This is an introductory guide designed to help you become familiar with how to begin setting up your first course from scratch in the new Ultra version of eCampus. This guide walks through the steps to add and manage content, customize your layout, create tests or assessments, interact with the gradebook, and use various course tools including the Collaborate online meeting tool. Read through the content sections below to learn more about the topics that interest you, or join us for a live training session during scheduled events.

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• Getting Started with eCampus Ultra Training Sessions: the ITS Training group holds virtual training sessions for eCampus at the beginning of each semester. Visit the WVU Events Calendar page to see when classes are available or keep an eye on your email for eCampus training sessions.
  eCampus ULTRA pilot faculty will be invited to attend a special training session before the start of the Fall 2023 semester.

  • You may also contact ITS Training to request one-on-one training, customized group trainings, or in-person training. We will design our content to meet your needs.

• ITS Help Center: You will find a list of all eCampus Ultra for Faculty articles in our help center.

• Blackboard Help: View Blackboard Anthology’s video tutorials or review the Blackboard Help guides.

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When you first log into a new eCampus Ultra course shell, it will be empty – you will have to add content. All off of your main educational content, assignments, and tests (aside from Discussions) will be placed on the Content tab of the course.

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1. Click the plus + sign in the center off of the Course Content area to add any kind of content to the page.

   

2. Click Create in the pop-up menu. A new panel will appear.

3. Select a Document in the Course Content Items section to create a welcome message for your course.

4. Your cursor will be in the title field of the new page has opened. Enter a Name for the course welcome message document you’re about to create.

5. To type a welcome message, click the Add Content button in the middle of the of the page. Note that the document will be saved automatically; you do not have to click to save changes.

   

6. The eCampus Ultra text editing box will appear, with a number of text formatting options. You can also clear formatting, place a link, add an attachment, or insert many other kinds of content and from various sources.

   1. Type or copy/paste a course welcome message into the text box.

   2. Format the content, add links or additional images and media.

   3. Save the course welcome text, and return to the document page.

7. Click the plus + again if desired to add other things to the document… an image, file attachment, link or other media.

8. Set the release conditions for the welcome document. Choose Visible or Hidden to student view.

   

9. Click the x in the upper left to Close (X) the document, which will appear on the Content page.

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Communication Tools

There are several built-in communications options to allow you to send announcements, share upcoming deadlines or events, send and receive mail messages, and engage in discussions or Q&A with your students. Tabs at the top of the course area link to these tools.

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• Gradable Items shows a list of all assignments, tests, and graded items (discussions).

  • View the Item name and the number of students who have submitted their work, the item’s Due Date, Grading Status, and Post status.

  • Click any graded item in this list to see and edit all students’ scores for that item.

  • Close (X) the item page to go back to the Gradable Items list.

• Students shows a list of all students in the course and their Overall Grade.

  • View the students' Full Name, Student ID, eCampus Username, their Last Access date, and their Overall Grade for the course. You can search for a student by name, ID, or username in the field at the top.

  • Click on a student row to view their grades for each assessment as well as links to a report on student activity in the course, notes on any accommodations, and to send a message to this student.

    • For the selected student, you’ll see a list of all assessments with the Status of their submission and their Grade on each assessment, and any Feedback you’ve provided.

    • Click the ellipsis (…) to Add or Edit Exemptions for each item (for this student only).
      ℹ️ WVU ITS Help: Accommodations, Exemptions, Exceptions

    • Close (X) the student grades page to return to the list view of the main Gradebook.

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• Rows display students: Columns display assessments (or calculated grades).

• Click the Grade Now link in a cell to view student submissions and enter a grade. Or click in any cell with an existing grade to edit/change a grade. Just type a new value.

• Filter the data in the gradebook multiple ways:

  • Search for a student or assessment in the search box at the top of the page.

  • Click the Filter button to choose which Students, Groups, Gradable Items, or Categories to display.

  • Click Clear All to remove all filters.

• Click any Student Name to see the same student grades page that you can access from the students list view above.

  • view their grades for each assessment as well as links to a report on student activity in the course, notes on any accommodations, and to send a message to this student.

    

    • For the selected student, you’ll see a list of all assessments with the Status of their submission and their Grade on each assessment, and any Feedback you’ve provided.

    • Click the ellipsis (…) to Add or Edit Exemptions for each item (for this student only).

      ℹ️ WVU ITS Help: Accommodations, Exemptions, Exceptions

    • Close (X) the student grades page to return to the list view of the main Gradebook.

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