BLACKBOARD FUNDAMENTALS
Engage • Communicate • Collaborate • Assess
Introduction
Blackboard Learn introduces significant improvements to the user interface as well as
functional and technical improvements and solutions to previous problems. The upgraded
platform also offers improve accessibility features and is now the only learning system to have
received certification from the National Federation for the Blind.
Blackboard Fundamentals was developed by the Education Technology Office to support
faculty who are new to Blackboard or to those of you who are transitioning between Blackboard
8 to Blackboard Learn version 9.1. The self-paced workshop is designed for all Framingham
State University faculty (and staff) regardless of your familiarity with the eLearning platform.
If you are new to Blackboard Learn please review the content in the order it is listed,
beginning with Getting Started. We also encourage you to open the Support Menu Link to view
online tutorials, read user documentation and download Blackboard handouts shared during our
workshop sessions.
If all you need is a quick overview, click here, then spend some time in the Content Area of
this site. View the tutorials for the new Student Engagement, Collaboration and Assessment
tools in Blackboard Learn.
Comments, suggestions and questions are always welcome. Please post your questions to
the course Ask ETO DISCUSSION BOARD, email eto@framingham.edu with a question, give
us a call at 508 626-4927 or stop by the Education Technology Office in Hemenway Hall G05
and G09.
To begin, click the link to Getting Started (or turn the page). From here you will be introduced to the
course logistics as well as technology requirements. The ETO staff looks forward to helping you make
the transition to Blackboard Learn.
The Education Technology Staff looks forward to working with you this semester as we
transition from our current version of Blackboard to Blackboard Learn.
Education Technology Office
HHG09-G05
Phone: 508 626-4927
Email: eto@framingham.edu
Getting Started
Blackboard Learn is the new name of the Blackboard Academic Suite (which is the previous
name of the suite of products most of us call Blackboard). The name represents the singular
purpose of the software suite and will help resolve some of the confusion around product names
and terminology that are holdovers from the Blackboard-WebCT merger.
Blackboard is used at Framingham State University (FSU) to enhance the teaching and
learning experience, track department, committee, and club documents and enhance group
communication. Blackboard version 9.1 is the latest release in a line of upgrades the institution
has implemented since the course management system was purchased in 2000.
The Getting Started Module describes how to navigate the workshop course and provides you
with a course map of where to find Blackboard 9.1 features and functionality tutorials. If you are
new to Blackboard, it is recommended that you review the information posted in the order in
which it is presented to the very end.
Topics covered in this module include the following:
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Course Overview
Goals and Objectives
Course Navigation
Course Content
Blackboard Technology Requirements
Browser Requirements
Additional Notes
If you are ready to begin we suggest that you print a copy of the Blackboard Fundamentals
Tutorial to use as reference as you review each module. We also recommend that you login to
Blackboard and view this information online.
Course Overview
Your participation in this course site is as a student. It is assumed that you are also enrolled in a
separate course site as the instructor. As you read through each module, download the related
workshop tutorial, and then apply what you learned to the courses that you teach. You may
decide that some of the information does not apply to your course or that you are not ready to
use all of the new tools. That is OK. This site is designed as a self-paced resource site. Drop in
as often as you like.
Online workshop content is designed in Learning Modules - or in the old Blackboard 8 lingo, a
Learning Unit. The documentation is also available in PDF format. Click here to download the
PDF file.
If you are viewing the information online, follow the tips below to navigate the space.
Use the <page> links in the upper right-hand corner or bottom of the page to move on
to new information.
Use the links or icons on the left side to: Expand the Table of Contents, Maximize the
Table of Content or Move the Table of Contents to the bottom of the page.
If you click out of a module, use the links in the side menu bar to return to the Getting
Started area of the course.
View more … Not sure how it works - Click here to view an online tutorial.
Note: If you need assistance, post an email to the Ask ETO Discussion Board, call the office at
508.626.4927 or email ETO to request a one-to-one meeting.
Goals and Objectives
Blackboard Learn is the first major release in a number of years. Key components of the
upgrade features: new social learning and teaching tools that foster more logical, visually
impactful, and active learning opportunities for students. In addition, new instructional
productivity and workflow tools provide faculty with the freedom to focus on teaching and
learning techniques and not the mechanics of the tool.
In Blackboard 9.1 you will spend less time on administrative details and more time on student
success, achievement, and retention. On demand tutorials and videos make learning how to
use the new platform that much easier. ...read more
Blackboard Fundamentals is designed for the novice user as well as the person who is
making the transition from Blackboard 8 to the new upgraded release - Blackboard Learn
version 9.1. It is not our intention to document all of the features of the new system, but rather to
help you understand what is new, what has changed, and what can be done to leverage the rich
toolset and functionality of this new release.
By the end of the workshop all participants in this course will:
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Make a smooth transition between the current version of Blackboard and Blackboard Learn,
version 9.1
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Learn what is new and how the change affects the teaching and learning environment
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Understand how to implement new features that impact student learning, content
engagement, communication, collaboration and assessment in your course environment
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Engage in group collaboration with your peers and receive answers to questions we forgot
to address.
Course Navigation
Blackboard Fundamentals follows the design of the default course template for
which all new courses created after the upgrade are based. The description of
each menu link is outlined in the table below.
Menu Links
Description
ANNOUNCEMENTS is the default entry space for all course shells.
From here we welcome you to the site and share what is updated or
changed.
GETTING STARTED is your first stop in the course. In all courses
this section is used to help students become acclimated to your
course. Most professors also use this space to post their syllabus. It
is recommended that if you are new to Blackboard or unfamiliar with
the new release that you review the Getting Started content before
moving on to other areas of the site.
STAFF INFORMATION is the place in the course where you may
meet the professor or in our case the Education Technology Office
staff. Visit this space to read our profiles and learn how to reach us if
you have questions or wish to share a comment.
CONTENT is the area in the course where you may post course
documents and related materials. In Blackboard Fundamentals
information is organized into six Learning Modules.
DISCUSSION BOARD should be a familiar place. We have created
an ASK ETO for you to post questions or share comments with your
colleagues and peers. Subscribe to this space if you wish to be
notified when a new question or answer is posted.
LINKS replaces External Links. If the area is not used it will
disappear from the student view. We have posted resource
information used to build this site. Reference this area to access Ondemand Tutorials, view the Blackboard 9.1 Project Plan and other
information.
TOOLS is the standard resource area in all courses which connects
users to Course specific tools. We invite you to review the options
but no tool is used specifically for this course.
SUPPORT links directly to a list of resources we have loaded into
each course site. The content in this space replaces the link to the
student tutorial.
Content Spaces
The workshop topics are chunked into the six Learning
Modules to help you become familiar with Blackboard Learn
features and functionality. Each section may be viewed
separately, but if you have never used Blackboard or are
transitioning from a previous version it is recommended that
you view the information in the order it is presented, beginning
with the Getting Started Module. Click the Content Menu
Link to view each workshop topic described in the table below.
Topics
Description
Orient
Click ORIENT to learn how to navigate and customize your Blackboard
space. Navigating Blackboard 9.1 is greatly changed. New features like
Drag and Drop, in-line editing and an Edit button makes it easier to modify,
move and change elements of your course with fewer clicks.
Explore
Click EXPLORE to review course tools from the instructor
perspective. Discover how to access the new Control Panel and where to
find course settings and change your Course Availability options.
Design
Click DESIGN to implement best practice Course Design Strategies that
support student engagement. Use the new in-line editing feature to change
the name of a menu link, make a content space unavailable, add a course
tool, arrange your menu, add a divider or create a module page.
Build
Click Build and learn how to upload and publish your content, as well as
create discussions or add a mash-up (YouTube video) to your course.
Follow the steps outlined to create Learning Modules in your course
Facilitate
Click FACILITATE to foster communication, monitor the activity within your
discussions, review assignment and test submissions, and record grades,
among other facilitation tasks.
Assess
Click ASSESS to track your student’s work. Create assessments and
rubrics to check student learning.