Blackboard Ultra Updates: November 2025

1. Create custom Achievement images for more engaging badges – 4000.1

Idea Exchange ID: LEARNU-I-6130

Instructors now have three new options for customizing Achievement badge: AI-generated images, choose from a selection of stock images from Unsplash, and manual image uploads.

• AI Badge Image Creator: Instructors can enter keywords to generate badge images using the AI Design Assistant. The system auto-generates an image based on the badge’s name and description to help guide image creation. Additionally, instructors can provide their own prompt to be used for image generation. Images are optimized for circular cropping to match the standard badge shape.

• Unsplash: Instructors can search from a section of stock images from Unsplash

• Badge Image Upload: Instructors can also upload custom-designed badge images for use in Achievements.

Students will see the badges selected or created by their instructors, enhancing personalization and recognition.

2. Bulk change question points in tests – 4000.1

Updated Help Topic: Edit Tests and Questions
Idea Exchange ID: LEARNU-I-247

Instructors can now efficiently update point values for multiple questions in tests using new bulk editing options. This enhancement supports:

• Selecting all questions at once, with the option to deselect specific questions if desired.

• Selecting specific questions (e.g., question 1, 4, 9, 15, 16, 27, and 32) for targeted point value adjustments.

• Selecting questions by type (e.g., all True/False questions) to apply consistent point value changes across that question type.

• Selecting questions by type AND specific questions.

After students open the assessment or make submissions, instructors can make these changes:

• Edit the text of questions and answers

• Edit the point value

• New grades are recalculated for all previously submitted assessments

• Give everyone full credit for a question

• Change which answers are correct

• Change the scoring options for Multiple Choice and Matching questions

• Align questions with goals, from the assessment only

After students open the assessment, instructors can't make these changes:

• Add new questions and answers

• Delete a question

• Delete answers in Matching and Multiple Choice questions

• Change the number of blanks in a Fill in the Blanks question

• Move the content, such as switch the order of questions, answers, or additional content

• Add or remove questions from a question pool or delete a pool from an assessment 

3. Improved navigation from Gradebook column headers – 4000.1

We enhanced the gradebook grid view to streamline access to submission pages from column headers on the Grades page. These updates improve clarity and consistency across item types.

Changes include:

• Assignments, Tests, Forms, Discussions, Journals:

  • Replaced the Edit option with a View Submissions option using the eye icon.

  • Renamed the grade cell menu option from View to View Submission.

• Manual Items, Calculations, Total Calculations:

  • Added a View option to the column header that routes to the submission page.

• SCORM Items:

  • Added a View Submissions option with the eye icon.

  • Renamed the grade cell menu option to View Submission.

  • Removed Edit and Preview SCORM options from the column header menu.

• Attendance:

  • Replaced the Edit option with a View option using the eye icon.

  • Navigation behavior remains unchanged, with users being routed to the attendance page.

4. Choose whether to include hidden items in Gradebook downloads – 4000.1

Impact: Instructors
Updated Help Topic: Work Offline with Grade Data
Idea Exchange ID: Not applicable

Instructors now have more flexibility when downloading the gradebook for offline use. Previously, downloads included only the columns visible to instructors. With this update, instructors can choose whether to include hidden items in the download file. This enhancement builds on prior improvements to the Item Management view, which introduced bulk show/hide controls.

A new Include Hidden Items option appears when selecting Full Gradebook in Download Options. When selected, the download will contain all gradebook columns, including those hidden from instructor view.