The Blackboard October 2025 release delivers a refined set of improvements for instructors, students, and administrators. This update enhances key areas including Instructional Design, Communication and Collaboration, Tests and Assignments, and Administrative Functions.
🛠️ Instructional Design Enhancements
📁 Manage Files in the Learning Object Repository (LOR)
Who it affects: Administrators
Administrators can now upload files directly to the LOR, allowing instructors to insert them into course content.
Benefit: Centralised file management saves time and ensures consistency across courses.
🔒 Locked Attributes and Settings for Documents in the LOR
Who it affects: Administrators
Key attributes such as visibility, class conversations, and goals are now synced and locked in associated courses.
Benefit: Guarantees institutional settings remain consistent and clearly communicated to instructors.
💬 Communication and Collaboration
💬 Improved Course Messages Interface
Who it affects: Instructors and Students
Course Messages now feature a modern, chat-style interface using message bubbles and user avatars.
Benefit: Provides a cleaner, more intuitive way to follow conversations—similar to popular messaging apps.
📝 Tests and Assignments Improvements
💾 Consistent Save and Cancel Options
Who it affects: Instructors
The ‘Save’ and ‘Cancel’ buttons are now standardised across assessment settings such as timer, access code, learning outcome measurements, and Turnitin originality reports.
Benefit: Offers a more predictable and streamlined editing experience.
🏷️ Tag Questions with Metadata
Who it affects: Instructors
Instructors can now tag questions with metadata such as categories or topics when creating or editing them. Metadata remains hidden from students.
Benefit: Simplifies organisation, filtering, and reuse of questions. Metadata from Original courses is retained.
🎓 Other Features and Administrator Actions
🧩 Improved Student Experience with Fill in the Blank Question Type
Who it affects: Students
Enhancements make Fill in the Blank questions easier to read and complete.
✅ Require Questions Before Making Assessments Visible
Who it affects: Instructors
Assessments must now include questions before being made visible to students, preventing accidental release of incomplete assessments.
🧭 What This Means for You
These updates continue to refine and modernise the Blackboard experience at the University of Dundee, improving communication, streamlining course design, and supporting effective assessment practice.
To explore more features or support, visit My Dundee Help Guides.
Release notes: Blackboard 3902.1 Release Notes
Need help? Contact the Educational Development Team via Help4U.