Managing with Blackboard

So you use blackboard and you are wondering where to start. Let's first think about time management. There are lots of bells an whistles with Blackboard, but you could lose yourself for hours if you try to figure all of this out while you are planning your class. So let's start with the basics!

If you are teaching a traditional face to face class, what is the best method to approach blackboard. You can:

1. Use Blackboard as a form of communication
2. Use Blackboard as a place to post assignments
3. Use Blackboard as a place to post your lectures so that students can access your notes before the lecture or after the lecture
1. You might want to consider using powerpoint or some sort of demonstration software if you do this

These three options are a great way to start with Blackboard. So let's start by looking at them.

Communication
Your Syllabus
The first place where faculty and students can have problems is communication. For some reason, directions always seem crystal clear to faculty (to us) but not to students !  There are lots of reasons things can go awry when giving directions.  As a result faculty create very structured syllabi to present to students the very first class, generally the syllabus is printed, disseminated in paper form and discussed in detail.  Posting that Syllabus in Blackboard prior to class starting, and throughout the semester, gives students a great place to constantly refer to, so that if they have questions, they can look there. What I do, is I change the title  "Information" link that is found in the Course Menu to be "Syllabus" - this is where I post my syllabus.  I post it as a document and I post it like a webpage! What you say, well, first I post it as a document. This gives the students the ability to open the document that we went through so thorough in the first class. I don't like to post word documents - I post pdf's! Why? Well not only can the pdf not get edited but it doesn't matter what software you have on your laptop, ipad, tower - and it doesn't matter what version of word processing programs you have. Adobe Acrobat reader is free to everyone and so it is easy for people to use (most people have it already installed on their computers). I also take out the information that is time sensitive, like due dates for assignments etc, and I post it as text in an item box, therefore making it look like a webpage.

To rename a link, click on the double arrow to the right of the link in the course menu. There you will have the ability to rename something!

Posting Assignments
You can do three things.

1. You can make a content area in your course menu that is just for assignments - then you can post all your assignments within that folder.
2. OR you can post all your assignments as a link in the Course Menu 
3. Lastly, you can make a folder for each week of your class and post the assignment in the week it was given or the week it is due.

When I started using Blackboard, I actually did option 3! But, it was problematic, although everything for the lecture in the one folder - lectures and assignments, seemed like perfect one stop shopping to me - some of my students found it difficult to find things if they were to go back or wait to do assignments. About four years ago, I started creating an assignment content area from the course menu. I have had great success with that. Most students prefer it. The second option, to post a link to each assignment within the course menu is one I have begun this semester...I will let you know how it works out!

To create new content areas - simply click on the plus sign at the top left corner of the course menu. It gives you the ability to create a new content area. You also have the ability to show it to users right away by selecting a check box. If you want to wait, don't select that check box. You can give users the ability to view a content area anytime by simply clicking on the double arrow to the right of the link and when the option drop down menu appears, choose show link.

When you create a new area, Blackboard always places it at the bottom of the list, to move an item, simply click on the double arrow to the left of the link, don't let go, and drag the link to where you want to go.

Posting Lecture Notes
Again how you present this to your students depends upon how you want to go about it! You can create one content area entitled course materials, or lectures, or whatever you call it, or you can create a link for each week, or lecture or whatever within the course menu. You know how to rename a link and how to create course content areas by looking above, so let's move on to how you post either a document that contains your notes (word, or pdf or something like that) or how you post a PowerPoint!

To post any type of file, look to the right of the screen when you are in a content area. There is a menu with buttons that start with Build Content  then Create Assessment and more. If you click on Build Content you have many options. You can click on Folder to create a new sub-content area, or you can click on item to create a new item with text and links or file to upload a file.

What do you want to do? If you created a content area called lectures, you could create sub-folders for each lecture, or you can create links to each of your lectures. It depends on how much you want to post. If you are simply posting a PowerPoint for each lecture of the class, (15 PowerPoint for 15 weeks of class) you may want to just use file and just upload your file to Blackboard. It may be an easy way to start using BB (Blackboard).

If you have handouts some weeks, but basically just PowerPoint, you may want to use file to upload any PowerPoint files for those weeks, but for the weeks that you have a handout AND a PowerPoint, you can use item - item gives you the ability to select multiple files - plus the ability to write directions.

Lastly, if you want to post additional things besides PowerPoint, handouts, webpages, links to videos and more, just lots of different things, I suggest you use the folder option for each lecture or week of class and then post everything you need, in that folder.

Personally, I would start off simple, just so you get used to Blackboard, and you can be consistent. This will give you the ability to digitize your notes if you need to, there are multiple presentation softwares available, always try to go with the one that is easiest for everyone to view no matter their computer.  Using course content programs can take a little time, but it will improve communications with students, and give you the ability to post more information and even save a tree! This gives you less times at the copier, or less time waiting for items to be copied. In addition, recycling material from course to course, is much easier with Blackboard, at some point when I review the more advanced options of Blackboard, I will show you how to copy material from course to course within Blackboard.

Below I give you the a video that has the detailed instructions on how to work in Blackboard, so that you can see all the buttons and options that I have discussed here.