Upgrade to Blackboard Ultra
All modules taught in the academic year 2025/26 will be hosted on Blackboard Ultra from the beginning of that academic year. To ensure a smooth transition to the new system, follow the steps below.
Follow these steps to complete your move to Ultra
1. Complete Registration
2. Complete Training
3. Prepare your Modules for Academic Year 2025/26
Additional Resources & Support
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Register for Ultra Training
Registration on the Blackboard Ultra Training Module is required before you can start your training.
Click to Complete your Registration
To complete registration please:
- Open a separate browser tab and log into Blackboard Ultra
- Click here to open the registration page in the module: Content / Blackboard Ultra Staff Training Module
- Complete the two Registration questions.
Most staff have been automatically enrolled in the module. If step 2. does not bring you directly into the module, then please complete the self-enrolment steps (detailed below) and then try step 2 again.
To enrol in the Blackboard Ultra Staff Training Module:
- Log in to Blackboard
- Go to 'Modules' > 'Module Catalogue' (Top Right).
- Search for 'Blackboard Ultra Staff Training Module' and select 'Go'.
- Hover over the module ID, click the down arrow, and select 'Enrol'.
- Click 'Submit' and 'Ok'.
We will collect and share details of your training progress and migration preparation with your School management and the Blackboard Ultra Upgrade project team so you can be contacted for further information and reminders as necessary. This will take less than 5 minutes to complete.
Once you have completed your registration, you can commence your training.
2. Complete your training
You can complete your training using any combination of online/in-person sessions OR self-paced sessions.
Complete the following 3 Steps to Ultra, which is the minimum required training.
Step 1: Ultra Essentials training (approximately 1 hour)
Step 2: Assessment and Gradebook Essentials training (approximately 1 hour)
Step 3: Migration Workshop (approximately 1-2 hours, depending on how much support you need)
Ultra Essentials Assessment and Gradebook Essentials Migration Workshop
3. Preparing your Modules for Academic Year 2025/26
In order to give staff as much time as possible to prepare their module content in Ultra for the start of the academic year 2025/26, we have created temporary Blackboard Ultra placeholder modules for every active taught module in Blackboard for the academic year 2024/25. If you have completed the training and need help migrating content or preparing your teaching modules for the next Academic year, then you can book a one-to-one support session.
Ultra (1-2-1) sessions are bookable up to 21 days in advance.
Book your Ultra (1-2-1) support session
Optional Advanced Training Options
To enhance your skills beyond the Ultra Essentials training, we are offering Optional Advanced training sessions. Please ensure that you have completed (1) Ultra Essentials, (2) Assessment and Gradebook Essentials, and (3) Migration Workshop. You can complete your Advanced Training using any combination of online/in-person or self-paced training. For further information and to book upcoming training sessions, click on the links below.
Advanced Assessment Advanced Gradebook Advanced Communication Panopto in Blackboard Ultra
You can complete your training using any combination of online/in-person sessions OR self-paced sessions.
Option 1 - Blackboard Ultra Training Module
You can complete all your training using the Blackboard Ultra Training Module. You can access this training module by clicking below.
Option 2 - Webinars and in-person training
Complete the following 3 Steps to Ultra, which is the minimum required training.
Step 1: Ultra Essentials training (approximately 1 hour)
Step 2: Assessment and Gradebook Essentials training (approximately 1 hour)
Step 3: Migration Workshop (approximately 1-2 hours, depending on how much support you need)
Ultra Essentials Assessment and Gradebook Essentials Migration Workshop
Optional Advanced Training Options
To enhance your skills beyond the Ultra Essentials training, we are offering Optional Advanced training sessions. Please ensure that you have completed (1) Ultra Essentials, (2) Assessment and Gradebook Essentials, and (3) Migration Workshop. You can complete your Advanced Training using any combination of online/in-person or self-paced training. For further information and to book upcoming training sessions, click on the links below.
Advanced Assessment Advanced Gradebook Advanced Communication Panopto in Blackboard Ultra
To register, you must be logged into Blackboard and enrolled on the Blackboard Ultra Training Module.
To complete registration please:
- Click here to open a separate browser tab and log into Blackboard Ultra
- Click here to open the registration page in the module: Content / Blackboard Ultra Staff Training Module
- Complete the two Registration questions.
Most staff have been automatically enrolled in the module. If step 2. does not bring you directly into the module, then please complete the self-enrolment steps (detailed below) and then try step 2 again.
Module self-enrolment steps
Most staff have been automatically enrolled in the module. This section is only relevant for staff who need to self-enrol in the module.
To self-enrol in the Blackboard Ultra Staff Training Module:
- Log in to Blackboard
- Go to 'Modules' > 'Module Catalogue' (Top Right).
- Search for 'Blackboard Ultra Staff Training Module' and select 'Go'.
- Hover over the module ID, click the down arrow, and select 'Enrol'.
- Click 'Submit' and 'Ok'.
These steps are demonstrated in the video below.
Additional Information on locating the Blackboard Ultra Training Module on the Blackboard Base Navigation
Click on Modules on the left-hand side in the blue menu.
Click on Terms and select Blackboard Ultra Sandbox Modules
Quick Tip: Select the star icon on a module that you access regularly. The module will be placed at the top of the list with a purple star on the bottom right. You can unfavourite a course by selecting the star icon again.
To register, you must be logged into Blackboard and enrolled on the Blackboard Ultra Training Module.
To complete registration, please:
- Open a separate browser tab and log into Blackboard Ultra
- Click here to open the registration page in the module: Content / Blackboard Ultra Staff Training Module
- Complete the two Registration questions.
Once you have completed your registration, you can commence your training.
Click here to Complete your Registration, which will bring you directly to the If you are not enrolled, you can enrol by clicking “Submit” in the bottom right corner.
- Once you are in the module, you will need to click on “Register (Q1/2): What's your role in Trinity?" and complete this activity.
- Once you have completed the activity, a new activity called “Register (Q2/2): What student cohorts are you teaching or supporting?" will appear; you will need to complete it, too. This will only take approximately 5 minutes to complete.
When the second activity is completed, you can access all the training materials. Within the “Ultra Essentials” section, you should complete the activity “Task: Ultra Essentials Completion Confirmation” by selecting that you have attended a webinar or in-person training session. You should complete the activity in any section where you have attended a webinar or in-person training session so that we have confirmation you have completed a training section.
Preparing your Modules for Academic Year 2025/26
In order to give staff as much time as possible to prepare their module content in Ultra for the start of the academic year 2025/26, we have created temporary Blackboard Ultra placeholder modules for every active taught module in Blackboard for the academic year 2024/25. Once you have completed the training and need help migrating content or preparing your teaching modules for the next Academic year, then you can book a one-to-one support session.
Online or in-person training Self-paced training
Once you have completed the training
Book your Ultra (1-2-1) support session
For example:
The Blackboard Original module AN7104-202425 is being taught to students in the academic year 2024/25. A Blackboard Ultra placeholder module called AN7104-PLACEHOLDER will be created for this module in February 2025. Staff will use this to migrate their content from the Blackboard Original module (AN7104-202425) to the Blackboard Ultra placeholder module, AN7104-PLACEHOLDER. Any teaching staff enrolled on AN7104-202425 will automatically be enrolled on to AN7104-PLACEHOLDER.
The Blackboard Ultra module container that will be used to deliver teaching during the academic year 2025/26 will be created during the rollover in July 2025, and it will be called AN7104-202526. Staff will copy the content from the Blackboard Ultra placeholder module (AN7104-PLACEHOLDER) to the 2025/26 Blackboard Ultra module (AN7104-202526) prior to the start of term in September 2025.
The Blackboard Ultra placeholder module will automatically appear in the module list for each person enrolled on the module.
Note: If administrative/other staff need access to a placeholder module to assist with the migration, the existing academic staff enrolled on the placeholder can enrol them on to the module. Students have no access to the Blackboard Ultra placeholder modules.
You can complete your Migration Workshop using any combination of in-person and/or self-paced training.
Migration Workshop (approximately 1-2 hours, depending on how much support you need)
Online or in-person Migration Training
Blackboard Ultra Training Module
You can complete your Migration training (1 hour) using the Self-paced training module. You can access this training module by clicking below.
Once you have completed the training
For any staff not automatically enrolled, please complete the VLE Enrolment form (Excel) to request access and forward it to the Teaching & Learning IT team via itservicedesk@tcd.ie
Note: Academics and teaching staff who are timetabled to the 2024/25 modules in CMIS (the College timetable system) have been automatically enrolled in the Blackboard Placeholder modules.
Once you have completed Ultra Essentials, Assessment and Gradebook Essentials, and Migration Workshop, Ultra (1-2-1) Support will be available for those who need additional assistance. This will be a one-to-one session with a Learning Technologist from Teaching & Learning IT, IT Services.
Monday - Friday - Hours will vary between 8:30 am to 1:30 pm & 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
Thirty minutes is allocated to each session.
Ultra (1-2-1) sessions are bookable up to 21 days in advance.
We are offering optional Advanced training sessions, which you can complete using any combination of online/in-person or self-paced training.
Please ensure that you have completed (1) Ultra Essentials, (2) Assessment and Gradebook Essentials, and (3) Migration Workshop. You can complete your Advanced Training using any combination of online/in-person or self-paced training.
Advanced Assessment Advanced Gradebook Advanced Communication Panopto in Blackboard Ultra
Blackboard Ultra Training Module
You can complete all your advanced training using the Blackboard Ultra training module by clicking below.
All academics who were timetabled to teach on a module during the 2024/25 academic year have been provided with a Blackboard Ultra sandbox module. This sandbox is unique to each staff member and is only accessible to the person enrolled on it. It is a safe space for you to explore new Blackboard Ultra features or to use while following our self-paced training module.
Any staff who are not teaching any modules this year but wish to take the training can request to be enrolled on a sandbox via this form below. This request will be completed within 24 hours.
Request a Blackboard Ultra sandbox module
Please note: The Blackboard Ultra sandbox module is a practice area where you can apply what you learn during training.
After logging into Blackboard, you should see Modules on the left-hand side in the blue menu.
Select Modules to view a list of your modules. You can view your modules as a list or a grid. To swap between the two views, select the list/grid icon at the top left. In the image below, the grid view is selected.
You also have the option to search, filter or display selected modules.
Click on Terms and select Blackboard Ultra Sandbox Modules
Quick Tip: Select the star icon on a module that you access regularly. The module will be placed at the top of the list with a purple star on the bottom right. You can unfavourite a course by selecting the star icon again.
If you require a Blackboard Ultra sandbox module, you can request one by submitting this form.
Request a Blackboard Ultra sandbox module
Please note: The Blackboard Ultra sandbox module is a practice area where you can apply what you learn during training.
Contact the IT Service Desk by one of the below methods.
You can email the service desk at itservicedesk@tcd.ie. Please ensure you fill in the 'Subject' field with Ultra: when emailing.
Service desk opening hours are:
Monday - Friday: 09:00 - 17:00