December 2025 Release Notes (4000.4)

Impact: Instructors

Updated help page: Content Release Conditions

Idea Exchange ID: LEARNU-I-638, LEARNU-I-394, LEARNU-I-2551, LEARNU-I-34

We expanded release conditions to include activity on items including non-assessment content. This enhancement allows conditions to be based on whether a student has opened or started content items such as documents, media, or course links. Instructors can now control access based on whether a student has opened or started a prerequisite content item.

This enhancement supports flexible learning pathways and mastery-based progression. For example, an instructor can require students to open a reading or watch a video before an assessment becomes available.

Impact: Student, Instructor

Updated help page: Messages (Student), Messages (Instructor)

Idea Exchange ID: Not applicable

AVA now responds to common student messages sent to instructors. Students often ask about information already available in the course, which increases instructor workload and delays responses. AVA helps reduce this workload and gives students faster answers to common questions.

When a student sends a message to an instructor, AVA scans the course from the student’s perspective to find a relevant answer. Instructors can review and clarify AVA’s responses if needed.

AVA can respond to questions about:

AVA responds only when the message is sent to the Instructor role or a role marked as “Treat Users with this Role as Instructor.” AVA does not respond if the message includes more than one student or other roles.

Image 1: AVA responding to a student's message

Instructors can turn on AVA autoreplies in Course Settings if the feature is enabled in the Administrator Panel. The default setting is off. Instructors can change this setting at any time during the course.

Instructors can review all AVA responses and add context if needed. AVA only responds based on course content. If an item appears in the gradebook, AVA will try to provide details. If AVA can’t find an answer, it will let the student know and suggest waiting for the instructor’s reply. AVA uses the Course Language Pack.

Currently, AVA cannot:

Impact: Instructors

Updated Help Page: Create Discussions (Instructor)

Idea Exchange ID: Not applicable

Instructors now have greater flexibility when managing student participation in Discussions. With this update, instructors can specify required student responses for a Discussion topic. It can be difficult for students to meet an instructor’s expectations in a discussion if those expectations are not clearly expressed. This enhancement allows instructors to more closely align grading requirements with their pedagogical goals and provides students with clear expectations for each phase of participation.

Instructors

Instructors can now make clear participation requirements to students. The initial release adds participation requirements to the existing due date(s) for discussions. Instructors can set requirements on the number of required posts and/or replies for a student to fulfil the requirement.

The status of participation requirements is updated through to completion, giving a student a clear understanding of progress made. Participation requirements are linked to progress tracking, so that will be accurately displayed for the student to monitor. Participation requirements are optional but recommended for maximum benefit.

This update does not affect grading workflows or Gradebook structure.

Image 1: Instructors being able to set participation requirements in discussion settings.

Students

The new participation requirements in Discussions give students a clearer understanding of instructor expectations in an assigned Discussions topic. Students can monitor their progress both in the assigned Discussions topic as well as in Progress Tracking.

Image 2: Showing the complete state when all the requirements have been met.

Impact: Instructors

Updated Help Page: Not applicable

Idea Exchange ID: Not applicable

The AI Conversation tool in Blackboard supports student engagement through Socratic questioning and role-play activities. Instructors configure settings for each activity, including assessment and grading options. In this release, the Originality Reporting option has been removed from the settings panel. Because the activity involves interaction with an AI persona, Originality Reporting does not generate a meaningful report. Keeping the option could cause confusion, so it has been removed to improve clarity. Improves instructor experience by removing unsupported reporting.

Impact: Administrators

Updated help page: Default Settings for Courses

Idea Exchange ID: Not applicable

We updated the grade pill display for the Complete/Incomplete grade schema to improve clarity for instructors and students. Grade pills for incomplete items now appear in gray, making them visually distinct from graded submissions. This change ensures that incomplete statuses are clearly communicated without implying a low score or performance level.

Image 1: Incomplete items have a gray grade pill.

Impact: Administrators

Updated help page: Default Settings for Courses

Idea Exchange ID: Not applicable

We introduced a type of gradebook calculation that relies on a new Calculated schema option for custom grade schemas. When enabled, gradebook calculations will use the schema’s numeric Grade Names (e.g., 1, 5.7, 6.8) instead of the raw assessment scores. This enhancement supports grading models like the Chilean grading scale, where a zero score should be interpreted as a 1.

Image 1: Administrators can configure schema-based Gradebook calculations.

Image 2: Instructors have the schema calculations in their Gradebook.

Impact: Instructors

Updated help page: Not applicable

Idea Exchange ID: Not applicable

We’ve enhanced Flexible Grading and the Submissions page for group assessments to better handle changes in group memberships. These improvements ensure grading accuracy and reduce confusion when groups are modified after submissions:

Image 1: On the Submissions page, a No Members label appears in groups with no members.

Image 2: The Flexible Grading interface shows the current group members for each attempt.

Impact: Instructors

Updated Help Page: Not applicable

Idea Exchange ID: Not applicable

Gradebook submission counts now align with the instructor’s Show/Hide Unavailable Students setting. When unavailable students are hidden, counts exclude their submissions. When unavailable students are shown, counts include their submissions.

Image 1: Instructors can set Student Visibility in Gradebook Settings.

Image 2: Gradebook submission counts align with the Show/Hide Unavailable Students setting, with unavailable students not affecting the submission count.

Impact: Instructors

Updated help page: Not applicable

Idea Exchange ID: Not applicable

We improved the Flexible Grading experience by introducing a consistent tabbed interface for all submission types. Previously, tabs were only shown for file-based submissions. With this update, instructors will now see tabs for:

Image 1: Consistent tabbed interface for submissions

This enhancement makes grading more intuitive and efficient by providing a uniform layout across different submission formats. On mobile, navigation buttons appear at the top of the tabbed interface for quick access to previous and next submissions.

Impact: Instructors

Updated Help Page: Video Studio (Instructor)

Idea Exchange ID: Not applicable

Instructors can now use the full Video Studio workflow when giving assessment feedback or working in Flexible Grading. They can record or upload video and audio directly in the feedback editor, using features like captioning, transcription, and editing to deliver clear, personalized communication.

This update makes feedback more engaging and accessible, and the workflow matches other Video Studio-supported areas in Blackboard Ultra.

Instructors

Instructors will see the Video Studio button in the feedback editor when grading. They can add media to express tone and intent more effectively. Video Studio supports automatic captioning and transcription and lets instructors edit recordings to improve clarity.

Image 1: Video Studio button available in the instructor feedback panel.

Image 2: Video Studio recording embedded in the instructor feedback panel.

Impact: Instructors

Updated Help Page: Automations

Idea Exchange ID: Not applicable

We made several enhancements to Automations based on user feedback.

Instructors

• Better visibility of Automations actions

  • Users can now check the status of each automation directly from the list.

  • Each automation now displays who executed it, increasing transparency in multi-instructor courses.

• Cleaner interface and more intuitive interactions, including:

  • Pagination on the automation list for smoother navigation.

  • Improved error messaging and validation when configuring numeric inputs.

  • Minor layout and usability improvements for the automation rules panel.

  • String and localization improvements.

Image 1: There is an indicator of the status of each automation in the list (active or inactive). The last person to execute the action is stated under each automation, and an error message is displayed for an automation that is incorrectly configured.

Impact: Administrators

Updated Help Page: Institutional Hierarchy

Idea Exchange ID: Not applicable

Institutions using Blackboard’s Institutional Hierarchy (IH) can now manage LTI proctoring tool placements at the node level. Previously, proctoring tools were managed globally, which limited how large organizations—such as university systems or multi-campus institutions—could tailor proctoring solutions for specific campuses, departments, or academic units. Administrators now have more flexibility to manage tool access, improving governance and the instructor experience.

Key improvements include:

Image 1: This flowchart shows how institutions using Blackboard’s Institutional Hierarchy can manage LTI proctoring tool placements at the node level.

This update supports complex governance models and phased rollouts by managing feature access at campus, department, or faculty levels. It also reduces administrative overhead and helps instructors focus on relevant tools aligned with institutional agreements and instructional needs.

Impact: Instructors and Students

Updated Help Page: Math Editor (Instructor), Math Editor (Student)

Idea Exchange ID: Not applicable

MathJax support in the Content Editor now includes additional LaTeX delimiters for rendering mathematical formulas. This update improves compatibility with standard STEM workflows and simplifies uploading exam content without changing source files.

Instructors and students can now use:

These options are in addition to the existing $ delimiters. Expanded support improves the experience of working with mathematical notation in Ultra courses and enhances visual clarity for complex expressions such as integrals, sums, and products.

Impact: Instructors

Updated Help Page: Create Learning Modules (Instructor)

Idea Exchange ID: LEARNU-I-159

Instructors now have access to a collapsible Table of Contents panel in Learning Modules. This update mirrors the student experience and supports consistent navigation across roles. Instructors can quickly move between module items and access content that isn’t yet available to students—without switching to Student Preview or changing availability settings.

This streamlined workflow helps instructors review and organize course content more efficiently, saving time and improving course management.

The Table of Contents panel includes all items in a module. Select Contents to open or collapse the panel. Instructors can navigate the full module structure and align course design with the student experience.

Image 1: Instructor view of a Learning Module with the Table of Contents panel open.

Impact: Administrators

Updated Help Page: Course and Organization Roles

Idea Exchange ID: Not applicable

Administrators can now manage role privileges more efficiently in Blackboard by importing and exporting privilege sets for System and Course roles. This update simplifies how permissions are reviewed, edited, and updated across the institution.

Updates include:

Impact: Instructors and Administrators

Updated Help Page: Course and Organization Roles (Administrator)

Idea Exchange ID: LEARNO-I-35

The Spectator course role gives institutions a flexible, read-only option for course access. Use this role for auditors, observers, or external reviewers who need to review course content without making changes or accessing administrative features. This role supports secure, non-intrusive access to course materials and improves oversight and collaboration.

The Spectator role applies at the course level and grants read-only access to all course content. Users with this role cannot edit, delete, grade, or change course settings.

The role uses the same permission checks as the Viewer system role but only applies to courses where the user is enrolled as a Spectator. Spectator users do not have access to administrator privileges or system-wide data.

Assign the Spectator role from the Role Management page using the course role selector. Administrators manage which courses a Spectator can access and for how long through enrollments.

Common uses include:

Impact: Administrators

Updated Help Page: Not applicable

Idea Exchange ID: Not applicable

Administrators can now manage the visibility of the Discussion tool for both Courses and Organizations in Blackboard. A new toggle on the Tools page lets administrators show or hide the Discussion tab and related components in the Ultra Course View interface. When the tool is turned off, all discussion-related elements—including the Discussion tab, content creation options, group discussions, and activity stream notifications—are hidden from users. Existing discussions are not deleted and will reappear with no data loss if the tool is turned back on.

Feature behavior includes:

It’s strongly recommended to turn off the Discussion tool only for new courses and organizations. Turning it off in courses with existing discussions—especially graded ones—may cause issues. Links to discussions will no longer work, and content links or URLs will break.

Impact: Instructors

Updated Help Page: Not applicable

Idea Exchange ID: Not applicable

When an Original course is marked as complete, a permanent banner now appears on all course pages stating: This course is complete. No further modifications are allowed.

This banner provides clear visual confirmation that the course has ended. It aligns Original courses with Ultra courses, where this banner already exists.

Currently, the banner is informational only—users can still make edits. In an upcoming release, editing completed Original courses will be restricted.

Impact: Instructors and Students

Updated Help Page: Video Studio (Instructor) and Video Studio (Student)

Idea Exchange ID: Not applicable

Users can now minimize the camera view and Video Studio controls during a recording session. This update helps instructors and students focus on screen content while keeping the camera visible in a smaller overlay. The minimized view can be restored at any time, supporting flexible presentation styles.

This workflow is especially helpful when giving feedback. It supports clearer communication and stronger engagement.

Image 1: Instructors can now minimize Video Studio recording workflow to focus on a desired screen with a Minimize option.

Instructors can minimize the camera and controls while recording feedback or lectures. The camera appears as a small overlay, giving more options for presenting. Instructors can pause, resume, or restore the full camera view during the recording. This workflow is available wherever Video Studio is supported, including assessment feedback and flexible grading. Automatic captioning and transcription are included.

Image 2: Instructors can minimize Video Studio recording workflow for a more agile approach to recording and presenting instruction to students.

Students benefit from more focused instructional content and feedback. The minimized view helps follow on-screen demonstrations while keeping a visual connection with the instructor. Students can also create polished, professional presentations.

Impact: Instructors and Students

Updated Help Page: Video Studio (Instructor) and Video Studio (Student)

Idea Exchange ID: Not applicable

Users can now record their screen and camera at the same time in Video Studio. This update supports more engaging and immersive recordings, helping instructors and students create content that reflects live presentations and lectures.

Instructors and Students

Instructors can record themselves while sharing their screen, making it easier to deliver lectures, walkthroughs, or demonstrations with both visual context and personal presence. Students can use this feature to present their work in a more expressive and professional format.

This feature is part of Blackboard Core and works for announcements and feedback without a Video Studio license.

Image 1: Split-screen recording showing the instructor and shared screen content.

Test/Stage: week of 17 November 2025; Production: week of 17 November 2025

Impact: Students

Updated Help Topic: Payment Gateway v2

Idea Exchange ID: Not applicable

We added Trust Payments as a payment service provider. This gives students the option to use Trust Payments to purchase courses from Course Catalog. As we continue to add more payment service providers, students gain greater flexibility and choice when paying for courses.

Students

When students select Buy for a course, they now see Trust Payments as one of the payment options if it is implemented by their institution.

Image 1: Trust Payments is now one of the listed payment methods. (Only payment methods available at an individual’s institution will be listed.)