Base Navigation

What is Blackboard Ultra Base Navigation?

Blackboard Ultra Base Navigation is a new user interface for the Blackboard. It provides a streamlined and modern design that offers improved navigation and accessibility for both instructors and students. The base navigation interface provides quick access to the most commonly used tools and features, such as courses, grades, messages, and the calendar. This new interface also includes responsive design elements, making it easier to use on different devices, such as laptops, tablets, and smartphones. The base navigation interface is designed to improve the overall user experience and make it easier for instructors and students to access and use the features of Blackboard Ultra.

Benefits to Ultra Base Navigation

• Modern, intuitive user experience. 
• Designed to improve user efficiency. 
• Minimizes clicks. 
• Aggregates important info such as calendar and grades/grading – now consolidated into one global view. 
• Works well on mobile devices. 

Features of Ultra Base Navigation

When you log into Blackboard, you will have access to the core features in the menu displaying your name. The menu is easily accessible from any location within the platform, even if you are within a course. It offers a comprehensive overview across all your courses.

• Institution Page: The Institution Page is the new Blackboard Homepage that offers resources, useful links, and other important content related to William Paterson University. 
• Activity Stream: The activity stream page is all new for Ultra Base Navigation. The Activity Stream has up-to-the-minute action on most important info for all courses. 
• Courses: The courses page is also all new in Ultra Base Navigation. On this page, you can navigate to past, present, and future courses.  This page defaults to a list of “Current Courses” in which you’re enrolled, organized by semester.
• Organizations: The organizations page if where all your organizations will appear. The page is identical to the courses page, but only contains organizations. 
• Calendar: The calendar is not a new tool for Blackboard, but it has been brought to the front where it can be viewed more easily. From the global calendar in the list where your name appears, you can see all your upcoming due dates and meetings across your courses—all in one place. 
• Messages: It is not a new tool but it replaces the email feature. Course messages are private and secure text-based communication that occurs within your course among course members.
• Grades: The Grades displays a list of recent grades and overall grade for each course.
• Tools: The tools page contains links to areas of Blackboard not associated with a course or organization.