Summer Semester 2015 will be here shortly! Here are some Blackboard things that are helpful to know as you prepare for the start of the semester. You probably have a long list of things to do, so this whether you teach face to face, distance, or both, this info will help.
- Scenario: You are ready to make your course available to students. Solution: Login to Blackboard. Go to your Summer course(s):
Course Availability
Go to the Control Panel. Next, click Customization > Properties > Set Availability. Under Duration, please leave Continuous checked; do not choose the date selection option. Courses are not made available automatically – each instructor decides when to turn the course on for the semester. ALSO, please make your Spring 2015 sites unavailable (same instructions).
Course Copy
- Scenario: You want your Summer 2014 course content copied into your Summer 2015 course. Solution: Course Copy tool. You can do this yourself with the instructions in this Course Copy PDF. Cautions and important notes: Only do the course copy ONCE. Do not assume “it didn’t take” and repeat the process because it will result in duplicate or triplicate content. During peak times (pre-semester), it may take a little longer than you anticipate because many instructors are doing the same thing. IMPORTANT: Your destination course (SUMMER) will end in 201540, 201550, OR 201560, depending on the session. So, Summer 1 = 201540, Summer 11-week = 201550, Summer 2 = 201560. Please double-check those semester/session codes, to make sure you are copying to the correct semester. NOTES: 1) Do not course copy multiple times for “pieces” or “selections” of the source course. 2) Do not course copy if you want to import one or two or a few exams. Instead, use the export/import feature under Tests, Surveys, Pools. You’ll find instructions on importing/exporting tests on the Faculty Support or DE Faculty Support pages.
- Scenario: You teach more than one section and use the exact content for each section and would like to avoid building duplicate courses. Solution: Section Merge. You can do this yourself with the instructions in this Section Merge PDF. You’ll find the Section Merge tab at the top of your Blackboard page once logged in (please see the screenshot below). Caution: Make sure you merge your sections ending in 201540, 201550, OR 201560, depending on the session/semester. You will be merging sections from the same session/semester. If you make a mistake, do NOT click Remove; choose Modify. Or contact the Bb Support Team.
Section Merge
- Scenario: You use Tegrity for lecture capture, or want to use Tegrity, in your Blackboard course. Or you have Mediasite videos in your Bb course. Solution: Before you do a course copy or request a course copy, contact Allen Dennis or Percevial Murphy. Or visit ECU’s Tegrity Blog and/or Mediasite Blog.
- Scenario: You are tired of seeing so many courses in your course list. Solution: Hide the courses you do not want to see. You can do this yourself with the instructions in this PDF document, How to Hide Past Courses.
- Scenario: You would like to start using, or consider using, LockDown Browser to give online exams in a secure environment in order to deter academic dishonesty in online exams. Solution: Click the Blackboard Support tab at the top of your screen once logged into Blackboard. You’ll find a link for info, plus the URL to provide to students.
- Blackboard Blog for PDFs, videos, etc. Faculty Support
- Blackboard Blog for PDFs, videos, etc. DE Faculty Support
- Blackboard Blog for PDFs, videos, etc. Student Support
Questions about anything? We’re here for you! Your Blackboard Support Team: