Category:Blackboard - Faculty

Use this link to contact the IT Help Desk
Consult the Faculty Bb Bulletin for help setting up, saving and closing course shells; standard practices

Standard Practices

The Basics!

Standard practices are the conventions followed by faculty and the Blackboard support staff in order to guarantee that the semester gets off to a smooth start. Adhering standard practices guarantee a common experience: students are added to the courses on the same day. It also helps guarantee clear, commonly understood communication between instructors and Teaching with Technology staff.

Students are added to course shells two days prior to the start of the semester.
Instructors can communicate with students before they are added to shells
Instructors are responsible for activating their course shells; students will not be able to participate in, or even see, course shells until they're activated. The exception are courses taught completely online.
Course shells are identified by the year/semester - department and course number - course section Example:
201840-hist1010-80 Semester designations: Spring: 10 - Summer: 25 - Fall: 40 - Winter: 50
The version of Blackboard we use is called Learn In Blackboard Corp. documentation look for Learn and ignore references to Ultra except in relation to Blackboard Collaborate.

Copy course content -- Transfer course content within and between semesters

Support:
PDF document -- Youtube video

Notes:

Starting July 1, 2018 faculty are responsible for managing all their intellectual property between and within semesters.
To copy a course the instructor must be the instructor of record on both the origin and destination course. Professor Green cannot copy course material into a course in which Professor Blue is listed as the instructor.
If two faculty agree to share content within or between semesters we need to see consent from both parties.

Create Merged or Master course shells

for cross-listed or multi-section courses

Activate course shells for student use

Email students before the start of the semester

View Student Roster

Beginning of the semester

Tour Bb environment	Global navigation	Jump from course to course
Make course available (2nd way)	Designate course entry point	Easily adjust dates in a copied course
Customize course design	Use student preview	Change system language
Set notification options	Access Course Roster	Hide old course shells
Instructor Mobile App	Instructor Profile

Course Building

Bb Learn instructor guide	Getting started	Instructor FAQs
Blackboard action link	Edit Mode	Adding a course banner
Course content	Course files	Best practices: course content
Edit course menu	Create/change an avatar	Add partner content
Upload course file	Create a lesson plan	Bulk delete course materials
Using the content editor	Copy course content between shells	Course/Organization Roles
Keyboard accessible reordering	Copy tool item to course menu

PARTNER CONTENT
Cengage	Get started	Get support
Pearson	Get started	Get support

Bb Accessibility: Ally

Quick Start	Accessibility Scores	View File Accessibility
Instructor FAQs	Video Demonstration

Improve File Accessibility:

Accessibility Checklist	Instructor Feedback Panel	Add a Library Reference
Add Headings to a Document	Scanned PDFs	Tag a PDF
Add Headers to Document Data Tables	Add Alt Descriptions To Image Files	Add Alt Descriptions to Presentation Images

Collaboration

General

Announcements	Email	Contacts
Blogs	Journals	Wikis
Create and Manage Groups	Virtual classroom & chat tools

Discussions

Discussions	Create forums	Create threads
Discussions: Replying	Discussions: Managing	Discussions: Moderating
Search & collect	Grading	Statistics

Collaborate Web Conferencing

Getting Started	Navigation	Schedule Sessions
Configure your session	Join a session	Conduct a session
Publish	Accessibility	Collaborate IT Wiki page

Assessments

Create/edit assignments	Assignment grade settings	Download Assignments
Create tests and surveys	Setting test options	Portfolios
Question types	Build question pool	Reuse questions
Upload questions from MS Excel	Import/export test or survey	Multiple attempts
Grading Assessments	Box View in-line grader	Test and survey results
Clear assessment/assignment attempt	Respondus exam editor	Test Availability Exceptions
SafeAssign - Local	SafeAssign - Bb Corp.	Attendance

Grade Center

Navigate grading	Customize the grading interface	Use the Needs Grading page
Grade Columns	Assign Grades	Curved Grades
Inline grading for written work	Use rubrics	Grade reports & statistics
Weight Grades	Extra Credit Columns	Override grades
Work offline with grade data	Create a Smart View	Color-code the Grade Center
Missing Scrollbars on a Mac

Course Reports & Retention Center

Track Performance	Introduction to the retention center	Performance Dashboard
Course Reports	Item statistics tracking	Create an Item Statistics Report
Use item analysis	Detailed course reports	Evaluation module