When to Use?
In Blackboard Ultra, your messages all have one home — just like a normal inbox, but better. You can access all your messages right from the base navigation or from your course.
Procedure
Messages for all Courses
In the list where your name appears, select Messages.
If allowed by your institution, you and your instructors can send messages to each other, multiple people, or an entire class. Messages activity remains inside the system.
This information also applies to organizations.
Don't miss any action. If you have a mix of Original and Ultra courses, you can access messages for both on this page. New messages appear in a bold font.
Access messages across time. You can view messages for current, previous, and future courses. Use the arrows to navigate to another time period.
Jump into your messages. Select a course card to view all new and existing messages in your course. You can delete messages inside of your course.
Ready to share? In the Ultra Course View, begin typing and recipient names pop up. In the Original Course View, select To. A list of all course members appears. In the first box, select the recipients and select the right-pointing arrow to move them to the Recipients box.
Messages Inside a Course
In a course, access the Messages page on the navigation bar. All your course messages and responses appear. You can easily scan the full list and open a message to read all the responses.
Your unread messages appear first in the list. Each message displays the profile picture of the creator. Under the creator's name, you can view how many participants are included or if the message is for the whole class.
Easily view what's new. A count of messages appears above the list. New responses appear with a bold font.
Send a message. If allowed by your institution, select the New Message icon to send a message. Send to one person, multiple people, or the entire class.
If you have many messages, select the number of messages you want to see per page to narrow your focus.
Delete a message. Use the Delete icon to delete a message. If more responses come in, you'll get them. You can't edit or delete individual responses in a message.
Navigate to another message. Messages open in a panel with all the responses. Use the View Previous Messages and Next Message icons at the top to view the previous or next message in the list.
Add more people. If allowed by your institution, when you create or respond to a message, select the Add Participants icon to add additional people unless the message was sent to the entire class. The original recipients see a note in the next message that you added new people or the whole class. The new recipients see the message from the point they were added.
Send a Message
When you select the New Message icon on the Messages page, the New Message panel opens.
Start typing to add recipients. As you type, matching recipient names appear in a menu for easy selection. You can continue to add as many names as you want or send to the whole class.
Lead with the most important info. Messages don't have titles. Recipients need to rely on the first part of your message as they choose what to read. You can use the options in the editor to format the text and embed images and attach files.
In the editor, select the plus icon to view the menu of options. You'll find the option to attach a file. To use your keyboard to jump to the editor toolbar, press ALT + F10. On a Mac, press Fn + ALT + F10. Use the arrow keys to select an option, such as a bulleted list.
Send an email copy. You can send an email copy of a course message. Course members may be more likely to see, read, and act on course messages when they receive a copy in their inboxes. When you select this option, all recipients of the message receive an email copy. Recipients can view your message in their email inboxes but won't be able to send an email to reply.
Read-only Messages
Your institution can choose not to allow students to reply to or create messages in their courses. Your instructors don't control this setting.
You may only be allowed to read the messages other roles send, such as instructors and teaching assistants. You also won't be able to forward messages you receive.
In the read-only state, the plus sign to add a message is removed from your global Messages page and the Ultra course Messages page.
When you view an individual Ultra course message, you see a message in the Reply box that states: Replying is disabled for this message.
New Message Alerts
New messages appear on the global messages page. Your instructor can choose to send a copy of a course message to your email inbox.
Unread Message Notifications
An identifiable number count highlights any new messages received. When you select the Messages tool on the Base Navigation, a red number count changes to a red pill icon to reduce distraction. When you navigate away from this page, the system shows again the unread message count.
