South East Cornerstone Teachers' Convention 2010. Some basics of using Blackboard, a workshop.

1. Peggy Lawson
Instructional Technology Consultant
SECSD Convention 2010

2.  Content Management System (CMS)
 Learning Management System (LMS)
 Classroom for online students
 Content / Information distribution
 A closed system (but can be opened up too)

3. • As your school web presence
• Announcements
• Deliver Course Content
• Documents
• Videos, Audio, PowerPoint
• Web links
• Distribute & receive assignments
• Tests & self-check assessments
• Surveys
• Discussions
• Journals
• Blogs
• Facilitate group work
• SelfAssign plagarism checker
• Grade Center
• Portfolios

4.  Logging Into Blackboard & change password
 Entering edit mode
 Creating Announcements
 Adding content & tools
 Linking to other web sites
 Enrolling students into your class
 Customizing your course
 Student & parent access

5.  Direct link – http://bb.cornerstonesd.ca
 From division website
– link under staff & students
 Usernames – typically firstname.lastname
 Initial passwords – 123
 Sample accounts for today:
◦ teacher.1, teacher.2, teacher.3, etc.

8.  If a Security Warning box appears, select RUN

9.  Turn edit mode ON to make any changes to
your course (exception – using Control Panel)
 Useful to turn edit mode OFF periodically to
see more accurately what students will see.

11.  Edit mode – ON & click Create Announcement
Click
when
done
entering
information

12.  As with other things you will add a variety of other options
are available – date restrictions, etc. Not covered today.
 Most areas have a “More Help” option which
explains the options available.

14.  Content areas are where you will store most
items for your class
◦Documents, links to video or audio recordings,
PowerPoint slideshows, assignments, tests, etc.
◦Each individual piece of content is called an
“item”
◦Often organized into folders & sub-folders

15. . .
A. Use descriptive (but
short) titles for each
content area
B. Organize content
logically within the
actual content area.
Have

16. . .
1. Edit Mode ON
2. Click the + sign
3. Select Create Content
4. Type a Name
5. Check Available to Users
6. Submit

17. A. Use the drag-and-drop
function to reorder items
on the Class Menu.
B. Alternatively, use the Keyboard
Accessible Reordering Tool to
reorder the links.
C. Click a link’s Action Link to
Rename, hide, or delete, or
to permit unenrolled
guests.

18.  Click on your new Content area in the
navigation menu to go to that area
 Edit mode ON
 You’ll be selecting items from the action bar –
we will cover only a few of the options available today

19. The following can be added to Content Areas:
• Items, which can contain
text, files, and images
• Folders
• Surveys and Tests
• Assignments
• External Links
• Organization Links
• Module Pages
• SafeAssignments – plagarism
checking
• Self & Peer Assessments
• and more!!

20. 1. In Edit Mode, access the
Content Area.
2. On the Action Bar, click
Create Item.
3. Enter the item’s Name and
Text.
4. Optionally - add a file(s).
5. Select viewing and tracking
options.

21.  The first row contains functions for formatting text, similar to
functions in a word processor.
 The second row contains functions for working with text
already entered in the text box, such as spell checking,
cutting and pasting, undoing the last action, and markup
validation.
 The third row contains functions for attaching documents,
images, and media files. This row only appears in selected
areas within Blackboard Learn. For example, it is available
when adding items to Content Areas, but not when creating
questions in Test Manager.
NOTE: Collapse any row using the carat to the left of the row.
21

22.  Use drag and drop to re-order items in a
content area

24.  Add a folder from the
Build menu
 A folder must have a
name.
Other information optional.
 Submit.
 Create new items inside the
folder; existing items can
be moved into a new folder

25. 1. In Edit Mode, access the Content Area from the
Organization Menu.
2. On the Action Bar, click Create Item.
3. On the Add Item page, enter the item’s Name and Text.
4. To add a file, click Browse to locate the file. Add
multiple files using the Text Editor’s Attach File
function.
5. Under Options, select Yes for Permit Users to View the
Content Item to make the item available to Participants,
6. Click Submit.
25

27.  Announcements
 Blogs
 Course calendar
 Collaboration
 Contacts
 Discussion Board
 My Grades
 Glossary
 Journals
 Messages
 Send Email
 Tasks (“To Do” lists)
 Tests, Surveys, & Pools
• Best practice – hide any tool you don’t plan on using!

28.  Add Tool links much as you do for creating a
Class Link, but select Tool Area, then Tool
Type
 Best practice – have a separate navigation
menu item for a commonly used tool – e.g.
Announcements, My Grades, Discussion
Board

29. 1. In Edit Mode, above the
Organization Menu, click
the Create Item icon,
shown as a plus sign.
2. Select the Tool Link.
3. Enter a Name for the link.
4. From the Type drop-down
list, select the tool to add.
5. Select whether the tool will
be Available to Users.
6. Click Submit.

30.  Two ways to hide tools you don’t want to use:
1. Hide or delete the tools link from the course menu
 Use the Action Link and select Hide or Delete
2. Select the Tools link in the navigation menu
 Click Hide Link for any tool you don’t plan on using.
 You can later unhide any tools you want to use

32.  As a Main Menu Item
1. Click the + sign to
add a menu item
2. Select Create
External Link
3. Type in a name for
the link
4. Type in the full URL
including http://
5. Make Available
6. Submit

33.  As Content Area Item - 2 Options (text area)
1. Typing in a full web address should make an
active link (works in IE but not Firefox)

34. 2. Method 2 – other text acts as the hyperlink
1. Type the text to serve as a hyperlink and highlight
2. Click the globe icon in the tool bar area
3. Type in the full URL. You may want to also check the
Open link in a new window option. Submit

36.  Control Panel
> Customization > Style
◦ Main items you may want to change:
1. Menu style
 Text or buttons
 Colour, pattern, & button shape
2. Select Banner
 Create a banner to upload
 Appears only on your home page

38.  Control Panel > Users & Groups > Users
◦ Students do not see the Control Panel
 Click the Enroll User button to add an existing
Blackboard user to your class
 Most users have a standard username of
firstname.lastname or Browse to find
 Add several at once – separate usernames with
commas
 Practice: student.1 student.2 . . . student.5
 Give students the Role of Student and set Availability to Yes. Submit.
(but you could probably have guessed that!!)

39.  One way to see who is already enrolled in
your class:
◦ Control Panel > Users & Groups > Users
◦ Type a % in the Search field & click Go

40.  How will students access the class?
◦ They must be enrolled in the class, OR
◦ Make the class & content areas available to guests &
provide a link to the class (e.g. from school website)
 Can parents access my class?
◦ They may log in using their child’s account, OR
◦ Make all or part of the class open to guests &
provide the link to the class from the school
website

41. Contact your area Instructional
Technology Consultant for
assistance