Blackboard CRN Course Sites for Course Development

Blackboard CRN course sites refer to courses associated with a CRN for a specific semester. Prior to being made available to students, Blackboard CRN course sites can be used as the primary site (also called “shell” or “course shell”) for course development. CRN sites are intended to be used as an integral primary part of the development process, not separate from the final course design. In addition to the CRN course sites, faculty may request a development site to provide additional support for testing design concepts, tools, exams, current course content, etc.

If the Course Is Already Available to Students

• If a CRN course site has already been made available to students and course development has not yet begun, faculty are encouraged to request a development site. This approach helps prevent students from receiving multiple notification during the development process.

Blackboard and Course Availability Information

• General Blackboard information, including information on course availability can be found on Blackboard’s Institution Page. New Blackboard announcements will display upon login and will appear in your Activity Stream, on your Activity page. The Institutional Page and Activity Page are accessible from the main vertical Blackboard navigation menu on the left hand side when you first log in via MyMC.

 

Development Course Information

Thank you for your interest in requesting a Blackboard Learn Ultra development course (also sometimes referred to as a “sandbox”). The purpose of a development course in Blackboard Learn Ultra is for Faculty to familiarize themselves with the interface, explore creating/copying course content, and to develop materials for real courses they are scheduled to teach in upcoming semesters.

1. Development courses are for Faculty use. Due to a high volume of requests, we are not currently able to offer development courses to Staff.
2. Development courses are not to be used for course content storage. Please save course content on your computer, Yuja, YouTube, OneDrive, Google Drive, DropBox, MS Teams site, etc.
3. Faculty who teach multiple courses may request one development course per course subject (e.g. ENGL 101 and ENGL 102). We cannot provide development courses for individual sections of the same course.
4. Development courses are reusable and semester-independent, meaning you can update or clear content and rename a development course site for multiple purposes regardless of the semester/or year.
5. Development courses are not connected to a CRN and are not for use with students.
6. All course sites for real courses with CRNs are created automatically 60 days in advance of the first day of the term, using the course listing information in the Banner system.
7. Development courses are custom created, and requests will take 3 – 5 business days to process and complete.

Faculty: To request a development course, please complete the Blackboard Learn Ultra Development Course Request Form.

Questions about Development Courses? Please email the MC Online Team (formerly Distance Learning Team) at mconline@montgomerycollege.edu.

The Basics: What, When and Why

What is Blackboard Learn Ultra?

Blackboard Learn Ultra is the latest version of Blackboard’s Learning Management System (LMS). It offers a more modern, intuitive, and streamlined user experience, with enhanced features that make online learning and teaching more efficient and engaging

When will ALL courses be fully taught in Blackboard Learn Ultra at MC?

From the beginning of the Fall semester of 2025 (August), all courses at MC will be fully taught in Blackboard Learn Ultra. No new courses will be created in Blackboard Learn Original after Summer II 2025. Blackboard Learn Original courses will be available to copy, download from, and reference until December 31, 2026. After December 31, 2026, Blackboard Learn Original courses will no longer be available, as Anthology (Blackboard’s parent company) is phasing the product out completely at that point. 

Why is MC moving to Blackboard Learn Ultra?

We are transitioning to Blackboard Learn Ultra to provide a better online learning experience for both students and faculty. The updated platform offers a responsive design, improved navigation, and various tools to enhance the educational process. Anthology (Blackboard’s parent company) is gradually phasing out Blackboard Learn Original. Blackboard Learn Original courses will be available to copy, download from, and reference until December 31, 2026. After December 31, 2026, Blackboard Learn Original courses will no longer be available. 

What does this transition mean for Organizations in Blackboard? 

Until Spring 2026, Organizations will continue to function in Original Course View as we are focusing on courses in our three-phase transition plan. We will begin transitioning Organizations to Blackboard Learn Ultra in Spring 2026. More information will be forthcoming on this.

 

Building and Converting Courses 

Will my Blackboard Learn Original courses be affected during the transition?

We are taking great care to ensure that your Blackboard Learn Original courses are not affected during the transition. Blackboard Learn Original courses will be available to copy, download from, and reference until December 31, 2026. After December 31, 2026, Blackboard Learn Original courses will no longer be available, as Anthology (Blackboard’s parent company) is phasing the product out completely at that point. 

When transitioning from Blackboard Learn Original to Blackboard Learn Ultra, will I need to recreate my course content from scratch, or can I copy my existing courses directly into Blackboard Learn Ultra?

Blackboard is designed with tools and features that allow for the conversion of courses from Original to Ultra Course View. This process includes copying your existing courses into Ultra Course View, where they can then be adjusted or enhanced to take full advantage of Blackboard Learn Ultra’s features and user interface. It’s important to note that while course conversation aims to preserve the integrity of the original content, some manual adjustments or reconfigurations may be necessary to optimize the course for Blackboard Learn Ultra. It’s advisable to review the converted courses to ensure they meet your expectations and the learning objectives of your students.

How do I transfer my course content to Blackboard Learn Ultra?

The Ultra Transition team has curated and prepared support resources to help faculty transfer their course content. Visit our Self-Paced Training page for more information.

 

Features of Blackboard Learn Ultra 

Can I access Blackboard Learn Ultra on my mobile device?

Yes, Blackboard Learn Ultra is designed to be fully responsive, which means it can be accessed and used on any smartphone or tablet with an internet connection via the Blackboard app, in addition to desktop computers and laptops.

Are there any new features in Blackboard Learn Ultra that will help with online assessments?

Blackboard Learn Ultra includes various new features designed to enhance online assessments, including improved test-building tools, a wide range of question types, and enhanced analytics to track student performance.

 

Technical Questions and Support  

Will there be any downtime during the transition?

The Ultra Transition team and the MC Online Team is working diligently in conjunction with MC IT Services to minimize downtime. Any necessary downtime will be scheduled during off-peak hours and with advance notice to all impacted users. 

What should I do if I encounter issues with Blackboard Learn Ultra?

If you experience any issues, please contact the Blackboard Help Desk for assistance (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week), by calling 240-567-7222 and selecting option #2 for Blackboard Support. 

Where should I direct students who have questions?

Students can contact the MC Online team by email: MCOnline@montgomerycollege.edu. Students can also reach out to the Blackboard Help Desk for assistance any time (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) by calling 240-567-7222 and selecting option #2 for Blackboard Support. 

I work in the MC Library and I have questions about the transition to Blackboard Learn Ultra. Who should I contact?

Please reach out to your supervisors or UltraTransition@montgomerycollege.edu for more information and resources specific to the library. 

How can I provide feedback about MC’s transition to Blackboard Learn Ultra?

Please share your thoughts and suggestions with us. Your feedback is important to us, and we appreciate your time.