Getting Started Using Blackboard: Quick Tips
Blackboard: https://blackboard.bowdoin.edu/.
Updated Interface, Fall 2013
You will notice that Blackboard’s interface looks a little bit different. The functionality is
exactly the same and the tools have not moved, but the look and feel are more modern
and up-to-date. The chevrons (double-down arrows) are not so prominent, yet can still
be accessed by hovering over an item that you wish to create and/or edit.
You will see four tabs along the top of the page: My Blackboard, Courses,
Organizations, and Content Collection.
My Blackboard
Each time you enter Blackboard you will find yourself on this page. You can customize
the "look and feel" of this page. To rearrange the content on the My Blackboard page,
grab the title of each module and drag and drop it to a new location. To customize the
design, click on the Personalize Page button in the upper right-hand corner. To
customize the content, click on Add Module in the upper left-hand corner.
The three content items that you cannot modify or remove are Announcements,
Semester Courses, and Class 2017: Timeline and To Do List. Announcements
allows us to share information system-wide. Semester Courses lists the courses you
are teaching as well as the courses that your students are enrolled in. Class 2017:
Timeline and To Do List gives first-year students access to exams that they need to
take in order to enroll in certain courses.
Under Semester Courses, you will find the list of courses that you are teaching in Fall
2013 as well as the list of courses that you taught in previous semesters. Click on each
link to go to your courses.
Courses / Organizations
Once you are in your course or organization, you can add, modify, and remove content.
In Blackboard, there are three tools to use to work with your content.
The Chevron:
The Edit Mode button:
The Drag and Drop arrows:
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The Chevron: You will find the Chevron everywhere! It is next to each of the items on
your left-hand menu. It is next to content that already exists. It is in the options
available to you for building content. Click on it to create, edit, and delete content.
Note: In the new interface, the chevrons (double-down arrows) are not so
prominent, yet can still be accessed by hovering over an item that you wish to
create and/or edit.
The Edit Mode button: This button is in the upper right-hand corner of your course.
When the Edit Mode button is on (Note: this is the default), you will be able to create,
edit, and delete content. When the Edit Mode button is off, you can view your content
the way that your students see it. Remember to turn the Edit Mode button back on!
The Drag and Drop arrows: The double arrows indicate that you can move the
content. In your left-hand menu, you can use the double arrows to rearrange and
reorder the items. After you begin adding content to your course, you can use the
double arrows to rearrange and reorder your course materials.
Course Menu
By default there are five menu items (Information, Syllabus, Library Reserves, Library /
Research, and Photo Roster) in your course. You may change the names of the
existing items, add items, or delete items.
Adding new menu items: Click on the + button in the upper left-hand corner of the
menu. Choose Content Area from the list of options to create an area where you can
upload files (e.g. syllabus, schedule, lectures, etc.) Choose Tool Link to add
Blackboard-specific tools, including the Discussion Board, Announcements, or My
Grades. Note: Be sure to check the Available to Users box so that your students can
see the new menu item.
Note: If you accidentally delete the links to Library Reserves and the Photo
Roster, you can get them back. Click on the + button and choose Tool Link.
Select bwdnLibrary Reserves for Library Reserves and bwPhoto Roster for
the Photo Roster.
Changing the name of a menu item: Click the Chevron next to the menu item on the
left-hand menu and choose Rename Link.
Rearranging/reordering the menu items: Grab the drag and drop arrows and move
the items into the preferred order.
Setting the Course Entry point: To make sure that your students enter your course
into the section that you want them to, go to Customization in the Control Panel under
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Course Management. Click the arrow to expand the options. Choose Teaching
Style. In the section called Select Course Entry Point, use the drop-down menu to
choose the section that your students should see when they enter your course.
Note: The section that you choose will need to have content in it in order for your
students to see it.
Changing the background color on the menu: To change the background color of
the left-hand menu, go to Customization in the Control Panel under Course
Management and choose Teaching Style. Within that section, you can update the
course theme and the menu style.
Recently Visited List / My Other Courses List: Above the left-hand menu in your
course is a button bearing the course’s name. Click the Chevron to view the Recently
Visited List and move easily between courses. Additionally, you will find a My Other
Courses list below that to view previous courses. This feature will enable you to easily
go between courses without having to use the My Blackboard page.
Adding Content
Adding text: In a section, (e.g. Information), click the Chevron on the Build Content
button. Choose Create Item. Give your content a name and then enter your text
directly into the box provided. Click Submit, now at the top and bottom of the page.
Uploading a file: In a section (e.g. Syllabus), click the Chevron on the Build Content
button. Choose Create Item. Give your content a name and scroll down to the
Attachments section. Browse your computer or the network for the file to attach. Click
Submit.
Note: You can also use the Create File option to upload a file. If you use this
option, be sure to select Yes for Open in New Window so that your uploaded
file opens properly.
Adding a link to a web site: In a section (e.g. Information), click the Chevron on the
Build Content button and choose Web Link from the options. Enter a name for the link
and then the full URL (e.g., http://www.bowdoin.edu/). Click Submit.
Note: You can create tests and assignments in the Create Assessments button.
Via Tools, you can add blogs, private journals, and wikis to your course.
Modifying Content
Editing content: After you add text, upload files, or create links, you can modify them.
When you are looking at the content in a section (e.g. Course Information), hover over
an item and click the Chevron next to it to reveal many options. Click Edit to begin the
process of modifying the content. Click Submit when you are finished.
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Note: By default any content that you create is immediately available to your
students. You can make it unavailable as well as set date and time restrictions
so that the content becomes available only when you are ready.
Course Management > Control Panel
Beneath the course menu, there are many useful options available to you in the Course
Management > Control Panel. Click the arrow next to any of the options to reveal the
contents. (Note: Students do not see the Control Panel and do not have access to it.)
Content Collection: Link to Blackboard’s content collection for each course.
Course Tools: Access to Announcements, Discussion Board, Send Email, etc.
Evaluation: Link to course reports and statistics.
Grade Center: Access to the Full Grade Center.
Users and Groups: Access the list of students enrolled in your course. Create
groups of students for project assignments.
Customization: Make your course available; set the course entry point, etc.
Packages and Utilities: Access to course copy.
Organizations
Organizations are similar to courses. The Hatch Science Library, the Baldwin Program
for Academic Development, and the Bowdoin Student Government are examples of
organizations using Blackboard to share content with their students, colleagues, and
fellow officers.
Content Collection
Each course has a space on the Blackboard server to upload and share files. This
space is more collaborative in nature than the Courses tab and allows you to upload
multiple files and folders. Files and folders that you upload to the Content Collection
are then accessible from your course via Browse Content Collection when you add or
modify content in your course. You have control of the permissions for these folders
and can give your students read and write access as necessary. Additionally, materials
uploaded to the content collection can be linked to multiple courses saving on storage
space.
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Copying Content from One Course to Another
Log into Blackboard and go to the course that you want to copy content FROM. (This
will be a course that you taught in Spring 2013 or Fall 2012.)
Beneath the menu in the left-hand column locate Packages and Utilities in the Control
Panel under Course Management.
Click the arrow to expand the options.
Choose Course Copy.
In the right-hand window, choose Copy Course Materials into an Existing Course
from the drop-down menu in the Select Copy Type section.
Under Select Copy Options, browse for the destination course you want to copy
TO. This will be a course that you are teaching in Fall 2013. A new window will open
displaying your previous courses. Select the course and click Submit.
Under Select Course Materials, choose the content that you want to copy from the
original course.
Note: Select All will select all content and all settings. We do not recommend
that you use this as it will change the course availability settings.
Scroll down to the File Attachments section and make sure that Copy links and
copies of the content (include all Course Files) is selected. This will copy the content
rather than linking to it. (Note: It is the default.)
Do NOT copy the Enrollments.
Click Submit.
You will receive an email when the copy process is complete. Then you can go into
your Fall 2013 course and begin modifying and updating the course content.
Making Your Courses Available in Blackboard
Courses in Blackboard are not available until faculty are ready to share the content with
their students. Below are the steps for making your courses available.
Log into Blackboard and click on each of your courses individually. You will note
that this semester's courses have "(Unavailable)" after the title.
Beneath the course menu in the left-hand column locate Customization in the
Control Panel under Course Management.
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Click the double arrows to expand the options and choose Properties.
In the Set Availability section, choose Yes.
Click Submit.
Note: Courses Will Become Unavailable at the End of the Semester
In order to comply with copyright standards, all Blackboard courses will be unavailable
to students enrolled in them at the end of each semester. The Fall 2013 courses in
Blackboard will remain open and available to students until January 15, 2014 when the
system will make them unavailable.
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Creating Blogs and Private Journals
Creating a Blog:
Log into Blackboard and go to your course.
You'll want to go into an existing content area from the left-hand menu or create a new
one. (Note: The blog tool generated an error when I created it directly from the left-hand
menu so we’ll need to ask your students to click twice!)
Click on the + in the left-hand menu and choose Create Content Area.
In the Add Content Area box, provide a Name (e.g. Sharing Space) and check the
Available to Users box. Click Submit.
The new section will be at the bottom of the left-hand menu. Click on it to enter the new
content area.
From the Tools button, choose Campus Pack Blog.
On the next screen, give the new blog a Title. You can also give it a description, if you
wish. (Note: In the Deployment section, make sure that you select Single Copy.) Skip
over the Grade Book stuff and click Add at the bottom of the page.
Permissions: By default, you and your students have the correct permissions. You can
add, edit, and remove entries. The students can add their own entries and comment on
other students’ entries.
Comments: Students will add comments in the Viewer Comments section at the end of
each blog entry.
Blog Tips for your students
Log into Blackboard and enter your course.
Select the new blog section on the left-hand menu.
Click View beneath the blog name.
Select the Add New Entry button.
Give the blog entry a meaningful name in the Add New Entry box.
Enter your contributions in the big text box.
Click Save & Exit to finish.
Upload files:
Click the Upload a file icon in the third row of options. In the Upload file box, choose
Browse to locate the file, click Open once you have located it, and then click Upload.
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Add a link:
In the text box, type some text and then highlight it. Click on the Link to a page icon
(chain link) in the third row. Provide the URL (http://www.bowdoin.edu/) in the URL
box. Check Open in new window. Click Insert.
Add Images:
Click the Insert/edit image icon in the third row. At the end of the Image URL box,
click the Browse button to locate your image. Browse again in the Upload File
window. Then click the Upload button. The image will now appear in the Insert/edit
image window. If you wish to resize it, click on the Appearance tab. Then click Insert.
Note: Images should be no wider than 600 px. In the Appearance tab, check the
Dimensions of your image and resize it, if necessary. By default, the tool will constrain
the proportions of your image so you do not need to figure out the width and height
ratios.
Creating a Private Journal:
Log into Blackboard and go to your course.
You'll want to go into an existing content area from the left-hand menu or create a new
one.
Click on the + in the left-hand menu and choose Create Content Area.
In the Add Content Area box, provide a Name (e.g. Journals) and check the Available
to Users box. Click Submit.
The new section will be at the bottom of the left-hand menu. Click on it.
Click on the button, Tools and choose Campus Pack Journal.
On the next screen, give the new journal a Title. You can also give it a description, if
you wish. (Note: If there is a Deployment section, make sure that you select Single
Copy.) Skip over the Grade Book stuff and click Add.
You have just set-up the journal. Now it’s time to make sure that your students have the
correct permissions.
Permissions for students (confirming what your students see):
Click on Permissions in the horizontal list.
You should see two tabs: Authors and Owners.
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Authors: The individual student who can create journal entries and read instructor's
entries, but cannot read others' entries.
Owners: You will be the owner.
Make sure that you are on the Authors tab.
You should see the message about permissions: Authors can create journal entries
and read instructor's entries, but can't read others' entries.
Additionally, in The Authors section you should see that All Students in your course
have access and are authors.
Scroll down and click the Save & Exit button.
Note: Once your students begin contributing, you will be able to sort by students' names
to look at individual journals. Otherwise you will see all of their journals posted in
reverse chronological order.
Enabling cookies in your browser to use Blackboard’s blog, private journal and
wiki tools:
Sometimes students get an error message indicating that they cannot access the blog,
private journal, or wiki tools. The message indicates that their browsers need to be
adjusted to allow cookies. Here are steps to fix the issue in Firefox, Safari, and Internet
Explorer.
Firefox for Mac:
In Firefox, go to Firefox > Preferences > Privacy and enable both Accept cookies
from sites and Accept third-party cookies. Close the Preferences window to finish.
Safari for Mac:
In Safari, go to Safari > Preferences > Security and Always Accept cookies. Close
the Preferences window to finish.
Firefox for Windows:
In Firefox, go to Tools > Options > Privacy and enable both Accept cookies from
sites and Accept third-party cookies. Click OK.
Internet Explorer for Windows:
In Internet Explorer, go to Tools > Internet Options > Privacy and set the security
level to Medium. Or go to Sites and Allow the domains, blackboard.bowdoin.edu and
campuspack.net.
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Discussion Board
Add the Discussion Board to your Course Menu for easy student access:
On the left-hand menu, click the + and choose Tool Link.
From the options in the drop-down menu, choose Discussion Board.
Provide a name in the Name text box.
Select Available to Users.
Click Submit.
Create a New Forum:
Click on Discussion Board in the left-hand menu.
Click the Create Forum button.
Enter a name for the forum in the Name box.
Enter text for the forum in the Description box.
Determine whether the new forum will be available to students in the Forum
Availability section.
Select from the options under Forum Settings. The default settings are fine.
Click Submit.
Create a Discussion Thread:
Click on the newly created forum.
Click the Create Thread button.
Enter a subject in the Subject box.
Type text in the Message box. Click Submit.
Reading and Replying to a Thread:
In the forum, click the thread name and then click Reply.
Type text in the Message box. Click Submit.
Guest Access
In Blackboard, by default your course is closed to the public, i.e., there is no "guest
access." The public includes anyone who is NOT enrolled in your class. If you want to
open your entire course or parts of it to others, there are three places where you will
need to configure settings.
First:
Go to Customization in the Control Panel under Course Management and
choose Guest and Observer Access.
In the Allow Guest Access section, click Yes.
Click Submit.
Second:
Go to Customization in the Control Panel under Course Management and
choose Tool Availability.
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In the Visible to Guests column, add check boxes to the tools that you would
like to make accessible to guests.
Click Submit.
Third:
Go to your course menu.
Click the Chevron next to each menu item (Course Information, Syllabus, etc.)
and choose Permit Guests.
(Note: Do not allow guest access for Library Reserves or Photo Roster.)
For each menu item, all information can be available to guests or none at all.
If you have an item that you want to make public, but that you would normally fit into an
area that is closed to guest access, you can either put that item into another section that
is public, or create a new section, and make it public.
Questions/Problems:
Please contact Jennifer Snow (jsnow@bowdoin.edu / 725.3707).
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