Ultra Update – July 2025

Posted on by jamie.gilder

One of the advantages of our move to Blackboard Ultra is the ongoing potential for new feature releases and updates. New releases take place on the first Thursday of every month, which is much more frequently than for Blackboard Original. We will communicate about new features and changes via this blog. If you want to be kept up to date with the latest information, we recommend subscribing to the blog. 

This release has new or updated features in the following areas:   

  • Instructional design; 
  • Tests and assignments; 
  • Gradebook; 
  • Learner progression and personalised experience; 
  • Blackboard Core. 

These improvements impact instructors, students, and administrators. Below you’ll find our highlights, and more detail on the most relevant updates.

Highlights

Add captions to image blocks in Documents

Instructors can now add captions to image blocks in Documents. Added above or below an image, captions can provide context and aid understanding.

Screenshot showing the Edit File Options menu. The menu has Display Name and Image caption fields, and a caption position option. The above image position is selected.
Image 1. Instructors can use the Edit File Options menu to choose the position of the caption.
An image of a tabby cat with a caption above that reads 'Tabby is one of the most common fur patterns in cats'.
Image 2. An example of an image with a caption above.

Expanded activity page for instructors

The Activity page now has a courses section which shows new activity in current, open courses since an instructor last logged into Blackboard. The courses section includes shortcuts. These are numbered indicators for each course which instructors can select to view:

  • Items that need marking 
  • Messages
  • Students with alerts
A screenshot showing the activity page. The activity stream is on the right hand side, and the courses section is in the middle of the page. The top of the courses section reads 'Current courses' and there are four courses, with an image for each, displayed below it. On several of the courses, numbered purple indicator icons are shown.
Image 1. The new Activity page has a courses section as well as the activity stream.

Please see the Release Notes for further information.

Render mathematical formulas with MathJax

The formula rendering experience in the Content Editor has been enhanced through the implementation of MathJax, a powerful tool for displaying mathematical notation. This update improves the visual accuracy and consistency of LaTeX-based formulas, aligning them more closely with scientific and academic standards. 

MathJax offers a more precise rendering style preferred by many STEM instructors. When activated, MathJax will automatically render LaTeX code entered directly in the Content Editor across supported areas of Blackboard. MathJax in Ultra is currently only working with $$…$$ delimiters, not \(…\) or \[…\], but it will work for creating inline maths with the $$…$$ delimiters, not just standalone formulae. Please see this MathJax support page for information on Tex and LaTex support.

Other updates include:

Please see the Release notes for further information on these updates and others in this release.

Further help and support

For more guidance on using Blackboard Ultra, please explore Ultra Essential Guidance. 

Students can view an Ultra orientation and advice on using Ultra from their Help for Students sections (or equivalent) in your Blackboard course. 

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