What’s New in Blackboard – March 2025

We’ve got exciting new features and enhancements to Blackboard® coming this month! The Blackboard 3900.112 release, out in March, is robust with features in the areas of Instructional Design, Gradebook, Tests and Assignments, Mastery Learning and Learning Pathways, and more. These improvements will benefit instructors, students, and administrators. Read on to learn more about the upcoming Blackboard release!

Note: The below updates pertain to customers using the Ultra interface. For complete release notes, visit the Blackboard help site.

1. Instructional Design - AI Design Assistant: Energy-Saving Image Generation Improvements

Impact: Instructors
We changed how the AI Design Assistant presents generated images. Instead of presenting four at a time, the AI Design Assistant now generates only one. Each time another image is generated, it is saved so that instructors can select previously generated images. When an instructor selects an image or exits image generation, all images are cleared. This new method saves processing power and is more environmentally friendly. 

Image 1. The AI Design Assistant generates one image at a time and saves previously generated images.

Administrators:
Availability: Available for all Ultra courses
Activation: None needed
Configuration: None needed

2. Mastery Learning and Learning Pathways - Analytics: New Course Goals Reports

Impact: Instructors
We added two goals reports to the Analytics page in Blackboard. 

Course Goal Coverage Report

• Provides a comprehensive view of goal coverage for a single course
• Displays both covered and gap values for all associated curricular areas
• Includes a detailed breakdown of course items aligned with goals 

Course Goal Performance Report

• Evaluates how a course meets selected goals
• Includes overall averages and detailed breakdowns for individual students and goals 

Instructors can gain deeper insights into how course content aligns with institutional goals. They can also assess student progress more effectively. 

If a course has no goals, instructors will receive a report with no data.

Image 1. The new Goal Reports are located in the Course Reports tab of the Analytics page.

Administrators:
Availability: Available for all Ultra courses
Activation: None needed
Configuration: None needed 

3. Mastery Learning and Learning Pathways - Release Conditions Panel: Due Dates Now Included

Impact: Instructors

When instructors customize release conditions for a content item, the due date for the item is now included with the date and time fields. Instructors are no longer required to go back to the item to check the due date, which saves time and reduces errors. 

Image 1. The due date of a content item now displays after the date and time fields.

Administrators:
Availability: Available for all Ultra courses 
Activation: None needed
Configuration: None needed 

4. Tests and Assignments - Anonymous Discussions: New Privilege to Reveal Author

Impact: All users
System administrators or other users with the assigned system role privilege can now reveal the identity of the author of an anonymous discussion post or reply. This enhancement addresses instances where the anonymous feature is misused, such as bullying or other inappropriate behavior. Instructors can create anonymous discussions with confidence that any misuse can be quickly resolved. 

Instructors and Students:
There’s now a warning that informs users that their identity can be revealed by an authorized user. 

Image 1. The new warning is associated with the “Post anonymously” option.

Administrators:
System administrators or other users with the assigned system role privilege can reveal the author of an anonymous discussion post or reply. Select the More options menu for a post, then select Reveal author. Administrators or other users with the assigned system role privilege must provide a reason for the anonymous reveal. There’s no indication for other readers of the discussion that the administrator revealed the author's user details. 

Due to the sensitive nature of this action, the administrator’s user details are recorded in the system log with the reason. The information in the system log includes: 

• Date of reveal
• Time of reveal
• Username of user requesting
• Course name of revealed post/posts
• Discussion name of revealed post/posts
• Reason given 

If the administrator refreshes the page, the user is once again anonymous. 

Image 2. From the administrator’s view, the user’s name is included with text that reads “Revealed.”

Availability: Available for all Ultra courses 
Activation: None needed 
Configuration: System Administrators are the only users who can reveal anonymous authors by default. The privilege can be assigned to other system roles if more extensive use is required. To access this privilege, go to the Administrator Panel. Select System Roles. Go to the Course/Organization Outline section. In Discussions, select the privilege for Reveal Anonymous Author.
 

5. Gradebook - Pop-Out Rubric When Evaluating an Attempt

Impact: Instructors

To enhance grading efficiency, instructors can now pop out the grading rubric into a separate window when grading an assignment submission. The pop-out rubric is a separate, moveable window and formatted in a grid view. Previously, the rubric was only available in a side panel and formatted in a stack.

This update makes it easier to navigate and grade student submissions by providing a clearer, more comprehensive view of the rubric. Popping out the rubric lets instructors view the student submission and the rubric side-by-side for a more efficient grading experience. Instructors can quickly select performance levels and provide feedback in the rubric while viewing the student submission.

Image 1: Instructors can pop out the rubric by selecting the expand icon in the rubric panel.

Instructors:
Instructors can access the pop-out rubric when reviewing a submission.

• Bulk Performance Level Selection: Instructors select a performance level heading to apply it across all relevant criteria, streamlining the grading process.
• Cell Selection and Syncing: Selected rubric cells are highlighted, and the associated grade pill updates to reflect the chosen score. When the instructor selects Save, performance levels and feedback appear in the gradebook, as they have prior to this update.
• Feedback Section Focus: Once a rubric cell is selected, the criterion feedback section automatically focuses on the textbox for immediate feedback entry.
• Navigation Warning: A warning appears if instructors have unsaved changes in the pop-out rubric and they attempt to navigate to another student or attempt.
• Grade Override Warning: If the grade is overridden, the rubric popout is inactive. A banner appears, showing that the grade was overridden, with an option to regrade using the rubric.
• Printing: Instructors can print a blank or completed rubric using the browser's print function.

When the pop-out rubric is open, the ability to add Overall Feedback and grade with the rubric in the main grading interface is inactive. This prevents an instructor from editing the same information in two separate places simultaneously.

Administrators:
Availability: Available for all Ultra courses
Activation: None needed
Configuration: None needed

Explore these updates and more in the full Blackboard 3900.112 release notes.