Blackboard 9.1 Basics
Table of Contents
Blackboard Username and Password………………………………………………………………….2
What’s New in Blackboard 9.1? ………………………………………………………………………….2
Control Panel …………………………………………………………………………………………..............2
Course Navigation Menu……………………………………………………………………………………..3
Course Content ......................................................................................................4
Announcements ....................................................................................................6
Course Contacts .....................................................................................................7
Wikis ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………7
Discussions . ............................................................................................................8
Assignments ……………………………………….……………………………………………………………….9
Grade Center .......................................................................................................11
Communication Tools ..........................................................................................12
Making Blackboard Available ..............................................................................12
Reusing Blackboard Course Content ...................................................................13
Blackboard Help and Resources ..........................................................................14
Office of Teaching and Learning ∙ University of Denver ∙ (Tel) 303-871-2084 ∙ (Fax) 303-871-7445 ∙ (E-mail) blackboard@du.edu
Blackboard 9.1 Basics
Office of Teaching and Learning
Blackboard 9.1 Basics
Blackboard Username and Password
Your DU ID is your Blackboard Username and your DU Passcode (PIN) is your Bb Password. Below are
options for accessing your Blackboard course containers.
Direct Access to Blackboard
Go to http://blackboard.du.edu. Enter your DU ID and Password and click the Login button.
What’s New in Blackboard 9.1?
The latest release includes several improvements to Bb features and the approach to delivering course
content online, including:
 New, redesigned Content Editor
 Video Everywhere: a webcam recorder powered by YouTube
 New Calendar tool that allows instructors and students to see events in all courses.
 Updated Discussion Board allows easier viewing of threads.
 Inline Assignment grading using Crocadoc software.
 Retention Center gives instructors a quick summary of student performance.
Course Control Panel
The Control Panel can be accessed under the Course Management area on the left side of your
Blackboard course. To expand the control panel menu, click on the Control Panel action link.
The Course Control Panel is comprised of eight areas:
 Files – Repository of all files for your course. With this feature, you can
organize and manage all of your course’s files and then move them to
different content areas in your course.

Course Tools - Contains the communication tools for instructors to create
announcements, send email, create course contacts, and add specialized
content areas such as tests and surveys

Evaluation - Provides tools for tracking user activity.

Grade Center – Provides tools for recording grades and accessing tests and
assignments completed through Blackboard.

Users and Groups - Provides tools for the instructor to manage users and enrollments and
create groups.

Customization - Contains options for management of course components such as modifying the
course menu (Style) and changing course availability options (Properties).

Packages and Utilities - Contains tools for copying, importing and exporting your course.

Help - Offers support contacts and online documentation.
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Course Navigation Menu
Course Menu Buttons
1. This button is used to add items to the Course Menu.
2. This button will display the Course Menu in a list view (default view).
3. This button will display the Course Menu in a folder view.
4. This button will launch the Course Menu and Control Panel in a new
window.
5. The refresh button will refresh the entire page to update any changed
content.
6. This button allows for reorder course menu items. This provides the
same function as the drag and drop feature.
7. The double-arrow icon is used to drag, drop and rearrange course menu
items. Hover your mouse over this icon in order for it to appear.
8. This action link allows for renaming, hiding/showing or deletion of any
Course Menu item. Hover your mouse over this icon in order for it to
appear.
9. This symbol indicates a content area is hidden and unavailable to students.
10. This symbol indicates a content area that is empty. Empty content areas are automatically
hidden from the student view.
Note: Be sure that Edit Mode (in the upper right-hand corner) is turned ON to rearrange and edit the Course
Menu.
Steps to Add Tools/Modify the Course Menu (Video Tutorial)
1. Navigate to the Create Item button on your course menu (looks like a plus sign).
2. Select the type of link you want to add (ie. Content Area or Tool Link).
3. If choosing a Tool Link, choose the type of tool to add to the menu (if the tool shows a letter "u," this
means the tool is unavailable. To make a tool available, navigate to your Control Panel, click on
Customization, then Tool Availability).
4. Give the link a name.
5. Select the box to make the tool available to users. If it is not available, students will not be able to
view the link.
6. Click Submit.
7. You can reorder the link in your course menu by dragging and dropping it to a new location.
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Course Content
Instructors can add a variety of content to Blackboard courses, including text, files (Microsoft Word,
PowerPoint, Excel, PDF, JPEG), videos, and more.
1. Navigate to the area of your course in which you would like to add content. Be sure that Edit Mode is
on. There are different ways to add multiple types of content: simply choose the type of content that
you would like to add from the drop down menus explained below.
2. Build Content – this drop down menu enables you to add various types of content to your course,
including: files, audio, images, URLs, and mashups including YouTube videos
3. Create Assessment – allows you to create a new test/survey or deploy an existing test/survey
4. Tools – add tools to enhance your students’ interaction with course content, including wikis, blogs,
journals, and NBC media archives
5. Publisher Content – allows you to enhance your course content by adding pre-made publisher
materials that can be downloaded and added to your course. Publisher created “course cartridges”
typically correspond to a textbook or e-book.
Adding a Syllabus to your Course
Option 1: Uploading your syllabus
1. On the course menu, click on the link to the Syllabus content area. (Note: You can also add your
syllabus to any content area, such as Assignments, Content, etc.)
2. Click on the Build Content drop down menu and then choose File
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3. If you have not previously uploaded your syllabus file to the Course Files, choose Browse My
Computer to locate the file on your computer. Otherwise, choose Browse Course and select your
syllabus file.
4. Enter the name in the Name Field
5. Set the options for your file – be sure to permit users to view the content otherwise your syllabus will
not be visible to your students.
6. Click Submit.
Option 2: Adding your syllabus using the Create Syllabus template option
1. Navigate to the content area where you would like to place your syllabus and click on the Build
Content drop down menu button and choose the Syllabus option.
2. Enter a Name for your syllabus in the box provided.
3. Select “Create new syllabus” and click Submit.
4. Fill in the syllabus name, description, and then add items under each heading where appropriate. You
may change the header titles to better suit your needs.
5. You can customize the appearance of your syllabus under the Syllabus Design heading.
6. Be sure to make your syllabus available and then click Submit.
Adding a Website Link (URL) (Video Tutorial)
1. From the course menu, click on the link to the Web Sites content area. (Note: You can also add
website links to any content areas with these same steps.)
2. Click on Build Content and from the drop-down menu, select Web Link.
3. Enter a Name for the website and URL (address) in the text boxes. The URL must begin with http://
4. Add a brief description about the website - this is optional but recommended.
5. You can also add an attachment to the website link. Just click Browse My Computer or Browse Course
(depending on where the file is stored) to locate the file you wish to add.
6. Select the options you wish to apply to your link. Be sure to select Yes to Permit Users to View the
Content Item. You can also choose the option to open the link in a new window.
7. Click Submit.
Course Blogs (Video Tutorial)
A Course Blog can be used as an additional communication tool for your students.
1. Navigate to the content area where you would like to place
your blog (or create a new link on the Course Menu. To add a
Tool Link, from the Course Menu, click on the add button to
add a Tool Link.).
2. Choose the Tools menu and select Blogs.
3. Click the Create New Blog button.
4. Enter a Name and then fill out a description or guidelines in the instructions section.
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5. Click the button Yes to make the blog available to students. You can customize additional availability
settings as well.
6. Choose the Blog Type: Individual to all Students or Course Blog (to allow all students to participate).
7. Finish selecting your settings and click Submit.
8. Once you have created a blog, you (and your students) can view the blog and add posts by clicking on
the Create Blog Entry button.
Announcements (Video Tutorial)
Announcements provide a mechanism for posting information about the course, such as assignment due dates
or important content changes. We recommend that instructors create at least one announcement for their
course because the announcement area is the first area students will see when they access your Blackboard
course.
Steps for Posting Announcements
1. Click on the Announcements link in your course menu. (If this menu item is not available, click on the
button to Create Tool Link and select Announcements.)
2. Click on the Create Announcement button.
3. Enter a Subject and Message in the text boxes provided.
4. Under the Options heading, choose the announcement duration or set date restrictions (Date Not
Restricted = permanent announcement). In the next section, you may also choose to add a Course
Link to content in another part of the course by clicking on the Browse button.
5. Click Submit.
Announcement Tips
Announcement Duration
By default, the announcement duration is set to “Date Restricted” and prompts you to set a start and end date
for your announcement. Alternatively, you can select Not Date Restricted to ensure your students don’t miss
important announcements.
Reordering Announcements
When a new announcement is added to a course, it automatically takes the top position. If you want to
change the order which your Announcements are displayed, be sure that Edit Mode is turned on and click and
drag the announcement to the appropriate position. You can also change the date that the announcement is
scheduled to display after.
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Course Contacts (aka Faculty Info)
Blackboard provides an area to add instructor and staff contact information within each course. It is an easyto-find location for instructors to add information about their preferred contact methods, including email
address, phone number, office location, and office hours.
Steps for Creating a Course Contact
1. Navigate to the Faculty Info link on your course menu. By default, this content area should appear in
your course menu. If not, you can add a new content area for Faculty Info by clicking on the Create
Tool Link button. Then, select Contacts from the drop down menu. Additionally, you can rename the
Faculty Info section by clicking on the action button and then Rename Link (for example, in this course
the instructor profiles are located under Facilitators).
2. To create your faculty profile, click on Create Contact.
3. Fill in the profile information (title, first name, last name, email
address, work phone number, and office location). You can write more about yourself, your
educational background, research interests, and teaching experience in the Notes section.
4. Under the Options area, select Yes to Make the Profile available.
5. To add a photo, click Browse and then locate the photo on your computer and click Open. The
recommended photo size is 150x150 pixels.
6. If you have a personal website, such as to your DU Portfolio, you can also include this link.
7. Click Submit to finish.
8. You can modify your information by navigating to the profile and clicking the action link to edit.
Wikis (Video Tutorial)
Wikis are used to create a collaborative space within a Blackboard course. Students and instructors can
contribute and edit content.
To Create a Course Wiki
1. Navigate to the content area in your course where you would like to add a wiki (or create a new
content area).
2. Click on the Tools drop down menu and select Wikis.
3. Click on the Create New Wiki button.
4. Name your wiki and set the options.
5. Click Submit to finish creating the wiki.
6. Next, to add a link to the wiki in your content area, choose the wiki you just created from the list.
7. Click on the Next button.
8. Name the link of the wiki (this is what students will click on to access the wiki you created earlier).
9. Click Submit.
10. A link to your wiki will now appear in your content area.
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Discussions
Discussions are an asynchronous communication tool that allows students and instructors to participate in
online discussions without requiring all class participants to be online at the same time.
Instructors can create various forums in the Discussion Board. Each forum is a conversation focusing on a
topic or question. Each message within a forum is called a thread. The first message is the main posting with
all replies or comments about that message connected to that message. Instructors must create the forum
(students cannot create one); however students may create new threads within a forum, provided the
instructor selects this option.
Create a Forum
1. Click the Discussions link from the course menu. Instructors will see a button for creating forums at
the top of the screen.
2. Click the Create Forum button.
3. Enter the Forum's Name. The name will appear as the title of the Discussion Board forum.
4. Enter a Description of the forum.
5. Choose to make the forum available and any additional settings.
6. Choose grading options for forum. (Video tutorial)
7. Click Submit. Once you have created your Forum, return to the Discussion Board and use the action
links to open or edit the forum.
Instructions on how to Add a Thread to a Forum
1. Click on the forum to which you will be posting a thread (message).
2. To create a new thread, click the Create Thread button at the top of the screen.
3. Write the subject of the thread and your message.
4. If you would like to add a file to your post, choose to Browse My Computer or Browse Course to locate
the file.
5. Click Submit.
6. To read a message, click on the subject name of the thread. This will open up the thread and also
enable you to reply directly to this thread.
7. To reply to a message, click the Reply button within a thread to respond.
8. Instructors may also grade discussion board threads written by students. (Video Tutorial)
Adding Discussion Boards and Forums to Content Areas
1. Navigate to the content area in which you would like to create a link to a discussion board forum
2. Click on the Tools drop down menu and then Discussion Board.
3. Next, determine if you want to create a link to the main discussion board or to a specific forum. You
can also create a new forum in the page by clicking on the Create New Forum button.
4. Click on Next and fill in the appropriate information – link name, text, and set options.
5. Click Submit to complete.
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Assignments
The assignment tool is a way for your students to submit papers, projects, and other assignments through
Blackboard. Assignments are added as a content type, managed in the Grade Center, and can be created in
any content area of a course. As an additional benefit, assignments added using the assignment tool
automatically creates a grade center column to allow for easy grading and downloading.
Create an Assignment
1. Navigate to the content area in which you would like to add an assignment (or create a new content
area).
2. Click on the Assessments drop-down menu and then on Assignment.
3. Fill in the information for your assignment, including name and instructions. In addition to any
instructions students need to complete the assignment, you may want to include instructions for how
to upload and submit the assignment when completed. You can type instructions in the text box or
copy and paste from another source.
4. You can also choose to attach a file (such as a Word document or PDF) by clicking on Browse My
Computer, but this step is not required.
5. Assign a point value for the assignment. This is important, since a column for the assignment will be
created in your Grade Center automatically.
6. Next, select the assignment’s availability options. Students will not be able to view the assignment
until you check the box to make the assignment available. You can also limit the assignment’s
availability or track the number of views the assignment receives.
7. Then, enter a due date for the assignment and choose the recipients of the assignment. If you’d like
the assignment to be completed specifically by certain groups, you must set up student groups prior to
creating an assignment.
8. Click Submit to complete the add assignment process.
9. If you need to edit the assignment at another time, simply navigate to the content area in which you
created the assignment. Click on the action button next to the assignment’s name and then on Edit.
Be sure to click submit after making your changes.
Downloading/Viewing and Grading Assignments
There are two ways to download/view and grade assignments submitted through Blackboard:
A. through the Grade Center (the green exclamation point notifies you of a new assignment submission
that needs to be graded) – use this option to download a file to save on your computer
B. through the Needs Grading link – use this option to view an grade directly in Bb
A) Downloading and Grading Assignments in the Grade Center
1. Navigate to the Grade Center and click on the link for Assignments under Full Grade Center
2. The Grade Center will display all students and all assignments. When a student has submitted a new
assignment, you will see a green exclamation point in their cell in the assignment’s column.
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3. To download the assignments, click on the action button next to the assignment’s name in the grade
center column.
4. Then click on Assignment File Download.
5. Next, select the students’ files you wish to download. You can also Select All or select the ungraded
assignments by clicking the appropriate box or link.
6. Click submit to start downloading.
7. On the Download Assignment page, click on the download assignments now link to save the files to
your personal computer.
8. After downloading and viewing the assignments, you can assign a grade by clicking in the student’s cell
and typing their score.
B) Using the Needs Grading link to View and Grade Assignments
1. To download student-submitted assignments, click on the Grade Center link in your course Control
Panel. Then, click on Needs Grading.
2. Next, either click on the action link next to the Item Name (name of assignment) to open & grade all
student submissions of this particular assignment or click on the link for an individual student’s name
(under User Attempt) to open this student’s specific assignment submission.
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3. Then, click on the link of the file name to review the selected
assignment. You can either open the file or save it and then
open.
4. After reviewing the assignments, you can assign a grade by typing
the score in the grade box and then click Submit (or Save – this
option appears if the student has more than one assignment that
needs grading) and enter any feedback. The item will then
disappear from the Needs Grading area on your Control Panel
and you can find it listed in your full Grade Center.
Grade Center Overview
The Grade Center can accommodate scores for essay questions and grades for
work completed outside of Blackboard. All tests and assignments created within
Blackboard are automatically entered into the Grade Center. Even if you are not
creating tests or assignments within Blackboard, you can still use the Grade
Center to keep track of tests and assignments by manually adding these items to
the Grade Center.
To access the Grade Center, click on the Grade Center link on the Control Panel.
In Bb 9.1, new features have been added to the Grade Center:
 Needs Grading – Instructors can view attempts ready for grading or
review on the Needs Grading page. Click Grade All to begin grading and
reviewing immediately, or sort columns or apply filters to narrow the list.
 Full Grade Center – View the complete grade center and enter grades.
o Assignments – Segregates the Grade Center so that you can only
view assignments.
o Tests – Segregates the Grade Center so that you can only view
tests.
Steps for Adding Grade Columns
1. Navigate to the Grade Center in your Control Panel and click on Full Grade Center.
2. Click on the Create Column button.
3. In the Column Information area, enter a Column Name and if desired, a Grade Center Display Name
and Description (this allows a longer column name to be shortened and for better display).
4. Enter the Primary Display format (shown in Grade Center and Student's My Grades area) and
Secondary Display (shown only in the Grade Center).
5. Select a Category (if applicable) and enter a value for Points Possible.
6. In the Dates section, enter a Due Date (if desired) by typing in the date or clicking the calendar icon.
The Due Date will be displayed in students' grade area.
7. Under Options, set additional choices for the column by selecting the Yes or No radio buttons:
a. Include Column in Grade Center calculation: The column will be included in Calculated
Columns, such as Total Points or Weighted Grade Columns.
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b. Show this Column to Students: Grades will appear in My Grades, View Grades and the Report
Card module when available.
c. Show Statistics (average and mean for this column) in My Grades: Includes statistical
information about the column in the students' grade area.
8. Click Submit when finished. You can also modify your Grade Center column setting at a later time by
clicking on the drop-down action button next to the column name.
Steps for Manually Entering Grades
1. Click in the column cell to enter the grade.
2. Type a numeric value directly in the cell.
3. Click the “Enter” or “Return” key to add the grade.
Communication Tools
Blackboard offers a variety of communication features that can be accessed in the Tools section from your
course navigation menu. Two options are detailed below:
Email
Instructors and students can send email to individuals who participate in the course from the Email link on the
main course navigation menu. Emails can be sent to individual users or to groups of users within the course,
such as all Teaching Assistants. Email sent through the Blackboard email tool will be sent to the participant’s
external DU email account.
Internal Messages
Blackboard also offers an internal course communication tool which functions as an internal email within
Blackboard. All messages are sent and received inside the Blackboard course and are not delivered to the
recipients’ external email address. To use this feature, click on the Tools link and select Course Messages.
Making Blackboard Courses Available to Students (Video Tutorial)
By default, all Blackboard course containers are set up as unavailable. This means that instructors can view the
course, but students do not have access to the course.
Instructors using Blackboard need to make their course available within their Blackboard course control panel.
All “available” Blackboard courses will automatically be accessible within the WebCentral course link two
weeks prior to the beginning of each term. All Daniels courses are automatically made available before each
term begins.
Steps to make your Blackboard Course Available to Students
1. Navigate to your Control Panel, click on Customization to expand this section.
2.
Click on Properties.
3.
Scroll down to Section 3 Course Availability and click the Yes button to make your course available.
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Click Submit.
Instructors should make their course containers “unavailable” at the end of each term. Blackboard courses
from a previous term that are still available 30 days after the start of the new term will automatically be make
"unavailable" by a Bb system administrator. Instructors who still need to have their course materials available
to their students after this period may manually make their course available within their Control Panel. Email
notifications will be sent to instructors prior to making courses from past terms unavailable.
Reusing Blackboard Course Content
Copying course materials from one Blackboard course container into another Blackboard course container
adds the content from one Bb course into another Bb course already on the system.
Steps to Copy Course Materials into an Existing Blackboard Course Container
1. Navigate to the course from which you would like to copy materials. From the Control Panel, click on
the link for Packages and Utilities to expand this menu.
2. Click Course Copy.
3. From the drop down menu, select Copy Course Materials into an Existing Course.
4. Enter the destination course ID. This is the course CRN number followed by the banner term code. For
example, 1234.200870. If you do not know your destination course ID, click on Browse and select the
course from the provided list of courses that you are teaching.
5. Select the content areas to copy.
6. If you wish to copy the students enrolled in the course, also select this option.
7. Click Submit. You will receive an email when the course copy process is complete.
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Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Blackboard Help and Resources
Instructor Support Options:
 DU Blackboard Support Knowledgebase (http://otl.du.edu/knowledgebase/blackboard/)
This portfolio provides Blackboard support documentation and video tutorials for instructors and
students. Use the links below to navigate to specific pages within the support portfolio.
o Blackboard Instructor Support
o Blackboard Student Support
o Blackboard Frequently Asked Questions
o Blackboard Known Issues
 Have a question? E-mail: blackboard@du.edu or call the OTL at 303.871.2084 to schedule one-on-one
Blackboard training.
 Click on Help in the Control Panel.
Student Support Options:
 DU Blackboard Student Support
This page provides a student training guide and answers to frequently asked questions.
 E-mail: support@du.edu or call the UTS Helpdesk at 303.871.4700
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