adding basic content to Blackboard
documents
web links
organising resources
Blended Learning Advisor
Academic Development Unit

providing documents...

why?

allow students to
become more
self-sufficient
* 24/7 access to key materials

increase tutor
efficiency*
* less time photocopying handouts etc

what?

typed text
or a
document*
* created in software such as Word, PowerPoint etc

use file types* that
students can view
* i.e. consider that not all students have Microsoft Word...

avoid large file sizes:
limits storage space
slow to download
* use compression where possible

how?

files are copied to Bb
(‘uploaded’)

uploading material is
limited to a
‘content area’
not a ‘tool area’
* a tool area is a function (i.e. email, discussion board etc)

ensure you have
‘instructor’ privileges*
* only instructors can add / edit core content on Bb

use a recommended
browser*
* i.e. Apple’s Safari limits functionality

go to an area where
the file / item should
be stored
ep 1
s t

click ‘Edit View’*
ep 2
s t
* if this is not visible, you cannot put content here

click on the ‘Item’
button
ep 3
s t

if you see a warning
message*, agree to it
* by accepting, greater functionality is possible

give the item a Name
ep 4
s t

✹
(optio nal)
type in some
descriptive Text*
ep 5
s t
* i.e. define what students should do with this resource

click ‘Browse’, and
locate* the file that you
wish to upload
ep 6
s t
* i.e. from your desktop, USB stick, hard drive, network etc

click ‘Submit’
ep 7
s t

click ‘OK’
ep 8
s t
[ you should now see the item you just created ]

an item can simply
be text-based!*
* you don’t have to attach a file

links to websites...

why?

to promote reliable*
sources of information
* help students look deeper that Google’s top 10 results!

how?

go to an area where
the file / item should
be stored
ep 1
s t

click ‘Edit View’*
ep 2
s t
* if this is not visible, you cannot put a web link here

click on the ‘External
Link’ button
ep 3
s t

type in the site’s Name
ep 4
s t

type in the site’s URL*
(web address)
ep 5
s t
* include the http:// prefix – copy and paste if necessary

✹
(optio nal)
consider using the
‘Open in a new
window’ option*
ep 6
s t
* to efficiently return students to your list of links in Bb

...then click ‘Submit’
ep 7
s t

click ‘OK’
ep 8
s t
[ you should now see the link you created – test it! ]

managing content...

make changes;
re-order a list of items;
collate using folders;
move items;
remove items

why?

group associated
content logically;
improve presentation;
correct mistakes(!)

how?

‘modify’ existing
content...

correct spellings;
add/change files;
hide content
(etc)

locate the item to
amend
ep 1
s t

click ‘Edit View’
ep 2
s t

click ‘Modify’
ep 3
s t

make changes...
...then click ‘Submit’
ep 4
s t

‘re-order’ how content
appears on a page...

go to the area where
the content order
should be changed
ep 1
s t

click ‘Edit View’
ep 2
s t

click the number to the
left of the item’s title/
name, and choose a
ep 3
different number*
s t
* low = higher up the page, high = lower down the page

creating ‘folders’

group materials –
before or after they
have been added to Bb

go to the area where
the folder is required
ep 1
s t

click ‘Edit View’*
ep 2
s t
* if this is not visible, you cannot put a web link here

click on the ‘Folder’
button
ep 3
s t

give the folder a Name
ep 4
s t

click ‘Submit’
ep 5
s t

click ‘OK’
ep 6
s t
[ you should then see the folder – click to enter into it ]

‘copying / moving’
content...

move into a folder or
another section;
duplicate an item
(etc)

locate the item to
copy or move
ep 1
s t

click ‘Edit View’*
ep 2
s t

click ‘Copy’
ep 3
s t

✹
(optio nal)
choose the
‘Destination Course’,
to copy/move the
content to another
ep 4 Bb area*
s t
* if you have privileges to multiple areas on Blackboard

click ‘Browse’
ep 5
s t

in the new window
that appears, locate*
and click on the
6
destination folder
ep
s t
* use the ‘+’ icon to open up areas / folders

✹
(optio nal)
to move (rather than
copy), set ‘Remove
item after copy’ to “Yes”
ep 7
s t

click ‘Submit’
ep 8
s t

click ‘OK’
ep 9
s t

‘remove’ content...

locate the item to
remove
ep 1
s t

click ‘Edit View’*
ep 2
s t

click ‘Remove’
ep 3
s t

click ‘OK’ in the
warning message that
appears
ep 4
s t

Disclaimer
All software screenshots are copyright of their parent
companies – they are used for the sole purposes of
education.
All other content appears under the Creative Commons
Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
License