Blackboard

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A Content Area named Assignments is available in Blackboard 5, but Assignments are not a separate content type.

Open a Content Area > select Assignment in the drop-down list

Instructors may create Assignments and post them for Students to complete. Instructors may attach separate files and Students may send additional files to the Instructor with the completed Assignment. Instructors view and grade Assignments, once they are submitted, from within the Gradebook.

Click Assessment Manager in the Assessment area

Instructors may create and deploy Tests and Surveys from the Assessment Manager.

Click Test Manager or Survey Manager in the Assessment area Instructors may create Tests in the Test Manager and Surveys in the Survey Manager. If a Test is set to unavailable it will remain in the Test Manager, but will not be displayed in one of the Content Areas of the course.

Open a Content Area > click Add Test

Tests are deployed from the Add Test page. When a Test is deployed, its availability and properties may also be set. If an Instructor modifies an Assessment after it has been deployed it will not impact the grades of those Students who have already submitted their answers. Instructors also have options to deploy tests in a question by- question format, as well as allow Students to save their answers as they go. Therefore, Students who lose their internet session while taking an exam can restart the exam where they last saved it.

Click Collaboration in Course Tools A multiple number of Collaboration Sessions, using the Virtual Classroom and the Lightweight Chat, may be scheduled and managed. Instructors may archive sessions for future use.

Click Virtual Classroom in Course Tools

Virtual Classrooms allow Instructors and Students to communicate in a synchronous online session.

Click Collaboration in Course Tools > click Join next to a Virtual Classroom

The Virtual Classroom has been redesigned, with more advanced functionality, including access to the Course Map, an area in which to manage questions, and options for recording sessions.

Click Collaboration in Course Tools > click Join next to a Chat

The Chat session allows participants to interact with each other and the Instructor via a text-based chat region. This region is part of the Virtual Classroom, but can also be accessed separately.

Click Course Settings in Course Options > click Area Availability

Instructors may select names for areas in the Course menu from predetermined drop-down lists.

Click Manage Course Menu in Course Options

Instructors may add Content Areas, Tool Areas, Course Links, and External Links to the Course Menu. They may also change the names of the areas and set their availability.

Click Course Images in System Options > click Button Style or Course Banner

Button Style enables Instructors to change the appearance of buttons in the Course menu.

Click Settings in Course Options > click Course Design

Course Design enables the Instructor to choose from various design options for the Course Menu, Tool Area and Course Banner. Course Banner functions the same as in Blackboard 5.

Click Course Utilities in Course Options area

Options for Course Recycler, Archive Course and Import Course Cartridge are available

Course Options area

The options located in Course Utilities in Blackboard 5 have been moved to the top level of the Course Options area. Additional features, including Course Copy, Import Package, Recycle Course and Export Course, are also available.

Click Online Gradebook in Assessment area > click Spreadsheet View

Click Gradebook in Assessment area

All aspects of the Gradebook are managed from the View Spreadsheet page. Assignments, Tests and Surveys that are completed by Students may be accessed here. Options for viewing item details, downloading grades, and uploading grades are also available on this page. The new Gradebook can also be displayed page by page, rather than displaying the entire Gradebook on one large page, which requires scrolling.

When taking an Assessment, the Submit and Save buttons have different functions. If a user selects Save when taking an Assessment, the Assessment will be saved for the Student to complete at another time. If Submit is selected, the Assessment is considered finished and will be sent to the Instructor. Course Menu Course users may change the display of the Course menu.

Users have no control over the display of the Course menu.

Users may choose between Detail View, for a collapsable tree menu, and Quick View, the standard view; this is a toggle option located at the bottom of the Tools area beneath the sidebar.