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For Instructors

For Instructors

Piloting FAQS

Ultra Upgrade FAQs – Piloting Questions 

 

What does it mean to “pilot” a course or courses in Blackboard (Bb) Ultra? 

For this project, it means to volunteer to teach one or more courses in the Bb Ultra format during the Spring 2025 semester.  (Generally, the term “pilot” means to have a group of people test a software program before rolling it out for wider use.) 

 

What do I need to do before Spring 2025 to pilot a course (or courses)? 

  1. First, sign up for the FVTC Bb Ultra Training in Workday. You will need to be signed into FVTC Intranet for the link to work.  When the page opens, enroll in the course.  Then, the next day, log in to Blackboard to find the course.  (Click “Training” in the “Terms” drop-down menu when you get to your course list.)  Open the course and begin. 

  1. By December 13th, notify the Bb Team/CIE that you intend to pilot one or more courses.  (See the answer to question below for notification instructions.) 

  1. Have your course shells in Bb Ultra upgraded and ready to go by the start of the class(es). 

            

Is it too late to volunteer to pilot for Spring?   How do I notify the Bb Team/CIE that I want to pilot? 

No, it’s not too late to volunteer!  December 13th is the target date to submit your Spring 2025 course copy requests and indicate which, if any, courses you would like to pilot in the Bb Ultra format.  In your reply to the “Reminder” email from Online Courses Support/ online@fvtc.edu (one came through at 8:01 a.m. today), type “Yes” in the far-right column of the table for each course you plan to pilot. 

 

Example of table for course copy requests at FVTC emailed to faculty. First column has Title of course you are teaching this fall. Second column is Course ID of Course to Copy from. Third column is Course ID of Course to Copy to. Final Column Do you want to pilot this course in the new Bb Ultra? (yes or no). 

 

What if I don’t have my current Bb course shell ready to copy to Bb Ultra by Dec. 13th? 

That’s fine.  As long as you have your course shells upgraded and ready to go by the start of your class(es), you’ll be fine.  December 13th is a target date to help the Bb Team and the CIE team plan, but both teams know that many instructors will still be working on their course content up until (and, possibly even into) the start of the class(es). 

 

What if I change my mind about piloting? 

No problem.  If you change your mind about piloting, just send an email to the Bb Team (online@fvtc.edu) and the team will make you a new course copy using for the current (“classic”) Bb format. 

 

Are there any benefits to piloting a course (or courses) in Spring 2025? 

All Spring 2025 pilots will receive gifts/swag from the CIE and will be entered into drawings for various prizes, including private airplane rides, spa gift certificates, all-expense-paid trips to San Antonio to attend the Anthology Together (Blackboard) 2025 conference, etc.  Instructors receive one entry for each course they pilot.  (Conference trip prizes are reserved for salaried faculty.)