Embedded Files
Preparing course materials and setting accurate dates are fundamental aspects of facilitating effective learning environments, as thoughtfully crafted materials ensure students receive comprehensive information, enhancing comprehension and retention.
As a faculty member, you control the visibility of course materials to your students. Whether to prevent viewing during the week before classes or during the semester.
This outline provides a structured approach to help faculty prepare their courses and navigate Blackboard Learn, including ideas to promote student engagement. Each section breaks down specific tasks and provides guidance to ensure a smooth transition as the start date of the course approaches.
If you are starting out and do not have your syllabus in your course, review Uploading Your Syllabus to Blackboard to get started.
Hiding Content on the Course Menu
Hide a Course Menu linkHiding Content on the Course Menu
From Course Menu locate the link to hide
Select chevron (downward arrow) located at the right of the title link
A menu will appear
Select Hide Link
The item is immediately hidden.
This is indicated by a square with a slash
Show a Course Menu link
From Course Menu locate the link to show
Select chevron (downward arrow) located at the right of the title link
A menu will appear
Select Show Link
The item is immediately shown.
This is indicated by the disappearance of the square with a slash
Availability Settings
Availability Settings
Availability Settings control when students can access your course materials, for individual assignments, discussion, course content learning modules and folders. Availability settings are located at the individual content or assignment level. You can also change the title, description and tool specific options simultaneously with this feature.
Options can be adjusted from the Action Menu located at the right of the title link. This menu provides various options for managing the selected item, such as editing, copying, moving, deleting, or setting availability and access controls. Those with editing permissions can perform specific actions related to the item or folder without having to navigate to a separate menu or page.
It's crucial to understand that content follows a hierarchy of access. If the main folder is hidden, items within it are also hidden. Consequently, there's no need to apply availability settings or date management to hidden course materials within folders or learning modules, unless those materials are viewable elsewhere in the course. This saves time and avoids unnecessary adjustments.
Make Available / Unavailable Shortcut
Make Available / Unavailable Shortcut
A quick way to make content unavailable is via the Make Available / Unavailable Shortcut. This will immediately hide the item and prevent any scheduled availability settings. Please note this feature is not available for linked Discussions and Journals.
Make UnavailableTo hide a folder, learning module, assignments or tests
Go to the folder you wish to hide.
Select the Action Menu located at the right of the title link.
Select “Make Unavailable”
The item will be immediately hidden from the student's view.
There will be an indicator below the title link of it's visibility to students.
Make Available
To show a folder or learning module, assignments or tests
Go to the folder you wish to hide.
Select the Action Menu located at the right of the title link.
Select “Make Unavailable”
The item will be immediately shown from the student's view.
There will be an indicator below the title link of it's visibility to students.
Edit settings for content folders, learning modules, all Blackboard tools
Edit settings for content folders, learning modules, all Blackboard tools
If you wish to have timed openings and closings of content, or adjust multiple settings for content or tool, follow the instructions to adjust settings in the content or tool setting window.
How to edit dates settings within BlackboardGo to the content you wish to hide.
Select the Action Menu located at the right of the title link.
Select “Edit”
A settings window appears for the content or tool.
Locate the availability settings for the content or tool.
Look for terms like “standard options,” “availability,” “availability options.” The title may change depending on what tool, but the functionality is still the same.
Select the radial button for Permit Users to View this Content.
Select Yes to be available to students.
Select No for it to be unavailable to students.
Track Number of Views
This allows you increased graduality in tracking specific content.
Select Yes to track.
Select No to not track.
Select Date and Time Restrictions
Select a schedule opening content.
Select the checkbox, “Display After,” and use the menu buttons or enter a date and time schedule opening later.
Select the checkbox, “Display Until,” and use the menu buttons or enter a date and time schedule, removing content from the student’s view.
The item will be immediately available, hidden or scheduled for a delayed release.
Date Management
Date Management
Date Management helps you adjust pre-existing availability settings and due dates to content in a comprehensive view. It is for bulk adjustment of availability settings and due dates for the entire course. This tool will allow you to advance the date of assignments by date, number of days in the future, or manually. This tool allows you to advance the date of assignments by date, number of days in the future, or manually.
Please note:
Materials must already have availability, adaptive release settings, or due date associated with the materials, to display in Date Management.
Date Management will not alter the date the course opens and is available to students. The tool only adjusts the content dates and time within the course.
How to run Date Management
Enter your Blackboard Course
Under Course Management Control Panel
Select Course Tools by clicking on the arrow to the left of the title link.
Select Date Management
The Date Management settings window appears
The first step of date management is to decide if you want the system to automatically adjust the previous or current course item dates to new dates.
There are four options for adjusted your course dates
Use Course Start Date
This is helpful if the course opens in advance of the course start date.
The Start Date shows the current course start date.
Change the new start date to reflect when this new course will start.
Use Term Info
This will use the dates set by the System Administrator in Blackboard.
Select from the terms list in the pull down menu
Adjust by Number of Days
Use this option when you know how many days you want to adjust forward. Base it on the dates currently set for each item in the course, not today's date.
Negative numbers move the dates back.
Positive numbers move the dates forward.
List All Dates for Review
Use this option to display a list of all content and tools with dates in the course, and select Start.
In the next step, on the Date Management Review page, you can review all dates and adjust manually.
Select Start
A Date Management Process window appears with an indicator displaying the process status
Select Next
Date Management Review page appears
Creating engaging Welcome pages in Blackboard
Creating engaging Welcome pages in Blackboard
Remember, you are only asked to provide the syllabus during this time. The following information is only for you to include or integrate into your course at the beginning of the course. If you choose to do so, visit our Engaging welcome pages in Blackboard.
Blackboard Orientation for Students Webinars
Blackboard Orientation for Students Webinars
This webinar is about 60 minutes covering basics of Blackboard use at STCC. There will be time for questions at the end of the session. Your individual faculty will cover any specific course layout and tools. We will cover how to:
Log in, navigate the Ultra Base Navigation menu,
Use the Discussion tool,
Use the Assignment tool,
Take a test or quiz, and
Check your grades, in My Grades
For more information, see Online Learning and Blackboard Orientations.
Page updated
Report abuse