Release Notes for Learn SaaS
This page contains features and updates currently on Learn SaaS Test/Stage and Production environments. Visit Archived SaaS Release Notes to see features and updates in older versions. Visit In-Product Updates to learn more about in-product updates.
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Learn SaaS release 3900.108.0
Blackboard Learn SaaS Continuous Delivery v3900.108.0
Release to Test/Stage: Tuesday, 10 December 2024 | Release to Production: Thursday, 9 January 2025
Original Course View, Ultra Course View
For full feature details, please review the corresponding notes for the Blackboard 3900.108.0 version included below on this page. Details can be found on Anthology Global Support.
Latest release: 3900.108.0-rel.28+dfa83d8 to Production servers to take place on 9 January 2025.
For more information on updates and bug fixes, please visit Anthology Global Support.
The January 2025 - 3900.108 release is robust with features in 4 areas:
- Instructional design;
- Mastery learning and learning pathways;
- Gradebook; and
- Learn core and security
These improvements impact instructors, students, and administrators. Some features do require administrative action.
Instructors:
- Availability of Achievements tab in courses
- Improvements to AI Design Assistant Outputs
- Improvements to AI Design Assistant Image Generation
- Expanded language Outputs for AI Design Assistant
- Show/hide columns from instructors in the gradebook
- Direct grade entry for assignments from the Grid view or Submissions page
- Improvements to file uploads for Content Designer: Documents
- Improvements to content blocks for Content Designer: Documents
Instructors and Students:
- Set default automatic zeros to off in the gradebook for new courses
- Add submission attempts for release conditions
Instructors and Administrators
- Manage course access from Course Settings
- New role privileges for course access management
- Mastery Gradebook visibility controls
Additionally, our premium service Course Catalog version 2.13 is now available with the following features:
Course Catalog (Premium offering)
- Milestone Integration
- WPM Integration
- Subscription Model
- Graduation and Withdrawal Emails
- Accessibility improvements
- Course IDs column added to Payment Code list
Additionally. Ally 2.11.0 is now available and Ally 2.11.1 is upcoming. These releases include the following features:
Improvements to AI Design Assistant Image Generation – 3900.108
Blackboard Learn SaaS
Ultra Course View
Impact: Instructors
Updated Topic: AI Design Assistant
We improved the quality of the images generated by the AI Design Assistant, making them look more realistic and related to instructors' prompts. Instructors can generate images faster and the image files require less storage space.
Image 1. The two images on the left were generated by the AI Design Assistant with the 3900.106 release. The prompt used is “construction.” These images are related to tall buildings in cities. The two images on the right were generated by the AI Design Assistant with the 3900.108 release. The prompt used is also “construction.”
Administrators
Availability: Available for all Ultra courses.
Activation: None needed.
Configuration: None needed.
Expanded Language Outputs for AI Design Assistant – 3900.108
Blackboard Learn SaaS
Ultra Course View
Impact: Instructors
Updated Topic: AI Design Assistant
The output languages available for AI workflows now include Greek, Catalan, Croatian, Irish, and Slovenian. More instructors can take advantage of the features of the AI Design Assistant. We added these languages based on feedback from instructors. For a list of all languages available for AI outputs, refer to AI Design Assistant for Instructors.
Image 1. Changing the output language is available as an advanced option in the AI Design Assistant.
Administrators
Availability: Available for all Ultra courses.
Activation: None needed.
Configuration: None needed.
Improvements to Content Blocks for Content Designer: Documents – 3900.108
Blackboard Learn SaaS
Ultra Course View
Impact: Instructors
Updated Topic: Create Documents
We made editing content blocks in Documents easier. When instructors create or edit a Document, the content block no longer closes when they collapse the menu in the editor. Also, the editor no longer closes when editing table settings.
Image 1. A content block is open for editing while the menu remains open.
Administrators
Availability: Available for all Ultra courses.
Activation: None needed.
Configuration: None needed.
Improvements to File Uploads for Content Designer: Documents – 3900.108
Blackboard Learn SaaS
Ultra Course View
Impact: Instructors
Updated Topic: Create Documents
We made uploading files to Documents easier. The default file option when instructors upload files to Documents is now View and Download.
Image 1. The View and download button is automatically selected when instructors go to Edit File Options.
Also, instructors can now use the Undo and Redo functions for file uploads.
Image 2. The Undo and Redo buttons are now available for file uploads.
Administrators
Availability: Available for all Ultra courses.
Activation: None needed.
Configuration: None needed.
Mastery Learning and Learning Pathways
Add Submission Attempts for Release Conditions – 3900.108
Blackboard Learn SaaS
Ultra Course View
Impact: Instructors and Students
Updated Topic: Content Release Conditions
Instructors can now use item submission status for a release condition. For example, an instructor who wants students to access a document only after submitting a quiz would use a release condition. Students can access content items without needing to wait for a grade to be posted.
Image 1. The new Attempt submitted option is in the dropdown menu for a gradable item in the Release condition panel.
Administrators
Availability: Available for all Ultra courses.
Activation: Turned on by default.
Configuration: None needed.
Availability of Achievements Tab in Courses – 3900.108
Blackboard Learn SaaS
Ultra Course View
Impact: Instructors and Students
Updated Topic: Achievements
We changed the availability of the Achievements tab in courses. The Achievements tab is now hidden from students until the instructor creates and posts Achievements for students to earn. Students will no longer have questions about an Achievements tab if it is not applicable to their courses.
Image 1. A student's course that with Achievements activated has a page for Achievements.
System administrators determine whether Achievements are available for use in courses at the institution-level. System administrators can configure the availability of Achievements in Ultra Experience Management in the Administrator Panel.
Image 2. The control for Achievements is in Ultra Experience Management.
Administrators
Availability: Available for all Ultra courses.
Activation: None needed.
Configuration: None needed.
Gradebook
Show/hide columns from instructors in the gradebook - 3900.108
Blackboard Learn SaaS
Ultra Course View
Impact: Instructors
Updated Topic: Ultra Gradebook
Instructors can now configure column visibility for their gradebook view, ensuring a cleaner and more organized workspace when grading. We've added a new Items Management page accessible from the Gradebook Settings panel. From this page, instructors can configure visibility for a single column selection or in bulk.
Visibility settings apply to the Grade page and Gradable Items page for non-student users (instructors, TAs, graders). The student view of any grading-related page is unaffected. If an instructor hides a column from their gradebook, that column continues to appear for students.
Administrators
Availability: Available for all Ultra courses.
Activation: Turned on by default.
Configuration: None needed.
Set default automatic zeros to off in the gradebook for new courses - 3900.108
Blackboard Learn SaaS
Ultra Course View
Impact: Instructors, Students
Updated Topic: Ultra Gradebook
The Assign Automatic Zeros for Past Due Work option is now turned off by default for newly-created Ultra courses. Existing courses are unaffected. Changing the default setting to off prevents students from automatically receiving zeros for past due assignments. Instructors can turn on automatic zeros for late submissions in the Gradebook Settings panel.
Administrators
Availability: Available for all Ultra courses.
Activation: Turned on by default.
Configuration: None needed.
Direct grade entry for assignments from the Grid view or Submissions page - 3900.108
Blackboard Learn SaaS
Ultra Course View
Impact: Instructors
Instructors can now enter assignment grades directly in the Grid view or Submissions page with improved accuracy and consistency. Previously, grades entered in these views were stored at the override level, which caused confusion as underlying attempts remained ungraded and continued to display the Needs Grading and New Submission flags. This update ensures that grades entered this way are properly mapped to the underlying attempt or submission when applicable.
All grades entered via file upload continue to be stored a override grades.
Assignments with Single Attempts
- Ungraded Attempts. When an ungraded attempt is found, the grade is stored at the attempt level, the Needs Grading and New Submission flags are cleared, and any auto-zero is removed.
- Graded Attempts. If the attempt is already graded, the existing grade is updated accordingly.
- Existing Overrides. If an override already exists, only the override is updated. No changes are made to the attempt grade.
- No Submission. If a student has not submitted an attempt, the grade is stored as an override.
Assignments with Multiple Attempts
- Ungraded Attempts. If all attempts are ungraded, the grade is assigned to the appropriate attempt based on the aggregation model:
- First: The grade is assigned to the first attempt.
- Last: The grade is assigned to the last attempt.
- All (Min, Max, & Average): The grade is assigned to the last attempt. All other attempts are excluded.
- Single Graded Attempt. For a single graded attempt, the existing grade is updated.
- Multiple Graded Attempts. If more than one attempt is graded, the grade is stored as an override. The Needs Grading and New Submission labels remain unchanged.
- Existing Overrides. If an override already exists, the override grade is updated.
- No Submission. For students with no submission, the grade is stored as an override.
Administrators
Availability: Available for all Ultra courses.
Activation: Turned on by default.
Configuration: None needed.
Learn Core & Security
Manage course access from Course Settings – 3900.108
Blackboard SaaS
Ultra Course View
Impact: Instructors
Updated Topic: Course Settings (instructor), Managing Course Terms and Access (admin)
Instructors can now manage course access state settings through the Course Settings page. This change streamlines administrative tasks and enhances usability for instructors teaching courses.
Instructors or users with appropriate privileges can set the course state from Course Settings. This functionality was previously called Course is Open/Private and found in the Details & Actions panel.
Course access states are as follows:
- Open. Course content is available to students.
- Closed. Course content is not available to students. Previously called Private.
- Complete. No changes can be made by students or instructors.
Image 1. The Course Settings page now has a section called Course Access where instructors can set a course as Open, Closed, or Complete.
At the top of a course, the current course access state is displayed as a colored pill next to Course Settings. This change makes it easier for instructors to manage course states.
Image 2: At the top of a course, there is now an indicator that displays whether a course is Open, Closed, or Complete.
Additionally, instructors can access Course Settings from the Courses page. From the three dot menu, the instructor can select Course Settings.
Image 3. Course Settings option from the course card edit menu.
Administrators:
Availability: This feature is available for all Ultra courses.
Activation: The Course Access section is turned on by default, but only available to privileged users.
Configuration: These changes in the user interface require changes to role privileges, detailed in Course completion and new privileges for course access management – 3900.108. Instructors need the course settings privilege for Course Settings to display in their course: Course/Organization Control Panel (Customization) > Properties
New role privileges for course access management – 3900.108
Blackboard SaaS
Ultra Course View
Impact: Administrators, Instructors
Updated Topic: Roles and Privileges, Course Settings (instructors)
There are new and updated privileges to support the new Course Access section of the Course Settings page.
In this release, course access settings moved from the Details & Actions panel to the Course Settings page (refer to Manage Course Access from Course Settings – 3900.108). Course availability to students and course completion are clearly demarcated as separate states:
- Open/Closed. Course content is not available to students. Previously called Open/Private.
- Complete. No changes can be made by students or instructors.
This change makes course access management easier for instructors.
Administrators
Availability - Available for all Ultra courses.
Activation - The Course Access section is turned on by default but only available to users assigned the new privileges.
Configuration - The privilege allowing a user to change course availability and completion is now two separate settings. In the Administrator Panel, assign these new and updated privileges to users:
- Course/Organization Control Panel (Customization) > Properties, Availability (updated privilege). This privilege is now only used for opening/closing a course. Previously it gave a user access to opening/closing a course as well as completing/uncompleting a course.
- Change Completion Status (on/off) (new privilege). This privilege allows a user to mark a course as complete, and they can revert this change.
- Partial Change Completion Status (on) (new privilege). This privilege allows a user to mark a course as complete, but they can’t revert this change.
If users have already been given privileges to open/close and complete courses prior to this release with Course/Organization Control Panel (Customization) > Properties, Availability, you don’t need to change privileges to maintain their access to these functions. If a user has not previously been given these privileges, you need to set their privileges for opening/closing a course and for completing a course.
Review Manage course access from Course Settings – 3900.108 for instructor-facing changes to course access options.
Looking for older release notes?
Check out the Blackboard Learn Release Notes Archive for more information on past releases.
