Inline Document view Blackboard Ultra (BBU) update

Blackboard has recently rolled out an update that allows Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat documents to be added to Blackboard Ultra inline as well as downloadable links.

There are many benefits to adding documents inline including:

• Resolves compatibility problems relating to downloading and viewing documents on portable devices.
• Removes access limitations to software such as Microsoft Office on portable devices.
• Removes storage limitations and re-locating previously downloaded document content.
• Improving student workflow and work efficiently on all operating systems.
• Extend student focus by viewing documents inline the student does not need to leave the Blackboard Ultra platform thus reducing possible distractions and improving focus.

For your convenience, inline documents are automatically minimised and must be expanded to be viewed.  This is especially useful if for example the inline document includes many pages.

Documents that have previously been created in Blackboard will not reflect this new update and will remain as download only links (although they can be quickly changed).

When a Microsoft Office or Adobe document is added to a Blackboard document the user will be given three options.

View inline and downable: A document preview will be generated within the Blackboard Ultra document (the preview may alter the layout of the file to fit in the Blackboard Ultra window).  The preview will also include the option to download the document locally.

Embedded Microsoft Office content via One Drive

In a previous knowledge base article, we outlined a different technique that could be used for adding inline Microsoft Office documents, specifically PowerPoint presentations.  This alternative technique offers a series of alternative benefits.

Benefits:

• PowerPoint presentations display as single slide that must be progress through rather than as a list of slides one after the other
• Interactive content within the PowerPoint will be available and work as expected.
• A document shared via Microsoft OneDrive to multiple Blackboard modules and documents will only need updating once

Please see the following knowledge base article for more information here 

View inline:  As above, a document preview will be generated within the Blackboard Ultra document (the preview may alter the layout of the file to fit in the Blackboard Ultra window).  The download option identified above is not available.

Download via link:  The Blackboard document will behave as before displaying just the document link only.

How will this update affect previously related content in BB Ultra?

Documents that have previously been created in Blackboard will automatically reflect this new update shortly however if you would like to update any of the previously created content you can be manually apply this change. To update previously created documents, do the following:

1. Open the Blackboard document that includes the downloadable document
2. Click on the more options (three dots to the side of the BBU content and choose ‘edit’

3. Select the document link object (the document will show with a purple boarded) and the pencil icon will appear in the edit menu.

4. The Edit File options dialogue window will appear from which you can choose the File Option that you are require.

Please contact elearning@tees.ac.uk if you require any additional support using this updated Blackboard Ultra feature.