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 approximately 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’s Center for Instructional Technology (CIT) offers 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.