Add Content to Your Course:

Import Content From One Blackboard Course To Another		Add Discussion Board Forums
Add Content		WebEQ and MathML Equation Editor
Use Course Tools		See Also:
Add Announcements (add links)		Archive Course | Export Course

Import Content From One Blackboard Course To Another:
(Requires that you have previously exported or archived a Blackboard course "package".)

1. Start from within the Blackboard course that you want to import content to.
2. Go to the "Control Panel"
3. Click on "Import Package"
4. Click the "Browse"/"Choose" button to navigate to, and select, an export .zip file or archive .zip file that you have previously generated.
   (See how to create a course: export .zip file | archive .zip file)
5. Select which course materials you would like to import, such as a content area, Discussion Board, tests, etc.
   NOTE: If you wish to import student data, work, and grades from an archive .zip file, contact bb-help@andrew.cmu.edu.
6. Click "Submit."
7. Blackboard will send you an e-mail when the import process is complete.

Add Content:

1. Select a "Content Area" from within the Control Panel:
    
   
    
   -- OR -- enter a Content Area directly from the course and select "Edit View":
    
   
    
    
   
2. Click on the content type you'd like to add:
   
   
   • Item
   • Folder
   • External Link
   • Course Link
   • Test
   • Other Content Type (dropdown menu):
   • Learning Unit
   • Survey
   • Assignment
   • LRN Package

Add Item:

1. Enter the content name or select a name from the dropdown menu.
2. Choose the color of the name if desired.
3. Enter content in the "text" window and format the text as desired.
    
   
    
   
4. Attach files to the content.
    
   
    
   For example, if the content relates to a particular lecture, you can attach a file of the lecture slides.
    
   
5. Determine if you want to:
   -- Make the content available at this time.
   -- Add offline content.
   -- Track the number of views.
   -- Add metadata.
   -- Restrict the content visibility to certain dates.
    
   
    
   
6. Click "Submit" to complete the process.
    
    
    
   

Add Folder:

If you have several items you would like to have grouped together, you may want to create a folder to put them in.

For example, if you have several items regarding a course project, you could create a "Course Project" folder, and have the readings, slides, assignment details, etc. in this folder.

1. Enter the folder name.
2. Select the color and enter a description in the text window
3. Determine if you want to make the folder visible and/or choose date restrictions (if any).
4. Once the folder is created, click on the folder and add content.
   

Add External Link:

If there is a website you wish the students to visit, you can opt to create an external link.

1. Enter the name of the link, the full URL, and a description.
2. You can also attach files to the external link.
3. Select link options:
   • Make it visible.
   • Launch in an external window.
   • Track the number of views.
   • Add metadata.
   • Choose date restrictions.
     

Add Course Link:

Used for creating a link to a certain area within your Blackboard course site.

1. Select or specify the link name
2. Choose the color and enter a description in the text window.
3. Browse to choose where you would like to link to, 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.
4. Select course link options:
   1. Make it visible.
   2. Track the number of views.
   3. Add metadata.
   4. Choose date restrictions.
      

Add Test:

Refer to: "How-To: Create Assessments".

Add Other Content Types: (drop-down menu)

• Learning Unit:
  Used to guide a student thru a series of materials culminating in a test or survey.
  1. Select the name (i.e., tutorial, lab, lesson plan, etc.) or specify your own name, choose the color and enter the description in the text window.
  2. Determine if you want to make the learning unit visible, if you want to enforce sequential viewing, if you want it to open in a new window, track the number of views, add metadata or choose date restrictions.
     
• Survey:
  Creating a Survey is much like creating an Assessment
  Refer to: "How-To: Create Assessments".
  
• Assignment:
  Refer to: "How-To: Create Assignments".
  
• LRN Package:
  LRN content is only compatible with Internet Explorer 5.x and 6.x.
  1. Select or specify the name, choose the color and enter the description into the text window.
  2. Browse to select the LRN package you're adding and name the link.
  3. Determine if you would like to make the LRN package visible, if you would like to add offline content, to open the item in a new window, track the number of views, add metadata, or choose date restrictions.
     

Use Course Tools:

Create Announcements:

1. To create an announcement, select "Announcement" from within "Course Tools" in the control panel and select "Add Announcement".
2. Enter the name or subject of the announcement, such as "New Reading", and enter the announcement message.
3. You can also add a hyperlink to the announcement:
   
   
   Click image for a larger view.
   
   
   
4. Determine if you would like the announcement to always be on the course's main page (for example, permanent messages, such as Classes are MWF at 11:00 in Doherty 2210, might be a good idea to keep this way). Decide when and how long you want the announcement to be displayed. The default is set to display after the current date and time.
   
   Click image for a larger view.
   
   
5. You can also select a course link to add to the announcement.
   
   Click image for a larger view.
   
   For example, you can post an announcement that an assignment is due and link directly to the assignment that you've created. Keep in mind, you cannot post directly to tests or surveys.
   

Add Staff Information:

This is where you can put information specific to the instructors, teaching assistants, etc.

1. Select "Staff Information". You can create a folder or add a profile. Creating folders is the same as in adding content folders.
2. To create a profile, select "Profile".
3. Enter the individual's title (ie, Instructor), first name, last name, email address, work phone number, office location and office hours.
4. In addition, you can make notes about the person.
5. Determine if you would like to make the profile visible.
6. You can also browse to select an image file if you would like to include a photo of the person (72dpi, .jpg format, size: 150x150 pixels), and specify a URL if they have a personal webpage.
   

Create Tasks:

You can establish Tasks for your course, which will appear to each of the students, who can keep track of their own progress.

1. Select "Tasks" from "Course Tools" in the control panel.
2. Select "Add Task".
3. Enter the title of the task and a description.
4. Select the Due date from the drop down menus.
5. Set the priority of the task (Normal, High, Low).
6. If you then go into the "Tools" area and select "Tasks", all of the tasks you have set for yourself appear.
7. Selecting the task name will take you to the description for it.
8. The default status will appear "not started".
9. If you select it once, it will change to "in progress", and if selected again, "completed" will appear.
10. If you select "Modify" you can change the status or priority of the task.
11. You will not be able to view anyone's progress on the tasks other than your own.
    

Send Email:

1. Select "Send Email" from the "Course Tools" area in the control panel, or click the "Communication" button, then "Send Email".
2. You have the option to send email to all the users (instructors, students, TAs, etc.) enrolled in the course, to all of the groups you've established, all of the teaching assistants, all the instructors, or you can send the email to select users, or groups. (You cannot send email to "all observers" or "select observers" as observers are not an enabled option at this time.)
3. Select the appropriate email option. If sending to all individuals of a certain type, you would enter the subject and email message.
4. Attach any files you wish and select "Submit".
5. If sending email to select individuals, you would first need to select which individuals from the provided list, then enter the subject and email message.
6. Attach any files you wish and select "Submit".
   

Use the Digital Drop Box:

1. If you wish to send files using the Digital Drop Box, select this option under "Course Tools" in the control panel, or from within the "Communication" area.
2. Select "Add File" to add files to your personal area in Blackboard or select "Send File" to send the files to an individual in your Blackboard course.   Note:   No one will be able to see any files you "added" unless you send them as well.
3. When adding a file, enter the name you would like to call the file, select "Choose file" to select the file, and add any comment you mi ght have, then select "Submit".
4. To send a file, select "Send File", select the users you would like to send the file to from the list provided.   Then, either select a file you've already added to the site from the drop-down menu, or upload a new file by entering the name you wish to call it, browsing for it and adding comments. Select "submit".
   

Create a Glossary of Terms:

If you selected the option to have a glossary, you need to enter this tool to manage it.   Select "Glossary Manager" from "Course Tools" in the Control Panel. You have the option to:

Add Term - Select "Add Term".   Enter the name of the term and the definition, then select "submit".   Once you have terms entered, they will appear in alphabetical order.   You can also "modify" or "remove" any terms by selecting the appropriate button next to the term.

Upload Glossary - If you already have a file containing a glossary, you can choose to upload it instead of recreating the glossary.   Select "Upload Glossary".   Select "Choose File" to browse for your comma-separated value (CSV) delimited file.   (ie., "term1, this is the definition for term1.")   You then have the option to either add the terms in the file to the existing glossary, or to delete the existing glossary and replace it with the file you are uploading.   Select the option you prefer, and select "Submit."

Download Glossary - To download your glossary into a CSV file, select "Download Glossary", and then select "Download" to save it to your desktop.

Add Discussion Boards:

1. To establish a forum where students can post questions or have asynchronous discussions, select "Discussion Boards" from the "Course Tools" area in the control panel (or from the "Communication" button).
2. Select "Add Forum". Enter the title for the forum, as well as a description. You can also add a hyperlink in the description if you want:
   
   Click image for larger view.
   
   
   Click image for larger view.
   
   
3. You may create numerous discussion boards, so if you wanted one to only discuss the readings or assignments for a course, you can specify that in the description box.
4. Next, select the forum settings, such as if you will allow anonymous posts, allow message editing once posted, allow the author to remove their posts, allow file attachments and allow new threads.
5. In the "Forum User Settings" area, all of the students will be listed in the scrollable window area. You can give individuals administrative or normal access to the forum (administrative access would enable them to change the forum and user settings). In addition you can block or unblock individuals, by selecting their name and clicking on the appropriate button.
   

WebEQ and MathML Equation Editor

Tools for adding scientific and mathematical notation to your Blackboard content:

• WebEQ Equation Editor

• MathML Equation Editor
  

WebEQ

A Java-based graphical interface that provides buttons for selecting scientific and mathematical symbols.

How to:

1. Click the Square Root to open the WebEQ Equation Editor window.
2. Create/enter a new equation or copy/paste an existing one.
3. Select from the symbols provided in the Equation Editor toolbar.
4. When you are finished, click “Add”.

MathML

A markup language designed to represent mathematical and scientific equations.

How to:

1. Click the <÷> to open the MathML Equation Editor window.
2. Create/enter a new equation or copy/paste an existing one.
3. Select from the symbols provided in the Equation Editor toolbar.
4. When you are finished, click “Add”.

Note:

• We recommend Safari for Mac users and IE for PC users.

• Mozilla users must install Java Runtime Environment 5.0. Please see Mozilla's Java documentation for more information:
  http://plugindoc.mozdev.org/faqs/java.html
  Download Java Runtime Environment 5.0