Blackboard Tutorials
Table of Contents
Click the items below to be taken to tutorials, handouts, and videos about that topic.
Early Course Logistics
- Locating the Course Shell and Configuring Basic Course Settings
- Overview of the Course Management Menu
- Creating the Course Banner Using Microsoft PowerPoint
- Exporting Courses (Export and Archive Course Package)
- Importing Courses (Import Course Package)
- Advancing Dates
Creating Course Content
- Adding Course Menu Items and Content Areas
- Creating Folders and Items
- Editing Text in Blackboard’s Content Editor
- Uploading Files
- Adding Contact Information
- Setting Availability Dates
- Working with Rubrics
- Creating Quizzes
- Creating Assignments
- Creating Discussion Boards
- Creating Blogs
- Creating Wikis
- Creating Journals
Communication
- Creating Announcements
- Sending Email from Blackboard
- Creating Groups and Groups Sets
- Bb Collaborate: Overview
- Bb Collaborate: Starting the session, Screen Sharing, and Session Recording
- Bb Collaborate: Student-Led Group Discussions via Breakout Groups
- Bb Collaborate: Student Consultations and Assignment Feedback
Grading
- Grade Center Overview
- Grading Assignments with Built-in Rubrics
- Grading Assignments without Built-In Rubrics
- Grading Assignments using SafeAssign
- Grading Discussion Board Forums
- Audio and Video (multimedia) Grading in Blackboard
- EKU IT Blackboard Basics Site
Locating the Course Shell and Configuring Basic Course Settings
View Tutorial (6 minutes, interactive)
This is an activity that you must perform each time you prepare to teach an online course.
Overview of the Course Management Menu
View Tutorial (9 minutes, interactive)
This is a brief overview of the course management menu. You need to be familiar with this menu to be able to perform various course tasks such as course copying, enabling tools, grading etc.
Creating the Course Banner Using Microsoft PowerPoint
View Tutorial (3 minutes, interactive)
A myriad of image-editing tools exists that you can use to create your course banner (IrfanView, Canva.com, etc.), so feel free to use anything with which you are most comfortable. However, as you create your banner, keep in mind the preferred Blackboard banner size specifications.
Exporting courses (Export and Archive Course Package)
View Tutorial (3 minutes, interactive)
As you prepare your course for a new term, you need to know how to export your old course site and import it to the new (empty) site in Blackboard. This tutorial shows you how to export your Blackboard course site.
Importing Courses (Import Course Package)
View Tutorial (2 minutes, interactive)
This tutorial shows you how to import your previously created course package (see the previous step) into your new (empty) Blackboard course site.
Advancing Dates Using Date Management
View Video (2 minutes)
This video features the Date Management tool, which can be used to automatically advance due dates of assignments after a course is copied.
Adding Course Menu Items and Content Areas
View Tutorial (5 minutes, interactive)
This tutorial will demonstrate how to add menu items and content areas to your Blackboard course shell.
Creating Folders and Items
View Tutorial (5 minutes, interactive)
This tutorial will demonstrate how to create folders and items inside your Blackboard shell.
Editing Text in Blackboard’s Content Editor
View Video (5 minutes) | Handout (PDF)
You will work with the Blackboard visual editor to add text, images, and other elements to your course site. This tutorial will demonstrate how to work with the visual text editor inside your Blackboard shell.
Uploading Files
View Video (8 minutes)
Managing files in your Blackboard site is important, as you will likely upload numerous files and file types to your course site. This tutorial will demonstrate how to upload various types of files to your Blackboard course site.
Adding Contact Information
View Tutorial (3 minutes, interactive)
This tutorial will demonstrate how to create and update your contact information inside your Blackboard shell.
Setting Availability Dates
View Video (5 minutes)
This tutorial covers editing controlled student views of course materials. View tutorial materials by clicking the corresponding links above.
Working with Rubrics
View Tutorial (8 minutes, interactive)
Rubrics are one of the most important components of your online course. This tutorials briefly discusses why we use rubrics and demonstrates how to create them in an online course shell.
Creating Quizzes
View Tutorial (5 minutes, interactive)
Quizzes are one of the most versatile assessment tools in Blackboard. This tutorial covers the basics of quizzes, creation of quizzes, and several popular types of quiz questions.
Creating Assignments
View Tutorial (10 minutes, interactive)
This tutorial demonstrates the process of creating assignments in an online course shell. Such assignment options as number of attempts, plagiarism check, rubrics, display of grades, and availability will be covered.
Creating Discussion Boards
View Tutorial (9 minutes, interactive)
This tutorial demonstrates the process of creating discussion forums and linking them inside content areas.
Creating Blogs
View Tutorial (6 minutes, interactive)
This tutorial demonstrates the process of creating blogs in your online course shell.
Creating Wikis
View Tutorial (5 minutes, interactive)
This tutorial demonstrates the process of creating wikis in your online course shell.
Creating Journals
View Tutorial (4 minutes, interactive)
This tutorial demonstrates the process of creating journals in your online course shell.
Creating Announcements
View Tutorial (3 minutes, interactive)
Course announcements are an essential communication tool in every online course; you should use them frequently. This tutorial demonstrates how to create an announcement within a Blackboard course site.
Sending Email from Blackboard
View Tutorial (5 minutes, interactive)
Students appreciate frequent check-ins from instructors (e.g., "I noticed that you scored significantly lower on this week's exam. Is everything OK? Can I help?"), and sending email messages via Blackboard is quick and effective. This tutorial demonstrates how to send quick email messages via the Blackboard course site.
Creating Groups and Groups Sets
View Tutorial (9 minutes, interactive)
When a class is large (perhaps 20 or more students) and an instructor would like smaller segments for discussion or collaborative assignments, the Blackboard Groups tool allows him/her to split the class into distinct groups, each with its own collaborative tools, such as discussion board, blog, and file exchange. This tutorial demonstrates how to create Blackboard groups.
Bb Collaborate: Overview
View Tutorial (8 minutes, interactive)
Collaborate Ultra is a powerful all-in-one platform that offers you the ability to communicate with your students through your computer, tablet, or mobile device anywhere, anytime. Collaborate is a fully interactive web conferencing environment and asynchronous voice authoring capabilities allow for greater engagement.
Bb Collaborate: Starting the Session, Screen Sharing, and Session Recording
View Tutorial (4 minutes, interactive)
In this interactive tutorial, we will demonstrate basic steps on how to hold a Collaborate session with your class. Additionally, we will demonstrate how to do screen sharing, how to record your session, and how to obtain the link to the session recording.
Bb Collaborate: Student-Led Group Discussions via Breakout Groups
View Tutorial (3 minutes, interactive)
In this interactive tutorial, we will demonstrate basic steps on how to hold asynchronous classroom session with multiple groups of students.
Bb Collaborate: Student Consultations and Assignment Feedback
View Tutorial (3 minutes, interactive)
In this interactive tutorial, we will demonstrate basic steps on how to hold asynchronous classroom session with multiple groups of students.
Grade Center Overview
View Tutorial (18 minutes, interactive)
The Blackboard Grade Center is complex, and you must experiment on your own to fully master it. This tutorial provides an overview of the Blackboard Grade Center.
Grading Assignments with Built-in Rubrics
View Tutorial (6 minutes, interactive)
Rubrics are an essential component of online courses, as they set expectations and help your students understand how work will be graded. This tutorial describes the easiest way to grade student assignments using Blackboard's built-in, interactive rubrics.
Grading Assignments without Built-In Rubrics
View Tutorial (3 minutes, interactive)
This tutorial demonstrates how to grade assignments without the use of Blackboard's built-in, interactive rubrics.
Grading Assignments using SafeAssign
View Tutorial (5 minutes, interactive)
SafeAssign is a tool within Blackboard that helps to ensure originality of written work. SafeAssign can be useful when reviewing research papers, literature reviews, or any key assessment that requires extensive writing. This tutorial demonstrates grading using the SafeAssign tool.
Grading Discussion Board Forums
View Tutorial (5 minutes, interactive)
Discussion board forums are the lifeblood of many online courses. This tutorial demonstrates how to grade group discussion board forums both with and without the use of rubrics.
