultra Courses allows administrators to hide or unhide profiles used for proctoring tests, which enhances security and change management. Instructors assign proctoring locations only from available profiles, preventing confusion.

Course Catalog: Pagination added to Achievements tab on learner dashboard: The Achievement tab on the learner dashboard is now paginated, limiting each page to ten items.  This eliminates the need for scrolling through a long list to find the desired item.

Learning Object Repository: Enhancements to privileges: Learning Object Repository privileges are renamed to match the naming conventions of other privileges, based on user feedback. This change ensures a more consistent and streamlined experience for administrators.

Learning Object Repository: Sorting for Associations column: Users can now sort items in the Learning Object Repository by association, making it easier to identify objects with the highest or lowest number of associations. This enhancement streamlines the workflow, helping users find the most relevant objects more efficiently.

Grade Export v2: Approval History available to administrators: Administrators can now see a detailed history of all actions taken in a course, including who did what, using the Show History feature. This helps them easily address any questions about the approval process.

Grade Export v2: Choose course roles in Platform Extensions Manager: In addition to institution and system roles, administrators can now choose course roles for Grade Approver User access in the Platform Extensions Manager tool. This option gives administrators more granular control over what course roles can launch the Grade Approval and Transfer tool.

Course Activity improvements: 3000 student limit removed: The Course Activity report now includes all students in courses with over 3000 students, removing the previous limit. This update makes managing larger courses more accurate and user-friendly for instructors.

Course Activity improvements: Send message: In the Course Activity report, instructors can message students in courses with over 3000 students, improving communication in large classes. Additionally, the Recipients field will use group labels instead of individual names, making messaging more user-friendly.

Indicator if Student Has or Has Not Reviewed Feedback: Instructors can now see an indicator on the student Overview page showing whether a student has reviewed feedback for an assessment. The Status column on the student Overview page has a status of Not reviewed or Reviewed.

Group Submissions: Instructors can now grade group submissions for assignments and tests using Flexible Grading. This update streamlines the grading process, although some individual submission features aren't included yet.

Moodle Conversion: Improved Support for Embedded Multimedia: All embedded audio, video, and images now transfer correctly when converting a course from Moodle to Blackboard. This update ensures that instructors' materials are fully accessible and reliable after conversion.

Achievements in student preview: The student preview now includes the Achievements page, offering a more accurate view of the student experience. This update also allows instructors to verify that the Achievements page is accessible to students in their courses.

Course Catalog: Award a certificate based on percentage score: This feature will be available in Test/Stage and in Production the week of March 3rd. Managers can now award achievements based on percentage scores in addition to points, saving time by eliminating the need to convert percentages to total points in the Certificate Assignment panel.

Content Designer: Print Document: Instructors and students can now print Documents or save them to PDF, providing more ways to engage with content. This new option allows users to: review content offline, share content with students or peers, and physically archive content.

Activity indicator color changed to purple: The activity indicator color for discussions, journals, and conversations has been changed from blue to purple. This update unifies Blackboard's color scheme, providing users with a more consistent experience.

Improved Support for LTI: Resize Requests: LTI providers can now set their preferred height for embedded LTIs in Blackboard, eliminating excessive white space. This update creates a more visually appealing and focused interface for students.

Replace Feedback Column with Actionable Results Column in Student Gradebook: We replaced the Feedback column with a Results column that includes a View button when a grade is posted. Selecting View redirects the student to their submission to view feedback. This encourages students to engage with their feedback by providing a clear call-to-action.

Course Catalog: Display certificate details from student dashboard: This feature will be available in Test/Stage and in Production the week of March 24th. Students can now access detailed information about their course certificates from the student dashboard in a pop-up window including the status, associated course, and earning requirements. If a student has earned a certificate, the pop-up also includes the expiration date and a download button. This new feature empowers students by providing a clear understanding of how to achieve their certificates.

Learning Object Repository: The new Learning Object Repository helps institutions centralize and update course materials automatically, saving time and ensuring consistency. Administrators can upload objects to the Learning Object Repository for instructors to copy into their courses. Currently, only documents can be included in the Learning Object Repository, but file uploads will be available soon.

Achievements in course copies: Achievements and Open Badges from Anthology Milestone can now be copied along with courses, saving instructors time and effort. This update also helps standardize Achievements across courses and enhances the student learning experience.

Copy objects into the Learning Object Repository: Administrators can copy existing documents into the Learning Object Repository, saving time and effort. This is ideal for storing institutional policies, support information, and technology requirements.

AI Image generation improvements: The AI Design Assistant will generate one image at a time instead of four, while saving the previous image if the instructor wants to choose a previous image. This change conserves processing power and is more environmentally friendly.

Learning module generation improvements: Two enhancements will be made to improve the user experience when generating learning modules: a placeholder image will prevent title and description shifts if no image is generated and a refresh button will allow for easy regeneration of images based on titles and descriptions. These changes will ensure a consistent viewing experience and provide flexibility for instructors.

Course Goal reports added to Analytics: Two new reports will be added to Analytics. These reports will help instructors gain deeper insights into course content alignment with institutional goals and assess student progress more effectively.

Due dates added to release conditions panel: The due date for a content item will be included with the Date and Time fields when customizing release conditions, removing the need for instructors to go back and check the item. This update will save time and reduce errors.

Improvements to Mastery tab in Gradebook: Several improvements will be made to the Mastery tab in Gradebook, including removing icons and allowing goal titles to span two lines, with hover text displaying the full goal name. These changes will ensure that instructors can easily read all goal titles, enhancing their overall experience.

Copy Banners Between Courses: Instructors can copy banners between courses, saving time during course setup and rollover. This is especially useful for those who prefer copying course content in parts, making the setup process more efficient.

Canvas Conversion Improvement: File Uploads: We resolved issues with file conversions from Canvas to Blackboard, specifically those involving special characters in file names and files referenced multiple times within the same course. These fixes ensure that files are now preserved correctly during the conversion process.

Pop-out Rubric for Grading: Instructors can now pop out the grading rubric into a separate, moveable window. This makes grading more efficient by allowing the instructor to view both the rubric and the student’s submission side by side. We’ve also added a bulk performance level selection to help streamline grading even further.

Enhancements to hiding students with unavailable membership records: Instructors now have more control over how students are displayed in the gradebook. They can hide students with unavailable membership records, not just in the gradebook but also in the Mastery Gradebook tab and the Students list. This update helps instructors keep their gradebook focused on students who are actively enrolled and participating.

Enhanced Turnitin Report parameters: Turnitin now receives groups, user names, and roles data from Blackboard, enhancing the report's detail on course and assignment matches within an institution. This provides instructors with more precise and detailed match information, with no changes to the instructor interface in Blackboard.

Improvements to discussions: Several enhancements will be made to discussions to improve user experience, including better visibility with a gray background for posts, full display of long posts without scrolling, direct access to the Edit button. Additionally, the number of posts and replies will be listed on the discussion home page, making key information more accessible and saving instructor time.

Video Studio - 360° Video: Video Studio will support uploading 360° videos, where students can pan left or right for a lifelike experience, including viewing distant or dangerous scenarios. Additionally, keyboard navigation with W, A, S, D keys and a mouse navigation aid enhance accessibility.

Video Studio – Access transcript in single column video block: Instructors and students can now access transcripts for Video Studio recordings that are displayed in a single-column format. Select “View Transcript” and a modal window opens displaying the transcript.

New Student Submission Review Page for Tests: Students now have a new, improved test submission review page. This page provides all of their feedback, including grades, question-level feedback, submission timestamps, and attempt details. If a student has multiple attempts, they can easily review each one in the same place.