UNI eLearning Suite

Panopto Cloud/System is Currently Down - Resolved

At 10:01 a.m. CST, Panopto reports this outage is now resolved. "The Panopto NA Cloud is now available for all users. The source of the outage has been mitigated. Our cloud operations team is monitoring performance metrics to ensure the issue remains resolved."
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At 9:12 a.m. CST on Wednesday 11/20/024, the UNI eLearning Admins received alerts from monitoring systems. We have verified the UNI Panopto System (uni.hosted.panopto.com) is not available directly or through Blackboard Learn. Panopto's status page acknowledges a 'full site outage'.

Blackboard Ultra

Blackboard Learn Ultra is here!

UNI has begun the process of implementing a new version of Blackboard Learn’s Learning Management System (LMS) . The version we currently use is referred to as Blackboard Learn Original. The new version is called Blackboard Learn Ultra. Here are some of its highlights:

  • More inclusive, flexible, and insightful than any other LMS
  • The most modern LMS user experience available today
  • An expanded development team for accelerated enhancements
  • Increased faculty and student satisfaction and improved student success and retention rates
  • The only LMS that provides a fully responsive mobile experience on PCs, tablets, and smartphones
  • Hundreds of new features recently released with intuitive workflows that work on all devices
  • And there’s much more to Learn

What is the timeline for UNI's transition to Blackboard Learn Ultra?

  • Spring 2023
      - Blackboard Learn Ultra transition announcement
      - Blackboard Learn Ultra sandbox courses made available for all Blackboard instructors
      - Call for pilot participation requests (sign up by Mon., May 8; Those selected will be notified by May 15.)
  • Summer 2023
      - Pilot participant selection
      - Pilot participant orientation and course development
  • Fall 2023
      - Blackboard Learn Ultra pilot
      - Pilot evaluation
  • Spring 2024
      - All instructors invited to transition Spring 2024 course(s) to Blackboard Learn Ultra
      - Alternatively, instructors may choose to remain on Blackboard Learn Original
  • Summer 2024
      - All Summer 2024 UNI Blackboard Learn courses will be created as Ultra;
    however instructors may request to be on Blackboard Learn Original (one last time)
  • Fall 2024
    - All UNI Blackboard Learn courses will be in Ultra
    - Full transition of the SIS semester-based courses complete

 

Blackboard Learn Ultra Resources:

 

Frequently Asked Question(s) (FAQs):

Is Blackboard Learn Ultra (what we’ll be transitioning to) significantly different from Blackboard Learn Original (what we have now)?

Yes and we are excited about it! The ETMS-Instructional Technologies Team has been spending time getting up to speed on Blackboard Learn Ultra and two faculty taught their courses in Ultra for the Spring 2023 semester. We ALL like what we see! 

Be assured we will provide numerous opportunities for you to learn more before you will have to make the transition. One such opportunity is on Blackboard Day on April 24th and 25th. 

Why is UNI moving to Blackboard Learn Ultra?

Blackboard Learn Ultra is a simple, modern, and more intuitive Learning Management System. It is easier for instructors to learn and more intuitive for students as well. Simplified tools and streamlined workflows help learners and instructors stay organized and easily engage with content and each other.

Here’s what our UNI students, instructors, and instructional designers, who have begun using Blackboard Learn Ultra, have to say:

“The Ultra environment brings out the human aspect of learning and it is quite learner-centered. It is all about the students.” --UNI faculty

“Overall Blackboard Ultra is very easy to work with. I liked the simple/easy to navigate layout and the mobile app was/is equally easy to follow. If I had a choice, I would pick to use the Ultra version in a heartbeat.” -- UNI student

"Ultra was so much cleaner and accessible. I never had issues finding things!" -- UNI student

“Developing a course in Ultra feels very streamlined. The interface seems quite intuitive. I believe our faculty and staff instructors will find it both easier to learn and more straightforward. It definitely looks more modern and is more mobile-friendly as well.” -- Senior Educational Technologist

We think you will like Blackboard Learn Ultra too!