What’s New & Why It Matters
- Full adoption: After a phased introduction, Ultra is now the standard platform for all classes. Fully online courses adopted Ultra in Fall 2025 along with early adopters across campus, with the remainder of UA’s ~4,000 courses transitioning by Spring 2026.
- Modernized system: This marks UA’s first major LMS overhaul in years, meeting updated general education curriculum goals and strengthening accessibility to comply with federal guidelines.
Enhancements Faculty & Students Love
- Designed for simplicity: Faculty praise the platform as “clean, easy, and intuitive,” while students report that Ultra feels more logical, organized, and easier to navigate compared to the legacy interface.
- Streamlined access: The interface features a consistent top‑menu structure and is mobile‑first, making coursework accessible anytime, anywhere.
Smart Tools Powered by AI
- Anthology’s AI Design Assistant: Instructors now have access to a suite of smart tools that help jump-start course creation. These include:
- Pre-built module structures
- Suggested discussion prompts and assessment questions
- Auto-generated course imagery
Support & Resources
- Practice environments: All instructors have access to a UA Ultra Practice course, ideal for experimenting with new features and design workflows.
- Training & guidance: OIT and the Center for Instructional Technology (CIT) offer live workshops, consultations, classroom visits, and tabling events. A robust knowledge base and onboarding resources are available at cit.ua.edu.
- Need help? Instructors and departments can reach out directly to CIT via cit@ua.edu for customized assistance.
If you’re curious about what’s next or want to get started today, explore the resources at cit.ua.edu or reach out via cit@ua.edu.