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Blackboard Ultra: Progress Tracking

Progress Tracking is turned on in your course as default. Progress Tracking allows students to keep track of which items they have viewed, giving them the option to “mark as read” any item they have opened.

It is also possible for instructors to see how many students have opened or marked as read each item.

Students’ view of Progress Tracking

Students will be able to see if Progress Tracking is Turned on or off.

Students can use the Progress Tracking function to keep track of what they have already read and what they need to return to and complete.

When Progress Tracking is on they will see a Progress icon next to the items (Learning Modules, Folders, files etc.) in the Course Content.

Unopened items

  • When an item has not been opened the Progress icon looks like an empty circle.
  • An unopened item cannot be “marked as complete”.

Screenshot of empty circle progress icon - item not opened

Opened items

  • When the item has been opened the progress icon will show as a half filled circle.
  • When opened the item can be “marked as complete”.

Screenshot of half filled circle Progress icon

  • Once an item has been marked as complete the progress icon will appear as a green circle with a green tick inside.

Screenshot of green tick Progress icon

Folders will automatically marked as complete once all the material inside the Folder has been opened or submitted to. It is not possible to mark a Folder as complete if the material inside has not been opened.

Learning modules

Learning modules behave slightly differently from folders and items when Progress Tracking is turned on. Before a student enters a learning module they will see a ‘not started’ indicator.

Screenshot showing student view of a learning module that has not been started

Once content within the learning module has been accessed, a progress bar displays.

Screenshot of a learning module in progress

  • A Folder or Learning Module with incomplete items cannot be marked as complete manually. They will mark as complete automatically when all the items contained within it have been marked as complete.

Instructors’ view of Progress Tracking data

As an Instructor you can check the Student Progress for any item. Staff can use Student Progress to see which students have marked the items as complete.

Open Student Progress for an item

In the three dots menu for the item select Student Progress.

Screenshot of Progress Tracking on the item edit menu

NB* The progress data will be for that item and any contained within it. To get the most complete overview select Student Progress in the largest container i.e. the Learning Module.

Student Progress for Item

The Student Progress page for an item gives an overview of the student activity on the item it has some key features.

Screenshot of Student Progress page

  1. Progress Summary bar gives a quick overview of the progress with a breakdown of the number of students who have Completed, Started or Unopened.
  2. Search function allows you to look up specific students.
  3. Filter will allow you to see the list as Unopened, Started or Completed.
  4. Completed students will have a date and time when the student marked the item as completed.
  5. Message button allows you to email students from this page.

Student Progress Tab

When you click on a student’s name from the Gradebook or Class Register it will open the student’s page.

Gradebook showing student tab and Search function to find a student

The page gives data on the students marks and activity. Click on the Progress tab for information on Progress Tracking data for that specific student.

Screenshot of Progress Tab


Guide last updated on April 19, 2024

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