The items listed in the Content Areas section of the Control Panel correspond to the course's left menu / navigation. 4 Content Areas are available by default:

See also How to add course content.

The course tools module is comprised of links to the different tools that are available in, and can facilitate the administering of, a Blackboard course. Tools can be disabled within a Blackboard course, but by default are available in all new Blackboard courses. The links in this module provide access to setting up tools such as Announcements, Email, Collaboration, SafeAssign, Self and Peer Assessment, and Quota Usage.

The course options module provides links for customizing a Blackboard course’s tools, design, and availability settings. You can also generate export and archive packages, or import previously created export and archive packages.

NOTE: The Recycle Course link appears in the Course Options module, but is not utilized during the lifecycle of Carnegie Mellon University Blackboard courses.

Manage Course Menu: Allows instructors to add, subtract, and re-order the links of the Blackboard course’s course menu.

Course Design: Allows instructors to change the design of the Blackboard course menu and the display options of the course menu and tool panel. Instructors can also add a banner (image) to their course.

Manage Tools: Allows instructors to decide what tools are available to themselves, students, and guests.

Settings: Allows instructors to make a course available to students and guests, (NOTE: CMU does not utilize the Observer role in Blackboard courses, but a link will appear within Settings pertaining to this role). Instructors are also able to change the course entry point of their Blackboard course. By default the course entry point of new courses is Announcements. However, it can be changed to any content area or tool listed in the course menu.

The User Management module provides links for:

Creating and managing groups within a Blackboard course
 

The Assessment module allows instructors to create tests, surveys, and manage pools of questions for tests and surveys. Instructors can also monitor student activity and manage grades.

The Help module provides links to a Blackboard, Inc. manual, tutorials, and an email help link to bb-help@andrew.cmu.edu.

NOTE: the Support link that appears is not utilized by Carnegie Mellon University, but cannot be removed from the Control Panel interface.