- How do I make my course site available to my students?
- How do I post an announcement for students?
- How do I send an email to students?
- How do I add content to my course site?
How do I make my course site available to my students?
By default, all course sites in Blackboard are created as "unavailable." You will see this status displayed [e.g. EARLY MEDIEVAL ART.Fall2005 (unavailable)] on your My Courses list on your Blackboard Desktop. This means that your students will not be able to access your course site in Blackboard unless you make the site available to them by following these steps:
- From within the course you want to make available, click on the Control Panel link under the left-side course menu.
- Under "Course Options," click on "Settings."
- Click on "Course Availability."
- Select "Yes" and click "Submit."
How do I post an announcement for students?
Announcements appear on the main (entry) page of the course site, so they are the first thing students see when they enter the course. They are also displayed on the students' Blackboard Desktop in the My Courses Detailed View module (unless the student has elected to hide them from the module).
Announcements are displayed in reverse chronological order (the latest announcement appears on top) and are displayed for a week by default. Instructors can also create permanent announcements, which remain visible for the duration of the course.
To create an announcement for a course:- Click on the Control Panel link under the left-side course menu.
- Under "Course Tools," click on "Announcements."
- Click on the Add Announcement button.
- On the Add Announcement form, fill in the Subject and Message.
- Select any options and add any attachments.
- Check the "Email this announcement" box if you wish to automatically send all students in the course a copy of the announcement.
- Click "Submit."
How do I send an email to students?
Instructors can send email to all students in the course or to select students by using the Email tool in the course Control Panel:
- Click on the Control Panel link under the left-side course menu.
- Under "Course Tools," click on "Send Email."
- Choose which group you wish to email (all students, select users, etc.) and click on the appropriate link.
- An email form will open. If you chose to email select users, click on the name of the person you wish to email and then click on the right arrow button to include him/her in the email. Repeat for additional users you want to receive the email.
- Fill in the Subject and Message areas.
- Check "Return Receipt" if you want to send yourself a copy of the email.
- Add any files you wish to attach.
- Click "Submit."
The email goes to the students' Hoyamail address and is not saved in Blackboard.
Note: It is not necessary to make your course site available to students in order to send emails to them via Blackboard.
How do I add content to my course site?
One of Blackboard's main uses is for delivering content electronically to students. Rather than sending email attachments, instructors can use Blackboard to post documents (text files, PowerPoint presentations, PDF files, etc.) for students in one of Blackboard's content areas.
Instructors are encouraged to think carefully about which content areas they will use. Using many different content areas may overwhelm students and make it difficult for them to locate material quickly. When a content area is available but empty, students wonder why it has been made available.
To add a document to the course, click on the name of the course in the "My Courses: Detailed View" box. Go to the Control Panel. In the section called "Content Areas," click on the desired content area (e.g. Course Information, Course Documents). On the "Add" menu bar, click on one of these buttons:
- Folder: If you wish to organize your files into folders, create the folders first. Next, open the folder and click on the Add buttons to add items.
- Item: Use this to upload text files, PowerPoint presentations, PDF files, etc.
- External Link: Use this to create a link to an external web site.
- Course Link: Use this to link to another area or document within your current Blackboard course.
- Test: Use this to add a test, quiz, or exam you have created in Blackboard.
Please refer to the Adding Content FAQ for more specifics on formatting and file types.
