Build a Course

The Course Menu

The course menu has controls for setting up and managing the course structure.

Course Menu Layout

Course Menu Layout Screenshot
  1. Expand-collapse menu: The course title is visible in the course menu. An arrow icon to the left of the name is available for expanding and collapsing the menu; an arrow icon to the right of the name takes you to the course entry page.
  2. "Add" functionality: Click the "plus sign" at the top left of the course menu to add content areas, pages, links, and tools.
  3. View Options: The icons at the top of the course menu provide alternate views (list, folder, launch in separate window, refresh menu, and reorder function).
  4. Edit, delete, hide-show: Click the downarrow icon at the right of each menu item to reveal a submenu with functions to edit the label, hide the link, or delete the menu item. Note that if you delete the item, you delete the area the item refers to.
  5. Collapse left frame: Click the "left arrow" icon between the course menu and the content frame to collapse the left frame (the course navigation and Control Panel area).
  6. Menu item indicators: The course menu has a number of icons to indicated when something is not visible or has no content associated with it. A double-headed arrow is positioned next to each item for rearranging content and a down-arrow icon to the right of each item for accessing label editing, deleting, and hiding functions.

Default Course Menu

Default Menu for a New Course

When a new course is requested by an instructor, a few menu items are provided by default -- Announcements, Syllabus, and Course Content. The course entry point is set to the "Announcements" page which means that when a user enters the course, this is the page they will see first.

Default Menu for a Restored Course

When a new course is requested with content restored into it from a previous course, the course menu will remain the same as it had been in the previous course.

Change the Course Menu

Instructors have a great degree of control over how the menu (the course structure) is organized using the controls attached to the course menu; and how the course menu looks using the "Style" controls available under "Customization" in the "Control Panel".

Use controls attached to the course menu to add, edit, delete, hide/show, rearrange menu items:

Use the "Control Panel" to change the style of the course menu:

  1. Click "Customization" and then "Style" within the "Control Panel". The "Style" page will appear with controls for setting the:
    • button style (text or buttons)
    • default menu view (folder view, list view, both views)
    • default content view (icon only, text only, icon and text)
    • course entry point
    • course banner image
  2. Click "Submit" to complete the process.

Content Areas & Pages

Use the left navigation functionality to add and organize pages and the course navigation.

Add a Content Area

  1. From the course left navigation, click on the "plus sign" in the navigation box just above the course title.
    Course Menu Add Functionality Screenshot
  2. Select "Create Content Area" from the available options. A popup box will appear with a text entry field.
    Add Content Area Screenshot
  3. Enter a name for the content area.
  4. Select the checkbox to make the area immediately available to users; this can also be done at a later time.
  5. Click "Submit" to complete the creation process.

A new content area is created and the name will become a link in the course left navigation. Next, content can be added in the new content area or more can be added to the left navigation.

Add a Blank Page

  1. From the course left navigation, click on the "plus sign" in the navigation box just above the course title.
    Course Menu Add Functionality Screenshot
  2. Select "Create Blank Page" from the available options. A popup box will appear with a text entry field.
    Add Blank Page Screenshot
  3. Enter a name for the page.
  4. Select the checkbox to make the area immediately available to users; this can also be done at a later time.
  5. Then click "Submit" to complete the creation process.

A new page is created and the name will become a link in the course left navigation. Next, fill out the page information to set up the page or continue setting up the left navigation.

Create & Insert a Module Page

Blackboard provides several informational and web application resources (modules) that can be added to a Module Page. Module Pages present/organize these information sources and web applications in discrete boxes or modules. Instructors can select and arrange modules on a Module Page for students to access. Currently the available modules include: Alerts, Calculator, Dictionary, Announcements, Calendar, Tasks, Report Card, Textpad, Thesaurus, To Do.

Create a Module Page

  1. Click on the "Build Content" button to expose a dropdown menu listing various content types.
  2. Select "Module Page" listed under the "New Page" heading.
    Add Module Page Screenshot
  3. Enter information about the Module Page, decide when to make it available to students, and select options.
    • Enter a name and optional descriptive information associated with the Learning Module.
    • Select whether or not to allow students to personalize the module page (if yes, students can also add, remove, and rearrange modules on the page).
    • Select from options for when to make the page available to students and whether to track the number of times students launch/view the page.
  4. Click "Submit" to create the module page.
    Course Module Page Screenshot

Insert Modules into a Module Page

  1. Navigate to the Module Page, then click the "Add Course Module" button to select from the list of individual modules to add to the Module Page.
    Add Module Screenshot
  2. Click "Submit" to complete the process.

Add Content

Instructors can easily add, organize, and link to course materials. In your Blackboard course, with "Edit Mode" on, select "Build Content" from the action menu items to add various types of content including:

Build Content Screenshot

Add an Item

  1. Navigate to a content area within your course, then click "Item" from the "Build Content" menu.
  2. Enter text in the text input box and/or attach files and/or link to external content.
    Add Item Screenshot
  3. Set the timeframe when students can see the content item and/or select whether or not to track the number of times students access/view the item, or you may maintain the default settings for these options.
    Add Item Screenshot
  4. Click "Submit" to create the item.

Add a Folder

Content Folders are handy for organizing materials within a particular content area. To begin, navigate to a course page and turn "Edit Mode" on. An action menu will appear containing several action buttons.

  1. Click on the "Build Content" action menu button to expose a dropdown listing of content types to choose from.
  2. Select "Content Folder" listed under the "New Page" heading.
  3. Name the folder and decide when to make it available to students.
    • Enter a name for the folder and designate a color for it.
    • Enter any descriptive information you may want for the folder.
    • Using the "release options", choose when to make the course folder available to students.
    Add Content Folder Screenshot
  4. Click "Submit" to complete the creation process.
    Note: You should see the newly created folder in the content area where you added it.

You can cross-link sections of your Blackboard course by adding a course link.

  1. Click on the "Build Content" action menu button to expose a dropdown listing of content types to choose from.
  2. Select "Course Link" listed under the "Create" heading.
  3. Link to an item, page, or tool in your course.
    • When you click "Browse" next to "Choose Item" in the "Create Course Link" page, a popup window containing all of the items in your course will appear in the upper right of your monitor. Using this window, you will select the item, page, or tool you want to link to.
    • Name the link and enter any descriptive information you may want for the link.
    Course Link Screenshot
  4. Decide when the link will become available to students.
  5. Click "Submit" to complete the creation process.
    Note: You should see the newly created course link in the content area where you added it.

An external link can be used to direct students to a web content residing outside of your Blackboard course.

  1. Click on the "Build Content" action menu button to expose a dropdown listing of content types to choose from.
  2. Select "URL" listed under the "Create" heading.
  3. Enter URL information (e.g. http://www.cmu.edu), decide the behavior of the link (e.g. launch a new window).
  4. Select whether you want to the link to "Open in a New Window" or display in the same window as where the link is placed.
  5. Using the "release options," choose when to make the link available to students.
  6. Click "Submit" to complete the creation process.
    Note: You should see the newly created course link in the content area where you added it.

Add a Learning Module

A Learning Module is a collection of course content with options for navigating through the content: a gated approach/sequential order or a structured path that allows students to navigate in any order. Setting up content in a Learning Module is similar to that of adding items to a folder, but some functionality is added, like the sequential order feature and a table of contents feature.

  1. Click on the "Build Content" action menu item to expose a dropdown menu listing various content types. Select "Learning Module" listed under the "Create" heading.
  2. Enter "Learning Module" information and select from options for how users should navigate the content.
    • Enter a name and descriptive information for this Learning Module.
      Learning Module Screenshot
    • Select options for this module.
    • Select "Yes" if you want for students to follow the sequential viewing of this module.
      Learning Module Screenshot 2
  3. Click "Submit" to complete the creation process.

A "Learning Module" folder is created. Click the "Learning Module" link to begin building/adding content for the module.

Add a Syllabus

The "Syllabus" is essentially a template that instructors can use to create, present, and modify their syllabus in a Blackboard course.

Syllabus Item Screenshot
  1. Click on the "Build Content" button to expose a dropdown menu listing various content types.
  2. Select "Syllabus" listed under the "Create" heading.
  3. Enter a name for the syllabus, then select either to "create a new syllabus" or "use an existing file".
  4. Click "Submit" to create the syllabus object.
  5. Add content to the Syllabus, select the visual style, and add "Lessons" (projects, assignments, etc.).
  6. A page will appear with several text input boxes for you to enter and customize information for the syllabus (e.g., description, learning objectives, required materials). Enter/edit the syllabus information, section headings, and content.
  7. Choose when the syllabus will become available to students in the course. Click "Submit" to complete the creation process.

Add Lessons to a Syllabus

Click on the "Add Lesson" button. A lesson editing page will appear. Enter a title, set the Lesson properties, and enter content. Click "Submit" to complete the process.

Delete Lessons in a Syllabus

Select the checkbox next to the "Lesson" to be deleted, then click the "Delete Lesson" button.

Rearrange Items on a Page

Once you've created several items, you can easily adjust their order on the page by using either the "drag-and-drop" functionality or the "reorder content" function.

Rearrange Items Screenshot

Rearrange via Drag & Drop

Note: "Edit Mode" must be "On". If it is, a double-headed arrow icon will appear to the left of each content item listed on the page.

  1. Place your mouse over an item you would like to rearrange.
    Drag and Drop Screenshot 1
  2. Click and hold down while dragging the selected item above or below other items listed on the page.
    Drag and Drop Screenshot 2
  3. Release the mouse to drop it into the new position.
    Note: As you move an item, a visual dotted guideline will appear indicating the hot spot in which to drop the item.

Rearrange via "Reorder: Content" Panel

  1. In the action menu of a content page, where you have added multiple content items, a small two-way arrow icon button rearrange arrow icon button will be visible to the right of the menu. Click on the arrow icon button to expose a dropdown window that lists all of content items on the page.
    Rearrange Panel Screenshot
  2. Select an item to rearrange.
  3. Use the up-down arrow buttons located beneath the listed items to move it up or down relative to the other items.
    Rearrange Panel Closeup Screenshot
  4. Click "Submit" to complete the process.

Course Availability

Blackboard courses are by default not available to students. Instructors must make the course available for students to receive access.

Make a Course Available to Students

  1. Enter the Blackboard course and locate the Control Panel menu under the left course navigation.
  2. Expand the Control Panel, then expand the "Customization" menu, and select "Properties".
  3. From the "Properties" screen, select "Yes" next to "Make Course Available".
    Make Course Available Screenshot
  4. Click "Submit".

Export/Archive a Course

Instructors can choose to save a copy of your course by using the Export/Archive function in Blackboard.

Course Lifecycle

The Eberly Center maintains a copy of all courses on the Blackboard server. Instructors of record for each Blackboard course continue to have access. However access to students is removed two weeks into the following semester after the course was taught.

How To Export or Archive Your Course

  1. Log into the Blackboard course.
  2. Expand "Control Panel" > "Packages and Utilities" and select "Export/Archive Course".
  3. Click the "Export" or "Archive" button, located at the top of the page within the heading area.
    • Export will allow you to select which course materials you wish to export.
    • Archive will archive the entire course.
  4. Click "Submit". Blackboard will take a few moments to generate a .zip file which will appear in a listing once it has been created and you have refreshed the browser page.
    Note: These files will be purged every 24 hours: Make sure to download them immediately after creation.
  5. Click on the course export/archive .zip file link listed on the "Export/Archive Course" page, or select "Open" from the contextual menu associated with the link to download the file to your local machine.
    Note: Contents of the course archive and export .zip files are only readable once imported back into Blackboard.
    Export Course File List Screenshot