Blackboard "Need-to-know" Tips - Vol. 2; 2005 - 2006

Included in this volume of Blackboard "Need-to-Know" tips:
- Copying course materials
- Editing your list of courses
- Adding a web image gallery
- Editing with the Edit View
- Posting, downloading and uploading grades
- Using the Assignment Manager

* Do you need to copy materials from one course to another?
Use the "Course Copy" feature located in the Blackboard Control Panel to quickly copy materials from one course to another.

1. Go to the course with the existing material.
2. Go to Control Panel.
3. Go to Course Copy (in lower left).
4. Click the "Copy Course Material..." link.
5. Click "Browse" and choose from your list of courses the course you want to copy the materials TO.
6. Check the box(es) next to the course materials you would like to copy.
7. Click Submit.
8. Go to the course you copied the materials to and verify the copying was correct. Note that you may need to re-order some material.

Use the Recycle link to clear old materials from a course site. You can remove old announcements, Dropbox items, Discussion Boards, etc. by using the Recycle tool in the Control Panel of your course site.

* Is your list of courses too long?
You can edit what is displayed on your "My Bradley" page by clicking the pencil icon of the "My Courses" module. You can choose whether or not to display the course, the course ID, any announcements, tasks, and calendar events.
You can also modify the modules that are displayed on your "My Bradley" page. Click the "Contents" button at the top right of the page and choose whether or not you want to view the Courses Quick View, My Announcements, My Calendar, My Courses, or My Tasks.
Choose the "Layout" button on the "My Bradley" page and you can change the order of the modules and the colors.

* Do you need an indexed gallery of images that you can put in your Blackboard course?
Photoshop has a tool to create a web gallery of photos complete with thumbnail sized images that link to the full image. For more information, email Barb Kerns at brk@bradley.edu.

* Did you know you can edit your course materials from the same view that the students see?
Try clicking a content button like Course Information. Click the ?Edit View? in the upper right. You will see all the editing tools you normally see in the Instructor?s Control Panel. Now you can edit, then go directly back to the ?Display View? to see just what the students will see!

* Posting Grades
You can post grades in Blackboard securely using the Blackboard Gradebook. Follow this link for a video tutorial on how to get started. (You will be prompted for your Blackboard username and password.)
http://blackboard.bradley.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab=courses&url=/
bin/common/course.pl?course_id=_2088_1

* Download Gradebook (Backups)
Use the Download Grades feature to make a backup copy of your grades whenever you make new entries. Blackboard converts the Gradebook to an Excel file, but there are some tricks to the process. NOTE: You will need to use the Explorer browser. Go to the Gradebook and click "Download Grades". Choose "comma" as your delimiter type, then click "Submit". Click the "Download" button and choose where you would like to save the file. Open Excel, then browse for the "gb-export.csv" file.

* Upload Grades from Excel to Blackboard
Blackboard also allows you to modify your grade book in Excel then upload the file back into Blackboard. You must start with the Blackboard grade book first. Use the Download Grades feature, then modify your grades in Excel. Go back to Blackboard and use the Upload Grades feature. Blackboard will prompt your for which column or row to upload.

* Integrate Your Assignments with Your Gradebook
The Assignment Manager allows the students to submit their assignments in the same area the instructor posts assignments. Once the assignment is created by the instructor, a column is automatically added to the grade book. Students go to the assignment and choose ">>View/Complete Assignment" to send their assignments. Instructors can download all at once or individually, then grade and send comments back to the students. For more information on the Assignment Manager, please go to -- http://blackboard.bradley.edu/bin/common/ content.pl?
action=LIST&render_type= DEFAULT& mode=& content_id=_150028_1
You will be prompted for your Blackboard username and password.

I hope you find these tips helpful. Please send your comments or questions to Barb Kerns at brk@bradley.edu or stop in to the Instructional Technology Assistance Center in the Library, Room 20.

Have a great semester!