Blackboard Ultra allows administrators and instructors to add users to a course and assign specific permissions based on predefined roles. These roles determine the level of access and functionalities available to users within the learning management system. This knowledge base article outlines the various user roles in Blackboard Ultra, their permissions, and how they can be applied to support different instructional and administrative needs.
Course Roles
Instructor
- Full course management capabilities
- Access to all course materials, features and student data.
- Grade entry and management through the gradebook.
Instructor roles can only be added by the Registrar's Office. If a user is added as an instructor directly to the course without being added to Colleague by the Registrar's office, the user will be set to disabled when the system runs its next update. Updates occur every 4 hours.
Student
- Full student access
- Can participate in discussions, assignments, quizzes, etc.
Student roles can only be added by the Registrar's Office. If a user is added as a student directly to the course without being added to Colleague by the Registrar's office, the user will be set to disabled when the system runs its next update. Updates occur every 4 hours.
Observing Instructor
- Can view all instructor content in the course (even hidden from students content)
- Can take attendance and send messages and announcements
- Can copy course materials to a course they are an Instructor on
- Cannot access or modify grades
Observing Student
- View access to student content in the course
- No ability to participate in graded activities (discussion boards, assignments, tests, etc.)
The observing student role is commonly used to add a student who has an existing IX grade to a new section of the same course to be able to review the content needed to complete missing work.
Learning Assistant
- View access to content in the course
- Cannot access or modify or modify grades
- Can send messages and announcements
- Can take attendance
Teaching Assistant - Gradebook Access
This role will be transitioned out and into the observing instructor role beginning July 1, 2025.
- Can view all instructor content in the course (even hidden from students content)
- Can take attendance and send messages and announcements
- Can copy course materials to a course they are an Instructor on
- Can access or modify grades