Blackboard Essentials: Four things you need to know to launch your Blackboard course
1. Find your course in Blackboard
Once you are logged in to Blackboard (via http://my.oregonstate.edu – login with ONID username and
password), click the Courses tab to view your active courses:
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If you do not see your course, make sure you are listed as the instructor in
Banner: catalog.oregonstate.edu.
If you are not listed as the instructor in Banner, check with your department's office manager to
request an update. Once Banner is updated, the course will be visible to you in Blackboard
within 24 hours.
2. Add content to your course
Think of Blackboard as a “container” for files, instructions, links, video, images – whatever you need to
create a rich and engaging learning environment. Here are some basic instructions for adding content:
a) Make sure Edit Mode is on (upper-right corner of the screen):
b) Click a menu item to open and edit it (e.g., Course Information).
c) Click the chevrons on Build Content to display options and make your selection:
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c)
Item: creates a space for you to add formatted text that
displays on the page. You can include images and links. You can
also upload one or more files.
File: allows you to upload a file, but there is no space for
formatted text, as there is with Items.
Folder: can be used as nested containers for items, files, etc.
Click Submit to save all your changes and edits.
Note: When adding links and attachments, select the option to Open in New Window. It simplifies
navigation in the Blackboard site.
3. Make your course available
A new course by default is not visible to students until the instructor makes it available.
a) From the Control panel click Customization > Properties:
b) Click Yes to make the course available.
c) Submit to save changes.
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This resource provided by Technology Across the Curriculum: http://oregonstate.edu/tac
Blackboard Essentials: Four things you need to know to launch your Blackboard course
4. View your course as a test student
Logging in as a test student helps you ensure students see and access items as you intend them to in
your course:
a) From the control panel click Users and Groups > Users .
b) Find the last student in the list (the last name will start with "zzzzz").
c) Highlight and copy the username.
d) Reset the password by clicking the action link (“down arrow”) on the test student username and
select Change User’s Password.
e) Open a new browser, find the Blackboard home page and log in with the test student username
and password.
Note: to have easy access to your site from both the instructor view and the student view as you work
with your course site, open two different Web browsers, one logged in as Instructor and the other as Test
student (e.g., one in Internet Explorer or Chrome and one in Firefox)
(Optional) Add a TA to your course
Adding a colleague or TAC team member as a TA to your Blackboard course is a great way to share your
site with others who can help you get it set up. Anyone who is to be listed as a teaching assistant in a
Blackboard course site is required to complete a FERPA and Confidentiality training course before they
can be added to a site. To add a TA:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Open the control panel and click Course Tools > Manage Non-Instructor Assistants.
Click Add Assistant.
Click Select User.
Search for / enter the TA’s ONID – note that if FERPA training has been completed it will display
in the right-hand column.
5. Select the role.
6. Click Submit to save the change.
Note: Never change your own role to make yourself a student! You won't have sufficient access to
change it back.
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This resource provided by Technology Across the Curriculum: http://oregonstate.edu/tac