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Getting Started

What are the new features and differences in Bb 9.1?

  • Printable PDF document

    New Features in Blackboard 9.1
    The format of Blackboard 9.1 is almost identical to version 9.0. There are a few changes in design and several new features, all of which were designed to enhance the Instructor and Student experiences. The new features and changes are described below.
    New Features of Blackboard 9.1:
    • Course Files

    o The Course Files Repository is a single area of a course that contains all the files attached to the course. The Course Files Repository is searchable and provides a single update site, which means that as long as you maintain the same file name any changes you make to a file are reflected in all occurrences of the file throughout the course.

    • Mashups

    o Files from YouTube, Flickr, and SlideShare applications integrate with Blackboard courses seamlessly—add videos, images, and slides to your course content without linking to external websites.

    • Grade Center

    o Instructors now have the ability to color‐code grade cells to designate criteria such as grades that are below a specified benchmark or late submissions. The Grade Center allows instructor to:
    • Track grade trends for evaluation and adjustment of lesson plans
    • Identify students who might be falling behind
    • Highlight items that require a grade adjustment
    o Pre‐made and Customizable Smart Views allow instructors to choose which parts of the Grade Center they wish to view and save the most used views for easy access. For example:
    • If instructors have assigned Groups, they may save separate Grade Center Smart Views
    • for each Group that show only those students within a Group
    • Instructors may also create Grade Center Smart Views for each individual student (for advising meetings, etc.)
    o Grade cell sub‐menus contain “View Attempt” options that take instructors directly to student submissions/attempts without having to open them through the “View Grade Details.”
    • Integrated Interactive Rubrics for grading of papers and assignments.
    • An option for Anonymous and Question‐by‐Question grading of assessments.
    • Contextual Grading of submissions streamlines the grading process.
    • Textbook feature aids students with obtaining the correct materials for class. After an instructor searches for or manually adds the course textbook(s), the system will retrieve and display all available relevant information, including book cover images and publisher prices, within the course for students’ reference in purchasing the correct texts.
    • McGraw‐Hill Textbook Integration Tool
    o Bb courses using McGraw‐Hill textbooks can integrate content from the McGraw‐Hill publisher’s website to access supplemental content, including assignments, assessments, and learning modules.
    o The McGraw‐Hill content appears within the Blackboard Course environment.
    o Grades for McGraw‐Hill content sync automatically with the Bb Grade Center.
    • The WebAssign homework management system is integrated with Bb 9.1, so WebAssign users now have a single sign‐on point with Bb, and rosters for both systems can be synchronized.

    Differences between Blackboard 9.0 and 9.1:
    • The Control Panel has additional items:

    o Files: allows a quick search of the files saved in the Course Files Repository and is the direct link to the tool.
    o Grade Center: the Grade Center has its own button in the Control Panel rather than being included under the Evaluate item. There are several sub‐menu items (Default Smart Views):
    Needs Grading: shows only items that require instructor attention for grades
    Full Grade Center: shows the entire Grade Center grid
    Assignments: shows only the grade columns for Bb Assignments
    Tests: shows only the grade columns for Bb Assessments

    • The Grade Center maintains the instructor’s location in the grade sheet when the window is
    refreshed, rather than sending the user back to the top‐right corner of the sheet.
    • Assessment creation has been refined to allow:

    o Automatic question numbering while maintaining drag‐and‐drop re‐ordering of questions
    o Expanded and easier management of test questions and question pools for reuse in future exams

    • Contextual Menus are slightly different

    o The “Build Content” menu combines the “Create Item” and “Build” menus that were in 9.0. The new “Build Content” menu lists the same items that were in 9.0, but in addition provides more options to allow the creation of pages and items with the newly incorporated features such as the Mashups and McGraw‐Hill library, as well as Learning Modules, audio, image, URL and video content.
    o Instead of the “Evaluate” menu button, there is now a “Create Assessment” menu, and it contains the same items as before, with the addition of the “McGraw‐Hill Assignment.”
    o The “Add Interactive Tool” menu combines the “Collaborate” and “More” menus that were in 9.0, so it provides the option to add blogs, wikis, podcasts, and groups, chat and virtual classroom links, as well as the newly‐added discussion board link.
    o The final contextual menu is the “Assign Textbook” menu and it is for a new tool that aids students with obtaining the correct materials for class. After an instructor searches for or manually adds the course textbook(s), the system will retrieve and display all available relevant information, including book cover images and publisher prices, within the course for students’ reference in purchasing the correct texts.

    • Drag‐&‐Drop reordering of classes is now possible for courses listed within My Courses module, using the module management settings.

Is my course ready for use?

  • Printable PDF document

    The PDF document listed above is a Readiness Checklist for instructors to use to determine that their course is ready for student access.

How do I make a course available to students?

  • Printable PDF document

    Make a Course Available to Students:

    When you are ready to make your course available to your students (which means that the course link will appear to students when they log in), please follow these steps:

    1. In the Control Panel area, click Customization.
    2. Click Properties to reveal the “Properties” screen.
    3. In the “Properties” screen, scroll down to section 3 (“Set Availability”).
    4. At the “Make Course Available” option, click the circle for YES.
    5. Click Submit.

Are there any tips for using Blackboard?

  • Printable PDF document
    10 Tips To Get Ready for a New Quarter

    Tip 1. Web Browser Considerations for Blackboard
    Note: Not all web browsers are compatible with Blackboard. Check your browser compatibility
    here: http://www.ohio.edu/oit/bbsupport/browserChecker.cfm
    Tip 2. Accessing Blackboard
    Blackboard is a hyperlink available on the Bb Support page http://www.ohio.edu/oit/bbsupport/
    or you can type in the URL location https://blackboard.ohio.edu/. Make sure that you know your
    Ohio ID and password. If you do not know your Ohio ID and password, contact the OIT Service
    Desk for assistance. Your courses will load into Blackboard eight weeks prior to the start date
    of the course.
    Tip 3. Viewing your Class Roster in Blackboard
    The student roster for your class is updated twice daily (2am and 2pm) from PeopleSoft to reflect
    accurate enrollments. Student enrollments begin two weeks prior to the start date of the course.
    Instructors do not need to worry about making changes to their class list because this is an
    automated process that occurs between PeopleSoft and Blackboard. To view a class roster, use the following instructions:
    1. From your course menu, click on Tools.
    2. Select Roster. (If you do not see Roster as an option, you may need to adjust the course’s tool
    availability. See “Managing Tool Availability” documentation.)
    3. Change the middle drop‐down box from Contains to Not Blank.
    4. Click the Go button.
    NOTE: Instructors can also find a list of their students in the Grade Center. In the Control Panel,
    click Grade Center to expand the menu, and then select Full Grade Center.
    Tip 4. Copying Course Content/Material from Previous Quarters
    The copy course function enables instructors to copy content from other courses. Instructors can
    select individual sections of a course, such as content areas, the Grade Center, the Discussion Board, Assignments…etc., or all content to copy from one course to another.
    NOTE: You must be listed as an instructor in both courses to order to copy content.
    To copy content, use the following instructions:
    1. Enter the course from which you wish to copy.
    2. In the Control Panel, click to expand the Packages and Utilities area, then select Course Copy.
    3. Leave the copy type set to Copy course Materials into an Existing Course.
    4. Click on the browse button, then click the radio button to select the destination course (i.e. the
    course into which you wish to copy content) from the list provided, or search by Instructor Name,
    Course ID, or Name/Description.
    5. Once you have selected the course clicking on the appropriate radio button, click Submit in the
    lower right corner of the sub‐screen.
    6. Check the boxes for the course areas you wish to copy (Course Information, Course Documents,
    Assignments, External Links, Contacts, Discussion Board, etc.). It is recommended that you select
    all areas, then delete items you do not need in the destination course. Items that are not utilized in the originating course will not be affected in the destination course.
    7. In the Course Files section, click the Calculate Size button to determine whether the course size
    exceeds the limit. Use the Manage Package Contents button to remove items from the package to
    adjust the size to the limit.
    8. Never check the Copy Enrollments option. PeopleSoft will provide you with your enrollments
    for your Blackboard course.
    9. Click Submit.
    NOTE: Though you may immediately receive an email notification that the copy was completed, it
    still takes some time for content to show up in the destination course, especially if the course file is large. Please wait a few hours before becoming concerned. If you submit another copy request, you will receive duplicate files in your destination course.
    Tip 5. Organizing your Blackboard Site
    The ability for instructors to adjust the Course Menu can be extremely beneficial in meeting
    individual class needs. Each course shell contains some default menu items, but instructors are
    encouraged to personalize the menu. Listed below are a few suggestions on how to use the various possible Content areas found in your Blackboard course:
    Announcements: This area is used to display updates, reminders and announcements posted by the instructor. When a student enters a Blackboard course, this area appears as their default screen.
    Course Information: This area is used to display general information about the course such as a
    syllabus and a course schedule.
    Course Documents: This area is used to provide the majority of the information delivered to
    students online, such as lecture notes, PowerPoint slides, reading materials, study guides,
    outlines…etc.
    Assignments: This area is designed to hold course assignments, test, quizzes, or surveys. Students may also submit assignments in this area.
    Discussion Board: This is an area that allows students/instructors to have online discussions by
    posting questions, comments and responses through the use of forums and threads.
    External Links: This area is used to list helpful websites that the student can visit to support class
    work.
    Contacts: Contact information (phone numbers, email addresses, office locations...etc. for the faculty can be listed in this area.
    Tools: Students can use this area to check their grades. Additional tools are also available in this
    area.
    Tip 6. Making your Blackboard Course Available to Students
    All Blackboard courses are marked as unavailable until the instructor makes them available to
    students. If the courses are marked as unavailable, the instructor is the only person who can see
    them. This allows the instructor an opportunity to develop content and control its release to
    students. To make the course available to students, use the following instructions:
    1. Enter the course you wish to make available.
    2. In the Control Panel, click Customization to expand the menu.
    3. Select Properties.
    4. Find the Make this Course Available option and select Yes.
    5. Click Submit.
    Tip 7. Emailing Users Within Blackboard
    Instructors can send email to individual users, to groups of users, or to all users in a course. From
    your Course Menu, select the Tools menu item and then select Send Email. Instructors can also
    look to the Control Panel and click Course Tools to expand the menu, then select Send Email.
    Tip 8. Assisting your Students with Blackboard
    The direct url to the student Blackboard support site can be found at:
    http://www.ohio.edu/oit/bbsupport/howto/students/index.cfm
    Note: It’s always a good idea to take a few minutes at the start of the quarter and demonstrate to
    your students how you expect them to use your Blackboard site.
    Tip 9. Customizing your Blackboard Site with menu colors/buttons/banners
    Instructors can change the color of their course menu, as well as add a course banner. To make
    these changes, go to the Control Panel area, select Customization and select Style.
    Tip 10. Additional Training and Support Materials for Instructors
    Throughout the year, Academic Technology provides several workshops. To find information about
    upcoming workshops please visit:  http://www.ohio.edu/oit/bbsupport/events.cfm.
    Instructor handouts and video clips on using Blackboard can also be found at:
    http://www.ohio.edu/oit/bbsupport/howto/faculty/index.cfm.
    Email correspondence regarding Blackboard can be sent to: bbsupport@ohio.edu. Users can also
    contact the OIT Service Desk at: (740)593‐1222 or http://www.ohio.edu/oitech.

How do I personalize the My 9.1 Bb tab?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video: Adding Modules
    Video: Moving Modules

    Adding Modules to the My 9.1 Bb Tab:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. You should already be on the tab page, but click on the My 9.1 Bb tab, first in the row of tabs near the top of the window, in order to make sure you are on your Blackboard home page.
    3. Click the Add Module button to see a list of modules from which to choose.
    4. On the Add Module page, you can search for specific modules, browse by category, or browse all modules. Each entry lists the module’s name, a description, and the category to which it belongs. There is also a (More)… link that you can click to see a preview of the module as it will appear on your My 9.1 Bb tab home page.
    5. To choose a module, simply click the + Add button below the module’s name and description.
    6. Once you click the + Add button, there will be a short “Adding” message, then a “– Remove” button will appear in place of the “+ Add” button.
    7. Follow the same procedure for each module you wish to add to your My 9.1 Bb tab.
    8. If you wish to remove a module at any point, you can simply click the – Remove button.
    9. When finished selecting modules, click OK at the bottom right of the window.
    10. You will be returned to the My 9.1 Bb tab and should see all the modules you selected.
    11. There are default modules, some of which cannot be removed from the tab’s page, but others can easily be removed by the process described above or by clicking on the “X” icon in the top right corner of the module. You can also minimize modules by clicking on the _
    icon in the top right corner. When a module is minimized, you can maximize it by clicking on the square icon that appears in place of the “‐“ icon.

    Moving Modules on the My 9.1 Bb Tab:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. You should already be on the tab page, but click on the My 9.1 Bb tab, first in the row of tabs near the top of the window, in order to make sure you are on your Blackboard home page.
    3. To change the positions of the modules, you simply need to mouse over a module, click and hold the left mouse button, then drag the module to where you desire it to be. There will be a black dotted line outline of the module dragged so you can see the location to which it will be moved.
    4. Alternatively, you can reorder modules by clicking on the square with two arrows (one up,
    one down) located in the top right of the screen next to the Personalize Page button:
    5. Then you can reorder the modules by highlighting the module you wish to move, then clicking on the left or right arrows to switch the column within which it is located, and clicking on the up or down arrows to move it correspondingly within the column.
    6. Repeat the process to move modules as desired.
    7. When finished with reordering, click Submit.
    Personalizing the Theme of the My 9.1 Bb Tab:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. You should already be on the tab page, but click on the My 9.1 Bb tab, first in the row of tabs near the top of the window, in order to make sure you are on your Blackboard home page.
    3. Click on the Personalize Page button to change the theme of the page.
    4. Select a Color Palette.
    5. Click Submit to save the change.
    6. Repeat the process to make a change or to revert to the default theme (will be designated).

How do I edit the My Courses section?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video: My Courses Tab
    Video: My Courses Module

    Editing the My 9.1 Courses Module
    1. Log in to Bb 9.1 and click on the My 9.1 Bb tab to make sure the home page is on the screen.
    2. On the My 9.1 Bb tab page, click the My OHIO sub tab at the far left .
    3. Find the My Courses module, then notice its title bar has two icons at the right. Click the wheel icon, which represents “Manage My Courses Module Settings”.
    4. On the “Manage My Courses Module Settings” page, put a check mark in the first column,
    “Display Course Name,” for each course that you want to see in your My Courses module, and
    un‐check the boxes for those you do not wish to see in the module.
    5. After you have selected your courses, you should also decide whether to display the Course ID, Instructors, Announcements, Tasks, and/or Calendar Events for each course in the module.
    6. When finished selecting display options, click the Submit button.
    7. Now returned to the My 9.1 Bb tab page, check to make sure all the courses and information you wished to see are listed.
    8. If one or more of your desired courses are not listed, return to the “Manage My Courses Module Settings” screen by clicking the wheel icon again.
    9. On the “Manage My Courses Module Settings” page, un‐check all the boxes in the
    “Announcements” column for all courses.
    10. Click Submit
    11. Once you have returned to the My 9.1 Bb tab page, make sure that the missing courses now appear in the My Courses module.
     

    Editing the My Courses Tab
    1. Log in to Blackboard and click on the My 9.1 Courses tab to bring up your course list on the
    screen.
    2. Find the Course List module, then notice its title bar has two icons at the right. Click the wheel icon, which represents the “Personalize: Course List” screen.
    3. On the “Personalize: Course List” screen, put a check mark in the first column, Course Name, for each course that you want to see in your Course List module on the My 9.1 Courses Tab.
    4. After you have selected your courses, you should also decide whether to display the Course ID, Instructors, Announcements, Tasks, and/or Calendar Events for each course in the module.
    5. When finished selecting display options, click the Submit button.
    6. Now returned to the My 9.1 Courses tab page, check to make sure all the courses you wished to see are listed.
    7. If one or more of your desired courses are not listed, return to the “Personalize: Course List” screen by clicking the wheel icon again.
    8. On the “Personalize: Course List” page, un‐check all the boxes in the “Announcements” column for all courses.
    9. Click Submit.
    10. Once you have returned to the My 9.1 Courses tab page, make sure that the missing courses now appear in the Course List module.

How do I create multiple user groups?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    You can create multiple groups at the same time, and you have the option to randomly assign
    membership, which is especially helpful if you have a large class. To do so:
    1. On the “Control Panel” menu, click Users and Groups, and then click Groups.
    2. Click Create Group Set, then select Random Enroll.
    Note: You can also select Self-Enroll or Manual Enroll at this step. “Self‐Enroll” allows you to set up groups by allowing students to sign up for them, and “Manual Enroll” allows you to hand‐select group members from a list.
    3. In section 1, “Group Information,” enter a group “Name.” Since you are creating multiple
    groups, Blackboard will use this name for each group and append a numeral.
    Note: You may change the name of each group after creating them by clicking the double down arrows next to the name on the Groups page. Select Edit and change the name in Option 1.
    4. Enter a “Description” if you desire.
    5. Click Yes or No to make the Group “Available” or “Unavailable.”
    6. In section 2, “Tool Availability,” each tool is pre‐selected to be available in the group spaces you are about to create. To remove a tool, click the checkmark to de‐select.
    7. In section 3, “Module Personalization Setting,” click the checkmark to remove students’ ability to add their own modules, such as “Alerts,” “Calendar,” or “Tasks” to the group page.
    8. In section 4, “Membership,” select how you want to determine the number of groups and how Blackboard will assign the remainder of students after an even distribution.
    9. Scroll down and click Submit.
    10. You will now see your created groups. To see the members in a group, click on the group’s name.

How do I create a single group using manual enrollment?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    Create a Single Group & Manually Enroll Members
    1. On the “Control Panel” menu, click Users and Groups and then click Groups.
    2. Click Create Single Group, then click Manual Enroll.
    3. In section 1, “Group Information,” enter a group “Name.”
    4. Enter a “Description” if you desire.
    5. Click Yes or No to make the group “Available” or “Unavailable.”
    6. In section 2, “Tool Availability,” each tool is pre‐selected to be available in the group spaces you are creating. To remove a tool, click on the checkmark to de‐select.
    7. In section 3, “Module Personalization Setting,” click the checkmark to remove students’
    ability to add their own modules, such as “Alerts,” “Calendar,” or “Tasks,” to the group page.
    8. In section 4, “Membership,” assign group members by selecting the student(s) on the left
    and clicking the right‐facing arrow to move them to the right.
    Note: To select multiple students, hold the Shift key + click for PC users or Command + click for Mac users.
    9. Scroll down and click Submit.
    10. You will see the group you have just created. To see the members in a group, click the
    Group Name.

How do I create a single group using self-enrollment?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    If you would like to create a group and have students sign up for it, you can do so. This might be particularly helpful if you are asking for a few volunteers for a particular course activity. To set up this type of group:
    1. On the “Control Panel” menu, click Users and Groups, and then click Groups.
    2. Click Create Single Group, and click Self-Enroll.
    3. In section 1,”Group Information,” enter a group “Name.”
    4. Enter a “Description” if you desire.
    5. Click Yes, No, or Signup Sheet Only for the Group Availability.
    Note: Making the “Sign‐up Sheet Only” available will allow students to sign up for their group, but the group space will not be immediately available to them.
    6. In section 2, “Tool Availability,” each tool is pre‐selected to be available in the group spaces you are about to create. To remove a tool, click the checkmark to de‐select.
    7. In section 3, “Module Personalization Setting,” click the checkmark to remove students’
    ability to add their own modules, such as “Alerts,” “Calendar,” or “Tasks” to the group page.
    8. In section 4, “Sign‐up Options,” first enter a “Name for Sign‐up Sheet.” For example, you
    might name the sheet Extra‐Credit Sign‐Up.
    9. Enter “Sign‐up Sheet Instructions” if you desire.
    10. Next, set additional parameters for your group and where your sign‐up sheet will be
    available.
    11. Scroll down and click Submit.
    12. If you chose not to make the sign‐up sheet available in the “Groups Area,” you will need to make it available in a “Content” area:

    •  Go to any “Content” area. Click Add Interactive Tool and click Groups.
    • This will direct you to the Create Link: Group page.
    • Select Link to a Group or Group Set and then click the desired group to highlight.
    • Click Next. This will take you to the Create Link: Group page. Here you create the link information.
    • Click Submit when finished.

    13. Your students will navigate to the area in which you made the sign‐up sheet available, and they will see the name of the group and a button for “Sign‐Up.” After clicking Signup,
    they will see your sign‐up sheet name, instructions, and a final “Sign‐Up” button. Once they’ve signed up, they will be part of the group.

How do I combine course sections?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    Combine Sections of a Course
    In Blackboard, there is a course shell for every section of each course. At times, it may be more
    manageable for an instructor to combine all of those sections into a single course shell. With a
    single combined course, you can create and maintain a single course shell rather than switching
    among several and repeating each update for every section. The following documentation
    describes how to combine multiple sections of a course into a single course shell.

    Combine Sections of a Course in order to Merge their Enrollments:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Click on the My Bb Management tab.
    3. Click on the Instructor Course Combine subtab.
    4. In the “Instructor Course Combine Module,” click on the Combine Courses link.
    5. Select the courses/sections that you wish to combine from the Course List box. To select
    multiple courses, press and hold the Control key (Mac users press and hold the
    Command/Apple key) while clicking left mouse button on each course.
    6. Enter a Course Name in section 2.
    7. Click Submit.
    8. Your newly combined courses should now appear in the “Course Combine: Display” module in
    the “Instructor Course Combine” sub‐tab on the “My Bb Management” tab.
    NOTE: The “Combined Course Shell” is an entirely separate entity from any of the individual section
    course shells. You must add content to the combined shell because no content from section shells
    will transfer during the combine. Also, you will lose your content if you “un‐combine” all of the
    course sections (because the Combined Shell will become disabled).

How do I copy a course?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    The Course Copy feature can be used to copy course materials from one term to the next, or to copy content into multiple sections of a course in the same term. For example, you may wish to copy content from your fall English 101 course into your winter English 101 course. Or, you may have two English 101 courses in winter term; you can develop your content in one of these courses and then copy all materials into your other section.

    Using the Course Copy Feature:

    1. Begin by entering the course that you wish to duplicate.
    2. In the Control Panel area on the left side of the screen, click Packages and Utilities.
    3. Click Course Copy; the “Course Copy” screen will appear.
    4. In section 1, select Copy Course Materials in Existing Course.
    5. In section 2, click Browse. In the “Browse” window you will see a list of your courses.
    6. Click in the circle adjacent to the name of the course you wish to copy materials into.
    7. Scroll down and click Submit. You will be returned to the “Course Copy” screen.
    8. In section 2, click the check-boxes for the materials you wish to copy. We recommend checking all boxes to ensure that everything is copied.
    9. In section 3, click Calculate Size. This calculates the course size to make sure it does not exceed the limit. Use the Manage Package Contents button to remove items from the package to be copied.
    10. Skip section 4, which governs enrollments. Do NOT copy enrollments.
    11. Scroll down and click Submit.
    • An email will be sent when the copy is complete.
    NOTE: If you do not immediately see content in your destination course, please give the system a few hours before contacting Support or re‐copying. Submitting another copy request will likely result in duplicated content in the destination course.

How do I get started with changes to my Blackboard site?

  • Printable PDF document
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. In Blackboard, click the My 9.1 Bb tab at the top of the screen.
    3. Locate your list of courses in the “My Courses” module, then click the link for the course you want to work with.
    4. When your course opens, look toward the upper, right-hand side of the screen to locate the “Edit Mode” switch.  edit mode on  ...  edit mode off
    5. If you see “EDIT MODE: OFF”, click the word “OFF”; it should change to “ON”. This switch must be ON for you to add content to your course and make menu changes. If you see “EDIT MODE: ON”, you do not need to take any further action.

      Please Note: When “Edit Mode” is Off, you see Blackboard the way students see it, with the exception of the Control Panel area. You can see the Control Panel when Edit Mode is Off, but students never see the Control Panel, regardless of settings.

Why can't I see any menus on the left side of the screen?

  • If the buttons or links you’re accustomed to seeing at the left edge of your Blackboard screen are not visible, you may need to click the Hide/Show Course Menu button.

    Using the Hide/Show Course Menu Button

    • The Hide/Show Course Menu button, circled in the pictures below, controls whether or not the Control Panel and course navigation buttons or links are visible. Clicking this button alternately collapses and expands the left pane in your Blackboard window, which is where the navigation buttons or links - and the control panel items - are displayed.
    • Look for the Hide/Show Course Menu button at the extreme left edge of your screen if you cannot see the Course Menu. If you have difficulty finding the button, check to see if your Blackboard page is off-center on your screen; if it is off-center, use a horizontal scroll bar or your browser’s screen sizing controls to center the page.
    minimize menu

Why can't I see all my menu or control panel items?

  • Printable PDF document

    Most menus in Blackboard can be hidden, if desired, by clicking a button. Your menu or control panel might have been accidentally hidden. To once again view your Menu or Control Panel menu please note these points:

    • If your Menu area seems to be missing, click the double down-arrow near the left side of your course name as shown in the first illustration below. 

     expand menu textexpand menu

    • If your Control Panel menu is missing, click the double down-arrow near the left end of "Control Panel" as shown in the second illustration below.

    expand control panel text

    expand control panel

Browser Issue

How do I use the Browser Checker to find out if my Browser is compatible with Blackboard?

  • Printable PDF document

    Check your Browser and Operating System for Compatibility with Blackboard

    Blackboard 9.1 is a web‐based application, so when preparing to use it, you should check to make sure that your machine’s operating system and the browser you plan to use are compatible with the system. Refer to the “Discover Operating System and Browser Versions” article if needed. OIT provides information on operating system and browser compatibilities at the Blackboard Support website (http://www.ohio.edu/oit/bbsupport). The website also provides a “Browser Checker” application that scans your browser’s settings and plug‐ins and notifies you whether they are compatible with the Blackboard application and also how to correct items that are missing.

    To Use the Browser Checker:
    1. Go to http://www.ohio.edu/oit/bbsupport.
    2. In the left panel of the screen, find the “Bbsupport Links” box.
    3. Click on the Browser Checker link. The Browser Checker will run automatically
    4. The next screen will list the Browser Checker’s findings on the status of your operating system and browser, as well as the helper applications and settings most commonly required to support online learning. Follow the instructions provided, if any.

    Direct URL to Browser Checker:

       http://www.ohio.edu/oit/bbsupport/browserChecker.cfm

How do I enable Java on Firefox 12?

  • Printable PDF document

    In order for Firefox 12 to be fully functional with Blackboard, you must make sure that Java is enabled.

    On an Apple computer, follow these steps:

    Open Firefox

    Within the Firefox menu select Tools

    Select Add-Ons from the Tools Menu

    Select Plugins from the Add-Ons Menu

    Make sure that Java Plug-In for NPAPI Browsers is enabled.  (The title will be in black and the button will say Disable.)

    The first time that you access content within Blackboard which uses Java, you will be presented with a screen that asks you to Allow the Applet to run.  Please do so. You should also notice an option that states allow all applets to run for Blackboard provided they are signed.  You may want to consider this option.  Otherwise, every time you access content that requires Java, you will have to allow the Applet.

    On a Windows computer, follow these steps:

    Open Firefox

    Within the Firefox menu select Add-Ons

    Select Plugins from the Add-Ons Menu

    Make sure that Java Deployment Toolkit and Java (TM) Platform are enabled.  (The title will be in black and the button will say Disable.)

    The first time that you access content within Blackboard which uses Java, you will be presented with a screen that asks you to Allow the Applet to run.  Please do so. You should also notice an option that states allow all applets to run for Blackboard provided they are signed.  You may want to consider this option.  Otherwise, every time you access content that requires Java, you will have to allow the Applet.

How do I clear the cache on my browser, Android?

  • Printable PDF document

     Android
    To clear cache, cookies, or history:
    1.    Start your browser.
    2.    Tap Menu, and then tap More.
    3.    Select Settings.
    4.    Under "Privacy settings", select Clear cache, Clear history, or Clear all cookie data as appropriate, and then tap OK to accept (or Cancel to cancel) the deletion.

How do I clear the cache on my browser, Chrome?

  • Printable PDF document

     Chrome
    1.    In the browser bar, enter:   chrome://settings/clearBrowserData
    2.    Select the items you want to clear (e.g., Clear browsing history, Clear download history, Empty the cache, Delete cookies and other site and plug-in data).
    You can choose the period of time for which you want to clear cached information from the Obliterate the following items from: drop-down menu. To clear your entire cache, select the beginning of time.
    3.    Click Clear browsing data.

How do I clear the cache on my browser, Firefox?

  • Printable PDF document

    Firefox 3.5 and above for Windows
    1.    From the Tools menu, select Clear Recent History...
    2.    From the Time range to clear: drop-down menu, select the desired range; to clear your entire cache, select Everything.
    3.    Click the down arrow next to "Details" to choose what history elements to clear (e.g., check Cookies to clear cookies). Click Clear Now.

    Firefox 3 for Windows
    1.    From the Tools menu, select Clear Recent History... , and then select the items you want to delete (e.g., Browsing & Download History, Cache, Cookies).
    2.    Click Clear Recent History...

    Firefox 3.5 and above for Mac OS X
    1.    From the Tools menu, select Clear Recent History.
    2.    From the Time range to clear: drop-down menu, select the desired range; to clear your entire cache, select Everything.
    3.    Click the down arrow next to "Details" to choose which elements to clear. Click Clear Now.

    Firefox 3 for Mac OS X
    1.    In Firefox, from the Tools menu, select Clear Recent History.
    2.    Select the elements you want to clear (e.g., Browsing & Download History, Cache, Cookies), and then click Clear Private Data Now.



How do I clear the cache on my browser, Internet Explorer?

  • Printable PDF document

     Internet Explorer 8 and above
    1.    From the Safety menu in the upper right, click Delete Browsing History...
    2.    Deselect Preserve Favorites website data, and select Temporary Internet files, Cookies, and History.
    3.    Click Delete.

    Internet Explorer 7
    1.    From the Tools menu in the upper right, select Internet Options.
    2.    Under "Browsing history", click Delete...
    3.    To delete your cache, click Delete files...
    To delete your cookies, click Delete cookies...
    To delete your history, click Delete history...
    4.    Click Close, and then click OK to exit.

How do I clear the cache on my browser, Safari?

  • Printable PDF document

     Safari
    1.    From the Safari menu, select Reset Safari... .
    2.    From the menu, select the items you want to reset, and then click Reset. As of Safari 5.1, Remove all website data covers both cookies and cache.

    Mobile Safari for iPhone OS (iPhone, iPod touch, iPad)
    To clear cache and cookies:
    1.    From the home screen, tap Settings, and then tap Safari.
    2.    At the bottom of Safari's settings screen, tap the buttons for Clear Cookies and Clear Cache. To confirm, tap Clear Cookies or Clear Cache again.
    To clear history:
    1.    From the home screen, tap Safari.
    2.    At the bottom of the screen, tap the Bookmarks icon.
    3.    In the lower left, tap Clear.
    4.    Tap Clear History.

How do I discover my Mac's operating system version?

  • Printable PDF document

    To Discover Operating System and Version on a Mac
    1. Click on the Apple image in the Menu Bar at the top left of the screen.
    2. Select “About this Mac” from the menu.
    3. A small window will pop up showing information about the OS running on your machine (see
    figure below). Also note the version: 10.5 = Leopard; 10.6 = Snow Leopard; 10.7 = Lion.

    OS&Browser 1

How do I find out which version of the Mozilla Firefox browser I am using on my Mac?

  • Printable PDF document

    To Discover Mozilla Firefox Browser Version on a Mac
    1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser.
    2. Go to application’s Menu Bar at top left of screen.
    3. Select “Firefox” from the application menu.
    4. Select “About Mozilla Firefox.”
    5. A window will open displaying information about the browser, including the version:

    OS & Browser 2

How do I find out which version of the Safari browser I am using on my Mac?

  • Printable PDF document

    To Discover Safari Browser Version on a Mac:
    1. Open Safari browser.
    2. Go to the application’s Menu Bar at the top left of the screen.
    3. Select “Safari” from the application menu.
    4. Select “About Safari.”
    5. A window will open displaying information about the browser, including the version:

    OS & Browser 3

How do I find out which version of the Windows operating system I am using on my PC?

  • Printable PDF document

    To Discover Windows Operating System Version on a PC
    1. Click on the “Start” menu.
    2. Select “Control Panel.”
    3. Select “System & Security.”
    4. Select “System.”
    5. A window will open that lists all OS information running on your machine (see figure below).
    Especially note the version.

    OS & Browser 4

Why do my browser "back" buttons not work in Blackboard?

  • Printable PDF document

    Why Browser “Back” Buttons Don’t Work in Blackboard
    Sometimes, your browser's “BACK” button will not take you to the previous page you are expecting. This happens because Blackboard has a number of contextual menus that allow you to navigate without taking you to a separate page. When your browser's “BACK” button takes you back a page, it may go back farther than your last "click."
    As an alternative to using the “BACK” button, try to navigate in Blackboard by using "breadcrumbs." “Breadcrumbs” show what path you've taken to navigate through a Blackboard course, and they are located in the upper‐left part of the screen above the menu area. They will look similar to this screenshot:

    Browser Back Button_Breadcrumbs-Bb 9

    In the above example, an instructor is in the "Folder" located under "Content," which is a menu item on the Course Menu.

    • Click Content to view the other options in the “Content Folder” menu.

    OR

    • Click the course name, which is the left‐most of the “breadcrumbs,” to return to the course entry page.

How do I find out which version of the Internet Explorer (IE) browser I am using?

  • Printable PDF document

    To Discover Internet Explorer Browser Version on a Windows PC
    1. Open Internet Explorer (IE) browser.
    2. If you do not see the normal application menu (see figure below), press the Alt button; the
    menu should then appear. To make the menu appear permanently, you’ll need to right‐click on
    empty space at the top of the window and select “menu” from the drop‐down menu.

    OS & Browser 5

    3. Select “Help” from the application menu.
    4. Select “About Internet Explorer”
    5. A window will open displaying information about the browser, including the version:

    OS & Browser6

    NOTE: Follow the same procedure, substituting the alternate browser’s name for “Internet
    Explorer,” for other browsers on a PC.

Course Management and Navigation

How can I easily delete all content from a course?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    How to Bulk Delete Course Material in Bb 9.1
    This document will explain how to easily delete large amounts of material in your Blackboard 9.1 courses. The Bulk Delete function is a way to permanently delete the contents of your Bb course. You can delete by content type or select all content to create a clean slate. This function is useful if there is a problem with large amounts of content and allows you to remove it more efficiently than deleting individual items.

    Bulk Delete
    1. Log in to Blackboard and select the course within which content is to be deleted.
    2. In the Control Panel, select Packages and Utilities, then Bulk Delete.
    3. On the Bulk Delete screen, click on the boxes for the content and other materials that you desire to delete (select ALL boxes to return the course shell to its default state).
    4. Type the word “Delete” in section 3 to confirm that you want to permanently delete all the
    course content selected above.

    Bulk Delete Course Material-Bb 9

    5. Click the Submit button to complete the Bulk Delete.

    You will receive a green “Success” banner message near the top of the Packages and Utilities
    screen when the Bulk Delete process is complete.

How do I combine course sections?

  • Video

    Combine Sections of a Course
    In Blackboard, there is a course shell for every section of each course. At times, it may be more manageable for an instructor to combine all of those sections into a single course shell. With a single combined course, you can create and maintain a single course shell rather than switching among several and repeating each update for every section. The following documentation describes how to combine multiple sections of a course into a single course shell.


    Combine Sections of a Course in order to Merge their Enrollments:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Click on the My Bb Management tab.
    3. Click on the Instructor Course Combine sub-tab.
    4. In the “Instructor Course Combine Module,” click on the Combine Courses link.
    5. Select the courses/sections that you wish to combine from the Course List box. To select multiple courses, press and hold the Control key (Mac users press and hold the
    Command/Apple key) while clicking left mouse button on each course.
    6. Enter a Course Name in section 2.
    7. Click Submit.
    8. Your newly combined courses should now appear in the “Course Combine: Display” module in the “Instructor Course Combine” sub‐tab on the “My Bb Management” tab.

    NOTE: The “Combined Course Shell” is an entirely separate entity from any of the individual section course shells. You must add content to the combined shell because no content from section shells will transfer during the combine. Also, you will lose your content if you “un‐combine” all of the course sections (because the Combined Shell will become disabled).

How do I copy course content from an old course into a new course?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    Course Copy

    The Course Copy feature can be used to copy course materials from one term to the next, or to copy content into multiple sections of a course in the same term. For example, you may wish to copy content from your fall English 101 course into your winter English 101 course. Or, you may have two English 101 courses in winter term; you can develop your content in one of these courses and then copy all materials into your other section.

    Using the Course Copy Feature:

    1. Begin by entering the course that you wish to duplicate.
    2. In the Control Panel area on the left side of the screen, click Packages and Utilities.
    3. Click Course Copy; the “Course Copy” screen will appear.
    4. In section 1, select Copy Course Materials in Existing Course.
    5. In section 2, click Browse. In the “Browse” window you will see a list of your courses.
    6. Click in the circle adjacent to the name of the course you wish to copy materials into.
    7. Scroll down and click Submit. You will be returned to the “Course Copy” screen.
    8. In section 2, click the check-boxes for the materials you wish to copy. We recommend checking all boxes to ensure that everything is copied.
    9. In section 3, click Calculate Size. This calculates the course size to make sure it does not exceed the limit. Use the Manage Package Contents button to remove items from the package to be copied.
    10. Skip section 4, which governs enrollments. Do NOT copy enrollments.
    11. Scroll down and click Submit.
    • An email will be sent when the copy is complete.



    NOTE: If you do not immediately see content in your destination course, please give the system a few hours before contacting Support or re‐copying. Submitting another copy request will likely result in duplicated content in the destination course.

How do I hide or display my course menu?

  • Printable PDF document

    Hiding or Displaying the Course Menu
    If the buttons or links you’re accustomed to seeing at the left edge of your Blackboard screen are not visible, you may need to click the Hide/Show Course Menu button.

    Using the Hide/Show Course Menu Button:

    The Hide/Show Course Menu button, circled in the pictures below, controls whether or
    not the Control Panel and course navigation buttons or links are visible. Clicking this button
    alternately collapses and expands the left pane in your Blackboard window, which is where
    the navigation buttons or links ‐ and the control panel items ‐ are displayed.

    Look for the Hide/Show Course Menu button at the extreme left edge of your screen if you
    cannot see the Course Menu. If you have difficulty finding the button, check to see if your
    Blackboard page is off‐center on your screen; if it is off‐center, use a horizontal scroll bar or
    your browser’s screen sizing controls to center the page.

    Picture 1

     

How do I import &/or export a course in Blackboard?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    Exporting and Importing Courses in Blackboard
    You may transfer course materials between Blackboard environments via the Export and Import process.
    Do not use Safari as a browser during to this process as it automatically opens downloaded files and this will ruin Exported files. The following document describes both processes:

    Export a course from Blackboard by following these steps:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course you wish to export.
    3. Under Control Panel click Packages and Utilities.
    4. Select Export/Archive Course.
    5. Click Export.
    6. Click the checkboxes for the materials you wish to include in the export file. We recommend clicking ALL boxes to ensure that everything is included.
    7. Scroll down and click Submit.
    8. Once you receive an email letting you know that the Export process has completed, repeat steps 1 through 4 above.
    9. You will see the Exported course as a zipped, clickable link under the “Export” and “Archive” buttons.
    (DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK; this will open the zipped file, which will render it useless.) Right‐click on the link and select Save Link As or Save Target As to save the file to your computer’s desktop.

    Import a course into Blackboard by following these steps:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course into which you wish to Import the exported course file.
    3. Make sure Edit Mode is “On.”
    Note: “Edit Mode” is in the upper, right‐hand corner of your course. If it is not on, click “Off” to switch that setting.
    4. Under Control Panel click Packages and Utilities.
    5. Click Import Package/View Logs.
    6. Click Import Package.
    7. In section 2, “Select a Package,” click Browse. A window showing your computer’s file system will appear.
    8. Navigate to the .zip file that you exported from Blackboard and select that file. (Again, please ensure that you do not open the .zip file, which will render it useless.)
    9. The file name should now appear in the “Select a Package” field.
    10. In section 3, “Select Course Materials,” click checkboxes representing the types of materials you wish to Import. We recommend clicking ALL boxes to ensure everything you will need is Imported.
    11. Click Submit.
    12. You will receive an on‐screen message that you will be notified when your import is completed. The completion notification will arrive via email, but the request may take up to a few hours, depending on the exported course file’s size.

How do I make a course available to students?

  • Printable PDF document

    Make a Course Available to Students:

    When you are ready to make your course available to your students (which means that the course link will appear to students when they log in), please follow these steps:

    1. In the Control Panel area, click Customization.
    2. Click Properties to reveal the “Properties” screen.
    3. In the “Properties” screen, scroll down to section 3 (“Set Availability”).
    4. At the “Make Course Available” option, click the circle for YES.
    5. Click Submit.

How do I manage my course tools?

  • Printable PDF document
    Printable PDF: Tool Glossary

    Manage Course Tools
    Blackboard courses include most available tools by default. An instructor can disable some of the course tools that will not be used in the course. By the same method, an instructor can also enable certain tools. The following describes how to manage tool availability in a course.

    Manage Course Tools:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Select the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the “Control Panel,” select Customization, and then Tool Availability.
    4. The following page shows a list of all Blackboard Course Tools. Make sure that each tool you
    typically use in your course has a checkmark in the “Available” and “Available in Content Area” columns. If you are unsure of what a tool does, please see the “Tools Glossary” document.
    5. After finishing with your tool decisions, scroll down and click Submit.
    6. All of the tools you made “Available” should now be accessible to students through the “Tools” page (if you left the default navigation button in the Course Menu) and/or to you, the instructor, through the “Tools” page and through the “Course Tools” list in the “Control Panel.”
    Note: In most cases, the only changes you will need to make are in the first “Available” column. The last “Available in Content Area” column is configured by default to the settings most users require, since it governs whether the tool is available from the “Contextual Menus” on content pages. Also, you can ignore the “Visible to Guests” and “Visible to Observers” columns because Ohio University does not employ those system roles for security reasons.

How do I personalize the course homepage's modules and color theme?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video: Move Module
    Video: Add Module

    Add/Remove Modules on Course Home Page
    The default page users see when first entering a Bb 9.1 course is the Home Page. This page is meant to be an overview of the current events in the course, such as Announcements and Due Dates. The page can also provide tools for student use, such as a Calculator or Dictionary. The following documentation describes how to add and remove modules on a course home page:

    Adding & Removing Modules on a Course Homepage:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work and make sure you are on the course Home
    Page.
    3. Click the Add Course Module button to see a list of modules from which to choose.
    4. On the Add Module page, you can search for specific modules, browse by category, or browse all modules. Each entry lists the module’s name, a description, and the category to which it belongs. There is also a (More)… link that you can click to see a preview of the module as it will appear on your course home page.
    5. To choose a module, simply click the + Add button below the module’s name and description.

     Add_Remove Modules Course Homepage 9

    6. Once you click the + Add button, there will be a short “Adding” message, then a “– Remove” button will appear in place of the “+ Add” button.
    7. Follow the same procedure for each module you wish to add to your course home page.
    8. If you wish to remove a module at any point, you can simply click the – Remove button.
    9. When finished selecting modules, click OK at the bottom right of the window.
    10. You will be returned to the course home page and should see all the modules you selected.
    11. There are default modules, some of which cannot be removed from the home page, but others can easily be removed by the process described above or by clicking on the “X” icon in the top right corner of the module. You can also minimize modules by clicking on the “-“ icon in the top right corner. When a module is minimized, you can maximize it by clicking on the square icon that appears in place of the “‐“ icon.

     2Add_Remove Modules Course Homepage 9

    Moving Modules on Course Home Page:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work and make sure you are on the course Home
    Page.
    3. To change the positions of the modules, you simply need to mouse over a module, click and
    hold the left mouse button, then drag the module to where you desire it to be. There will be a black dotted line outline of the module dragged so you can see the location to which it will be moved.
    4. Alternatively, you can reorder modules by clicking on the square with two arrows (one up,
    one down) located in the top right of the screen next to the Customize Page button:

    3Add_Remove Modules Course Homepage 9 

    5. Then you can reorder the modules by highlighting the module you wish to move, then clicking on the left or right arrows to switch the column within which it is located, and clicking on the up or down arrows to move it correspondingly within the column.
    6. Repeat the process to move modules as desired.
    7. When finished with reordering, click Submit.


    Personalizing the Theme of a Course Homepage:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work and make sure you are on the course Home
    Page.
    3. Click on the Customize Page button to change the theme of the page.
    4. Select a Color Palette.
    5. Click Submit to save the change.
    6. Repeat the process to make a change or to revert to the default theme (will be designated).

How do I remove a user from a course?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    Remove/Unenroll a User from a Course
    In some cases, you may need to manually remove a user from a course. The following describes the process of removing or unenrolling users.

    To Remove a User from a Course:
    1. Open the course in which the user is enrolled.
    2. Click on Course Tools within the “Control Panel.”
    3. Select Add/Modify Enrollments from the Tool list.
    Note: If you do not see “Add/Modify Enrollments,” click Customization and then click
    Tool Availability. Scroll down to find the “Roster Manager” tool, and click to place a
    check in the “Available” column. Then click Submit and go back to Step 2.
    4. Select Manage Enrollments.
    5. Select the user you wish to remove/unenroll and click the Unenroll from this Course
    button located at the top of the list of users.
    6. Confirm that you receive a “Success” message and click OK.
    7. Repeat steps 3‐6 for each user you wish to remove from your roster.

How do I view a course roster?

  • Printable PDF Document
    Video

    View Course Roster
    There are a couple of different ways to view your course roster/list of students. You can simply look at the Grade Center, but that will not include any users who are not students, such as Teaching Assistants, Co‐Instructors, etc. The other method of viewing a roster is detailed below.

    View Course Roster:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Select the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the “Control Panel,” select Users and Groups, and then click on Users.
    4. In the search bar that appears, click on the second field (“Starts with”) to reveal a drop‐down menu, and select Not Blank.
    5. Click Go.
    6. The search process should populate a full list of users who are associated with the course,
    including first and last names, usernames, emails, and roles in the course.
    Note: Though you may see an “Enroll User” button at the top of the Users search screen, do NOT use this method of enrollment. Please see the “Enroll a User” documentation for a better method for instructors to enroll users that will allow later management of those enrollments (changing roles, removing the users).

What are the available course tools in a Blackboard course?

  • Printable PDF document

    Tools and Definitions

    The attached PDF file contains a list of all the course tools that Blackboard provides, as well as definitions for each tool.

    The Tools Glossary is useful when managing tool availability (see article titled "How do I manage the course tools?").

What are the user roles and privileges?

  • Printable PDF document

    List of User Roles and Privileges
    At some point you may want to change the role of a user that you added to your course or organization manually.
    The following describes the different course and organization roles available for manually enrolled users.

    1. Instructor (or Leader): Has complete access to the course or organization and its features
    and functions.
    2. Teaching Assistant (or Assistant): Also has access to all of the organization or course and
    its features and functions, including the Grade Center. The only feature an Assistant cannot
    use is the “Recycle” function (deletes all content in the course).
    3. Librarian: Has access to the Grade Center, post content & create assessments, but cannot delete content.
    4. Organization or Course Builder: Able to post and delete content, create, deploy, and
    remove assessments, set up blogs and wikis, etc. but cannot access the Grade Center.
    5. Student or Participant: Cannot add content or assessments or access Grade Center, but can
    view content and submit assessments, as well as participate in wikis, blogs and discussions,
    as allowed by relevant roles described above.

Why can't I see my Course Menu or Control Panel Items?

  • Printable PDF document

    Most menus in Blackboard can be hidden, if desired, by clicking a button. Your menu or control panel might have been accidentally hidden. To once again view your Menu or Control Panel menu please note these points:

    • If your Menu area seems to be missing, click the double down-arrow near the left side of your course name as shown in the first illustration below.
    1Hiding & Expanding Menu & Control Panel-Bb 9

     2Hiding & Expanding Menu & Control Panel-Bb 9

    • If your Control Panel menu is missing, click the double down-arrow near the left end of "Control Panel" as shown in the second illustration below.

    3Hiding & Expanding Menu & Control Panel-Bb 9

    4Hiding & Expanding Menu & Control Panel-Bb 9

Why do my browser "back" buttons not work in Blackboard?

  • Printable PDF document

    Why Browser “Back” Buttons Don’t Work in Blackboard
    Sometimes, your browser's “BACK” button will not take you to the previous page you are expecting. This happens because Blackboard has a number of contextual menus that allow you to navigate without taking you to a separate page. When your browser's “BACK” button takes you back a page, it may go back farther than your last "click."
    As an alternative to using the “BACK” button, try to navigate in Blackboard by using "breadcrumbs." “Breadcrumbs” show what path you've taken to navigate through a Blackboard course, and they are located in the upper‐left part of the screen above the menu area. They will look similar to this screenshot:

    Browser Back Button_Breadcrumbs-Bb 9

    In the above example, an instructor is in the "Folder" located under "Content," which is a menu item on the Course Menu.

    • Click Content to view the other options in the “Content Folder” menu.

    OR

    • Click the course name, which is the left‐most of the “breadcrumbs,” to return to the course entry page.

How do I add a user to a course?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    At some point you may want to add users to your course manually, such as when you want to add a Teaching Assistant.

    To Add a User to a Course:
    1. Open the course in which you want to enroll the user.
    2. Click on Course Tools in the “Control Panel” to see a list of tools for instructors.
    3. Click Add/Modify Enrollments in the tool list.
    Note: If you do not see “Add/Modify Enrollments,” click Customization in the Control
    Panel, then click Tool Availability. Scroll down to find the “Roster Manager” tool, and
    click to place a check in the "Available" column. Then click Submit and go back to Step 2.
    4. Click Enroll Users.
    5. In the space provided, type the OHIO ID(s) of those you want to enroll. (Use just the unique
    part of the OHIO ID, such as zz998877, rather than “zz998877@ohio.edu.”) If entering
    multiple IDs, separate each with a comma.
    6. After entering the ID(s), click the Search button.
    7. Click to check the box next to each user that you wish to add to the course.
    Note: If a searched ID returns with a “Null” designation, it means the user is not already
    in the Bb system. Click the box for the listing anyway—this will add the user to the
    system.
    8. After selecting the user(s), click Submit.
    9. On the next page select the role you wish to assign to the user(s) by clicking on the radio
    button to the left of each role.
    10. Scroll down and click Submit; this will take you back to the “Add/Modify Enrollments”
    page, and the user will have been enrolled.

How do I add or edit a course banner?

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    Add or Edit Course Banner in Bb 9.1

    This document will explain how to add a banner image to a Bb 9.1 course shell’s homepage. By
    default, the course shells are generated without a banner, but you can easily add an image to the top of your homepage that will personalize your course site.

    Add a Banner to Course Homepage:

    1. Log in to Blackboard and select the course to which you want to add the image.
    2. On the Home Page, click on the gray box with double‐down arrows located next to the page title “Home Page” to reveal a drop‐down menu.
    3. Select Page Banner from the menu.
    4. Use the text editor box to create text and/or images that you want to display at the top of your Home Page. If adding an image, use the “Attach Image” icon in the editor tool tray.

    Note: .gif, .png, and .jpg image file types work, but others may not. You may need to save the desired image in an acceptable file type in order for it to be viewable on your homepage. Also, some images may need to be re‐sized in order to fit the banner area.
    5. Once you have designed your desired page banner, click the Submit button.

    Edit or Remove a Banner from Course Homepage:

    1. Log in to Blackboard and select the course within which you want to adjust the page banner.
    2. On the Home Page, click on the gray box with double‐down arrows located next to the page title “Home Page” to reveal a drop‐down menu.
    3. Select Page Banner from the menu.
    4. Use the text editor box to adjust the text and/or images that display at the top of your Home Page.
    5. Once you have made your adjustments, click the Submit button.

How do I add or remove course sections from a combined course?

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    Manage Combined Courses
    If at some point you need to add or remove sections of a course from a combined course shell, you can use the following documentation, which describes how to combine multiple sections of a course into a single course shell. However, please read the note at the bottom of this document before proceeding and consult the OIT Support Desk or Blackboard Support if you are at all unsure about the repercussions of “un‐combining” a course.

    Add to or Remove Sections from a Course:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Click on the My Bb Management tab.
    3. Click on the Instructor Course Combine subtab.
    4. In the “Instructor Course Combine Module,” click on the Manage Combined Courses link.
    5. Select either the Add Courses or Remove Courses button, depending on what you wish to do next.
    a. If you click the Add Courses button:

    i. You may change the name of the newly combined course
    ii. Select the course(s) you wish to add to the Combined Course. To select multiple courses, press and hold the Control key (Mac users press and hold the Command/Apple key) while clicking left mouse button on each course.
    iii. To finish, click Submit.

    b. If you click the Remove Courses button:

    i. Click on the red “X” next to each course/section you wish to remove from the Combined Course shell. As you click on the red “X’s,” you should receive a pop-up window asking you to confirm that you wish to remove the course/section. Read the warning presented to you before clicking OK to proceed.
    ii. When finished removing courses, click OK.

    6. The courses still combined should now appear in the “Course Combine: Display” module in the “Instructor Course Combine” sub‐tab on the “My Bb Management” tab. If you removed all
    sections, this module will state “There are no combined courses at this time.”
    NOTE: The “Combined Course Shell” is an entirely separate entity from any of the individual section course shells. You must add content to the combined shell because no content from section shells will transfer during the combine. Also, you will lose your content and students’
    grades/submissions if you “un‐combine” all of the course sections (because the Combined Shell will become disabled).

How do I change a user's course role?

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    Modify a User’s Role within a Course
    At some point you may want to change the role of a user that you added to your course manually.
    The following describes the process of changing course roles for manually enrolled users.

    To Change a User's Course Role:
    1. Open the course in which you enrolled the user.
    2. Click on Course Tools in the “Control Panel” to see a list of tools for instructors.
    3. Click Add/Modify Enrollments in the tool list.
    Note: If you do not see “Add/Modify Enrollments,” click Customization in the Control Panel,  then click Tool Availability. Scroll down to find the “Roster Manager” tool, and click to place a check in the "Available" column. Then click Submit and go back to Step 2.
    4. Click Manage Enrollments.
    5. Select the user whose role you wish to modify then click the Change Role button at the end
    of the user’s listing.
    6. On the next page select the user role you wish to assign to the user by clicking on the radio
    button     to the left of the role.
    7. Scroll down and click Submit; this will take you back to the “Add/Modify Enrollments” page, and the user’s role will have been changed.

How do I change the course entry page?

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    Change the Course Entry Page
    The default course entry page remains the “Homepage” in Bb 9.1. The Homepage is an excellent place to start a course because its modules allow users to get a brief overview of everything that is occurring in the course. However, you can change the course entry to another page, such as an Announcements page (if you have one—see the article “How do I add an item to the menu?" for creating navigation buttons and tool links), if you like.

    Changing your Course Entry Page:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Select the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the “Control Panel,” select Customization.
    4. From the “Customization” sub‐menu, click Style.
    5. On the “Style” page, scroll down to section 4 and click on Course Entry Point.
    6. From the revealed drop‐down menu, select the item you wish to make your course entry page.
    7. Scroll down and click Submit.
    Note: As mentioned in the introductory description, you may not see the page you wish to make your course entry point in the list provided in step 6. If this is the case, please see the article “How do I add an item to the menu?” for creating navigation buttons and tool links, then return to this document to make a new page the course entry point.

How do I change the name of my course?

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    How to Change a Course Name in Bb 9.1
    This document will explain how to change a Bb 9.1 course shell’s name. The Bb system automatically assigns IDs and names to courses. Though the Bb Course ID cannot be changed, the display name is entirely up to the instructor and can be edited at any time.

    Changing a Course Name
    1. Log in to Blackboard and select the course to be renamed.
    2. In the Control Panel, select Customization, then Properties.
    3. On the Properties screen, enter the desired course name and description in Section 1.
    4. Once you have entered the desired name and description, click the Submit button.
    You will receive a green “Success” banner message near the top of the Customization screen
    when the name change is complete.

How do I create course announcements?

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    Announcements
    The Announcements area is a space in which students can view all Announcements created by the instructor to inform students about what is happening in the course. There is a module on the course Home Page for Announcements as well.

    Create an Announcement:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. On the course Home Page, click on the "more announcements..." link in the My Announcements module.
    4. On the Announcements page, select the Create Announcement button.

    Announcements1   Announcements2

    5. Enter all the information you wish to include in your announcement into the Text Editor. You may set Date Restrictions for the availability of the announcement, or you may select Not Date Restricted in order to keep it visible until you choose to delete it manually.

    Announcements3

    5. To include a link to an item in the course that is referenced by the announcement, click the "Browse..." button to find and select the item in section 3, Course Link:

    Announcements4

    7. Once you have customized the announcement, click Submit.

How do I view my course as a student might see it?

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    The instructor view is quite a bit different than the student view. For example, the students will not see the Control Panel but will see My Grades. Instructors will see the Control Panel but will not see My Grades. To get an idea of what your course looks like from the student perspective, turn Edit Mode to Off.

    Turn Edit Mode Off:

    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Select the course you would like to view.
    3. In the upper right hand side of the screen, switch Edit Mode to Off.
    4. Select the content area from the left that you would like to view as a student.

    NOTE: Instructors cannot see the student My Grades view without logging in as a student (such as when a user has both a faculty/staff and student Ohio ID).  To see what a My Grades tool view looks like in general and how it works, please see the Student How-To documentation "How do I use the My Grades Tool?"

How can I re-order and rename menu buttons?

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    1. Ensure that “Edit Mode” is ON.
      Look toward the upper, right-hand side of the screen to locate the Edit Mode switch, as shown here:  edit mode off.... edit mode on  If you see “EDIT MODE: OFF,” click the word “OFF;” it should change to ON. This switch must be ON for you to add content to your course and make menu changes. If you see “EDIT MODE: ON,” you do not need to take any further action.
    2. Locate your course menu area on the left hand side of the screen. Your menu area will look similar to the example below:
    add navigation


    Change the Order of Menu Items

    1. Position your mouse over the double-headed arrow icon to the left of that item. (If these double down-arrows do not appear, you might not have Edit Mode switched to ON.) Your cursor will change to a four-headed arrow.
    2. Click your left mouse button and hold it down while moving the item up or down.
    3. Release the mouse button when the menu item is in the correct position.


    Rename a Menu Item

    1. Click on the double down-arrows near the right end of a menu link or menu button in order to reveal a drop-down menu. (If these double down-arrows do not appear, you might not have Edit Mode switched to ON.)
    2. Select Rename Link from the drop-down menu. The name of that menu link will become highlighted.
    3. Type the new name directly in the highlighted area.
    4. Press ENTER on your keyboard.


    Delete a Menu Item

    1. Click on the double down-arrows near the right end of a menu link or menu button in order to reveal a drop-down menu. (If these double down-arrows do not appear, you might not have Edit Mode switched to ON.)
    2. From the drop-down menu, click Delete.

How do I create a test course?

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    Follow these instructions to create as many Test Courses as you need.  You may use Test Courses to develop content for your Blackboard courses.  Once your content is ready to go, simply use the “Course Copy” tool (located in the “Control Panel”) to copy the course content from your Test Course into your official Blackboard course shell.

    Create a Test Course:

    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Click the My Bb Management tab located in the upper right corner of your screen.
    3. Once the tab opens you will see secondary tabs on the left.  Click on the Test Course Request tab and then click on the Create Test Course button.  
    4. In the “Create Test Course Module,” enter a name for your test course in section 1.
    5. In section 2, select an end date for your course (MM/DD/YYYY).  Your course will expire on the date you enter.  (Note: the default end date is 90 days from the current date, however, you may specify an end date of up to 365 days out.  After this time elapses, you may continue to extend the end date.)
    6. In section 3, click Submit to create the Test Course.
    7. You may now view the new Test Course under the “My Courses” tab.

     
    New Test Courses that you create are automatically designated as “Available,” which means that any users you enroll in the Test Course will be able to see the course when they login to Blackboard, unless you change the designation to “Unavailable.”

How do I add an item to the menu?

  • Add an Item to the Course Menu:
    1. Ensure that the “Edit Mode” switch, which is at the top right of your screen - beneath a row of tabs - is set to ON.  editmode
    2. Locate your “Course Menu” area on the left side of the screen. With “Edit Mode” on, your menu will look similar to this illustration:
    add navigation
    1. Click the green PLUS icon, which is at the top left of the menu area.
    2. Select from the drop-down list that appears. Your options are:
    • Create Content Area
    • Create Tool Link
    • Create Course Link
    • Create External Link
    • Create Module Page
    • Create Subheader
    • Create Divider
      • For a description of the above options, please see the document linked below:

        PDF document

    1. Once you have made your selection from these choices, fill in the information requested in the window that appears.
    2. Be sure to click the box for Available to users if you wish for students to see the menu item.
    3. Click Submit.

Groups

How do I create a single group and manually enroll members?

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    Create a Single Group & Manually Enroll Members
    1. On the “Control Panel” menu, click Users and Groups and then click Groups.
    2. Click Create Single Group, then click Manual Enroll.
    3. In section 1, “Group Information,” enter a group “Name.”
    4. Enter a “Description” if you desire.
    5. Click Yes or No to make the group “Available” or “Unavailable.”
    6. In section 2, “Tool Availability,” each tool is pre‐selected to be available in the group spaces you are creating. To remove a tool, click on the checkmark to de‐select.
    7. In section 3, “Module Personalization Setting,” click the checkmark to remove students’
    ability to add their own modules, such as “Alerts,” “Calendar,” or “Tasks,” to the group page.
    8. In section 4, “Membership,” assign group members by selecting the student(s) on the left
    and clicking the right‐facing arrow to move them to the right.
    Note: To select multiple students, hold the Shift key + click for PC users or Command + click for Mac users.
    9. Scroll down and click Submit.
    10. You will see the group you have just created. To see the members in a group, click the
    Group Name.

How do I create a single group with self-enrollment?

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    Create a Single Group with Self-Enrollment

    If you would like to create a group and have students sign up for it, you can do so. This might be particularly helpful if you are asking for a few volunteers for a particular course activity. To set up this type of group:
    1. On the “Control Panel” menu, click Users and Groups, and then click Groups.
    2. Click Create Single Group, and click Self-Enroll.
    3. In section 1,”Group Information,” enter a group “Name.”
    4. Enter a “Description” if you desire.
    5. Click Yes, No, or Sign-up Sheet Only for the Group Availability.
    Note: Making the “Sign‐up Sheet Only” available will allow students to sign up for their group, but the group space will not be immediately available to them.
    6. In section 2, “Tool Availability,” each tool is pre‐selected to be available in the group spaces you are about to create. To remove a tool, click the checkmark to de‐select.
    7. In section 3, “Module Personalization Setting,” click the checkmark to remove students’
    ability to add their own modules, such as “Alerts,” “Calendar,” or “Tasks” to the group page.
    8. In section 4, “Sign‐up Options,” first enter a “Name for Sign‐up Sheet.” For example, you
    might name the sheet Extra‐Credit Sign‐Up.
    9. Enter “Sign‐up Sheet Instructions” if you desire.
    10. Next, set additional parameters for your group and where your sign‐up sheet will be
    available.
    11. Scroll down and click Submit.
    12. If you chose not to make the sign‐up sheet available in the “Groups Area,” you will need to make it available in a “Content” area:

    • Go to any “Content” area. Click Add Interactive Tool and click Groups.
    • This will direct you to the Create Link: Group page.
    • Select Link to a Group or Group Set and then click the desired group to highlight.
    • Click Next. This will take you to the Create Link: Group page, where you create the link information.
    • Click Submit when finished.

    13. Your students will navigate to the area in which you made the sign‐up sheet available, and they will see the name of the group and a button for “Sign‐Up.” After clicking Sign-up,
    they will see your sign‐up sheet name, instructions, and a final “Sign‐Up” button. Once they’ve signed up, they will be part of the group.

How do I manage group settings and membership?

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    To Edit Group Settings & Membership:

    1. On the Control Panel menu, click Users and Groups, then click Groups.
    2. You will see the full list of groups. Click on the gray square icon next to a group name,
    and select Edit from the drop‐down menu.
    3. The edit screen will open, and then you can make any adjustments to group settings and
    tools in sections 1‐3.
    4. To adjust membership, look at section 4, “Membership.” Select a name and click one of the
    right- or left-facing arrows to add or remove a member from the group.
    5. When finished making adjustments, scroll down and click Submit.
    Note: To create group assignments, you will use Blackboard’s “Assignment” tool, and you will make an assignment available to a particular group. You cannot create group assignments within the individual groups’ areas.

How do I create multiple groups at once?

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    You can create multiple groups at the same time, and you have the option to randomly assign membership, which is especially helpful if you have a large class.  To do so:

    1. On the “Control Panel” menu, click Users and Groups, and then click Groups.
    2. Click Create Group Set, then select Random Enroll. 
    Note:  You can also select Self-Enroll or Manual Enroll at this step.  “Self-Enroll” allows you to set up groups by allowing students to sign up for them, and “Manual Enroll” allows you to hand-select group members from a list.
    1. In section 1, “Group Information,” enter a group “Name.”  Since you are creating multiple groups, Blackboard will use this name for each group and append a numeral.
    2. Enter a “Description” if you desire.
    3. Click Yes or No to make the Group “Available” or “Unavailable.”
    4. In section 2, “Tool Availability,” each tool is pre-selected to be available in the group spaces you are about to create.  To remove a tool, click the checkmark to de-select.
    5. In section 3, “Module Personalization Setting,” click the checkmark to remove students’ ability to add their own modules, such as “Alerts,” “Calendar,” or “Tasks” to the group page.
    6. In section 4, “Membership,” select how you want to determine the number of groups and how Blackboard will assign the remainder of students after an even distribution:

    multiple groups 

    1. Scroll down and click Submit.
    2. You will now see your created groups.  To see the members in a group, click on the group’s name.

How do I enter a Group?

  • Printable PDF document

    To View a Group as an Instructor:

    1. On the Control Panel menu, click Users and Groups, then click Groups.
    2. You will see the full list of groups.  Click on the Group Name to enter that group’s space to view the list of members, group tools, and group assignments.
    Note:  To create group assignments, you will use Blackboard’s “Assignment” tool, and you will make an assignment available to a particular group.  You cannot create group assignments within the individual groups’ areas.

Content Management

How do I find information about WebAssign integration with Blackboard?

How do I add content to my course?

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    Add Content to Your Blackboard Course
    1. Enter your Blackboard course, then click the link or button for the content area within which you wish to work.
    2. When the content area opens, you'll see the Content Action Bar, which contains buttons labeled Build Content, Create Assessment, Add Interactive Tool, and Assign Textbook.
    3. To add an item, move your mouse over the Build Content button. A box will appear with the
    content options.
    4. Follow the on‐screen instructions to create or upload content, then click Submit. Watch for a "success receipt" to appear in a green bar at the top of the page.

How do I use the Adaptive Release Date Criteria?

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    Adaptive Release: Date Criteria

    Date Criteria enable content to be displayed according to date and time. Content may be displayed after a specific date, until a specific date, or within a time frame. Once a rule is made with this criterion, it can be used in combination with others to increase the specificity of the release of a content item. The date availability restrictions found on a content item’s Edit page can also be used in conjunction with the Date Adaptive Release rule. Note, however, that if the date is changed on the item itself (via the Edit page), and Date Adaptive Release criteria already exist, you will receive a message warning about resulting conflicts. The same warning appears if you attempt to add Date Adaptive Release criteria when the item’s availability dates have already been set on the Edit page.

    Create a Date Rule:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Navigate to the content item to which you are going to apply the Adaptive Release.
    4. Click on the gray square icon next to the item’s name to reveal a drop‐down menu and select Adaptive Release.
    5. In section 1, “Date,” click the boxes to select either a Display After date/time, a Display Until date/time, or both for a time frame. To adjust the default dates and times, use the calendar and clock icons next to the date and time fields.
    6. Scroll down and click Submit.

    Add Date Criteria to a Rule:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Navigate to the content item to which you are going to apply the Date Criteria.
    4. Click on the gray square icon next to the item’s name to reveal a drop‐down menu and select Adaptive Release: Advanced.
    5. Click the Create Rule button.
    6. On the Add Rule page, enter a rule name, then click Submit.
    7. You will be taken to the Manage Criteria: [Rule Name] page. Click the Create Criteria button and select Date.
    8. On the Date: [Rule Name] page, click the boxes to select either a Display After date/time, a Display Until date/time, or both for a time frame. To adjust the default dates and times, use
    the calendar and clock icons next to the date and time fields.
    9. Click Submit.
    10. Your Date Criterion will be listed on the Manage Criteria: [Rule Name] page. Click on the gray square icon next to the criterion’s Type, i.e. Date, to reveal a drop‐down menu and select Edit to change the date parameters, or Delete to remove the criterion from the Rule.

How do I use the Adaptive Release Grade Criteria?

  • Printable PDF document

    Adaptive Release: Grade Criteria

    Grade Criteria enable content to be displayed according to grade/score information. A Grade
    Criterion might require a score greater than, less than, or equal to a set value, a score that falls within a range of values, or it might only require that there be an attempt for a graded item. Once a rule is made with this criterion, it can be used in combination with others to narrow the accessibility of a content item.

    Create a Grade Rule:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Navigate to the content item to which you are going to apply the Adaptive Release.
    4. Click on the gray square icon next to the item’s name to reveal a drop‐down menu and select Adaptive Release.
    5. In section 3, select the Grade Center Column (i.e. an assignment or exam, etc.) from the drop-down list for which the Grade Criterion must be met in order to view the desired content item.
    6. Next select the Condition:

    a. User has at least one attempt for this item
    b. Score/Percent less than/greater than/equal to…[enter score]
    c. Score/Percent between…[enter value]…and…[enter value]

    7. Once you’ve made the selections for Grade Criteria, click Submit.

    Add Grade Criteria to a Rule:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Navigate to the content item to which you are going to apply the Grade Criteria.
    4. Click on the gray square icon next to the item’s name to reveal a drop‐down menu and select Adaptive Release: Advanced.
    5. Click the Create Rule button.
    6. On the Add Rule page, enter a rule name, then click Submit.
    7. You will be taken to the Manage Criteria: [Rule Name] page. Click the Create Criteria button and select Grade.
    8. On the Grade: [Rule Name] page, select the Grade Center Column (i.e. an assignment or exam, etc.) from the drop‐down list for which the Grade Criterion must be met in order to view the desired content item.
    9. Next select the Condition:

    a. User has at least one attempt for this item
    b. Score/Percent less than/greater than/equal to…[enter score]
    c. Score/Percent between…[enter value]…and…[enter value]

    10. Once you’ve made selections for the Grade Criteria, click Submit.
    11. Your Grade Criterion will be listed on the Manage Criteria: [Rule Name] page. Click on the gray square icon next to the criterion’s Type, i.e. Grade, to reveal a drop‐down menu and select Edit to change the column and score settings, or Delete to remove the criterion from the Rule.

How do I use the Adaptive Release Membership Criteria?

  • Printable PDF document

    Adaptive Release: Membership Criteria

    Membership Criteria enable content to be displayed according to username and/or group. A
    Membership Criterion might include a single username, several selected usernames, a course
    group, or even a combination of group name and username. Once a rule is made with this criterion, it can be used in combination with others to narrow the accessibility of a content item.

    Create a Membership Rule:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Navigate to the content item to which you are going to apply the Adaptive Release.
    4. Click on the gray square icon next to the item’s name to reveal a drop‐down menu and select Adaptive Release.
    5. In section 2, enter the username(s) of the users you wish to access the item, or click the Browse button to search for course members to add. If your course has groups, you have the option to select members as a group instead of by usernames. Click on the group name to highlight it, then click on the right- or left-facing arrows to move the group into or out of the Selected Items box.
    6. Once you’ve selected users and/or groups to include in the Membership Criteria, click Submit.

    Add Membership Criteria to a Rule:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Navigate to the content item to which you are going to apply the Membership Criteria.
    4. Click on the gray square icon next to the item’s name to reveal a drop‐down menu and select Adaptive Release: Advanced.
    5. Click the Create Rule button.
    6. On the Add Rule page, enter a rule name, then click Submit.
    7. You will be taken to the Manage Criteria: [Rule Name] page. Click the Create Criteria button and select Membership.
    8. On the Membership: [Rule Name] page, enter the username(s) of the users you wish to access the item, or click the Browse button to search for course members to add. If your course has groups, you have the option to select members as a group instead of by usernames. Click on the group name to highlight it, then click on the right- or left-facing arrows to move the group into or out of the Selected Items box.
    9. Once you’ve selected users to include in the Membership, click Submit.
    10. Your Membership Criterion will be listed on the Manage Criteria: [Rule Name] page. Click on the gray square icon next to the criterion’s Type, i.e. Membership, to reveal a drop‐down menu and select Edit to change the members, or Delete to remove the criterion from the Rule.

How do I use the Adaptive Release Review Status Criteria?

  • Printable PDF document

    Adaptive Release: Review Status Criteria

    Review Status Criteria allow content items to be released based on a user’s review of a prior
    content item. A Review Status Criterion might require a user to view a lecture file and mark it as “Reviewed” before allowing the user access to the related assignment. Once a rule is made with this criterion, it can be used in combination with others to narrow the accessibility of a content item.

    Create a Review Status Rule:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Navigate to the content item to which you are going to apply the Adaptive Release.
    4. Click on the gray square icon next to the item’s name to reveal a drop‐down menu and select Adaptive Release.
    5. In section 4, click the Browse button to select the content item that users will need to mark as “reviewed” in order to view the desired content item to which the rule is being applied. If you select the wrong content item, click the Clear button and browse again.
    6. Once you’ve made the selection for Review Status Criteria, click Submit.

    Add Review Status Criteria to a Rule:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Navigate to the content item to which you are going to apply the Review Status Criteria.
    4. Click on the gray square icon next to the item’s name to reveal a drop‐down menu and select Adaptive Release: Advanced.
    5. Click the Create Rule button.
    6. On the Add Rule page, enter a rule name, then click Submit.
    7. You will be taken to the Manage Criteria: [Rule Name] page. Click the Review Status button.
    8. On the Review Status: [Rule Name] page, click the Browse button to select the content item that users will need to mark as “reviewed” in order to view the desired content item to which the rule is being applied. If you select the wrong content item, click the Clear button and browse again.
    9. Once you’ve made the selection for the Review Status Criteria, click Submit.
    10. Your Review Status Criterion will be listed on the Manage Criteria: [Rule Name] page. Click on the gray square icon next to the criterion’s Type, i.e. Review Status, to reveal a drop‐down
    menu and select Edit to change the content item selection, or Delete to remove the criterion
    from the Rule.

What is Adaptive Release?

  • Printable PDF document
    Create a Rule Video

    Adaptive Release
    Adaptive Release provides the means for the controlled release of content to users based on a set of rules created by the instructor. Rules are defined by one or more selected criteria. There are several criteria available for application to rules:

    Criteria Description
    Date/Time Display content based on a date or time. Options include:
    • After a specific date
    • Until a specific date
    • Within a time frame
    Username Display content to one or more users.
    Course Groups
    		 Display content to members of one or more Groups in a course.
    Grade Center Column
    		 Display the content item to all users until a Grade Center criterion is created. Possible points on a Grade Center column are listed in brackets beside the name. The score entered must be numeric.
    Grade Center: Item with at least one attempt
    		 Display content based on a recorded attempt by the users. For example, the users has completed a test or a grade has been entered for an assignment.
    Grade Center: Item with a specific score
    		 Display content based on a required score. Options include:
    • Less than or equal to
    • Greater than or equal to
    • Equal to
    Grade Center: Item with a score between X and Y
    		 Display content based on a range of scores. For example, require users to score between 80 and 100 on an exam.
    Review Status an item
    		 Display content to the user only after an associated item has been marked as "Reviewed by the user," i.e. the user has viewed/opened the item.


    Date Criteria:
    Date Criteria enable content to be displayed according to date and time. Content may be displayed after a specific date, until a specific date, or within a time frame. Once a rule is made with this criterion, it can be used in combination with others to increase the specificity of the release of a content item. The date availability restrictions found on a content item’s Edit page can also be used in conjunction with the Date Adaptive Release rule. Note, however, that if the date is changed on the item itself (via the Edit page), and Date Adaptive Release criteria already exist, you will receive a message warning about resulting conflicts. The same warning appears if you attempt to add Date Adaptive Release criteria when the item’s availability dates have already been set on the Edit page.

    Create a Date Rule:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Navigate to the content item to which you are going to apply the Adaptive Release.
    4. Click on the gray square icon next to the item’s name to reveal a drop‐down menu and select Adaptive Release.
    5. In section 1, “Date,” click the boxes to select either a Display After date/time, a Display Until date/time, or both for a time frame. To adjust the default dates and times, use the calendar and clock icons next to the date and time fields.
    6. Scroll down and click Submit.

    Add Date Criteria to a Rule:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Navigate to the content item to which you are going to apply the Date Criteria.
    4. Click on the gray square icon next to the item’s name to reveal a drop‐down menu and select Adaptive Release: Advanced.
    5. Click the Create Rule button.
    6. On the Add Rule page, enter a rule name, then click Submit.
    7. You will be taken to the Manage Criteria: [Rule Name] page. Click the Create Criteria button and select Date.
    8. On the Date: [Rule Name] page, click the boxes to select either a Display After date/time, a Display Until date/time, or both for a time frame. To adjust the default dates and times, use
    the calendar and clock icons next to the date and time fields.
    9. Click Submit.
    10. Your Date Criterion will be listed on the Manage Criteria: [Rule Name] page. Click on the gray square icon next to the criterion’s Type, i.e. Date, to reveal a drop‐down menu and select Edit to change the date parameters, or Delete to remove the criterion from the Rule.

    Membership Criteria:
    Membership Criteria enable content to be displayed according to username and/or group. A
    Membership Criterion might include a single username, several selected usernames, a course
    group, or even a combination of group name and username. Once a rule is made with this criterion, it can be used in combination with others to narrow the accessibility of a content item.

    Create a Membership Rule:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Navigate to the content item to which you are going to apply the Adaptive Release.
    4. Click on the gray square icon next to the item’s name to reveal a drop‐down menu and select Adaptive Release.
    5. In section 2, enter the username(s) of the users you wish to access the item, or click the Browse button to search for course members to add. If your course has groups, you have the option to select members as a group instead of by usernames. Click on the group name to highlight it, then click on the right- or left-facing arrows to move the group into or out of the Selected Items box.
    6. Once you’ve selected users and/or groups to include in the Membership Criteria, click Submit.

    Add Membership Criteria to a Rule:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Navigate to the content item to which you are going to apply the Membership Criteria.
    4. Click on the gray square icon next to the item’s name to reveal a drop‐down menu and select Adaptive Release: Advanced.
    5. Click the Create Rule button.
    6. On the Add Rule page, enter a rule name, then click Submit.
    7. You will be taken to the Manage Criteria: [Rule Name] page. Click the Create Criteria button and select Membership.
    8. On the Membership: [Rule Name] page, enter the username(s) of the users you wish to access the item, or click the Browse button to search for course members to add. If your course has groups, you have the option to select members as a group instead of by usernames. Click on the group name to highlight it, then click on the right- or left-facing arrows to move the group into or out of the Selected Items box.
    9. Once you’ve selected users to include in the Membership, click Submit.
    10. Your Membership Criterion will be listed on the Manage Criteria: [Rule Name] page. Click on the gray square icon next to the criterion’s Type, i.e. Membership, to reveal a drop‐down menu and select Edit to change the members, or Delete to remove the criterion from the Rule.

    Grade Criteria:
    Grade Criteria enable content to be displayed according to grade/score information. A Grade
    Criterion might require a score greater than, less than, or equal to a set value, a score that falls within a range of values, or it might only require that there be an attempt for a graded item. Once a rule is made with this criterion, it can be used in combination with others to narrow the accessibility of a content item.

    Create a Grade Rule:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Navigate to the content item to which you are going to apply the Adaptive Release.
    4. Click on the gray square icon next to the item’s name to reveal a drop‐down menu and select Adaptive Release.
    5. In section 3, select the Grade Center Column (i.e. an assignment or exam, etc.) from the drop-down list for which the Grade Criterion must be met in order to view the desired content item.
    6. Next select the Condition:

    a. User has at least one attempt for this item
    b. Score/Percent less than/greater than/equal to…[enter score]
    c. Score/Percent between…[enter value]…and…[enter value]

    7. Once you’ve made the selections for Grade Criteria, click Submit.

    Add Grade Criteria to a Rule:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Navigate to the content item to which you are going to apply the Grade Criteria.
    4. Click on the gray square icon next to the item’s name to reveal a drop‐down menu and select Adaptive Release: Advanced.
    5. Click the Create Rule button.
    6. On the Add Rule page, enter a rule name, then click Submit.
    7. You will be taken to the Manage Criteria: [Rule Name] page. Click the Create Criteria button and select Grade.
    8. On the Grade: [Rule Name] page, select the Grade Center Column (i.e. an assignment or exam, etc.) from the drop‐down list for which the Grade Criterion must be met in order to view the desired content item.
    9. Next select the Condition:

    a. User has at least one attempt for this item
    b. Score/Percent less than/greater than/equal to…[enter score]
    c. Score/Percent between…[enter value]…and…[enter value]

    10. Once you’ve made selections for the Grade Criteria, click Submit.
    11. Your Grade Criterion will be listed on the Manage Criteria: [Rule Name] page. Click on the gray square icon next to the criterion’s Type, i.e. Grade, to reveal a drop‐down menu and select Edit to change the column and score settings, or Delete to remove the criterion from the Rule.

    Review Status Criteria:
    Review Status Criteria allow content items to be released based on a user’s review of a prior
    content item. A Review Status Criterion might require a user to view a lecture file and mark it as “Reviewed” before allowing the user access to the related assignment. Once a rule is made with this criterion, it can be used in combination with others to narrow the accessibility of a content item.

    Create a Review Status Rule:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Navigate to the content item to which you are going to apply the Adaptive Release.
    4. Click on the gray square icon next to the item’s name to reveal a drop‐down menu and select Adaptive Release.
    5. In section 4, click the Browse button to select the content item that users will need to mark as “reviewed” in order to view the desired content item to which the rule is being applied. If you select the wrong content item, click the Clear button and browse again.
    6. Once you’ve made the selection for Review Status Criteria, click Submit.

    Add Review Status Criteria to a Rule:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Navigate to the content item to which you are going to apply the Review Status Criteria.
    4. Click on the gray square icon next to the item’s name to reveal a drop‐down menu and select Adaptive Release: Advanced.
    5. Click the Create Rule button.
    6. On the Add Rule page, enter a rule name, then click Submit.
    7. You will be taken to the Manage Criteria: [Rule Name] page. Click the Review Status button.
    8. On the Review Status: [Rule Name] page, click the Browse button to select the content item that users will need to mark as “reviewed” in order to view the desired content item to which the rule is being applied. If you select the wrong content item, click the Clear button and browse again.
    9. Once you’ve made the selection for the Review Status Criteria, click Submit.
    10. Your Review Status Criterion will be listed on the Manage Criteria: [Rule Name] page. Click on the gray square icon next to the criterion’s Type, i.e. Review Status, to reveal a drop‐down
    menu and select Edit to change the content item selection, or Delete to remove the criterion
    from the Rule.


How do I edit content?

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    Edit Content in a Content Area
    1. Click the double down arrows to the right of the item name to display a drop‐down menu of
    options, as shown here:

    Edit Content 1

    2. Click Edit on the drop‐down menu. The “Edit Item” screen will appear.
    3. Make the desired changes on the “Edit Item” screen.
    4. Click Submit. Watch for a "success receipt" (shown below) to appear in a green bar at the top of the page.

    (Note that you can also delete an item with the Delete option at the bottom of the drop‐down
    menu.)

How do I use the Textbook feature?

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    Textbooks
    Using Blackboard 9.1, you are able to assign a textbook to a course and the system will display a cover image, publishing information, and retail price for the text within the Bb course. The text information can also be hand‐keyed if you prefer. As the instructor, you are given a comments area where you are able to indicate if other bindings or editions are acceptable, let students know whether the text is required or recommended, and whatever other information is pertinent.

    Assign a Textbook:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Click on the Textbooks link in the course navigation menu to open the textbooks page:

    Textbooks 1

    4. Click the Assign Textbook button:

    Textbook 2

    5. Decide whether to Search for Textbook or attempt Manual Entry Textbook:

    Search for a Textbook:
    1. Select Search for Textbook.
    2. Select a search parameter (ISBN, Title, Author, Subject) from the Search drop-down menu:

    textbook 3

    3. Enter the text you will use to search for the book.
    4. Click the Go button.
    5. Select the book from the resulting list of books.
    6. Edit any of the optional settings that you want to use.
    7. Click Submit.

    OR

    Manual Entry of a Textbook:
    1. Select Manual Entry Textbook.
    2. In section 1, enter the textbook information; you must enter the title and whether it is required.
    3. If you wish, add a cover image in section 2, and then set desired options in section 3.
    4. When finished with the options, click Submit.

How do I use the course calendar?

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    Adding a Course Calendar to your Course Menu
    You can use the Course Calendar to provide students with dates for course related events. Course Calendar events appear to all members of the course. If students access the calendar while in your course, they will only see the entries you have added. If they access the calendar from the My 9.1 Bb tab, it includes the following:
    • Their personal entries
    • Entries for all courses in which they are enrolled
    • Entries for any organizations in which they are enrolled
    • Institution‐wide events

    Create a Course Calendar:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Select the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Click on the plus sign in the menu area and select Create Tool Link.
    4. From the drop‐down arrow, select Calendar. You are also required to fill in the Name field. Be sure to also check “Available to Users” and click Submit when finished:

    Calendar1    Calendar2

    5. Once you’ve added the Calendar to your course menu, click on the Calendar menu item and
    then select the Create Course Events button:

    calendar 4  Calendar3

    6. You can view your Calendar by day, week, month, and year. You can also use the Jump to
    option to move directly to a particular day:

    Calendar 5  calendar 6

    7. When creating an event, you must provide an Event Name, select an Event Date, and set an
    event start time and end time. Click Submit when finished.

    7Calendar

     

How do I use the Glossary tool?

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    Glossary
    You can create a glossary of terms for each of your courses in Blackboard 9.1. Each Glossary entry consists of a term and an accompanying definition. The Glossary is a Tool and is located on the Tools page in the Course Menu. As a Course Tool, it must be enabled in the Tool Availability area in order for student users to access it. (See the article "How do I manage my course tools?" for more information.) The following document discusses how to create a course Glossary and how users can access it.

    Creating a Course Glossary:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Select the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Ensure the Glossary tool is enabled in the course (see above).
    4. In the Control Panel, click on the Course Tools item and then select Glossary.
    5. On the Glossary page, click the Create Term button.
    6. On the Create Term page, enter the term in the first field, then the definition in the second.
    7. Click Submit.
    8. Repeat steps 5-7 for each Glossary term you wish to create.

    Accessing the Course Glossary:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Select the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the Course Menu, click the Tools selection.
    4. On the Tool page, find the Glossary link and click on it.

    An instructor may also create a Tool Link titled "Glossary" in the Course Menu. This Tool Link will be a direct link to the Glossary tool from the Course Menu. (See "How do I add an item to the menu?" documentation for how to create a Tool Link in the Course Menu.)

How do I set course tasks?

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    Tasks
    To help students organize their experience on Blackboard, you can set up course tasks for them to complete. When you create tasks you can also set the priority and the due date for the tasks. While on the Course Tasks page, you can also view students' progress in completing the tasks.

    Creating Tasks:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Look to the Control Panel, click the Course Tools selection to expand the menu, and then click Tasks.
    4. On the Tasks page, click Create Course Task.
    5. Enter a name for your task. (e.g. add a new thread in the discussion board)
    6. In the Description area, type a description for the task:

    Tasks1

    7. Next to Due Date, select a date for this task to be due.

    Tasks2

    8. Under Task Options, select the priority for this task.

    Tasks3

    9. When you are finished, click Submit.

How do I use Multimedia in my course?

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    Adding Multimedia Files
    Pictures, audio, and video content can be added to courses. Multimedia content engages learners in different ways and may improve learning. Multimedia files can come from a variety of sources. Files can be added from the Web through a Mashup, or uploaded directly from your computer.

    Displaying Image Files:
    When adding an image file to a course, please consider the following:

    • Text: For many reasons, a user may not be able to see the image. Adding text that explains the image and its purpose is standard Web practice and will allow users who cannot see the image to continue learning without distraction.
    • Dimensions: The height and width in pixels should match the original image dimensions. If the image is too big, customize the dimensions, but keep the same ratio between height and width. For example, and image at 640 x 800 pixels could be resized to 320 x 400 pixels. Changing the ratio of the dimensions will make the image appear stretched.
    • Border: Add a solid black line frame to the picture. The width of the border is measured in pixels.
    • Target URL: Make the image a link, clicking on the image will take the user to the specified URL.


    Displaying Audio Files:
    The audio file appears as a player in the course. The player has options for play, pause, forward, and rewind. When adding an audio file to a course, please consider the following:

    • Transcript: For many reasons, a user may not be able to hear the audio file. Including a text transcript is standard Web practice and allows users who cannot hear the audio to continue learning without distraction. If the audio file is an MPEG file, you can use the “Include Transcript” field to add a SAMI transcript file. Otherwise, add a text file as a separate file in the same folder.
    • Autostart: The file will start to play when the user opens the folder that includes the audio file.
    • Loop: The file will play again from the beginning until stopped by the user.


    Displaying Video Files:
    When adding a video file to the course, please consider the following:

    • Transcript: For many reasons, a user may not be able to hear the audio that accompanies the video file. Including a text transcript is standard Web practice and allows users who cannot hear the audio to continue learning without distraction. If the video file is an MPEG file, you can use the “Include Transcript” field to add a SAMI transcript file. Otherwise, add a text file as a separate file in the same folder.
    • Autostart: The file will start to play when the user opens the folder that includes the video file.
    • Loop: The file will play again from the beginning until stopped by the user.
    • Quality: The higher the quality, the better the resolution of the image. However, higher quality videos are much larger files and can take a long time to load before playing. Consider the balance between resolution and load time. You may want to test it out to find the right settings for the video.


    How to Add a Multimedia File:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Select the course within which you would like to work.
    3. Navigate to the content area where you would like to add the file.
    4. Click the Build Content button in the Action Bar.
    5. Select the type of multimedia file to add from the drop‐down menu.

    Multimedia1

    6. Browse for the file from your computer, from Course Files, or from Mashups.
    7. Set the options. Each file type will have a set of unique options for displaying that type of
    content. Multimedia files have the same options for permissions and tracking as other content
    items.
    8. Preview the content and click Submit when finished.

     

How do I turn on Statistics Tracking?

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    Statistics Tracking
    Statistics Tracking can be enabled for individual content items or for entire content areas within your Blackboard Course. This tool is especially helpful when you want to gather statistics on which items students are regularly accessing.

    NOTE: You cannot gather statistics tracking data unless you have enabled the statistics tracking option for that course item.

    Turning Statistics Tracking On and Off:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Navigate to the Content Area or Content Item that you would like to manage.
    4. Click on the gray square with double-down arrows next to the item you wish to track:

    Turning on Statistics 1

    5. Select Statistics Tracking (On/Off).
    6. On the Statistics Tracking page, select On to turn on tracking, then click Submit.

    NOTE: If you wish to disable tracking, follow steps 1‐5, then select Off in step 6.

    Alternatively:
    1. Follow instructions in article “How do I add content to my course?”
    2. While setting the item’s options, check Yes for the “Track Number of Views” option:

    Turning on Statistics 2

How do I run Statistics Tracking?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    Statistics Tracking
    Statistics Tracking can be enabled for individual content items or for entire content areas within your Blackboard Course. This tool is especially helpful when you want to gather statistics on which items students are regularly accessing.

    NOTE: You cannot gather statistics tracking data unless you have enabled the statistics tracking option for that course item.

    Viewing Statistics for a Content Item:
    When Statistics Tracking is enabled, the View Statistics link is active on the Statistics Tracking page. Follow the steps below to view Tracking Statistics for a content item:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Navigate to the desired content item, then click on the gray square with double-down arrows next to the item.
    4. Select View Statistics Report from the revealed menu:

    Running Statistics 1

    5. On the Statistics Report page, select the gray square with double-down arrows next to “Content Usage Statistics.”
    6. Select Run.
    7. Choose the format (PDF, HTML, Excel or Word) of the report, the appropriate users (hold the CTRL or COMMAND key to select more than one user from the list), and the time period for
    the report (be sure to use the calendar icon to select the dates).
    8. Click Submit to run the report.

    Running Statistics 2

    The report displays three sections of data: Access by Date, Access by Hour of the Day, and Access by Day of the Week. The Access by Date section displays information for all enrolled users.

How do I create a Mashup from the content area?

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    Mashups
    The new Mashup feature in Blackboard 9.1 allows instructors and students to search, select, and display content from Flickr, SlideShare and YouTube without ever leaving the Blackboard interface.
    Blackboard 9.1 supports linking to Mashups from:
    • Flickr—lets you share photos
    • SlideShare—allows you to share presentations
    • YouTube—allows you to share videos.

    Mashups are added as a Content Item in a folder or through the Text Editor, and are displayed in the following ways:
    • Embed—the Mashup displays directly on the page when a student opens the item.
    • Thumbnail View with Player—a small picture of the Mashup displays on the page with
    controls to launch it.
    • Text Link with Player—a link to the Mashup is displayed on the page. Students click the link
    to launch the Mashup.

    Creating a Mashup Item from the Content Area:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Select the Course with which you would like to work.
    3. Navigate to the Content Area of that course.
    4. Click the Build Content button and then select Flickr Photo, SlideShare Presentation, or
    YouTube Video from the drop‐down list.

    Content Item Mashups1

    5. Search for content:

    Content Item Mashups2

    6. You may ensure that the content is what you desire by clicking the Preview button located
    under each thumbnail and then click the Select button when you have located the appropriate
    item.

    Content Item Mashups3

    7. Once you have selected the content, you may change the name of the item if you wish, then enter a Description of the Mashup.
    8. Set the Mashup Options, and if desired, attach additional content items to the Mashup by
    clicking Browse My Computer or Browse Course Files:

    Content Item Mashups4

    9. When finished with the Mashup settings, click Submit.

    NOTE: If the Mashup displays an error after initially appearing, it is possible that the URL has
    changed or the item was deleted from Flickr, SlideShare or YouTube.

How do I create a Mashup with the Text Editor?

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    Mashups
    The new Mashup feature in Blackboard 9.1 allows instructors and students to search, select, and display content from Flickr, SlideShare and YouTube without ever leaving the Blackboard interface.
    Blackboard 9.1 supports linking to Mashups from:
    • Flickr—lets you share photos
    • SlideShare—allows you to share presentations
    • YouTube—allows you to share videos.

    Mashups are added as a Content Item in a folder or through the Text Editor, and are displayed in the following ways:
    • Embed—the Mashup displays directly on the page when a student opens the item.
    • Thumbnail View with Player—a small picture of the Mashup displays on the page with
    controls to launch it.
    • Text Link with Player—a link to the Mashup is displayed on the page. Students click the link
    to launch the Mashup.

    Creating a Mashup Item from the Text Editor:
    Creating a Mashup using the Text Editor means that you can put them in places where users can interact with the content, such as in Test Questions, Discussion Boards, or Blogs.
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Select the Course with which you would like to work.
    3. Navigate to the content area in which you wish to place the Mashup.
    4. Click the Build Content button and select Item from the drop‐down list:

    Text Editor Mashups1

    5. Type in a name for the content item, then click the Add Mashup icon on the bottom row of the Text Editor buttons:

    Text Editor Mashups2

    6. Select Flickr Photo, SlideShare Presentation, or YouTube Video from the drop‐down menu.
    7. Search for content:

    Content Item Mashups2

    8. You may ensure that the content is what you desire by clicking the Preview button located
    under each thumbnail, then click the Select button when you have located the appropriate item.

    Content Item Mashups3

    9. Once you have selected the content, you may change the name of the item if you wish, then enter a Description of the Mashup.
    10. Set the Mashup Options, then click Submit:

    Text Editor Mashups3

    11. Enter any additional text in the Text Editor, attach files as needed in section2, and then choose your content item options in section 3.
    12. When finished with setting options, click Submit.

    NOTE: If the Mashup displays an error after initially appearing, it is possible that the URL has
    changed or the item was deleted from Flickr, SlideShare or YouTube.

What is the Course Files feature?

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    Course Files
    Creating and maintaining a repository of materials is an important part of developing a Blackboard course. With the Course Files feature, instructors have access to all of their files from a central location inside their course. They can manage, organize, and view those files to suit their needs.
    Large amounts of content can be moved quickly from a local drive to Course Files. Once content is in the Course Files, it can be organized using folders and sub‐folders. The organization of content in Course Files is separate from the organization of content presented in a course.
    Each course had its own Course Files repository, so only content for that particular course is stored there. Content is not shared across courses taught by the same instructor. However, content in the Course Files area can be used in multiple places within the course just by linking to the specific file. All instances of content items linked to the repository can be updated or edited in the Course Files area, if saved with the same file name.
    Files that are linked to a content area from the Course Files are not deleted when the link in the content area is deleted. The file still remains in the Course Files area and can be used again. Links to course content are not broken when files are modified or moved from one Course Files folder to another.

    Accessing Course Files:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you would like to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Files selection to expand the menu.
    4. Click the Course ID link. This opens the Course Files area, where stored files will be displayed. 

    Basic Course Files Explanation 1

How do I upload files into the Course Files feature?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video General upload
    Video Upload Zipped Package
    Video Upload Zipped File

    Course Files: Uploading Content Files
    With the Course Files feature, instructors have access to all of their files from a central location inside their course. They can manage, organize, and view those files to suit their needs. Large amounts of content can be moved quickly from a local drive to Course Files. Once content is in the Course Files, it can be organized using folders and sub‐folders. The organization of content in Course Files is separate from the organization of content presented in a course. Each course had its own Course Files repository, so only content for that particular course is stored there. Content is not shared across courses taught by the same instructor. However, content in the Course Files area can be used in multiple places within the course just by linking to the specific file. All instances of content items linked to the repository can be updated or edited in the Course Files area, if saved with the same file name.
    Files that are linked to a content area from the Course Files are not deleted when the link in the content area is deleted. The file still remains in the Course Files area and can be used again. Links to course content are not broken when files are modified or moved from one Course Files folder to another.

    Uploading Content Files to Course Files:
    Files can be uploaded in to Course Files in different ways. Files can be located and uploaded by browsing a local drive. Files can be uploaded using a drag‐and‐drop function. A single file or multiple files and folders can be uploaded in one action. There are options for multiple and single uploads. All supported file types can be saved to Course Files.

    Using the Browse Function
    When files are uploaded, they are added to the folder currently displayed in the content frame. Files can be moved to other folders at any time.
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you would like to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Files selection to expand the menu.
    4. Click the Course ID link. This opens the Course Files area, where stored files will be displayed.
    5. Click on the Course Files folder where the files will be uploaded.
    6. On the Action Bar, click the Upload button to reveal a drop‐down list, and select Upload Files:

    Course Files Uploading 1

    7. Look to the upper right corner of the page and select Single File to upload one file, or to upload a package (.zip) file without unzipping it. Select Multiple Files to upload more than one file with the same operation:

    course files upload 2

    8. Click the Browse button to find and select the file(s) and/or folders to upload, then click Open in the dialog box:

    Course Files Uploading 3  Course Files Uploading 4

    9. The selected file(s) and/or folders are added to the system upload list. The contents of folders will display individually in the upload list, but after they are uploaded, they will be contained in their parent folder in the directory.
    10. Repeat steps 7 & 8 to upload additional files and folders.

    NOTE:     Attempting to upload a file with the same name as an existing file will generate a prompt to overwrite the previously uploaded file.

    11. When finished with selecting files and folders to add to the Course Files repository, click Submit. A status bar will display the progress of the upload.

    Using the Drag-and-Drop Function
    Use the drag‐and‐drop function to upload a single file, multiple files, or one or more folders.
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you would like to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Files selection to expand the menu.
    4. Click the Course ID link. This opens the Course Files area, where stored files will be displayed.
    5. Click on the Course Files folder where the files will be uploaded.
    6. On the Action Bar, click the Upload button to reveal a drop‐down list, and select Upload Files:

    Course Files Uploading 1

    7. Look to the upper right corner of the page and select Multiple Files:

    course files upload 2

    8. Once on the Upload Multiple Files page, you can begin dragging files and folders from the local drives to the upload box, as pictured below. To select multiple files and folders at a time, hold down the CTRL (PC) or COMMAND (Mac) key while clicking on the files and folders to upload.

    Course Files Uploading5

    9. Selected files and folders will appear in the upload box.
    10. When finished dragging files to the Course Files upload box, click Submit. A status bar will display the progress of the upload.

    Uploading Zipped Package Files
    Files and folders can be zipped into a package and uploaded into Course Files. Zipped files can be automatically unzipped, keeping the folder structure and links intact. This is especially useful for developing a complete Web site or other linked content offline using an authoring tool and then uploading the entire site. Alternatively, keep the file zipped and use it as an attachment that can be downloaded and unzipped by users on their local drive.

    To upload and automatically unzip a package:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you would like to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Files selection to expand the menu.
    4. Click the Course ID link. This opens the Course Files area, where stored files will be displayed.
    5. Create a folder for the contents of the zipped package, and/or click on the folder where the files will be stored.
    6. Within the folder, click the Upload button to access the drop‐down list and select Upload Package:

    Course Files Uploading 1

    7. Click the Browse button and locate the file on your local drive.
    8. After selecting the package file, click Submit. The zipped package will automatically unzip in the selected Course Files folder.
    9. To link the unzipped files to a content area so that it will display as a unit, attach the first or start page (e.g. “index.html”) to a content item. Users will then click the file link and the material will display with all links, images, and navigation intact.

    To upload a zipped package without unzipping:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you would like to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Files selection to expand the menu.
    4. Click the Course ID link. This opens the Course Files area, where stored files will be displayed.
    5. Create a folder for the zipped package, and/or click on the folder where the file will be stored.
    6. Within the folder, click the Upload button to access the drop‐down list and select Upload Files:

    Course Files Uploading 1

    7. Look to the upper right corner of the page and select Single File:

    course files upload 2

    8. On the Upload Single File page, click the Browse button to locate the zipped file on a local drive.
    9. After selecting the package file, click Submit. The zipped package will remain zipped in the selected Course Files folder.

    Overwriting a File
    Files that are uploaded to Course Files with the same name as an existing file will generate a prompt to overwrite the existing file with the new file. Overwriting a file is permanent and cannot be undone. However, keeping the same name will allow any instances of the file throughout the course to be updated automatically with the new version. To keep both versions, change the name of one file or add it to a different folder.

How do I organize my Course Files?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    Course Files: Organization
    With the Blackboard Course Files feature, instructors have access to all of their files from a central location inside their course. They can manage, organize, and view those files to suit their needs.
    Large amounts of content can be moved quickly from a local drive to Course Files. Once content is in the Course Files, it can be organized using folders and sub‐folders. The organization of content in Course Files is separate from the organization of content presented in a course.
    Each course had its own Course Files repository, so only content for that particular course is stored there. Content is not shared across courses taught by the same instructor. However, content in the Course Files area can be used in multiple places within the course just by linking to the specific file. Links to course content are not broken when files are modified or moved from one Course Files folder to another.

    Organizing Files and Folders:
    Within the Course Files area, files can be contained within folders and folders can be contained within other folders. All links in a course to content moved within Course Files will remain intact.

    Move Files and Folders
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you would like to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Files selection to expand the menu.
    4. Click the Course ID link. This opens the Course Files area, where stored files will be displayed.
    5. Click to check mark the boxes next to the names of the files and folders you wish to move.
    6. Click one of the Move buttons located above and below the course files:

    course files manage folders 1

    7. Click the Browse button to select a destination folder. Move a file or folder from a sub-folder to the main Course Files folder by clicking the radio button for the Select Current Directory option:

    Course Files Organization 1Course Files Organization 1

    NOTE: On the Select Folder page, use the Create Folder button to add a folder while moving
    content.
    8. After selecting the Destination folder, click the Submit button to close the Select Folder page.
    9. Back on the Move page, click the Submit button to enact the movement of the selected files and folders.

    Renaming Files and Folders
    Any file or folder contained in the Course Files area can be renamed. Links to the renamed content will remain intact, but the names of linked files in the course content areas will not be updated. Changes to file names in Course Files will not affect Link Names added to file attachments in a course, so consider always adding a Link Name when linking files.
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you would like to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Files selection to expand the menu.
    4. Click the Course ID link. This opens the Course Files area, where stored files will be displayed.
    5. Click the gray square with double-down arrows next to the file or folder you wish to rename, then select Edit from the drop‐down menu.
    6. On the Edit page, enter the new file name.
    7. Click the Submit button to save the name.

    Deleting Files and Folders
    Any file or folder within the Course Files can be deleted. Deleting items is permanent and cannot be undone. Links to content in a course will appear broken and display an error message to users after the course file is deleted.

How do I create folders to organize my Course Files?

  • Printable PDF document

    Video

    Course Files: Folders
    Creating and maintaining a repository of materials is an important part of developing a Blackboard course. With the Course Files feature, instructors have access to all of their files from a central location inside their course. They can manage, organize, and view those files to suit their needs.
    Large amounts of content can be moved quickly from a local drive to Course Files. Once content is in the Course Files, it can be organized using folders and sub‐folders. The organization of content in Course Files is separate from the organization of content presented in a course.
    Each course had its own Course Files repository, so only content for that particular course is stored there. Content is not shared across courses taught by the same instructor. However, content in the Course Files area can be used in multiple places within the course just by linking to the specific file. All instances of content items linked to the repository can be updated or edited in the Course Files area, if saved with the same file name.
    Files that are linked to a content area from the Course Files are not deleted when the link in the content area is deleted. The file still remains in the Course Files area and can be used again. Links to course content are not broken when files are modified or moved from one Course Files folder to another.

    Create a Folder in Course Files:
    Organize the Course Files environment by making folders and sub‐folders. Creating a logical filing system makes it easy to locate and link to content items. Once a folder structure is in place, upload content into the various folders.

    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you would like to work.
    1. In the Control Panel, click on the Files selection to expand the menu.
    3. Click the Course ID link. This opens the Course Files area, where stored files will be displayed.
    4. On the Action Bar, click Create Folder.
    5. Type a Folder Name in the text field that appears.
    6. Click Submit. The folder appears alphabetically in the directory of Course Files.

How do I manage folders within the Course Files?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    Course Files: Managing Folders
    With the Course Files feature, instructors have access to all of their files from a central location inside their course. They can manage, organize, and view those files to suit their needs. Large amounts of content can be moved quickly from a local drive to Course Files. Once content is in the Course Files, it can be organized using folders and sub‐folders. The organization of content in Course Files is separate from the organization of content presented in a course. Each course had its own Course Files repository, so only content for that particular course is stored there. Content is not shared across courses taught by the same instructor. However, content in the Course Files area can be used in multiple places within the course just by linking to the specific file. All instances of content items linked to the repository can be updated or edited in the Course Files area, if saved with the same file name.
    Files that are linked to a content area from the Course Files are not deleted when the link in the content area is deleted. The file still remains in the Course Files area and can be used again. Links to course content are not broken when files are modified or moved from one Course Files folder to another.

    Editing, Copying, Moving, & Deleting Folders in Course Files:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you would like to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Files selection to expand the menu.
    4. Click the Course ID link. This opens the Course Files area, where stored files will be displayed.
    5. Click on the gray square icon next to a folder name and:

    * Select Edit to change the folder name. Changing the name of a folder will not break any links to content in the course.
    * Select Copy to copy the folder and its contents to another top‐level folder within the Course Files area. Copying a folder will not break any links to content in the course.
    * Select Move to move the folder and its contents to another top level folder within the Course Files area. Moving a folder will not break any links to content in the course.
    * Select Delete to erase the folder and its contents. This action is final and cannot be undone. All content in a folder will be permanently deleted from Course Files and any links in the course will be broken. Broken links will display an “Invalid File” statement next to them.

    6. Alternatively, you can click to check the boxes at the beginning of folder and file names you
    wish to manipulate, then use the management buttons located above and below the course files:

    course files manage folders 1

    7. The Download Package button allows you to download folders and files in package files to save on your machine for storage or to upload into another course.

     To upload a package file to another course’s Course Files area, click the Upload button in the Action Bar, then select Upload Package. Browse for the desired package file, then click Submit:

    course files manage folders 2

How do I create content items in the Coures Files area?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    Course Files: Creating HTML Objects
    With the Course Files feature, instructors have access to all of their files from a central location inside their course. They can manage, organize, and view those files to suit their needs.
    Large amounts of content can be moved quickly from a local drive to Course Files. Once content is in the Course Files, it can be organized using folders and sub‐folders. The organization of content in Course Files is separate from the organization of content presented in a course.
    Each course had its own Course Files repository, so only content for that particular course is stored there. Content is not shared across courses taught by the same instructor. However, content in the Course Files area can be used in multiple places within the course just by linking to the specific file.
    All instances of content items linked to the repository can be updated or edited in the Course Files area, if saved with the same file name.
    Files that are linked to a content area from the Course Files are not deleted when the link in the content area is deleted. The file still remains in the Course Files area and can be used again. Links to course content are not broken when files are modified or moved from one Course Files folder to another.

    Creating HTML Objects in Course Files:
    Within Course Files, new items can be created using the Text Editor. These items are called HTML Objects.
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you would like to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Files selection to expand the menu.
    4. Click the Course ID link. This opens the Course Files area, where stored files will be displayed.
    5. If necessary, enter the folder in which you wish to create the HTML Object.
    6. Click the Create HTML Object button in the Action Bar.
    7. On the Create Reusable Object page, enter a name for the object, then use the Text Editor
    functions to format the text and add files, images, and multimedia, if desired. Any files added
    from a local drive as attachments are automatically uploaded to Course Files. You can include
    text, images, and multimedia, as well as attach files.
    8. Click Submit.

    NOTE: Any files added to the HTML Object are saved in Course Files in the same folder as the HTML Object. The new HTML Object can be linked to one or more locations in the course.

How do I link files & folders in the Course Files to course content areas?

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    Video

    Course Files: Linking Content to Files & Folders
    With the Blackboard Course Files feature, instructors have access to all of their files from a central location inside their course. They can manage, organize, and view those files to suit their needs. Each course had its own Course Files repository, so only content for that particular course is stored there. Content is not shared across courses taught by the same instructor. However, content in the Course Files area can be used in multiple places within the course just by linking to the specific file. Links to course content are not broken when files are modified or moved from one Course Files folder to another.

    Linking to Course Files
    Once files have been added to Course Files, they can be linked to most areas in a course, such as learning modules, content items, blogs, announcements, tasks, wikis, test instructions, and the Discussion Board. Some course areas do not allow you to link files, such as assignments or individual wiki pages.

    Attaching Course Files to Content Items
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you would like to work.
    3. Navigate to the desired content area.
    4. Click the Build Content button and select Item from the Create column.
    5. On the Create Item page, type a name in the provided field, then enter desired content into the Text Editor.
    6. In the Attachments section, click the Browse Course button.
    7. On the Select File or Folder page, select one or more files and folders.
    8. After selecting the desired files, click the Submit button.
    9. Back on the Create Item page, you may type Link Titles for the attached files if you do not wish to display the files with only the file names.
    10. Select desired availability options, then click the Submit button. The content item’s attached files will now be linked to the Course Files repository.

    Viewing a File’s Course Links
    The 360° View report provides a list of all the course areas that have been linked to the file. This is critical to determining where changes to the file will occur in the course, such as which links will break if the file is deleted. Other information is provided in this report including file name, file type, file size, last edited date, and user permissions.
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you would like to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Files selection to expand the menu.
    4. Click the Course ID link. This opens the Course Files area, where stored files will be displayed.
    5. Click the gray square with double-down arrows next to the file or folder you wish to rename, then select 360° View from the drop‐down menu:

    Course Files Linking 1

    6. The report will open in a new browser window or tab. When finished viewing the report, close the tab or window.

How can I view files and folders in my Course Files?

  • Printable PDF document

    Course Files: Viewing Files & Folders
    With the Blackboard Course Files feature, instructors have access to all of their files from a central location inside their course. They can manage, organize, and view those files to suit their needs.
    Large amounts of content can be moved quickly from a local drive to Course Files. Once content is in the Course Files, it can be organized using folders and sub‐folders. The organization of content in Course Files is separate from the organization of content presented in a course.
    Each course had its own Course Files repository, so only content for that particular course is stored there. Content is not shared across courses taught by the same instructor. However, content in the Course Files area can be used in multiple places within the course just by linking to the specific file.
    Links to course content are not broken when files are modified or moved from one Course Files folder to another.

    Viewing Files and Folders in Course Files:
    The default view of the files and folders in Course Files is a list with standard small icons in the File Type column.
    For larger icons, click View Thumbnails at the top right of the screen to switch from List View to Thumbnail View. The system will remember which view you have chosen and it will remain until you change the view.

    Course Files View 1

    Use the slider to change the size of the thumbnail icons. For image file types, such as .png and .jpeg, you can click the icon to preview the image. For all other file types, click the standard icon representing the file type to view more information. Click the file’s name to open it.

How do I search Course Files?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    Course Files: Searching for Files & Folders
    With the Blackboard Course Files feature, instructors have access to all of their files from a central location inside their course. They can manage, organize, and view those files to suit their needs.
    Large amounts of content can be moved quickly from a local drive to Course Files. Once content is in the Course Files, it can be organized using folders and sub‐folders. The organization of content in Course Files is separate from the organization of content presented in a course.
    Each course had its own Course Files repository, so only content for that particular course is stored there. Content is not shared across courses taught by the same instructor. However, content in the Course Files area can be used in multiple places within the course just by linking to the specific file. Links to course content are not broken when files are modified or moved from one Course Files folder to another.

    Locating Files and Folders:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you would like to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Files selection to expand the menu.
    4. Enter a keyword, text string, or the name of the file or folder you wish to search for in the field provided, then click Go to search. Searches are not case‐sensitive. 

    Course Files Search 1

    5. Alternatively, click the Basic Search link under the search field to open the Basic Search page in the content frame. A Basic Search locates files and folders based on a keyword or single text string. Select the check box to search file contents as well as file names. File contents are indexed periodically, so new content may not be found immediately. Searching file contents can increase the search time.

How do I download course files?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    Course Files: Downloading Files & Folders
    With the Course Files feature, instructors have access to all of their files from a central location inside their course. They can manage, organize, and view those files to suit their needs.
    Large amounts of content can be moved quickly from a local drive to Course Files. Once content is in the Course Files, it can be organized using folders and sub‐folders. The organization of content in Course Files is separate from the organization of content presented in a course.
    Each course had its own Course Files repository, so only content for that particular course is stored there. Content is not shared across courses taught by the same instructor. However, content in the Course Files area can be used in multiple places within the course just by linking to the specific file.  All instances of content items linked to the repository can be updated or edited in the Course Files area, if saved with the same file name.
    Files that are linked to a content area from the Course Files are not deleted when the link in the content area is deleted. The file still remains in the Course Files area and can be used again. Links to course content are not broken when files are modified or moved from one Course Files folder to another.

    Downloading Files and Folders:
    Files and folders within Course Files can be saved in zipped package files and downloaded to a local drive. This is helpful for reusing selected files in other courses or editing several files offline.
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you would like to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Files selection to expand the menu.
    4. Click the Course ID link. This opens the Course Files area, where stored files will be displayed.
    5. Select the check boxes next to the files and folder you wish to add to the package.
    6. Click one of the Download Package buttons located above and below the files list:

    Course Files downloading 1

    7. In the pop‐up window, select Save and click OK to save the zipped package file to a local drive. The file name will be the Course ID with the .zip file extension.

    NOTE: Files that have been edited on a local drive and then uploaded back into Course Files will retain their links as long as the original file names remain. If the name of any file is changed while on the desktop, a new file is added to Course Files when uploading and the edits made to the file will not appear in the course content area where it is linked.

How do I find information about McGraw-Hill integration?

  • Printable PDF document

    You can find information about the McGraw-Hill integration with Blackboard in the above PDF file.

    If you need assistance with the McGraw-Hill features you can contact McGraw-Hill:

    Dennis Williams
    Digital Learning Consultant
    McGraw-Hill Higher Education
    1-800-331-5094
    dennis_williams@mcgraw-hill.com
    www.mhhe.com

Assignments and SafeAssignments

How do I create and edit an assignment?

  • Printable PDF document
    Create an Assignment Video
    Edit an Assignment Video

    To Create an Assignment within a Course
    1. Open the course in which you want to create the Assignment.
    2. Navigate to the desired content area by selecting the correct button or link from the Course Menu at the left of the screen:

    Create An Assignment1

    3. Click on the Create Assessment button in the Action Bar, located under the page title, to reveal a drop‐down menu:

    Create a Test Content Area 1

    4. Select Assignment from the drop‐down menu.
    5. On the “Create Assignment” page, fill in the required information and select your appearance options (font, color, etc.). Choose whether to associate a Rubric with the Assignment and which Rubric you wish to grade with.  Attach any files you want to include for your users’ reference.
    NOTE: Make sure you check the box next to “Make the Assignment Available” when you want users to be able to see and complete the Assignment.

    6. When you have set all the options you desire, click Submit.
    7. The Grade Center will automatically create a grading column for this Assignment.

    To Edit an Assignment’s Options
    You might want to go back to an Assignment and change some of the options that govern its’ functioning, for example, to make the Assignment available to users at a date later than its’ creation.
    1. Open the course in which you created the Assignment.
    2. Make sure the “Edit Mode” is “ON.”
    3. Navigate to the appropriate Content Area.
    4. Click on the gray box with double‐down arrows next to the Assignment title to reveal a drop-down menu, and select Edit (see screen shot below).
    NOTE: At this point you could also delete the Assignment, or select another option
    from the menu, including Adaptive Release and Tracking, which are described in other
    documents.

    Create An Assignment-3

    5. Make the changes you wish to apply to the Assignment.
    6. Click Submit.

How do I open batches of SafeAssignment submissions?

  • Printable PDF document

    Downloading Batches of SafeAssignment Submissions
    Instructors can download all of the user submissions for a single SafeAssignment simultaneously:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Click on the Course Tools option in the Control Panel to expand the menu, then select
    SafeAssign from the list of tools.
    4. On the SafeAssign page, click on the SafeAssignments option to view all SafeAssignments in the course.
    5. Find the desired assignment in the list, then click the gray box with double‐down arrows in
    order to reveal a drop‐down menu:

    batch safeassign submission1

    6. Select the View Submissions option.
    7. On the View SafeAssignment page, you can download individual assignments using the same
    icon as in the Grade Center, Safeassign File icon , or you can click the green Download All Submissions button, located above the list of users/submissions, to download and save all the submitted files locally on your desktop for later review.

How do I open individual SafeAssignment submissions?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    To Open Individual SafeAssignment User Submissions:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Click on the Grade Center selection in the “Control Panel,” then Full Grade Center, or your
    desired Smart View.
    4. Scroll across to the Grading Column from which you wish to view submissions. Scroll down to the user whose submission you wish to view, if there is one in particular.
    5. Hover your mouse over a particular grade cell and you will see a gray box with double‐down
    arrows. Click on the box to reveal a drop‐down menu of options:

    open SA individual submissions1

    6. Select Attempt (date) to see the details of the user’s returned report on the SafeAssignment, as well as to view the date and time of the submission, the actual submission itself and to enter a grade:

    open SA individual submissions2
    7. To view the file the user submitted, click on the Safeassign File icon icon, then follow the prompts to save and/or open the file.
    8. After viewing the submission, assign a grade in section 4, “Grade Current Attempt.” You can also add grading comments in two ways:

    a. In the “Comments” box: these notes will only appear in the user’s “My Grades” view.
    b. By “Attach File”: you can add notes directly to the student’s submission, save the file on your desktop (locally), then re‐upload it here. Users can access these files from their “My Grades” view as well.

    9. Section 5, “Instructor’s Notes,” is for your own reference and will only appear in your Grade Center, thus visible only to you and any co‐instructors or TA’s.
    10. When finished with viewing and grading a submission, click the Submit button to save any
    changes.

How do I use SafeAssign?

  • Printable PDF document
    Printable PDF: Quick Reference Guide
    Using SafeAssign Video
    Direct Submission Video

    Faculty: Using SafeAssign in Bb 9.1
    This document describes the SafeAssign tool in Blackboard 9.1. SafeAssign is an application that submits papers to an outside database and compares them to all documents/sources in the database looking for potentially plagiarized material. The database also retains a copy of the submitted papers so that future submissions can be compared as well. Once the submitted papers pass through the system, reports are generated for individual papers that give the percentage of ‘matching’ material (possibly plagiarized) in each paper. The document will cover:
    • Creating SafeAssignments
    • Direct Submission to SafeAssign Database

    To Create a SafeAssignment
    1. Open the course in which you want to create the SafeAssignment.
    2. Navigate to the content area in which you want to post the assignment.
    3. From the Action Bar, click on Create Assessment and select SafeAssignment.
    4. On the SafeAssignment creation page, enter the necessary information (name, points possible and instructions), then enter other settings you want for the assignment, such as the availability dates.
    5. If you are planning for your students to re‐submit the same paper (for example, if there will be multiple drafts), you can click on the box next to the “Draft” option so that the SafeAssign
    database will recognize the paper as a draft and won’t commit it to the permanent database.
    This will avoid later submissions being designated as plagiarized.
    6. In Section 2, Optional Announcement, you can create an Announcement for students.
    7. When all information is completed, click the Submit button.  You will receive a green Success banner across the top of the page if the SafeAssignment was successfully added.

    Direct Submission of SafeAssignment
    You can also directly submit papers to the SafeAssign service, either individually or several at a time (by including them in a .zip file). Though not integrated with the Grade Center, this method does allow an instructor to add a paper to the institutional database and to generate a report on a paper not submitted through an actual “SafeAssignment.”
    Direct Submit supports the following file types:
    o Microsoft Word document: .doc or .docx
    o Rich Text Format: .rtf
    o HTML: .htm or .html
    o Text: .txt
    o Zip Compressed: .zip (used to upload multiple files)

    1. Open the course through which you want to submit the papers.
    2. Click on the Course Tools selection in the Control Panel.
    3. Select SafeAssign.
    4. Click on the DirectSubmit area of the SafeAssign tool screen.
    5. A list of folders and papers will appear:

    Use Safe Assign 1
    a. The list includes papers already uploaded through the Direct Submit tool. It is not recommended that files be deleted from this location, since this will also remove them from the institutional database of existing materials.

    6. Click Submit a Paper to continue with directly submitting files to SafeAssign.
    7. Select upload options:

    a. “Submit as Draft” will generate a SafeAssign report, but will not add the paper to the institutional database and it will not be used to check other papers.
    b. “Skip Plagiarism Checking” will add the papers to the institutional database without checking for content copied from other sources. (An instructor might use this to upload papers from a prior course to ensure current students are not reusing work).

    Use Safe Assign 2

    8. Select Upload File and browse for a file—individual papers and papers grouped in a .zip package are accepted. Alternatively, select Copy/Paste Document to add the document text directly into the provided field.
    9. Click Submit.


    NOTE: Shared Folders and Private Folders: DirectSubmit Shared Folders are viewable by anyone with access to the DirectSubmit tool through the course. Multiple instructors and teaching assistants can view submissions related to a course in Shared Folders. Private Folders can be used to manage papers for an individual instructor. These folders follow the instructor and are available in any course where that user has instructor‐level privileges.

How do I grade an assignment using a Rubric?

  • Printable PDF document

    Grade an Assignment with a Rubric:
    Please note that these instructions apply to regular Blackboard Assignments, not SafeAssignments.
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Grade Center selection to expand the menu, then select Full Grade Center, or desired Smart View.
    4. Find the grading column for the Assignment you wish to grade with a rubric.
    5. Click on the gray square with double-down arrows located in the grade cell for the item you wish to grade.
    6. From the drop‐down menu revealed, select Attempt. You could also select View Grade
    Details    , then click the View Attempt button on the Grade Details page.
    7. Once you have the user’s attempt open, open the rubric for grading by clicking the View Rubric button located to the right of the grade entry box.
    8. The rubric will pop up in a separate window so you can reference and grade within it while viewing the attempt.
    9. Click the Submit button to save the points and grade assigned and to close the rubric window.  The assigned score should now appear in the attempt's grade entry box.  There is an opportunity to change that grade (add or remove points for partial credit or criteria not on the rubric) before submitting the grade by clicking the Submit button on the attempt page.

How do I link a Rubric to an Assignment?

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    Link a Rubric to an Assignment:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Grade Center selection to expand the menu, then select Full Grade Center, or the appropriate Smart View.
    4. Find the grading column for the Assignment to which you wish to add the rubric.
    5. Click on the gray square with double-down arrows in the title cell of the desired grading column and select Edit Column Information from the revealed drop-down menu.
    6. At the end of section 1 of the Edit Column page, there is an option to associate a rubric with the graded item.  Click the Add Rubric button, then select an option from the drop-down menu:

    a. Select Rubric
    i. A pop-up window listing all the rubrics within the course will appear. 
    ii. Click to check mark the box next to the rubric you wish to select.
    iii. Click the Submit button.
    b. Create New Rubric
    i. A pop-up window will appear.  See the "How do I create and manage a rubric?" documentation.
    ii. Click the Submit button.
    c. Create from Existing
    i. A pop-up window listing all the rubrics within the course will appear.
    ii. Click the radio button for the rubric you wish to use as the basis for your current item. Click the Submit button.
    iii. Make changes to the original rubric as necessary, then click the Submit button.

    7. When prompted, click OK to make the graded item's maximum points possible correspond with the rubric's maximum point possible value. Or, click Cancel and adjust the points possible in the rubric.
    8. The rubric should now be listed on the Edit Column page.
    9. At this point you can add more than one rubric to the assignment. If you wish to do so, repeat steps 6-8 for each rubric.
    10. Once the desired rubric(s) have been added, there are some options to set:

    Associate Rubrics Options 1
    a. To disassociate (remove) a rubric from the graded item, click the icon depicted as a red circle with a white 'X' located to the left of the rubric's title.
    b. To view the rubric, click the icon depicted as two overlapping white rectangles.  The rubric will open in a separate pop-up window.
    c. To edit the rubric, click the icon depicted as two overlapping white rectangles with a pencil.  The Edit Rubric page will open in a separate pop-up window.
    d. For "type," there must be more than one rubric associated with the item.  If there is a second rubric, one is designated as the rubric "used for grading" and the other rubric is designated for use in a "secondary evaluation."  Click the icon depicted as an orange and blue square with double-down arrows, then select the designation from the drop-down menu. Repeat for additional rubrics.
    e. Rubrics are hidden from student users by default, but can be made available to student users by clicking the icon depicted as a check mark next to double-down arrows, then selecting the desired visibility. There are three options:
    i. Unavailable to student users is indicated by the icon depicted as a gray check mark with a red slash over it
    ii. Available to student users without scores is indicated by the icon depicted as a green check mark
    iii. Available to student users after grading (with scores) is indicated by the icon depicted as a green check mark over a white square
    11. After setting all the desired options, scroll down the Edit Column page and click the Submit button.

How do I open individual student submissions?

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    To Open an Individual User Submission
    1. Open the course in which you want to view submissions.
    2. Click on the Grade Center selection in the “Control Panel,” then Full Grade Center, or your desired Smart View.
    3. Scroll across to the Grading Column from which you wish to view submissions. Scroll down to the user whose submission you wish to view, if there is one in particular.
    4. Hover your mouse over a particular grade cell and you will see a gray box with double‐down arrows. Click on the gray box icon to reveal a drop‐down menu of options:

    open individual submisison 1

    5. Select Attempt (date) to go directly to the user’s full submission, or…
    6. Select View Grade Details to see the details of the user’s grade on the Test or Assignment, if it has been automatically graded by Blackboard, as well as to view the date and time of the
    submission, the actual submission itself and to enter a grade.
    7. You can see the user’s actual responses on the Assignment or Test (click View Attempt button), delete the user’s “Attempt” if you want them to re‐take the Assignment or Test for some reason (click Clear Attempt button) or edit the user’s grade (click Edit Grade):

    individ submisison 2

    8. When you open the attempt (click View Attempt button), you will see an Assignment Information link, a Submission History, and then section 3, “Review Current Attempt.” This section will contain all the information the user included in their submission. If it is an Exam
    Attempt, you can grade each question individually in the points box to the right of the question. If it is an Assignment submission, you may see the entire text displayed here in Bb, or you may need to click on the file link next to “Attached Files” to view the user’s attached submission file:

    individ submission 3

    9. After viewing the submission, assign a grade in section 4, “Grade Current Attempt.” You can also add grading comments in two ways:

    a. In the “Comments” box: these notes will only appear in the user’s “My Grades” view.
    b. By “Attach File”: you can add notes directly to the student’s submission, save the file on your desktop (locally), then re‐upload it here. Users can access these files from their “My Grades” view as well.

    10. Section 5, “Instructor’s Notes,” is for your own reference and will only appear in your Grade Center, thus visible only to you and any co‐instructors or TA’s.
    11. When finished with viewing and grading a submission, click the Submit button to save any changes.

How do I open batches of student submissions?

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    Collecting Batches of Submissions
    You can also download all of the user submissions for an Assignment or a Test at the same time.
    1. Open the course in which you want to view submissions.
    2. Click on Grade Center in the Control Panel, then on Full Grade Center, or your desired Smart View.
    3. Scroll across to the Grading Column for which you wish to view submissions.
    4. Click the gray box with double‐down arrows on the right side of the grading column header to reveal a drop‐down menu of options.
    5. Select Download Results for test submissions:

    a. On the Download Results page, leave the default “Tab” delimiter type in order to open the file in Excel, select your desired format for the results (format by user or by question & user, download only valid attempts or all attempts), then click on the Click to download results button.
    b. Choose to open the file immediately with Excel, or save the file—make sure to note the file name and location so you can find it later.

    6. Select Assignment File Download for assignment submissions:

    a. On the Assignment File Download page, select the users whose submissions you want to collect by clicking on the boxes next to their names, then click Submit.
    b. The next page should notify you that “The Assignments have been packaged,” and you should click the Download assignments now link.

    batch submission

    c. You may see a pop‐up window asking what to do with the .zip file. Either save it or select a program in which to open it, such as Microsoft Word.

How do I find and interpret SafeAssign Reports?

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    Faculty: How to Read SafeAssign Reports in Bb 9.1
    SafeAssign is an application that submits papers to an outside database and compares them to all documents/sources in the database looking for plagiarized material. The database also retains a copy of the submitted papers so that future submissions can be compared as well. Once the submitted papers pass through the system, reports are generated for individual papers that give the percentage of ‘matching’ material (possibly plagiarized) in each paper.

    Finding and Opening SafeAssign Originality Reports
    1. Open the course in which you wish to view SafeAssign reports.
    2. Enter the Grade Center.
    3. Find the assignment grade for which you wish to view the report and click on the gray box with double arrows in the grade cell.
    4. Select View Grade Details.
    5. On the Grade Details screen, click the View User Activity button:

    Read SafeAssign Reports 1

    6. Click on the green SafeAssign icon under the SA Report column:

    Read SafeAssign Reports 2

     

    Understanding SafeAssign Originality Reports
    1. The SafeAssign report now displayed contains four sections:

    a. Paper Information: This section lists data about the paper, such as the author, percent Matching, and when it was submitted. This section also includes options for downloading the report, emailing the report, or viewing a printable version. Note that the printable version may be the most effective view of the report for those users that rely on assistive technologies to access Blackboard Learn Course Delivery.

    b. Submission Comment: This section includes any text the student included in the comment section provided during the submission process.

    c. Suspected Sources: This section lists the sources that have text that matches the text of the submitted paper. Instructors may select sources, exclude them from the review, and process the paper again. This is useful if a source is a previous work from the same student for the same assignment, or if there is some reason that lengthy sections of a particular source appear in the paper. Processing the paper again will generate a new value for the percent matching without using the excluded sources.

    d. Paper Text: This section shows the submitted paper. All matching blocks of text are identified. Clicking a matching block of text will display information about the original source and the probability that the block or sentence was copied from the source.

    2. Interpreting SafeAssign Scores:

    a. Overall score is an indicator of what percentage of the submitted paper matches existing sources. This score is a warning indicator only and papers should be reviewed to see if the matches are properly attributed.
    i. Scores below %15: These papers typically include some quotes and few common phrases or blocks of text that match other documents. These papers typically do not require further analysis, as there is no evidence of the possibility of plagiarism in these papers.
    ii. Scores between %15 ‐ %40: These papers include extensive quoted or paraphrased material or they may include plagiarism. These papers should be reviewed to determine if the matching content is properly attributed.
    iii. Score over %40: There is a very high probability that text in this paper was copied from other sources. These papers include quoted or paraphrased text in excess and should be reviewed for plagiarism.

    NOTE: See the following for a visual demonstration of the above description of Safe Assign Reports:
    http://safeassign.com/sa‐report.html

     

Assessments

How do I clear an assessment attempt for a student?

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    Clearing Unsuccessful Assessment Attempts
    Sometimes assessment sessions in Blackboard are interrupted, leaving students with unfinished, un‐submitted exams. To fix this situation, instructors often have to clear the student’s current, aborted attempt and have the student begin the exam again. This document will describe how to clear attempts for students.

    Clear an Assessment Attempt:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Grade Center item, then select Full Grade Center, or the appropriate Smart View.
    4. Find the grade cell for the attempt you wish to clear, then click on the gray box with double‐down arrows located within the cell.
    5. Select View Grade Details from the drop‐down menu.
    6. On the Grade Details page, you should see three buttons to the right of the submission, date/time stamp, and score: View Attempt, Clear Attempt and Edit Grade.

    clear attempts 1

    7. Click the Clear Attempt button corresponding to the submission you wish to discard and follow the prompts to confirm. Please be aware that once an attempt is cleared, it is deleted from the system and cannot be restored. Clearing an attempt is a permanent process.

How do I open individual student submissions?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    To Open an Individual User Submission
    1. Open the course in which you want to view submissions.
    2. Click on the Grade Center selection in the “Control Panel,” then Full Grade Center, or your desired Smart View.
    3. Scroll across to the Grading Column from which you wish to view submissions. Scroll down to the user whose submission you wish to view, if there is one in particular.
    4. Hover your mouse over a particular grade cell and you will see a gray box with double‐down arrows. Click on the gray box icon to reveal a drop‐down menu of options:

    open individual submisison 1

    5. Select Attempt (date) to go directly to the user’s full submission, or…
    6. Select View Grade Details to see the details of the user’s grade on the Test or Assignment, if it has been automatically graded by Blackboard, as well as to view the date and time of the submission, the actual submission itself and to enter a grade.
    7. You can see the user’s actual responses on the Assignment or Test (click View Attempt button), delete the user’s “Attempt” if you want them to re‐take the Assignment or Test for some reason (click Clear Attempt button) or edit the user’s grade (click Edit Grade):

    individ submisison 2

    8. When you open the attempt (click View Attempt button), you will see an Assignment Information link, a Submission History, and then section 3, “Review Current Attempt.” This section will contain all the information the user included in their submission. If it is an Exam
    Attempt, you can grade each question individually in the points box to the right of the question.

    9. After viewing the submission, assign a grade in section 4, “Grade Current Attempt.” You can also add grading comments in two ways:

    a. In the “Comments” box: these notes will only appear in the user’s “My Grades” view.
    b. By “Attach File”: you can add notes directly to the student’s submission, save the file on your desktop (locally), then re‐upload it here. Users can access these files from their “My Grades” view as well.

    10. Section 5, “Instructor’s Notes,” is for your own reference and will only appear in your Grade Center, thus visible only to you and any co‐instructors or TA’s.
    11. When finished with viewing and grading a submission, click the Submit button to save any changes.

What are the Bb Assessments Best Practices?

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    Assessments Best Practices: Faculty
    Sometimes assessment sessions in Blackboard are interrupted, leaving students with unfinished, un‐submitted exams (often appear to faculty in the Grade Center with “In Progress” icon rather than the “Needs Graded” icon or a grade). To fix this situation, instructors often have to clear the student’s current, aborted attempt and have the student begin the exam again. Please see the document “How do I clear an Assessment Attempt?” for instructions on performing this process.
    While a certain amount of these dropped sessions are to be expected and are unavoidable, there are some recommendations and tips for faculty and students that will minimize instances of this issue.

    Recommendations for Faculty:
    1. Avoid creating large online exams with many &/or complex questions.
    2. Turn off “force completion.” Students will then be able to re‐enter the exam and finish their attempt from where they last saved their responses, rather than having the instructor clear the attempt and begin from the start. Students must click “Save and Exit” or “Save and Submit” before closing the session. If they navigate away from the exam without clicking “Save and Exit,” the attempt will be submitted and they will not be able to return to it.
    3. When using the “Randomize Questions” feature, keep the overall exam short and do not use the “Question‐by‐Question” display option. Randomizing the questions, plus having the questions display one at a time complicates the process for the database and makes the data be sent to the database extra times (which creates extra instances for the session to be dropped).
    4. Make sure to give your students the tips below prior to the exam period.

    Tips for Students:
    1. The Bb application has two time out settings. There is a 20‐minute limit for fully idle exam
    sessions (not clicking or typing anything). The second time out limit is 60 minutes. This means
    if you have not clicked one of the Save buttons for 60 minutes, the session will be ended
    automatically, and you will be kicked out of the exam when you do attempt to Save, progress to the next question, or submit the assessment.
    2. Do not open a second browser window or tab and log in to a second session of Blackboard (such as to look up information on or download a file from a content page). This will create a conflict with the Blackboard database and will likely cause one or both of the sessions to crash or freeze. If this occurs, you will most likely lose your progress on your exam and will not be able to enter it again without your instructor clearing your attempt.
    3. Do not attempt to navigate away from your exam without clicking the “Save and Submit” button. If you do try to navigate to another area of the course or to another web site, the exam will submit automatically whether you’ve saved all of your progress or not. You will end up with a partial submission and will not be able to re‐enter the exam attempt to finish it.
    4. Run the Browser Checker before beginning an exam. The Browser Checker is found on the Bb Support website, here: http://www.ohio.edu/blackboard/browserchecker/. It will run
    automatically, then make recommendations for browser settings and plug‐ins that are required
    for Blackboard functionality—follow these recommendations for a better Bb experience.
    5. Use a wired Internet connection, preferably on an Ohio University campus. Wireless
    connections, even when on campus, are much more likely to have disruptions, causing the
    assessment session to be lost—even when the network drops for an instant.
    6. Click “Save” every 10‐15 minutes, especially when taking an exam that includes essay questions &/or presents all of the questions at the same time (versus a one at a time progression). This will help you to avoid session time outs and losing progress if your session is aborted.

How do I create a test within a content area?

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    Faculty: Creating Tests in Blackboard 9.1
    There are several ways to create a test in Blackboard 9.1. You can create a test within the test bank, which saves all the tests created without assigning them to a particular content area, you can create a test from a test question pool that you’ve created at an earlier time, or you can create a test directly in the content area in which you want to present it to your students. This document will discuss this last option as one of the simplest ways to create a test.

    Creating a Test Directly within a Content Area
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. In the “My Courses” module, click the link for the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the Course Menu, click the content area in which you wish to place the test.
    4. Next, click the Create Assessment button in the Action Bar and select Test:

    Create a Test Content Area 1

    5. The Test creation screen will appear. In section 1, click on the Create button to create a new test.

    a. Once you have a few tests created, you will see their names in the “Add Test” selection box below the Create New Test option. You will then be able to select a prior test to insert into the Content Area.

    6. When you click Create, the Test Information screen will open.
    7. In section 1, enter the test name in the first field, descriptive text in the second field, and
    instructions for users in the third field.
    8. Click Submit.
    9. You should see a green “Success” message at the top of the next screen, which is the Test Canvas  page. Your test’s name, description and instructions will be listed.

    a. You can change any of the above descriptors by clicking on the gray box with double down arrows to reveal a drop‐down menu and selecting Edit.

    b. This is will take you to the Test Information screen.

    c. Change the desired info and click Submit to return to the Test Canvas page.

    Create a Test Content Area 2

    10. When finished adding questions, click on the Creation Settings button near the top of the screen to the right of the Action Bar.

    11. On the Test Creation Settings page, select the options you want to apply to your test, such as a default point value for questions, question and answer numbering, display, ordering, etc.
    12. Select Submit when you have finished selecting options.
    13. When you return to the Test Canvas page, you can add questions to your test. Click the
    Create Question button on the Action Bar to reveal a drop‐down list of types of questions.
    14. Select the type of question you want to create. This will take you to the Create/Edit Question page, where you enter the Question Text, Point Value, Answer Text, and other options for displaying the questions, depending on the type of question you want to create.
    15. After filling out your desired question options, click Submit.
    16. You will be returned to the Test Canvas page and your new question will appear, along with the points you assigned to it.
    17. To add more questions, repeat steps 14‐17.
    18. When you finish adding questions to your test, scroll down and click the OK button at the bottom of the screen.
    19. Again navigate to the content area in which you want to place your test by clicking on the
    corresponding button in the Course Menu.
    20. You should see your test listed on the page. Click on the gray box with double‐down arrows to reveal a drop‐down menu with options about the test:

    Create a Test Content Area 3

    21. Select Edit the Test Options to change the test name or description, to make the test available to users either immediately or between certain dates and times, to change the number of times a user can take the test, set a timer for the test, require a password to enter the test, change the presentation mode, and set Grade Center options.
    22. After filling out the Test Options as you desire, scroll down and click the Submit button.
    23. Your test is now ready for users to complete and submit.

How do I deploy a test?

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    To Deploy a Test Stored in the Tests, Surveys, & Pools Tool
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.
    2. In the “My Courses” module, click the link for the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Toward the upper, right‐hand side of the screen, make sure the Edit Mode switch is “On.” If it is “Off,” click Edit Mode once to turn it “On.”
    4. Navigate to the Content Area in which you want to deploy the test.
    5. Next, click the Create Assessment button in the “Action Bar” and select Test:

    Create Assessment_test

    6. The Create Test screen will appear. You should see a box with a list of your un-deployed test names:

    Deploy a Test 2

    7. Click on the name of the test you desire to deploy to high‐light it, then click Submit.
    8. This should take you to the Test Options page, where you can change the test name or
    description, make the test available to users either immediately or between certain dates and
    times, change the number of times a user can take the test, set a timer for the test, turn Auto-Submit on or off, require a password to enter the test, choose the presentation mode, and set Grade Center options:

    Test Settings

    deploy a test 5

    deploy a test 5

    deploy a test 6

    9. After filling out the Test Options as you desire, scroll down and click the Submit button.
    10. Your test is now ready for users to complete and submit.

     

How do I grade assessments by question?

  • Printable PDF document

    Grade Center: Grade by Question
    For assignments or tests with many different questions or with more in‐depth essay portions, you may want to grade all responses for each question at once. To do so, you can grade by question in the grade center.

    To Grade by Question:
    1. Log in to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Look to the Control Panel, click the Grade Center selection to expand the menu, and then click Full Grade Center.
    4. Locate the grading column with the assessment you wish to grade, then click the gray square with double-down arrows next to the exam’s name, and select Grade Questions from the drop‐down menu.
    5. If you wish to narrow the number of tests in order to assist in grading, select the appropriate status in the Filter Questions by Status list.

    Grade By Question1

    6. In the Responses column, click the number for the particular question you wish to grade.
    7. Click Question Information to view the question and what you have listed as the correct
    response.
    8. You will see several attempts (from different students). Next to Score, click Edit to enter a
    grade or change the grade.

    Grade By Question2

    9. You will see a Score box. Enter the score you wish to assign to the response. There may also be a Response Feedback box below the student's answer—enter Feedback as desired.
    10. When you are finished grading, click Submit.
    11. Repeat steps 9‐11 to continue grading each student's response for any given question.
    12. Click Back to Questions to return to the questions page and move to the next question to
    grade.

How do I open batches of student submissions?

  • Printable PDF document
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    Collecting Batches of Submissions
    You can download all of the user submissions for an Assignment or a Test at the same time, rather than opening each submission individually.
    1. Log in to Blackboard.
    2. Open the course in which you want to view submissions.
    3. Click on Grade Center in the Control Panel, then on Full Grade Center, or your desired Smart View.
    4. Scroll across to the Grading Column for which you wish to view submissions.
    5. Click the gray box with double‐down arrows on the right side of the grading column header to reveal a drop‐down menu of options.
    6. For Test submissions select Download Results:

    a. On the Download Results page, leave the default “Tab” delimiter type in order to open the file in Excel, select your desired format for the results (format by user or by question & user, download only valid attempts or all attempts), then click on the Click to download results button.
    b. Choose to open the file immediately with Excel, or save the file—make sure to note the file name and location so you can find it later.
    c. You may see a pop‐up window asking what to do with the .zip file. Either save it or select a program in which to open it, such as Microsoft Word.

How do I create a test with the Tests, Surveys, & Pools Tool?

  • Printable PDF document

    Faculty: Creating Tests in Blackboard 9.1
    There are several ways to create a test in Blackboard 9.1. You can create a test within the test bank, which saves all the tests created without assigning them to a particular content area, you can create a test from a test question pool that you’ve created at an earlier time, or you can create a test directly in the content area in which you want to present it to your students. This document will discuss the first option: creating a test within the test bank (“Tests, Surveys, & Pools”) to store until you decide to which content area you would like to assign it, or to maintain multiple tests covering the same material so that you can deploy different versions.

    Creating a Test to Store in the Tests, Surveys, & Pools Tool
    1. Log in to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Go to the “Control Panel” and click the Course Tools option, then select the Tests, Surveys, & Pools tool.
    4. Next, click the Tests area.
    5. The “Tests” tool page will appear. This page includes a list of all the tests that are in your course and indicates whether they have been “deployed” for use by students as well as the date on which a test was last edited.
    6. On the “Tests” tool page, click on the Build Test button to create a new test.
    7. The “Test Information” screen will appear. In section 1, enter the test Name in the first field, descriptive text in the second field, and instructions for users in the third field.
    8. Click Submit.
    9. You should see a green “Success” message at the top of the next screen, which is the “Test
    Canvas” page. Your test’s name, description and instructions will be listed.

    a. You can change any of the above descriptors by clicking on the gray box with a double down arrow to reveal a drop‐down menu and selecting Edit.

    Tests Surveys Pools Tool 2

    b. This is will take you back to the “Test Information” screen.
    c. Change the info you want and click Submit to return to the “Test Canvas” page.

    10. When done setting up the test information, click on the Question Settings button near the top of the screen to the right of the Action Bar:

    Tests Surveys Pools Tool 3

    11. On the “Test Creation Settings” page, select the options you want to apply to your test, such as a default point value for questions, question and answer numbering, display and ordering, etc.
    12. Select Submit when you have finished selecting options.
    13. When you return to the “Test Canvas” page, you can add questions to your test. Click on the Create Question button on the “Action Bar” to reveal a drop‐down list of types of questions:

    Tests Surveys Pools Tool 4

    14. Select the type of question you want to create. This will take you to the “Create/Edit Question” page, where you enter the Question Text, Point Value, Answer Text, and other options for displaying the questions, depending on the type of question you want to create.
    15. After filling out your desired question options, click Submit.
    16. You will be returned to the “Test Canvas” page and your new question will appear, along with the points you assigned to it.
    17. To add more questions, repeat steps 13‐16.
    18. When you finish adding questions to your test, scroll down and click the OK button at the
    bottom of the screen.
    19. You will be returned to the “Tests” tool page, and you should now see your test listed on the page.
    20. At this point, you can leave the test as it is, un-deployed and ready for use at a later date, or you can deploy the test to a content area for students' access (see the "How do I deploy a test?" article).

How do I create a Self and Peer Assessment?

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    Getting Started with Self and Peer Assessments
    In Blackboard 9.1, the self and peer assessments tool is still available. Through this tool, faculty can set up questions to which students respond and criteria for judging these responses. Once submitted, these responses are then assessed (according to the criteria) by the student who made the initial response and his or her peers.
    This document will discuss how you can get started with this tool by creating a self‐assessment. Self‐assessments can be particularly useful in helping students learn what you expect from essay exam answers or short essay assignments.

    Creating a Self and Peer Assessment
    1. Log in to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. In the “My Courses” module, click the link for the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Toward the upper, right‐hand side of the screen, make sure the Edit Mode switch is “On.” If it is “Off,” click Edit Mode once to turn it “On.”
    4. In the Course Menu, click the link or button for the content area in which you wish to place the self-assessment.
    5. Next, click the Create Assessment button, and select Self and Peer Assessment:

    self&peer1

    6. The Self and Peer Assessment creation screen will appear. In section 1, click New or Import:

    a. Choosing “Import” allows you to import a Blackboard assessment file that you previously downloaded from this or another course. If you click Import:

    i. In section 2, browse for and select your assessment import file, in section 3, name your self-assessment, and in section 4, assign a due date for the assessment if desired.
    ii. Scroll down and click Submit.

    b. Choosing “New” allows you to create an assessment from scratch. If you click New, continue with step #7 below.

    7. Enter an assessment name and instructions, then set the Submission Dates (when users will be able to take the assessment) in section 2.
    8. Continue with setting the properties for your self‐assessment in section 3 by entering the Evaluation Dates (when users can evaluate their own or others’ submissions). Also consider other evaluation properties, such as Anonymous Evaluation, Self-Evaluation, Show Results to Submitter, and the number of submissions each user should evaluate.
    9. In section 4, enter a due date if desired.
    10. In section 5, select your evaluation options. This is where you will make the assessment available, set availability restriction dates, and decide whether to track the number of views.
    11. After choosing all the settings, scroll down and click Submit.
    12. You will now see the “Assessment Canvas” where you will create questions and evaluation criteria. Click Create Question to begin.
    13. In section 2, “Question Text,” enter the text of the question.
    14. In section 3, “Model Response,” you have the option of entering a model question response with which the self or peer evaluators can compare the given response as they review assessments.
    15. Scroll down and click Submit.
    16. At this point, you may want to add criteria the evaluators will use to judge the response. Click the gray square with double-down arrows next to the question text and select Criteria:

    self&peer2

    17. The “Add/Edit Criteria” screen will appear.
    18. Select Word Count Criteria to enter criteria text as well as Points Possible, Recommended Word Count, and Allowed Variation (i.e. +/‐ word grace). Select Create Criteria to enter only criteria text for the question. These are the criteria the evaluators will use to assess responses to each question. Here you also add points possible, determine partial credit, and choose feedback options.
    19. When you finish setting the criteria options, click Submit.
    20. On the "Add/Edit Criteria" page, scroll down and click OK.
    21. This will return you to the "Assessment Canvas."  Repeat steps 12 through 20 to add more questions.
    22. Once you have created all the questions and evaluation criteria, you will have the opportunity to click Preview and see an example Submission and an example Evaluation of a submission:

    self&peer4

    23. When finished previewing, return to the Assessment Canvas and click OK at the bottom right.  The Self-Assessment will now be ready for users.

How do I modify a Self & Peer Assessment?

  • Printable PDF document

    Modifying a Self &/or Peer Assessment
    Once you’ve created a Self and/or Peer Assessment, you may find the need to modify the properties, questions, or criteria.
    1. Log in to Blackboard.
    2. In the "My Courses" module, click on the link for the course that contains the assessment.
    3. Go to the content area that holds the assessment.
    4. Click on the gray square with double-down arrows located to the right of the assessment name and select Edit from the drop-down menu.
    5. The following Edit Assessment options will appear:

    S&P Modify1

    4. Select the Edit option which includes the item you wish to modify.
    5. Make your changes, scroll down, and click Submit.

How do I view Self & Peer Assessment submissions?

  • Printable PDF document

    Viewing Self &/or Peer Assessment Submissions
    Once users submit their initial responses to assessment questions, you can view individual
    submissions or download all submissions. To view submissions or download batches:
    1. Log in to Blackboard.
    2. In the "My Courses" module, click the link for the course within which you wish to view assessment submissions.
    3. Go to the “Control Panel,” and click the Course Tools selection to expand the list of tools.
    4. Select Self and Peer Assessment.
    5. You will see a list of your self and peer assessments. Click the gray square with double-down arrows next to the assessment you wish to view, and select View Submissions from the drop‐down menu:

    view s&p submissions 1

    6. You will see a list of students and the status of their submissions.
    7. To view or download an individual’s submission, click the gray square with double-down arrows next to a student’s name, and select View Submission or Download Submission from the menu.
    8. To download all submissions, click the Download All button:

    view s&p submissions 2

    9. Then click the Download button and follow the prompts to save and/or open the submission package file.
    10. After saving the submission package file locally, click the OK button at the bottom right of the Download Results page to return to the Submissions area.

    NOTE: If you download all submissions, the download will be in a .zip file format. You will need to open that .zip file package and then open the index.html file within it. This index file will allow you to navigate to each submission.

How do I view evaluations of Self & Peer Assessment submissions?

  • Printable PDF document

    Viewing Evaluations of Submissions
    After students have begun evaluating their own or others' submissions, you can also view or download those evaluations. Note that, in this area, you can only view or download evaluations—related submissions will not be downloaded.

    1. Log in to Blackboard.
    2. In the "My Courses" module, click the link for the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Go to the “Control Panel” and click the Course Tools selection to expand the menu.
    4. Select Self and Peer Assessments.
    5. You will see a list of your self and peer assessments. Click the gray square with double‐down arrows located next to the name of the assessment you wish to view and select View Evaluations from the menu.
    6. You will see a list of students. Click the gray square with double-down arrows next to the student’s name whose evaluations you wish to view.
    7. Click either View Evaluation or Download Evaluation. These actions will allow you to view the scores and comments this student has given to his or her own work and/or to that of others.
    8. To download all evaluations, click the Download All button and then click the Download button on the next page, following the prompts to save the file locally before opening it.

    NOTE: The download will be in the format of a comma‐delimited or tab‐delimited file that you can open with Excel.

    S&P submissions 1

     

How do I send Self & Peer Assessment results to the Grade Center?

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    Sending Self & Peer Assessment Results to the Grade Center
    The results of the self or peer assessments can be sent to the Grade Center. The number of points assigned by evaluators will be placed in a grade column as a score, and the comments and evaluators’ scores are available via the View Grade Details option for the student’s score.
    To view the self or peer evaluations completed in response to a submission:

    1. Log in to Blackboard.
    2. In the "My Courses" module, click the link of the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Go to the “Control Panel” and click the Course Tools selection to expand the list of tools.
    4. Select Self and Peer Assessment.
    5. You will see a list of the self and peer assessments in the course. Click the gray square with double-down arrows next to the name of the assessment you wish to send to the Grade Center and select View Results from the menu.
    6. You will see a list of students and results. Click the Send Results to Grade Center button:

    s&p grade center 1

    7. Navigate to the Grade Center by clicking on the Grade Center selection in the Control Panel to expand the menu, then clicking Full Grade Center, or the desired Smart View. In the grading grid, you will now see a column titled with the name of your assessment. This column holds the average of the evaluation scores:

    s&p grade center 2

    8. To see more information on an individual score, including comments and evaluators’ individual scores, mouse over the grade cell and then click the gray square with double-down arrows to reveal a drop‐down menu.
    9. Select View Grade Details from the menu. This area will have all the information on the specific assessment results. Repeat this process for each student as needed.

How do I grade assessments anonymously?

  • Printable PDF document

    Grading Assessment Submissions Anonymously
    Anonymous grading allows you to grade students’ submissions without seeing their names. This may be useful if you want to remain completely impartial to students' attempts.

    Using Anonymous Grading:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click the Grade Center selection to expand the menu, and then click Full Grade Center.
    4. Locate the grading column you wish to grade, click the gray square with double-down arrows next to the column name, and then select Grade Anonymously from the menu.
    5. In the Review Current Attempt section, view the student's assignment attempt.
    6. In the Grade box, type the grade you wish to give the student. Provide feedback, if needed.
    7. In the Instructor's Notes section, leave any notes for yourself or other instructors on the grade.
    8. To save the current student's grade and finish, click Save and Exit.
    9. To save the current student's grade and move on to the next, click Save and Next.

Communication and Collaboration Tools

How do I manage & publish my Podcasts?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    Publishing & Managing Podcasts
    A podcast is a web‐based broadcast of audio &/or video content that is created independently of Blackboard. The podcast link will contain your podcast episodes. Podcast episodes by default can be played from the course page. This document describes podcast management and publishing.

    Manage a Podcast:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course that contains the podcasts you wish to manage.
    3. In the Control Panel, click the Course Tools selection to expand the tool list.
    4. Select the Manage Campus Pack Podcast tool:

    Manage_Publish Podcast1

    5. In section 1, Podcast Information, enter the name of the Podcast in the Feed Title field. It may have a title automatically filled in, but you can change it as you like. Next enter a Description if you desire.
    6. In section 2, iTunes Metadata, fill in the Category and Sub Category fields, then Browse for
    images in the Album Art field, if applicable.
    7. In section 3, Options, the Visibility option is set by default to In Course Only. This allows
    students to access the podcast episode from the course page. You can make the podcast episode publicly available by selecting the Everyone option.
    8. Click the Submit button to save the container for your Podcast recording.

    NOTE: You have now set up the container for the Podcast recording. This step only needs to be performed once. You will be able to add multiple recordings/Podcast Episodes to this container.

     

    Publish a Podcast:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you created the container (see “Manage a Podcast” instructions) and wish to publish the podcast.
    3. Navigate to the content area in which you wish to publish the podcast.
    4. Click the Add Interactive Tool button, then select Campus Pack Podcast Episode from the
    drop‐down menu:

    Manage_Publish podcast 2

    5. On the Add Podcast Episode page, enter a Title for the podcast episode, and if you like, a
    description.
    6. In the next section, Browse for the MP3 file you created, or enter the URL for a recording that is located at an External URL.
    7. In section 3, Supplemental Attachments, you can Browse for any additional files you wish to be available to users when they watch/listen to your Podcast Episode.
    8. In the Options section, choose whether to make the episode available to users and set date and time restrictions if you like.
    9. Click the Submit button to save your Podcast Episode and its settings.
    10. If the submission was successful, you will receive a Receipt page to confirm. Click OK to return to the content area.

    Support:
    If you have problems or questions about uploading the Podcast to Blackboard:
    • See the How‐To documentation “How do I Publish a Podcast?” at the Bb Support website:
    http://www.ohio.edu/oit/bbsupport/howto/faculty/index.cfm.
    • Call the OIT Help Desk at (740)593‐1222 or email Bb Support directly at bbsupport@ohio.edu.

How do I manage my Notifications Dashboard?

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    The Notifications Dashboard
    Blackboard can be set up to alert you to new changes in your courses and organizations. For
    example, you can select to receive emails when new Announcements are posted, when an
    Assignment is due or past due, when an Exam is available, etc. Every Blackboard user’s Dashboard settings can be personalized. Some of the modules available in the Notifications Dashboard include: Tasks, Calendar, What’s New, Alerts, Needs Attention, and many others.

    Find & Personalize Your Notifications Dashboard:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. On your main Bb page, the “My Bb 9.1” tab, click on the Notifications Dashboard Tab located in the second, lower set of tabs on the left of the screen.
    3. To personalize your Dashboard, click on the Add Module button.
    4. On the “Add Module” page, select modules by clicking on the Add buttons below each module description.

    a. Modules already selected will have a Remove button that you can click on in order to
    remove modules you don’t want on your Dashboard.

    In order to manage your course notifications, you’ll need to adjust the settings of your
    Notifications Dashboard.

    Adjust the Notifications Settings:
    1. On your main Bb page, the “My Bb 9.1” tab, click on the My Places link found at the very top of the window, right next to your name.
    2. A small window titled “My Places” will pop up. Click on the Edit Notification Settings from the “My Preferences” menu at the left of the window.
    3. On the “Edit Notifications Settings,” screen, there are several options:

    a. Edit General Settings
    i. Email Settings, Due Date Reminders, and maintenance settings for both Courses
    and Organizations can be adjusted. Click Submit when finished.
    b. Edit Individual Course Settings
    i. Select from the list of your individual courses, then choose to turn various types
    of notifications on or off, and select how you want to receive the notifications
    (through the Dashboard, Email, or via Mobile alert). Click Submit to save.
    c. Bulk Edit Notification Settings
    i. Select which group of courses or organizations (those you are teaching/leading
    or those in which you are enrolled) you want to modify, then you can select
    individual courses from those groups to which you want to apply your changes.
    Choose to turn various types of notifications on or off, and select how you want
    to receive the notifications (through the Dashboard, Email, or via Mobile alert).
    Click Submit to save.
    d. Edit Individual Organization Settings
    i. Select the organization for which you want to modify the notifications, then
    choose to turn various types of notifications on or off, and select how you want
    to receive the notifications (through the Dashboard, Email, or via Mobile alert).
    Click Submit to save.

How do I send an email via Blackboard?

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    Send Email through Blackboard 9.1
    You and your students can send emails through the Blackboard system from within your courses. The following documentation describes how:

    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Course Tools button, then select Send Email from the submenu.
    4. On the Send Email page, select one of the listed email options:

    a. All Users
    b. All Groups
    c. All Teaching Assistant Users
    d. All Student Users
    e. All Instructor Users
    f. Single/Select Users
    g. Single/Select Groups

    NOTE: Ignore the two "Observer" options because the system does not allow Observer Users due to security reasons.
    5. After selecting the user pool, enter your message subject and body. The actual message subject will state the course ID before your customized subject line.
    6. Click the box if you wish to receive a "Return Receipt."
    7. Attach any files.
    8. Click Submit.
    NOTE: "Messages" are a different method of communication, and are entirely contained within the system.

How do I create a Podcast recording?

  • Printable PDF document

    Create a Podcast
    A podcast is a web‐based broadcast of audio &/or video content. You can create your own podcast to upload to your Blackboard 9.1 course. Below is a list of hardware and software required to create the podcast. Note that an ipod is not necessary for this process.

    Hardware Needed:
    • Microphone
    • Headphones
    • Fairly recent computer, PC or Mac

    Software Needed:
    • Audacity—a free digital recording and editing software program for PC or Mac computers
    • LAME MP3 encoder—a separate plug‐in to create mp3 files.

    Download the Software:
    • You can download Audacity for free at http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/
    • Download LAME MP3 encoder here:
    http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/faq?s=install&item=lame‐mp3

    Creating the Podcast:

    To Record the Sound Track:
    1. Plug your microphone or headset into your computer.
    2. Position yourself to speak clearly into the microphone before you begin to record.
    3. Open the Audacity software (or whatever recording/editing software you choose to use).
    4. Click the Record button to start your recording:

    createpodcast1

    5. Click the Stop button when you have finished recording.
    6. If you need help, refer to the Audacity manual, which should be included in the software
    download, or Audacity’s web documentation at:
    http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/documentation

    Recording Tips:
    • Record in a quiet environment. A room with drapes and soft furniture is better than an
    empty room because the soft materials will reduce echoes.
    • Enunciate clearly because your listener will have no visual cues to aid in understanding.
    • After every mistake, pause 5 to 7 seconds. This will create a distinct sound signature on the
    Audacity editing screen so that you can easily find and delete the mistake and the
    subsequent pause.

    When you have finished recording the sound file, you have the ability to edit the recording. Some of the basic editing features include deleting any unwanted noises from the file and adjusting the volume.

    To Edit the Sound File:
    1. Click the selection tool, which looks like an “I” Audacity Selection Tool , and select the area to be deleted.
    2. From the “Edit” menu, choose Remove Audio, then Delete.

    create podcast2

    3. Next, select the area where you wish to increase the volume.
    4. From the “Effect” menu, choose Amplify.
    5. Specify the number of decibels you wish to raise the track, then check the box for Allow
    Clipping     and click OK.
    NOTE: If you need help, refer to the Audacity manual, which should be included in the software download, or Audacity’s web documentation at:
    http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/documentation

    You may choose to close your project and edit it at a later time. If you are finished editing your file, go directly to the “Export an MP3 File” documentation.

    To Save the Sound File:
    1. Open the “File” menu.
    2. Select Save Project As, then choose the location in which you wish to save the file.
    3. Click the Save button to save the file.

    When you have finished editing your file, be sure to export your project as an mp3 file for later upload to Blackboard.

    To Export an MP3 File:
    1. Open the audio file.
    2. Open the “File” menu.
    3. Select Export, then choose the location in which you wish to save the file.
    4. Change the “Format” to MP3 Files.
    5. Click the Save button to save the file in mp3 format.
    NOTE: To upload the Podcast to Blackboard, see documentation titled “Publish a Podcast.”

    Additional Resources:
    • Audacity’s documentation and support website: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/.
    • Audacity Tutorials for podcasters: http://www.how‐to‐podcast‐tutorial.com/17‐audacitytutorial.htm.
    • Audacity’s Quick Help wiki: http://manual.audacityteam.org/index.php?title=Quick_Help.

    Support:
    If you have problems or questions about uploading the Podcast to Blackboard:
    • See the How‐To documentation “How do I Publish a Podcast?” at the Bb Support website:
    http://www.ohio.edu/oit/bbsupport/howto/faculty/index.cfm.
    • Call the OIT Help Desk at (740)593‐1222 or email Bb Support directly at
    bbsupport@ohio.edu.

How do I send and receive messages through Blackboard?

  • Printable PDF document

    Send & Receive Messages through Blackboard 9.1
    You and your students can send messages through the Blackboard system from within your
    courses. The Blackboard Message System is entirely self‐contained and not dependent on email systems. The following documentation describes how to use the Bb messaging system.

    Sending Messages through a Blackboard Course:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Course Tools button, then select Messages from the submenu.
    4. On the Messages page, notice that there is an "Inbox" and a "Sent" folder. To send a message, click the "Create Message" button:
    5. On the Compose Message page, click on the To button to reveal a list of users in the course. Highlight a user's name and then click the rightpointing arrow to move the user over to the "Recipients" box. Continue to do this until you have selected all desired recipients. If you wish to remove a user from the list, highlight the user's name and then click the leftfacing arrow to move the user out of the "Recipients" box.
    6. Follow the same procedure for the Carbon Copy and Blind Carbon Copy fields, if necessary.
    7. Enter your message subject line and then the body.
    8. When finished, click Submit.
    9. You will be returned to the Messages area and should see an addition to your "Sent" folder.

    Receiving Messages within a Blackboard Course:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Course Tools button, then select Messages from the submenu.
    4. On the Messages page, notice that there is an "Inbox" and a "Sent" folder. There are also
    indicators for the number of Unread messages and the Total number of messages in each folder.
    5. Click on the Inbox link to view messages received.
    6. Click on the Message Subject to view the message text.
    7. Within the message, click on the Reply, Forward, or Delete buttons to manage your messages.

How do I find information about wikis?

  • Printable PDF document

    A Wiki is a website of one or more pages that allows people to add and edit content collectively. The editor allows you to quickly add content and style your work. A Wiki starts with one page: the homepage. Then add new pages and link them together. Wikis allow multiple students to share and collaborate while an instructor can track changes and additions. Instructors can create one or more Wikis for all course members to contribute to and/or wikis for specific groups to use to collaborate. Wikis can also be used to record information and serve as a repository for course information and knowledge.

    Configuring the Course Wiki:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Select the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, expand the Course Tools section.
    4. Select Configure Campus Pack Wiki Tool.
    5. Edit and adjust settings as needed, then click Submit.
    6. Navigate to the course Tools page through the default link in the Course Menu, then select the Wikis link. You can also create a Tool Link in the Course Menu that will take users directly to the Wiki page. See "Adding Items to the Course Menu" documentation.
    7. You will now be in the Course Wiki, which should be available to all users in the course.
    8. For Group Wikis, see the "Creating Group Wikis" documentation.

    Creating Group Wikis:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Select the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Create Groups, if you have not already done so. See "Creating & Managing Groups" documentation if necessary.
    4. In a Content Area, click on the Add Interactive Tool button and select Campus Pack Wiki from the drop-down menu.
    5. On the Create Wiki page, enter the Wiki's name and desired options, and select the group or group members that you wish to have access to the tool.
    6. Click OK to submit.
    7. Repeat steps 4-6 for each Group/Wiki.
    Only those users who are members of the group selected in each Wiki's settings will be able to access their respective Wiki tools, except for the Instructor, who can access all Wikis in their course.

    Recycle/Delete Course Wikis:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Select the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, expand the Course Tools section.
    4. Select Recycle Campus Pack Wikis.
    5. On the Recycle Wikis page, there will be a list of all the Wikis in the course. Click to check the box next to each of the Wikis you wish to delete.
    6. Click the Submit button to proceed with the deletion, or Cancel to abort the process.

How do I build a wiki?


  • A Wiki is a website of one or more pages that allows people to add and edit content collectively. The editor allows you to quickly add content and style your work. A Wiki starts with one page: the homepage. Then add new pages and link them together. Wikis allow multiple students to share and collaborate while an instructor can track changes and additions. Instructors can create one or more Wikis for all course members to contribute to and/or wikis for specific groups to use to collaborate. Wikis can also be used to record information and serve as a repository for course information and knowledge.

    Adding & Editing Wiki Content:
    After creating a wiki, you can contribute to it by adding text, hyperlinks, images and embedded media. Students will be able to contribute to the wiki when it is made available and when they have been added as a member of the wiki.
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Select the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Navigate to the content area that contains the Wiki.
    4. Click the View link for the Wiki.
    5. Click either the New or Edit link in the Wiki Sidebar:
    6. Enter a page name, or change the current page name if you wish, then enter desired information into the Text Editor. It is recommended that you type directly into the Text Editor, but if you do copy text from another source, use the Clipboard Icons provided or keyboard shortcut Ctrl + V (PC) or Command + V (Mac) to paste into the Editor.

    a. You can insert images and anchors, embed media, link to other Wiki pages, and attach document or pdf files using the editor's icons as well. Mouse over the icons to see which function each performs.

    7. Click Save to submit your work.

How do I manage a wiki?

  • Printable PDF document

    A Wiki is a website of one or more pages that allows people to add and edit content collectively. The editor allows you to quickly add content and style your work. A Wiki starts with one page: the homepage. Then add new pages and link them together. Wikis allow multiple students to share and collaborate while an instructor can track changes and additions. Instructors can create one or more Wikis for all course members to contribute to and/or wikis for specific groups to use to collaborate. Wikis can also be used to record information and serve as a repository for course information and knowledge.
    Assess Course Wikis:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Select the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, expand the Course Tools section.
    4. Select Assess Campus Pack Wikis.
    5. On the Assess Wikis page, there will be a list of all the Wikis in the course along with a description for each. Click the View Participation button next to a Wiki to see more detailed information about the participants and their activities within the Wiki.
    6. Click the View Detail button to drill down further to the exact activities of a particular user.
    7. Click the See Change History button to track a user's modifications and then click the View Diff button to see the changes made.
    8. After viewing the differences, click the Back to Revision History link to return to the prior page or Back to Wiki link to go back to the Wiki itself.

How do I create a blog?

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    Blogs
    A Blog is a website that is designed to be frequently updated by an individual. Entries in a Blog are usually displayed in reverse‐chronological order. There are two types of Blogs:

    • A Private Blog can have one or more members, but each member can only see his/her own work. This is similar to a journal. The instructor can see all entries created by any member.
    • A Group Blog can have one or more members and entries can be viewed and commented upon by members and non‐members.

    Configuring the Course Blog:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Select the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the "Control Panel," expand the Course Tools section.
    4. Select Configure Campus Pack Blog Tool.
    5. Edit and adjust settings as needed, then click Submit.
    6. Navigate to the course Tools page through the default link in the Course Menu, then select the Blogs link. You can also create a Tool Link in the Course Menu that will take users directly to the Blog page. See "Adding Items to the Course Menu" documentation.
    7. You will now be in the Course Blog, which should be available to all users in the course.
    8. For Group & Private Blogs, see the "Creating a Blog" documentation.

    Creating a Blog:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Select the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In a Content Area, click on the Add Interactive Tool button and select Campus Pack Blog from the drop‐down menu.
    4. On the Create Blog page, enter the Blog's name and desired options. This is where you will
    select whether to make the Blog a Group Blog or Private Journal (Blog). Next select the
    individual user(s) or group that you wish to have access to the tool.
    5. Click OK to submit.
    6. Repeat steps 3‐5 for each Blog needed.
    For Group Blogs, only those users who are members of the group selected in each Blog's settings will be able to access their respective Blog tools, except for the Instructor, who can access all Blogs in their course.

    Recycle/Delete Course Blogs:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Select the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, expand the Course Tools section.
    4. Select Recycle Campus Pack Blogs.
    5. On the Recycle Blogs page, there will be a list of all the Blogs in the course. Click to check the box next to each of the Blogs you wish to delete.
    6. Click the Submit button to proceed with the deletion, or Cancel to abort the process.

How do I edit a blog?

  • Editing a Blog Entry:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Select the course within which you wish to work.
    3. Navigate to the Blog and click the View link to enter it.
    4. Select the Blog entry you wish to edit from the page or from the Recent Posts or Archives lists in the Blog Sidebar:
    5. Click the Edit link located next to the Blog entry name.
    6. Make your desired changes, then click Save.
    For Group Blogs, only those users who are members of the group selected in each Blog's settings will be able to access their respective Blog tools, except for the Instructor, who can access all Blogs in their course.

How do I find information about Chat?

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    Chat is a tool similar to Instant Messaging that allows you to communicate in real‐time or
    "synchronously" with your class. Participants enter a "chat room" and by typing messages can
    communicate immediately to the instructor or the entire class. This feature can be used to hold class discussions, meet with teams, or visit with a guest speaker. Instructors may choose to hold "virtual office hours" using Chat.

    Enabling Chat:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. From the Course Menu, select the Tools option.
    4. On the Tools page, click the Collaboration selection.
    5. On the Collaboration page, click the Create Collaboration Session button.
    6. The default session name is the Course ID, the current date, and the current time. If you wish to enter another name for the session, feel free to do so now.
    7. Next enter the dates of availability for the session and make sure to click the radio button for Yes to make the session available during those dates, or to make it available without date
    restrictions by leaving the dates blank.
    8. In section 3, choose which Collaboration Tool you wish to use for the session. For these
    purposes, choose Chat.
    9. Scroll down and click the Submit button.
    10. Your newly created session will not appear in the Collaboration Sessions list. To enter it, click on the session's name link.

    To Send a Message:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. From the Course Menu, select the Tools option.
    4. On the Tools page, click the Collaboration selection.
    5. On the Collaboration page, select the Chat session within which you wish to work.
    6. When the Chat window opens, you will see a Compose box. Type your message in the box, then click Send:
    7. Your message will be displayed in the conversation box located above the Compose area.
    8. If you wish to send a private message to a member of the collaborative group, click the Private Message icon located under the Participants list.

    To Record a Chat Session:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. From the Course Menu, select the Tools option.
    4. On the Tools page, click the Collaboration selection.
    5. On the Collaboration page, select the Chat session within which you wish to work.
    6. Within the Chat sub‐window's top toolbar, there are Recording Tools in the top right corner
    (Record, Pause, Stop, & Bookmark):
    7. At the beginning of your Chat session, click the Record icon. You will need to name the
    recording session.
    8. Go on with your session as normal, but when the session is finished, click the Stop icon. The recording will save automatically and can be accessed from the Collaboration page.

    To Access a Recording:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. From the Course Menu, select the Tools option.
    4. On the Tools page, click the Collaboration selection.
    5. On the Collaboration page, click the gray square icon next to the Chat session for which you wish to view a recorded session, then select Recordings from the drop‐down menu:
    6. On the Session Recordings page, click the session you wish to view. Students can easily access these recordings in the same manner.

How do I create a chat session?

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    Chat is a tool similar to Instant Messaging that allows you to communicate in real‐time or
    "synchronously" with your class. Participants enter a "chat room" and by typing messages can
    communicate immediately to the instructor or the entire class. This feature can be used to hold class discussions, meet with teams, or visit with a guest speaker. Instructors may choose to hold "virtual office hours" using Chat.

    Enabling Chat:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. From the Course Menu, select the Tools option.
    4. On the Tools page, click the Collaboration selection.
    5. On the Collaboration page, click the Create Collaboration Session button.
    6. The default session name is the Course ID, the current date, and the current time. If you wish to enter another name for the session, feel free to do so now.
    7. Next enter the dates of availability for the session and make sure to click the radio button for Yes to make the session available during those dates, or to make it available without date
    restrictions by leaving the dates blank.
    8. In section 3, choose which Collaboration Tool you wish to use for the session. For these
    purposes, choose Chat.
    9. Scroll down and click the Submit button.
    10. Your newly created session will not appear in the Collaboration Sessions list. To enter it, click on the session's name link.

How do I send a chat message?

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    To Send a Message:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. From the Course Menu, select the Tools option.
    4. On the Tools page, click the Collaboration selection.
    5. On the Collaboration page, select the Chat session within which you wish to work.
    6. When the Chat window opens, you will see a Compose box. Type your message in the box, then click Send:
    7. Your message will be displayed in the conversation box located above the Compose area.
    8. If you wish to send a private message to a member of the collaborative group, click the Private Message icon located under the Participants list:

How do I record a chat session?

  • To Record a Chat Session:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. From the Course Menu, select the Tools option.
    4. On the Tools page, click the Collaboration selection.
    5. On the Collaboration page, select the Chat session within which you wish to work.
    6. Within the Chat sub‐window's top toolbar, there are Recording Tools in the top right corner
    (Record, Pause, Stop, & Bookmark):
    7. At the beginning of your Chat session, click the Record icon. You will need to name the
    recording session.
    8. Go on with your session as normal, but when the session is finished, click the Stop icon. The recording will save automatically and can be accessed from the Collaboration page.

    To Access a Recording:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. From the Course Menu, select the Tools option.
    4. On the Tools page, click the Collaboration selection.
    5. On the Collaboration page, click the gray square icon next to the Chat session for which you wish to view a recorded session, then select Recordings from the drop‐down menu:
    6. On the Session Recordings page, click the session you wish to view. Students can easily access these recordings in the same manner.

How do I find information about virtual classroom?

  • Printable PDF document

    Virtual Classroom
    Virtual Classroom features extra tools like a whiteboard and links to content areas on your course site. The virtual classroom is useful in online classes, hybrid classes, and even in the case of inclement weather. Users have the ability to use a Course Map, a Whiteboard and Group Features. Transcripts are saved and can be visited later by anyone in the class, whether or not they participated in the actual collaboration session.

    Enabling Virtual Classroom:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. From the Course Menu, select the Tools option.
    4. On the Tools page, click the Collaboration selection.
    5. On the Collaboration page, click the Create Collaboration Session button.
    6. The default session name is the Course ID, the current date, and the current time. If you wish to enter another name for the session, feel free to do so now.
    7. Next enter the dates of availability for the session and make sure to click the radio button for Yes to make the session available during those dates, or to make it available without date
    restrictions by leaving the dates blank.
    8. In section 3, choose which Collaboration Tool you wish to use for the session. For these
    purposes, choose Virtual Classroom.
    9. Scroll down and click the Submit button.
    10. Your newly created session will not appear in the Collaboration Sessions list. To enter it, click on the session's name link.

    To Use Course Content Areas in Collaboration Tool:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. From the Course Menu, select the Tools option.
    4. On the Tools page, click the Collaboration selection.
    5. On the Collaboration page, select the Virtual Classroom session within which you wish to work.
    6. Once the session opens, you should see a sub‐window that looks like the following:
    7. Within the Virtual Classroom sub‐window, find the Tools area and click the Map selection:
    8. You should see the course's content area folders displayed below the Tools menu:
    9. Select the content item you wish to display in the Virtual Classroom window. The portion of
    your course site you wish to display will appear in the largest window of the Virtual Classroom
    window, and it will be available to the instruction and students.

    To Use the Whiteboard:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. From the Course Menu, select the Tools option.
    4. On the Tools page, click the Collaboration selection.
    5. On the Collaboration page, select the Virtual Classroom session within which you wish to
    work.
    6. Within the Virtual Classroom sub‐window, find the Tools area and click the Whiteboard
    selection, then click Display.
    7. You should see the Whiteboard menu displayed below the Tools menu:
    8. To draw on the whiteboard, click Tools in the Whiteboard menu, then select your tool (Select Arrow, Draw Line, Free Draw Pen, Insert Equation, Draw Square, Draw Circle, Insert Text).
    9. If you want to add a page to the whiteboard, click the Controls button in the Whiteboard menu, and then click the Add Page button.

    To Use the Built in Chat Feature:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. From the Course Menu, select the Tools option.
    4. On the Tools page, click the Collaboration selection.
    5. On the Collaboration page, select the Virtual Classroom session within which you wish to
    work.
    6. Under the classroom window, you will see a chat area. In the Compose Box, type a message to display to the collaborative group. Press Enter on your keyboard or click Send to display the
    message.
    7. To send a private message to another member of the collaborative group, click the Private
    Message icon located under the Participants list:
     

    To Use the Ask Question Feature:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. From the Course Menu, select the Tools option.
    4. On the Tools page, click the Collaboration selection.
    5. On the Collaboration page, select the Virtual Classroom session within which you wish to
    work.
    6. Within the Virtual Classroom sub‐window, find the Tools area and click the Ask Question
    selection.
    7. In the Enter Questions area, type your question, then click Send. Questions are sent in the form of messages to all users.
    8. To respond to a question, click the Respond to Question button. In the provided window, type your response, then click Send.
    9. Questions will appear in the chat log. Answers will also appear unless the instructor checks the Private option while typing responses.
    To Record a Virtual Classroom Session:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. From the Course Menu, select the Tools option.
    4. On the Tools page, click the Collaboration selection.
    5. On the Collaboration page, select the Virtual Classroom session within which you wish to
    work.
    6. Within the Virtual Classroom sub‐window's top toolbar, there are Recording Tools in the top
    right corner (Record, Pause, Stop, & Bookmark):
    7. At the beginning of your Virtual Classroom session, click the Record icon. You will need to
    name the recording session.
    8. Go on with your session as normal, but when the session is finished, click the Stop icon. The recording will save automatically and can be accessed from the Collaboration page.

    To Access a Recording:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. From the Course Menu, select the Tools option.
    4. On the Tools page, click the Collaboration selection.
    5. On the Collaboration page, click the gray square icon next to the Virtual Classroom session for which you wish to view a recorded session, then select Recordings from the drop‐down menu:
    6. On the Session Recordings page, click the session you wish to view. Students can easily access your recordings in the same manner.

How do I use Content areas in Virtual Classroom?

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    Virtual Classroom
    The virtual classroom is useful in online classes, hybrid classes, and even in the case of inclement weather. Users have the ability to use a Course Map, a Whiteboard and Group Features. Transcripts are saved and can be visited later by anyone in the class, whether or not they participated in the actual collaboration session.

    To Use Course Content Areas in Collaboration Tool:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. From the Course Menu, select the Tools option.
    4. On the Tools page, click the Collaboration selection.
    5. On the Collaboration page, select the Virtual Classroom session within which you wish to work.
    6. Once the session opens, you should see a sub‐window that looks like the following:
    7. Within the Virtual Classroom sub‐window, find the Tools area and click the Map selection:
    8. You should see the course’s content area folders displayed below the Tools menu:
    9. Select the content item you wish to display in the Virtual Classroom window. The portion of
    your course site you wish to display will appear in the largest window of the Virtual Classroom
    window, and it will be available to the instruction and students.

How do I create a virtual classroom session?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    Virtual Classroom features extra tools like a whiteboard and links to content areas on your course site. The virtual classroom is useful in online classes, hybrid classes, and even in the case of inclement weather. Users have the ability to use a Course Map, a Whiteboard and Group Features. Transcripts are saved and can be visited later by anyone in the class, whether or not they participated in the actual collaboration session.

    Creating a Virtual Classroom Session:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. From the Course Menu, select the Tools option.
    4. On the Tools page, click the Collaboration selection.
    5. On the Collaboration page, click the Create Collaboration Session button.
    6. The default session name is the Course ID, the current date, and the current time. If you wish to enter another name for the session, feel free to do so now.
    7. Next enter the dates of availability for the session and make sure to click the radio button for Yes to make the session available during those dates, or to make it available without date
    restrictions by leaving the dates blank.
    8. In section 3, choose which Collaboration Tool you wish to use for the session. For these
    purposes, choose Virtual Classroom.
    9. Scroll down and click the Submit button.
    10. Your newly created session will not appear in the Collaboration Sessions list. To enter it, click on the session's name link.

How do I use chat and question features in virtual classroom?

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    To Use the Built in Chat Feature:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. From the Course Menu, select the Tools option.
    4. On the Tools page, click the Collaboration selection.
    5. On the Collaboration page, select the Virtual Classroom session within which you wish to
    work.
    6. Under the classroom window, you will see a chat area. In the Compose Box, type a message to display to the collaborative group. Press Enter on your keyboard or click Send to display the
    message.
    7. To send a private message to another member of the collaborative group, click the Private
    Message icon located under the Participants list.

    To Use the Ask Question Feature:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. From the Course Menu, select the Tools option.
    4. On the Tools page, click the Collaboration selection.
    5. On the Collaboration page, select the Virtual Classroom session within which you wish to
    work.
    6. Within the Virtual Classroom sub‐window, find the Tools area and click the Ask Question
    selection.
    7. In the Enter Questions area, type your question, then click Send. Questions are sent in the form of messages to all users.
    8. To respond to a question, click the Respond to Question button. In the provided window, type your response, then click Send.
    9. Questions will appear in the chat log. Answers will also appear unless the instructor checks the Private option while typing responses.

How do I use the whiteboard in virtual classroom?

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    To Use the Whiteboard:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. From the Course Menu, select the Tools option.
    4. On the Tools page, click the Collaboration selection.
    5. On the Collaboration page, select the Virtual Classroom session within which you wish to
    work.
    6. Within the Virtual Classroom sub‐window, find the Tools area and click the Whiteboard
    selection, then click Display.
    7. You should see the Whiteboard menu displayed below the Tools menu:
    8. To draw on the whiteboard, click Tools in the Whiteboard menu, then select your tool (Select Arrow, Draw Line, Free Draw Pen, Insert Equation, Draw Square, Draw Circle, Insert Text).
    9. If you want to add a page to the whiteboard, click the Controls button in the Whiteboard menu, and then click the Add Page button.

How do I record a virtual classroom session?

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    Video

    To Record a Virtual Classroom Session:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. From the Course Menu, select the Tools option.
    4. On the Tools page, click the Collaboration selection.
    5. On the Collaboration page, select the Virtual Classroom session within which you wish to
    work.
    6. Within the Virtual Classroom sub‐window's top toolbar, there are Recording Tools in the top
    right corner (Record, Pause, Stop, & Bookmark):
    7. At the beginning of your Virtual Classroom session, click the Record icon. You will need to
    name the recording session.
    8. Go on with your session as normal, but when the session is finished, click the Stop icon. The recording will save automatically and can be accessed from the Collaboration page.

    To Access a Recording:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. From the Course Menu, select the Tools option.
    4. On the Tools page, click the Collaboration selection.
    5. On the Collaboration page, click the gray square icon next to the Virtual Classroom session for which you wish to view a recorded session, then select Recordings from the drop‐down menu:
    6. On the Session Recordings page, click the session you wish to view. Students can easily access your recordings in the same manner.

How do I create a discussion board forum?

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    Discussion Boards are threaded discussion forum tools in which students and instructors can post and reply according to topics over an extended period of time. There is one discussion board for the course that can be accessed in several ways. Group discussion boards are separate from the course discussion board.

    Create a Discussion Board Forum:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you want to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Course Tools button, and then select Discussion Board from the list of tools.
    4. The Discussion Board page lists all discussion boards associated with the course including those for individual groups in the course. Click on the Course Discussion Board link, designated by the course ID.
    5. On the course Discussion Board page, click the Create Forum button. Forums are made up of individual discussion threads that can be organized around a particular subject. Create multiple forums to organize different topics for class discussions.
    6. Enter a name for the forum and a description if desired—this could be a question or just an outline of the subject you want the class to discuss.
    7. In section 2, choose to make the forum available, or set date and time restrictions for availability to students.
    8. Section 3 contains Forum Settings:

    a. Allowing members to "subscribe" to the forum simply lets users sign up to receive email notifications whenever there are posts to the forum.
    b. "Force Moderation" will hold all posts back in a separate holding area until the instructor chooses to "Moderate Posts" and publish them.
    c. Make sure to decide whether you will be grading the discussion board forum or threads at this point; selecting "Grade Discussion Forum: Points Possible:" or "Grade Threads" will automatically create a column in the Grade Center.

    9. When finished with settings, click the Submit button.
    10. This will return you to the Discussion Board page, and you should see your new forum in the list. Notice the gray box icon next to the forum name. Click the gray square to reveal a drop-down menu:

    a. Select Open to create or view threads posted to the forum.
    b. Select Edit to change any of the settings.
    c. Select Manage to view or change the forum members and their forum roles (i.e. students are automatically Participants and instructors are automatically Moderators).
    d. Select Copy to copy the forum to another discussion board within course (such as group boards), or just copy the forum settings.
    e. Select Delete to delete the forum permanently from the course.

    11. You can view the forum through the above method, or you can click on the forum's name, which is a link. You can also view forum by clicking on the Discussions button/link in the "Course Menu" if you left the default menu item. Students can access the board through the same Course Menu link, or through the default menu item Tools, then the Discussion Board link in the list.

How do I create a discussion board thread?

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    Discussion Boards are threaded discussion forum tools in which students and instructors can post and reply according to topics over an extended period of time. There is one discussion board for the course that can be accessed in several ways. Group discussion boards are separate from the course discussion board.

    Create a Discussion Board Thread:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you want to work.
    3. Navigate to the Discussion Board via the Discussions item or the Tools item in the Course Menu.
    4. Click on the name of the Forum to which you wish to post a thread.
    5. Once in the Forum, click on the Create Thread button.
    6. Enter a Subject for your thread, and then type text directly into the Bb Text Editor box. The Text Editor allows the insertion of images, audio, and video content. You can also attach files either within the Text Editor, or in section 2, pulling files from your computer or from the course itself.
    NOTE: Do NOT copy and paste text from Microsoft Word. The embedded formatting code in Word will not transfer exactly to web applications like Blackboard 9.1. Your post will more than likely exhibit display problems (messed up formatting, mixed fonts, sometimes it won't display at all).
    7. Click Submit to post the thread to the forum.

     

How do I reply to a discussion board thread?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    Discussion Boards are threaded discussion forum tools in which students and instructors can post and reply according to topics over an extended period of time. There is one discussion board for the course that can be accessed in several ways. Group discussion boards are separate from the course discussion board.

    Reply to a Discussion Board Thread:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you want to work.
    3. Navigate to the Discussion Board via the Discussions item or the Tools item in the Course Menu.
    4. Click on the name of the Forum in which you wish to read threads.
    5. Click on the name of the Thread you wish to read.
    6. To reply to the thread, click one of the Reply buttons located above and below the thread text:
    7. Adjust subject line if you wish, then type text directly into the Bb Text Editor box. The Text Editor allows the insertion of images, audio, and video content. You can also attach files either within the Text Editor, or in section 2, pulling files from your computer or from the course itself.
    NOTE: Do NOT copy and paste text from Microsoft Word. The embedded formatting code in Word will not transfer exactly to web applications like Blackboard 9.1. Your post will more than likely exhibit display problems (messed up formatting, mixed fonts, sometimes it won't display at all).
    8. Click Submit to post the reply to the thread.

How do I collect threads in a discussion board?

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    Video

    Discussion Boards are threaded discussion forum tools in which students and instructors can post and reply according to topics over an extended period of time. There is one discussion board for the course that can be accessed in several ways. Group discussion boards are separate from the course discussion board.

    Collect Discussion Board Threads:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you want to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Course Tools button, and then select Discussion Board from the list of tools. Click on the Course Discussion Board link, designated by the course ID or the name you assigned it, then click on the gray square icon located next to the forum's name, and from the revealed drop-down menu, select Open.

    a. Or you can click on the Discussion Board link, designated by the course ID or the name you assigned it, then click on the forum's name to open it.

    4. Click the boxes next to each thread entry (and the replies) that you want to read together in order to check mark them.
    5. Select the one of the two Collect buttons (one at the top of the list and one at the bottom).
    6. The next page will list all the threads you chose in the order in which they appear in the forum. You can rearrange the order and sort them using the buttons near the top of the window:

    a. Sort by Date of Last Post, Author's Last Name, Author's First Name, Subject or Thread Order.
    b. Select Descending or Ascending Order.

    7. When finished reading and replying, scroll down and click OK to return to the forum.

How do I grade a discussion board?

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    Discussion Boards are threaded discussion forum tools in which students and instructors can post and reply according to topics over an extended period of time. There is one discussion board for the course that can be accessed in several ways. Group discussion boards are separate from the course discussion board. If you selected to grade your students on their posts during the creation of the discussion board, there is an in-line grading feature in Blackboard 9.1 that makes grading posts easier more efficient.

    Grade a Discussion Board Forum:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you want to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Course Tools button, and then select Discussion Board from the list of tools.
    4. The Discussion Board page lists all discussion boards associated with the course including those for individual groups in the course. Click on the Course Discussion Board link, designated by the course ID or the name you assigned it, then click on the gray square icon located next to the forum’s name, and from the revealed drop-down menu, select Grade.

    a. Or you can click on the Discussion Board link, designated by the course ID or the name you assigned it, then click on the forum’s name to open it and click the Grade Forum button.

    5. The Grade Discussion Forum Users page will list all the users who have access to and are supposed to participate in it. It will also list the number of posts each user has made, and will automatically assign the points possible as assigned during the creation of the forum, or you will be required to enter points as necessary.
    6. To enter grades for the forum, click on the Grade button located at the end of each user’s listing.
    7. A user’s grading page will list all the threads and replies they posted to that particular forum up to that point:
    8. To grade while reading the posts, look to the inline grading boxes set to the right of the screen and below all the posts:

    a. Use the Forum Statistics to determine if the user has met the minimum participation.

    9. Enter the points for the forum directly by clicking on the Edit Grade button.
    10. Enter the points you wish to award the user, as well as Feedback for the user and Grading Notes for your own reference, in the boxes provided.
    11. When finished with grade entry, click the Save Grade button.
    12. Click OK when finished.
    13. This will return you to the Grade Discussion Forum Users page, and you move on to the next participant’s grade by repeating steps 7-13.

How do I find information about Blackboard Mobile?

  • Printable PDF document

    Blackboard Mobile Learn takes interactive teaching and learning to the mobile device, giving students and teachers instant access to their courses, content, and communities anywhere. Blackboard Mobile Learn is a mobile app available currently on the iTunes App Store for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch, as well as on the Android Market (accessed directly from the device), BlackBerry App World, and Palm webOS. PLEASE NOTE: If your cell phone provider is not Sprint, you must use an iOS device (iPod, iPad, iPhone) connected to WiFi to access the Bb Mobile App.

    Additional information is available in the Printable PDF file above.

Grade Center

How do I enter the Grade Center?

  • Printable PDF documents
    Video

    Entering the Grade Center
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you want to work.
    3. In the “Control Panel” area, click Grade Center.
    4. Click Full Grade Center in the menu.
    • The Grade Center will open in Spreadsheet view.

How do I set up the Grade Center to drop the lowest or highest score in a Category?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    Drop the Lowest or Highest Scores from a Category
    At some point you might wish to drop the lowest or highest score within a category of graded items. For example, consider that your course has five assignments and you would like for the Grade Center to automatically drop each student’s lowest score from their final score calculations. This would mean only the four assignments with the highest scores are counted toward the final grades. The instructions below describe how to set up the Grade Center to perform this type of calculation automatically.

    Drop the Lowest or Highest Score from a Category:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Open the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on Grade Center, select Full Grade Center, or the appropriate Smart View.
    4. Begin by assigning Categories to the items you wish to compare. The default Categories are
    Assignment, Discussion, Test and Survey. If you need to create additional Categories:

    a. Click the Manage button and select Categories from the drop‐down menu:

    drop low high score catatory1

    b. On the Categories screen, click the Create Category button.
    c. Enter a name for your Category and enter a description, if desired.
    d. Click the Submit button.

    5. To assign Categories to grade columns:

    a. In the Grade Center, select the grade column you wish to categorize; click the gray square with double‐down arrows located at the right of the column name to reveal a drop‐down menu.
    b. Select Edit Column Information from the menu.
    c. On the Edit Column screen, select a Category from the drop‐down list in section 1.
    d. Click the Submit button to save the assigned Category.

    NOTE: Make sure all the items you wish to compare are assigned the same Category, and confirm that ONLY the items you wish to compare are assigned that same Category. Do this for each separate group of graded items that you wish to compare.

    6. Once you have all the Categories assigned to the proper grading columns, look to the Total
    calculated column, and click the gray square with double‐down arrows located to the right of
    the column name to reveal a drop‐down menu.
    7. Select Edit Column Information from the menu.
    8. In section 3 of the Edit Total Column screen, click to include Selected Columns and Categories in the total. This will reveal lists of your columns and Categories that you will need to highlight and move over to the Selected Columns box:

     

    drop high or low score from category2

    9. Once you have selected the Categories you wish to compare, as well as any individual
    columns     you wish to include in the Total calculations, and moved them over to the Selected
    Columns box, you will need to click the radio button for Drop Grades, then enter the number of grades you wish to drop in the box next to either the Highest Grades or Lowest Grades options.

    NOTE: In the image above, we’ve set it up so that the Grade Center will drop the one lowest grade in the Assignment Category, as well as the Discussion Category. Then it will include the scores in the Midterm and Final Exam columns individually when calculating the Total score.

    10. After setting up the details of the Total Score Calculations, make sure the Include this Column in Grade Center Calculations option is set to Yes.
    11. Click the Submit button to save.

    NOTE: At step 9, you can alternatively click the radio buttons that will cause the Grade Center to include only the Lowest or Highest Value within the specific Category, rather than dropping
    scores. These options do almost the same thing, and which method you choose depends on how many scores you are dropping, e.g. if you are dropping the three lowest scores out of four items, it would be simpler to just select the Use only the Highest value to Calculate options.

How do I transfer my grades from Blackboard to Online Grading?

  • Printable PDF document

    The attached document will give you instructions on how to download the Grade Center from Blackboard 9.1 and import your final course grades into the Ohio University Online Grading System.

How do I create a Minimum/Maximum Calculated Column?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    Minimum/Maximum Calculated Column
    In Blackboard 9.1’s Grade Center, there are two default calculated grade columns: Total and
    Weighted Total. Two other calculated columns that the instructor can choose to create are
    an Average Column and a Minimum/Maximum Column. The Average Column calculates and
    displays a student’s numeric average. The Minimum/Maximum Column calculates either the
    minimum or the maximum grade each student has earned. This document describes how to create a Minimum/Maximum Calculated Column.

    Create a Minimum/Maximum Column:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Grade Center item, then select Full Grade Center.
    4. Click the Create Calculated Column button and select Minimum/Maximum Column from the drop‐down menu:

    MinMax column

    5. On the Create Minimum/Maximum Column page, enter a name for the column (e.g. “Minimum” or “Maximum”) and, if desired, a Grade Center Display Name and Description.
    6. Choose a Primary Display format from the drop‐down list of options. The default Primary
    Display is Percentage. You can select a Secondary Display as well, if desired. The Secondary
    Display is displayed in parentheses next to the Primary Display and is visible only to instructors
    and only while in the Grade Center.
    7. In section 3, “Select Columns,” choose which Calculate Type you desire, either Minimum or
    Maximum. Next select whether you wish to include All Grade Columns in the calculation, or
    only Selected Columns and Categories. Choosing the Selected Columns and Categories option
    will expand the settings to allow you to select the Columns and Categories you wish to include
    in the Minimum or Maximum calculation:

    a. To select specific Columns and/or Categories, highlight the name of a Column or Category within its respective “to Select” box on the left, then click the right‐pointing arrow (or “greater‐than” symbol) to move it to the “Selected Columns” box. Highlight a Column or Category name in the “Selected Columns” box, then click the left‐pointing arrow (or “less‐than” symbol) to remove the Column or Category from the list of Columns and Categories selected for inclusion in the Minimum or Maximum calculation.

    8. Next, choose whether the column will be calculated as a Running Total or not.
    NOTE: Read the fine print about Running Totals and apply it in order to have accurate calculations.
    9. In section 4, “Options,” select Yes or No to determine whether the column will be included in Grade Center calculations, shown to students, and/or display the column’s statistics to students. In most cases, the default setting of “Yes” for the first option is appropriate for accurate calculations.
    10. Finally, click the Submit button to save the settings and create the column.

How do I create an Average Calculated Column?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    Average Calculated Column
    In Blackboard 9.1’s Grade Center, there are two default calculated grade columns: Total and
    Weighted Total. Two other calculated columns that the instructor can choose to create are an
    Average Column and a Minimum/Maximum Column. The Average Column calculates and displays a student’s numeric average. The Minimum/Maximum Column calculates either the minimum or the maximum grade each student has earned. This document describes how to create an Average Calculated Column.

    Create an Average Column:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Grade Center item, then select Full Grade Center.
    4. Click the Create Calculated Column button and select Average Column from the drop‐down menu:

    MinMax column

    5. On the Create Average Column page, enter a name for the column (e.g. “Average”) and, if
    desired, a Grade Center Display Name and Description.
    6. Choose a Primary Display format from the drop‐down list of options. The default Primary
    Display is Percentage, and it is recommended that this format be maintained, but the Letter
    format can provide useful, meaningful data as well. You can also select a Secondary Display, if
    desired. The Secondary Display is displayed in parentheses next to the Primary Display and is
    visible only to instructors and only while in the Grade Center.
    7. In section 3, “Select Columns,” choose whether to include All Grade Columns in the Average, or only Selected Columns and Categories. Choosing the Selected Columns and Categories option will expand the settings to allow you to select the Columns and Categories you wish to include in the Average calculation:

    a. To select specific Columns and/or Categories, highlight the name of a Column or Category within its respective “to Select” box on the left, then click the right‐pointing arrow (or “greater‐than” symbol) to move it to the “Selected Columns” box. Highlight a Column or Category name in the “Selected Columns” box, then click the left‐pointing arrow (or “less‐than” symbol) to remove the Column or Category from the list of Columns and Categories selected for inclusion in the Average calculations.

    8. Next, choose whether the Average will be calculated as a Running Total or not.
    NOTE: Read the fine print about Running Totals and apply it in order to have accurate calculations.
    9. In section 4, “Options,” select Yes or No to determine whether the Average column will be
    included in Grade Center calculations, shown to students, and/or display the column’s statistics to students. In most cases, the default setting of “Yes” for the first option is appropriate for accurate calculations.
    10. Finally, click the Submit button to save the settings and create the Average column.

How do I average grades in the Grade Center?

  • Video

    Average Grades in the Grade Center
    The “Average Column" is one of four built‐in “Calculated Columns” available in the Grade Center.  With the “Average Column,” Blackboard will calculate a straight average of all grades or a subset of grades.

    1. Log in to Blackboard and enter the Blackboard course in which you want to average grades.
    2. In the “Control Panel” menu, click the Grade Center option, then select the Full Grade Center option.
    3. In the Grade Center, click the Create Calculated Column button, then select the Average Column option.
    4. On the “Create Average Column” screen, look at section 1 ("Column Information") and enter a name in the “Column Name” text box. (By default, this name will display as the column heading IF you do not fill in the “Grade Center Display Name” text box.

    NOTE: “Grade Center Display Name” is not required. If your column name is long (12‐15 characters), it may be truncated in the spreadsheet view. If this occurs, you can enter a shorter name in this “Grade Center Display Name” field, and it will display as the column header.

    5. Enter a “Description” if desired. This will appear to students if they click on Details in their "My Grades" view.
    6. Enter a "Primary Display" for your column, such as Score.
    7. Enter a "Secondary Display" if you desire. The “Secondary Display,” such as Percentage, will appear in parentheses in the cell next to the “Primary Display.” This display is only for you and your grading assistants; it will only display in the Grade Center.
    8. In Section 3 ("Select Columns"), choose All Grade Columns if you wish to include all columns in your average. Or, choose Select Columns or Categories if you wish to include a subset in the average.
    9. If you choose Select Columns or Categories, a selection window will appear. To add a column or a category in the average, highlight its name on the left, then click the right‐pointing arrow to move that column into the “Selected Columns” box on the right.
    10. Continue adding columns and/or categories until you have selected all items you wish to include in the average.

    NOTE: If you have selected categories to include in the average, you can adjust the following options for how these categories are calculated in the average:

    • Weight columns: Equally or Proportionally
    • Drop Grades:
    • Drop (number) of Highest Grades
    • Drop (number) of Lowest Grades
    OR
    • Use only the:
    • Lowest Value to Calculate
    • Highest Value to Calculate

    11. Next, select whether to "Calculate as Running Total."

    CAUTION: If you select Yes, be sure to change all blank grades to zero at the end of the term. In a “Running Total,” any blank grades are exempted from the calculations, so if those grades are not changed to zero, end‐of‐term averages will be incorrect.

    12. In section 4 ("Options"), select options for calculations and student viewing. (Note the explanations under the gray horizontal title bar for section 4.)

    • Include this column in “Grade Center” calculations (Yes or No)
    • Show this column to students (Yes or No)
    • Show statistics (average and median) for column to students in “My Grades.” (Yes or No)

    13. Click Submit.

How do I obtain scroll bars in the grade center?

  • Printable PDF document

    The quick fix is to use the keyboard CTRL + or – to adjust the size of content in the browser; scaling down reveals the scrollbar in this case. The permanent fix is outlined below.


    Windows 7
        •    Close the browser
        •    Go to computer’s control panel
        •    Select Appearance and Personalization
        •    In top right-hand search box, type “windows color”
        •    It will bring up Personalization and a list. Select “Change window colors and metrics”
        •    Click on the Item Dropdown (default says Desktop) and select “Scrollbar” and change to 19

    Windows XP
        •    Close the browser
        •    Go to computer’s control panel
        •    Click on Display Properties
        •    Click on the Appearance tab
        •    Select the Advanced button
        •    Select the Scroll Bar from the item drop down list
        •    Change the setting to 19
        •    Submit

     Windows Vista
        •    Close the browser
        •    Go to computer’s control panel
        •    Click on Personalization
        •    Select the Window Color and Appearance option
        •    Click on the Advanced button
        •    Select the Scroll Bar from the item drop down list
        •    Change the setting to 19
        •    Submit

    From Kay Shireman, Online Support at Emporia State University

How do I drop a grade for one student?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    To Drop One Grade for One Particular Student:
    1. Enter the Grade Center for the appropriate Blackboard course.
    2. Click the cell for the student's grade (or hover your mouse over the cell); double down arrows will appear at the right end of the cell.
    3. Click the double down arrows to see a drop‐down menu.
    4. Click Exempt Grade; a light blue box will appear in the cell to indicate that the grade was
    exempted, and the grade will disappear.

    NOTE: To bring the grade back, click the grade cell, then click the double down arrows and
    select Clear Exemption from the menu.

How do I drop a grade for all students?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    To Drop One Grade for all Students in a Course:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1
    2. In the Control Panel, click on the Grade Center entry, then on Full Grade Center or the
    appropriate Smart View.
    3. Click the Name Cell for the grading column of the assignment or test you want to exempt
    (or mouse over the cell).
    4. Click the box with double down arrows that appears in order to see a drop‐down menu.
    5. Select Edit Column Information.
    6. On the Edit Column page, scroll down to section 3, and click the “No” radio button for the
    “Include this Column in Grade Center Calculations” option.
    7. Click Submit.
    NOTE: To bring the grade back, click the double down arrows in the grading column’s Name
    Cell and select Edit Column Information from the menu. Then simply click the “Yes” radio
    button for the “Include this Column in Grade Center Calculations” option.

How do I create Categories in the Grade Center?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    Creating Categories in the Grade Center
    Using categories that you assign to columns is useful for sorting and viewing your Grade Center
    spreadsheet according to category. For example, by sorting columns by category, you can arrange the columns categorized as “assignment” adjacent to each other, and all columns categorized as “test” adjacent to each other.
    Categories also allow you to calculate a subset of grades according to a particular category. And, you can use categories to have Blackboard determine the lowest grade for each student in a given category.
    The default categories are Assignment, Blog, Journal, Self and Peer, Survey, Test, and Discussion.  You can also create a custom category to suit your needs.

    Creating a Custom Category
    1. Enter the Grade Center (click Grade Center in the Control Panel area, then select Full Grade Center)
    2. In the Grade Center, click the Manage button to see a menu.
    3. Click Categories in the menu. The Categories screen will appear.
    4. On the Categories screen, click the Create Category button.
    5. Type a name for your category. Optionally, enter a description.
    6. Click Submit.

    Assigning a Category to a Column
    1. Click the double down‐arrows at the right end of a column header in the Grade Center to reveal a menu.
    2. Click Edit Column Information in the menu to reveal the “Edit Column” screen.
    3. Select a category from the “Category” drop‐down list, located at the bottom of section 1.
    4. Click Submit.

How do I add a column to the Grade Center?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    Adding a Column to the Grade Center
    Creating a column in Blackboard’s Grade Center allows you to securely enter and deliver grades for non‐Blackboard activities. (If you deliver a Blackboard quiz, assignment, or discussion, creating a column is not necessary; a column will be automatically created.)

    1. In the Control Panel, click Grade Center to expand the menu.
    2. Click Full Grade Center. The grade center will open in spreadsheet view.
    3. Click the Create Column button at top left. The “Create Grade Column” screen will appear.
    4. In Section 1, enter a name in the “Column Name” box; the name in this required field will
    display as the column heading unless you choose to use the optional “Grade Center Display
    Name.”

    • If your column name is 10 or more characters, the name will be truncated. In that circumstance, you may enter an abbreviation of the column name in the “Grade Center Display Name” box. For example, a column named "Paper Assignment 1" could be shortened to "Paper1".
    • Students will see the entire “Column Name” in their “My Grades” view, even though it is truncated in your view. However, if the “Grade Center Display Name” is used, students will see the “Grade Center Display Name” in their “My Grades” view instead of the “Column Name.”

    5. Enter a “Description” if you desire. This will appear to students if they click "Details" in their "My Grades" view.
    6. Enter a “Primary Display” for your column, such as “Score”. This will be the format in which you enter grades, and it is the format students will see.
    7. Optionally, enter a “Secondary Display”, such as “Percentage” or “Letter” if you desire. Only you or your Grading Assistants will see this display; it will only display in the Grade Center.  The “Secondary Display” will appear in parentheses next to the “Primary Display” in a grade cell.
    8. Optionally, select a “Category” if you wish to sort the spreadsheet view by category.
    9. Enter “Points Possible.”
    10. In Section 2, enter a date in the “Due Date” box if you want students to receive news of
    upcoming due dates and overdue items via their “Notifications Dashboard.”
    11. In Section 3, select options for calculations and student viewing. The options are explained in the text under the gray bar labeled "Options."
    12. Click Submit.

How do I create and manage a Rubric?

  • Printable PDF document
    Create a Rubric Video
    Copy a Rubric Video
    Edit a Rubric Video
    Delete a Rubric Video

    Creating Rubrics
    A Rubric is a grid containing a set of criteria and corresponding point scales that is used to
    uniformly grade papers or projects. Blackboard 9.1 allows you to create rubrics directly in the
    system and link them to their intended assignments. Instructors can then pull up the correct rubric and grade the related assignment submissions or attempts directly in the rubric grid.  Final grades are inserted in the corresponding column in the Grade Center and the graded rubric can be made available to students so that they can see how their submission was graded.

    Create a Rubric in Blackboard 9.1:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Course Tools selection to expand the menu and select Rubrics from the tool list. If you do not see Rubrics in the tool list, you may need to adjust your course’s Tool Availability. See “How do I manage my course tools?” documentation.
    4. On the Rubrics page, click the Create Rubric button.
    5. In section 1 of the Create Rubric page, enter the name of the rubric and, if you wish, a
    description of its intended use.
    6. In section 2, you will be entering your grading criteria and point scales. You can adjust the
    default grid by changing the rubric type, adding rows and columns, and by changing the criteria and “levels of achievement” for each:

    Bb 9.1 SP7 Create Rubric_1

    a. To change the rubric type, select the desired type from the drop-down menu provided in the Rubric Type field. Options include: No Points, Points, Point Range, and Percent (includes fields for assigning weights to each criterion).
    b. To add a row or a column, simply click the Add Row button or the Add Column button, respectively. To delete a row or column, click the gray square with double-down arrows next to the column or row’s name and select Delete this row or Delete this column from the drop‐down menu revealed.
    c. To change the title of a Criterion or Level of Achievement, click on the gray square with double-down arrows next to the current title and select Edit from the revealed drop‐down menu. You can then enter the new title directly in the text box that appears and click Save.
    d. To re‐order the rows or columns, click on the box icons with left and right-facing arrows next to the Criteria and Levels of Achievement titles.
    e. To enter descriptions of Criteria and Levels of Achievement, click in the corresponding white text boxes that make up the grid. You can spell‐check your text by clicking on the “abc” (+ green check mark) icon.
    f. To show the point values or point ranges for each cell, click the box next to either option (located at the top of the grid) to check mark it.
    i. Enter points or point ranges by clicking in the box provided under each cell and entering the desired values.

    7. When finished creating the rubric, scroll down and click Submit.

    Open a Rubric:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Course Tools selection to expand the menu and select Rubrics from the tool list. If you do not see Rubrics in the tool list, you may need to adjust your course’s Tool Availability. See “How do I manage my course tools?” documentation.
    4. On the Rubrics page, click the gray box with double-down arrows next to the name of the rubric you wish to change, then select Open from the revealed drop‐down menu:

    Bb 9.1 SP7 Create Rubric_1.5

    5. The rubric will appear in a separate pop-up window. From this window, you can print the rubric (click the Print button at the bottom right of the window) or view associated assignments, assessments, etc. (click the View Associated Items link at the bottom left of the window):

    Bb 9.1 SP7 Rubric Window

    Edit a Rubric:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Course Tools selection to expand the menu and select Rubrics from the tool list. If you do not see Rubrics in the tool list, you may need to adjust your course’s Tool Availability. See “How do I manage my course tools?” documentation.
    4. On the Rubrics page, click the gray box with double-down arrows next to the name of the rubric you wish to change, then select Edit from the revealed drop‐down menu:

    Bb 9.1 SP7 Create Rubric_2

    5. Make desired changes, then click Submit to save.

    Copy a Rubric:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Course Tools selection to expand the menu and select Rubrics from the tool list. If you do not see Rubrics in the tool list, you may need to adjust your course’s Tool Availability. See “How do I manage my course tools?” documentation.
    4. On the Rubrics page, click the gray box with double-down arrows next to the name of the rubric you wish to change, then select Copy from the revealed drop‐down menu.  Another rubric exactly like the one you copied will appear in the Rubrics list.

    Delete a Rubric:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Course Tools selection to expand the menu and select Rubrics from the tool list. If you do not see Rubrics in the tool list, you may need to adjust your course’s Tool Availability. See “How do I manage my course tools?” documentation.
    4. On the Rubrics page, click the gray box with double-down arrows next to the name of the rubric you wish to change, then select Delete from the revealed drop‐down menu. Or, click to check the box next to the rubric(s) you wish to delete, then click one of the Delete buttons located above and below the list of rubrics:

    Bb 9.1 SP7 Create Rubric_3

    5. A pop‐up window will appear asking you to confirm that you want to permanently Delete the rubric from the system. Click OK to proceed. Click Cancel to abort the deletion.

How do I link a Rubric to an Assignment?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video

    Link a Rubric to an Assignment:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Grade Center selection to expand the menu, then select Full Grade Center, or the appropriate Smart View.
    4. Find the grading column for the Assignment to which you wish to add the rubric.
    5. Click on the gray square with double-down arrows in the title cell of the desired grading column and select Edit Column Information from the revealed drop-down menu.
    6. At the end of section 1 of the Edit Column page, there is an option to associate a rubric with the graded item.  Click the Add Rubric button, then select an option from the drop-down menu:

    a. Select Rubric
    i. A pop-up window listing all the rubrics within the course will appear. 
    ii. Click to check mark the box next to the rubric you wish to select.
    iii. Click the Submit button.
    b. Create New Rubric
    i. A pop-up window will appear.  See the "How do I create and manage a rubric?" documentation.
    ii. Click the Submit button.
    c. Create from Existing
    i. A pop-up window listing all the rubrics within the course will appear.
    ii. Click the radio button for the rubric you wish to use as the basis for your current item. Click the Submit button.
    iii. Make changes to the original rubric as necessary, then click the Submit button.

    7. When prompted, click OK to make the graded item's maximum points possible correspond with the rubric's maximum point possible value. Or, click Cancel and adjust the points possible in the rubric.
    8. The rubric should now be listed on the Edit Column page.
    9. At this point you can add more than one rubric to the assignment. If you wish to do so, repeat steps 6-8 for each rubric.
    10. Once the desired rubric(s) have been added, there are some options to set:

    Associate Rubrics Options 1
    a. To disassociate (remove) a rubric from the graded item, click the icon depicted as a red circle with a white 'X' located to the left of the rubric's title.
    b. To view the rubric, click the icon depicted as two overlapping white rectangles.  The rubric will open in a separate pop-up window.
    c. To edit the rubric, click the icon depicted as two overlapping white rectangles with a pencil.  The Edit Rubric page will open in a separate pop-up window.
    d. For "type," there must be more than one rubric associated with the item.  If there is a second rubric, one is designated as the rubric "used for grading" and the other rubric is designated for use in a "secondary evaluation."  Click the icon depicted as an orange and blue square with double-down arrows, then select the designation from the drop-down menu. Repeat for additional rubrics.
    e. Rubrics are hidden from student users by default, but can be made available to student users by clicking the icon depicted as a check mark next to double-down arrows, then selecting the desired visibility. There are three options:
    i. Unavailable to student users is indicated by the icon depicted as a gray check mark with a red slash over it
    ii. Available to student users without scores is indicated by the icon depicted as a green check mark
    iii. Available to student users after grading (with scores) is indicated by the icon depicted as a green check mark with a white square underneath
    11. After setting all the desired options, scroll down the Edit Column page and click the Submit button.

How do I grade an assignment using a Rubric?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video
    Grade an Assignment with a Rubric:
    Please note that these instructions apply to regular Blackboard Assignments, not SafeAssignments.
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Grade Center selection to expand the menu, then select Full Grade Center, or desired Smart View.
    4. Find the grading column for the Assignment you wish to grade with a rubric.
    5. Click on the gray square with double-down arrows located in the grade cell for the item you wish to grade.
    6. From the drop‐down menu revealed, select Attempt. You could also select View Grade
    Details    , then click the View Attempt button on the Grade Details page.
    7. Once you have the user’s attempt open, open the rubric for grading by clicking the View Rubric button located to the right of the grade entry box.
    8. The rubric will pop up in a separate window so you can reference and grade within it while viewing the attempt.
    9. Click the Submit button to save the points and grade assigned and to close the rubric window.  The assigned score should now appear in the attempt's grade entry box.  There is an opportunity to change that grade (add or remove points for partial credit or criteria not on the rubric) before submitting the grade by clicking the Submit button on the attempt page.

How do I color-code my Grade Center?

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    Grade Center Color Coding
    In Blackboard 9.1, the Grade Center provides a color-coding feature that allows graders to visibly identify grade cells that adhere to specific criteria. The instructor can define the colors that are associated with selected criteria. The criteria include “Grading Status” (In Progress, Needs Grading, Exempt) and Grade Ranges (to identify grades that are above or below a certain point or fall between two points). The following document describes how to select the criteria and assign colors to those criteria.

    Defining Colors for Coding in the Grade Center:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Select the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Grade Center item, then select Full Grade Center, or the appropriate Smart View.
    4. Click the Manage button and select Grading Color Codes from the drop-down menu:

    Color Coding-1

    5. On the Grading Color Codes page, click the box in section 1 to enable the color-coding feature.
    6. In section 2, if you would like to color code based on Grading Status, select a color for each status, or only for those you would like to track, by clicking on the gray box next to the color preview and selecting a color from the grid provided:

    Color Coding-2

    7. Also under section 2, you can create Grade Ranges criteria. To create a grade criterion, click the Add Criteria button. Then you can select “More than,” “Less than,” or “Between” before entering the numerical values for the scores you wish to track. Then click on the gray box next to the color preview to select a color from the grid provided. You might also need to select a new color for the text of the score, depending on the background color you chose:

    Color Coding-3

    8. Repeat step 7 for each grade criterion you wish to create.
    9. When you have finished adding criteria and choosing colors, click Submit.

How do I use Filters in the Grade Center?

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    In Blackboard 9.1, you can sort the Grade Center rows and columns using different Filters. The filters include Categories and Statuses. Categories sort by column (the type of item), while Statuses sort by users’ grade cells (progress on submissions). Some filters you might use often enough that you want to save the resulting view of the Grade Center. (See documentation “Create Smart Views for the Grade Center.”)

    Filter the Grade Center:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1
    2. Enter the course in which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Grade Center entry, then on Full Grade Center.
    4. Click on the Filter button to reveal choices for filters:

    Create Smart Views 1

    a. Current View: Lists available Smart Views (Favorites noted with green star icons), with the current view highlighted:

    Create Smart Views 2

    b. Category: Lists categories of submissions in order to sort by grading column:

    Filters3

    c. Status: Lists submission/grade statuses to sort by individual grade cells and users:

    Filters4

    5. Once you click on a filter, the Grade Center view will immediately refresh to show you only those columns/users/submissions that conform to your selected filter.

    NOTE: To return to the Full Grade Center, you can click the Full Grade Center selection for Current View under the Filters, or you can click on the Full Grade Center Smart View link in the Control Panel.

How do I create a Smart View in the Grade Center?

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    In Blackboard 9.1, you can create Smart Views of the Grade Center. A Smart View is a focused look at the Grade Center. It shows only the data that matches a set of criteria you’ve set. Smart Views are useful to quickly find data when the Grade Center includes a great number of students or columns. There are several default Smart Views included in all Bb 9.1 course shells that are found in the Filter submenu in the Grade Center. Those marked as Favorites are immediately accessible via links under the Grade Center item in the Control Panel. There are three default Favorite Smart Views in Bb 9.1—Needs Graded, Assignments, and Tests.

    Create Smart Views of the Grade Center:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1
    2. Enter the course in which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Grade Center entry, then on Full Grade Center.
    4. Click on the Filter button to reveal choices for filters:

    Create Smart Views 1

    5. Click on the Current View to reveal the default Smart Views:

    Create Smart Views 2

    6. To create you own Smart View, click the Manage button and select Smart Views from the drop-down menu.
    7. On the Smart Views page, click the Create Smart View button.
    8. Enter a name and decide if you want the Smart View to be a “Favorite” (it will be visible in the Grade Center submenu within the Control Panel).
    9. In section 2, set the type of view, the selection criteria, and the filter results columns.
    10. When finished, click Submit.
    11. You will be returned to the Smart Views page. To see your newly created Smart View, just click on the name.

How do I create favorite Smart Views in the Grade Center?

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    In Blackboard 9.1, you can create Smart Views of the Grade Center. A Smart View is a focused look at the Grade Center. It shows only the data that matches a set of criteria you’ve set. Smart Views are useful to quickly find data when the Grade Center includes a great number of students or columns. There are several default Smart Views included in all Bb 9.1 course shells that are found in the Filter submenu in the Grade Center. Those marked as Favorites are immediately accessible via links under the Grade Center item in the Control Panel. There are three default Favorite Smart Views in Bb 9.1—Needs Graded, Assignments, and Tests. If you find that you use a particular Smart View often, you can set it as a Favorite or as the Default view for the Grade Center.

    Designate Smart Views as Favorites or the Default:
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1
    2. Enter the course in which you wish to work.
    3. In the Control Panel, click on the Grade Center entry, then on Full Grade Center.
    4. Click the Manage button, then select Smart Views from the drop-down menu. 

    5. On the Smart Views page, click the box next to the Smart View’s name to check mark it.
    6. Click the Favorites button and select Add to Favorites.

    a. To remove a Smart View from the Favorites list, follow the steps above, but select Remove from Favorites in the last step.

    NOTE: To set a default Grade Center view, navigate to the Smart View, then click the Disk icon in the Filter submenu to save the current view as the Default view:

    GradeCenter Favorite Smart Views-Bb 9 1-1

How do I download and upload the Grade Center to work offline?

  • Printable PDF document
    Video: Download Grade Center
    Video: Upload Grade Center

    In Blackboard 9.1, you are able to enter grades to the Grade Center while working Offline. To do this, you must download the Grade Center to an Excel Spreadsheet, enter your grades, save the spreadsheet locally, and then upload the file to Blackboard. This document will give you instructions on how to enter grades in bulk and/or to work with your Grade Center offline.

    Download the Grade Center
    1. Login to Blackboard 9.1.
    2. Enter the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the “Control Panel,” click on Grade Center, then Full Grade Center.
    4. Click the Work Offline button above the grade sheet to reveal a drop‐down menu and select
    Download.

    download grades 1

    5. Complete the selections on the Download Grades page, choosing whether to download the full Grade Center, selected columns, or just the user information. You will also need to select the file options (see the Note below), and the location to which you want to download the file.
    NOTE: It is recommended that you ONLY use .XLS files, as these are the only file types that can be opened directly in Microsoft Excel. Under “Delimiter Type” in section 2, “Options,” make sure “Tab” is selected.

    download grades 2

    6. Click Submit.
    7. On the next page, click the Download button.
    8. Select “Save As” to save the spreadsheet, or “Open With…” and choose Microsoft Office Excel to open and work with the spreadsheet immediately.
    9. After entering the grades in the spreadsheet, make sure to save your work and notice the
    location of the file (the file type should automatically become Unicode text—file extension .txt; this is as it should be).

     

    Upload the Excel File of Grades back into the Grade Center
    1. When ready to upload the grade spreadsheet into the Bb Grade Center, log in to Bb and open the Grade Center.
    2. Click on the Work Offline button above the grade sheet to reveal a drop‐down menu and select Upload to reveal the “Upload Grades” page:

    download grades 3

    3. On the “Upload Grades” page, click on the Browse button and select the file name of the grade spreadsheet.
    4. Click Submit.

How do I set up weighted grades in the Grade Center?

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    If you are interested in having Blackboard calculate final grades using weighting, you can create a Calculated Column, called the “Weighted Column,” that will do so for you once you configure it to your specifications. The configuration process is described below.

    Creating a Weighted Total Column:
    1. Login to Blackboard.
    2. Select the course within which you wish to work.
    3. In the “Control Panel,” select Grade Center, then Full Grade Center.
    4. Once in the Grade Center, click on the Create Calculated Column button along the top of the grading grid, and select Weighted Column from the drop‐down menu.
    5. In section 1, “Column Information,” enter a name in the “Column Name” field. (By default, this name will display as the column heading if you do not fill in the next field, “Grade Center Display Name,” which is not a required field.)
    6. Enter a “Description” if you wish—this text will be visible to users with grading permissions,
    such as instructors and teaching assistants, as well as to students if they click on Details in their “My Grades” tool.
    7. Select a “Primary Display” for your column, such as Score or Percentage.
    8. Select a “Secondary Display” if you wish. This secondary version of the score will appear in
    parentheses next to the primary version of the score in each grade cell and will be visible to
    students through their “My Grades” tool.
    9. In section 3, “Select Columns,” you will need to select the items to which you wish to assign weight values.

    a. To choose a column or category, click on the column name in the box on the left to highlight it, then click the right-pointing arrow to move it to the “Selected Columns” box on the right.
    b. Repeat this process for as many columns and categories as needed.
    c. Once all the desired columns and categories are selected and in the appropriate box, begin entering the weighting percentages for each into the boxes (marked with an asterisks symbol) provided until the “Total Weight” (at the bottom of the Selected Columns box) is equal to 100%. If the “Total Weight” is not equal to 100, the calculations will be wrong—this is an important step.
    i. You may also choose how to weight columns within categories and whether to drop the lowest grade in that category during this step as well.

    10. Choose whether you want the column to calculate grades as a “Running Total.” Selecting “Yes” will provide students with grades that are negatively skewed until about three quarters of the columns have grades entered. Selecting “No” will provide an accurate grade throughout the quarter, but only as long as the instructor remembers to enter “O’s” into cells for items not turned in. This MUST be done because empty cells (those with only a “‐“) will not be calculated into the total grades (thus skewing grades positively).
    11. In section 4, “Options,” select the options for using this column in calculations and for viewing by students. Generally, you do want to include the column in Grade Center Calculations, but whether to show the column and its statistics to students is up to you.
    12. Scroll down and click Submit.

How do I open individual student submissions?

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    To Open an Individual User Submission
    1. Open the course in which you want to view submissions.
    2. Click on the Grade Center selection in the “Control Panel,” then Full Grade Center, or your
    desired Smart View.
    3. Scroll across to the Grading Column from which you wish to view submissions. Scroll down to the user whose submission you wish to view, if there is one in particular.
    4. Hover your mouse over a particular grade cell and you will see a gray box with double‐down
    arrows . Click on the gray box icon to reveal a drop‐down menu of options:

    open individual submisison 1

    5. Select Attempt (date) to go directly to the user’s full submission, or…
    6. Select View Grade Details to see the details of the user’s grade on the Test or Assignment, if it has been automatically graded by Blackboard, as well as to view the date and time of the
    submission, the actual submission itself and to enter a grade.
    7. You can see the user’s actual responses on the Assignment or Test (click View Attempt button), delete the user’s “Attempt” if you want them to re‐take the Assignment or Test for some reason (click Clear Attempt button) or edit the user’s grade (click Edit Grade):

    individ submisison 2

    8. When you open the attempt (click View Attempt button), you will see an Assignment
    Information link, a Submission History, and then section 3, “Review Current Attempt.” This
    section will contain all the information the user included in their submission. If it is an Exam
    Attempt, you can grade each question individually in the points box to the left of the question. If it is an Assignment submission, you may see the entire text displayed here in Bb, or you may need to click on the file link next to “Attached Files” to view the user’s attached submission file:

    individ submission 3

    9. After viewing the submission, assign a grade in section 4, “Grade Current Attempt.” You can also add grading comments in two ways:

    a. In the “Comments” box: these notes will only appear in the user’s “My Grades” view.
    b. By “Attach File”: you can add notes directly to the student’s submission, save the file on your desktop (locally), then re‐upload it here. Users can access these files from their “My Grades” view as well.

    10. Section 5, “Instructor’s Notes,” is for your own reference and will only appear in your Grade Center, thus visible only to you and any co‐instructors or TA’s.
    11. When finished with viewing and grading a submission, click the Submit button to save any
    changes.

How do my students view grade feedback or see a returned paper?

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    When you grade an assignment or assessment within Blackboard, you have the option to provide feedback to your students and/or return their papers to them.  This document will explain how your students see that information.

    Instructions for your students:

    1.  Log into Blackboard
    2.  Select your course
    3.  If a "My Grades" button is available on the left, they will click that.  If not, they will click on Tools and then select My Grades.
    4.  Comments for each graded item are listed at the far right of the row for that item.
    5.  If the paper was returned to the student, the student will need to click on the grade for that item.  It will then take them to the Submission History page which will give them the option to view the attached files.

    Tip:  You may want to enter a comment to let the students know that the document was returned, as there is no other indication that this has happened.

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