Adding Content

Two ways to navigate to a content area to begin:

A. Select a Content Area from within the Control Panel. Select "EDIT VIEW".


B. Select a Content Area directly from the course menu. Select "EDIT VIEW".

Content Types (select from the list to learn more)

• Item
• Folder
• External Link
• Course Link
• Test
• Other content types from the dropdown menu:

– Survey
– Learning Unit
– Assignment
– Discussion Board
– Chat
– Virtual Classroom
– Group
– Tool
– Offline Content
– Safe Assignment
– Self and Peer Assessment

Add Item

• Click the “Add Item” button in the tool bar.
• Enter the content name.
• Choose the color of the name if desired.
• Enter content in the text editor and format the text as desired.


Attach a file:



• Click the "Browse" button to upload a file from your local machine that you would like to attach.
• By default, the link name of an attached file is the document name (e.g. syllabus.doc). You can provide a more descriptive link, without the file type extension, by filling out the “Name of Link to File” field (e.g. Fall Syllabus).


Embed a file on a page:



• If you are attaching an image file, Blackboard will by default create a link to it. If you would like the image to be displayed within your content area page select “Display media file with the page” from the Special Action drop box.
• Select “Yes” if you would like the files to launch in a new window.


Attach multiple files at one time:



• First create a .zip file on your local machine.
• Then from within Blackboard, attach the file using the "Browse" button.
• Select “Unpackage this file” from the Special Action drop box.
  
• Click “Submit.”
• Select a file name from within the Entry Point box that you would like to appear as first when the zip file is unpackaged in Blackboard.
• Select “Yes” if you would like the files to launch in a new window.





Content Options:



Determine if you want to:
-- Make the content available at this time.
-- Track the number of views.
-- Restrict the content visibility to certain dates.

Click "Submit" to complete the process.

Add Folder

• Enter the folder name.
• Make selections regarding:
• When the content will be available.
• Tracking the number of views.
• Setting date restrictions for content.
• Click "Submit" to complete the process.
• Once the folder is created, click on the folder and add content.

Add External Link

• Enter the external link name (e.g Carnegie Mellon University Website).
• Enter the full URL (e.g. http://www.cmu.edu).
• Enter description in the text editor and format the text if desired.
• Make selections regarding:
• When the content will be available.
• Tracking the number of views.
• Setting date restrictions for content.
• Click "Submit" to complete the process.

Add Course Link

• Enter the course link name.
• Choose the color of the name if desired.
• Enter content in the text editor and format the text as desired.
• Click “Browse” to choose where you would like the link to point keeping in mind that you cannot link directly to tests, surveys or specific discussion board topics, although you can link to the folder or area containing that information.
• Blackboard will bring up a detailed folder view of your Blackboard course, click on the file folder, or the item within a file folder, that you would like to link to.




• Make selections regarding:
• When the content will be available.
• Tracking the number of views.
• Setting date restrictions for content.
• Click "Submit" to complete the process.

Add Test

• First, you will need to go through the stepst to create a test.
• Then, the tests you create will be available in the "Add Test" listing to select and make available for students.
• Click the "Create" button to begin.

Other Content Types available from the dropdown menu

Select from other content types via the drop-down menu on the right side of the add content navigation:




• Learning Unit
• Assignment
• Discussion Board
• Chat
• Virtual Classroom
• Group
• SafeAssignment
• Self and Peer Assessment

Instructors: For assistance with understanding how to add these content types, contact bb-help@andrew.cmu.edu