Blackboard Learning System (Release 6) Faculty Tutorials

**All content provided in this tutorial page comes directly from Blackboard®. The most up-to-date information can be accessed at http://behind.blackboard.com.  Blackboard requires the creation of a username and password to access current materials.

Table of Contents

Announcements

Assessments

Assignments

Course Development

Communication and Collaboration Tools

Digital Drop Box

Gradebook

As part of Blackboard's commitment to encourage faculty use of the Blackboard e-Education Suite, Blackboard's Learning Services team continually develops free self-study materials to supplement the official Instructor Manual and Administrator User's Guide. If you have suggestions for additional materials, please email us at learningservices@blackboard.com.

About Animated Tutorials…

Our Animated Tutorials take you through each step of a specific course-building task. To watch the tutorial now, click on the HTML link. To save the animated tutorial to your computer, right-click (Windows) or control-click (Mac) the SWF link and select the appropriate command to save the file. Please note that the SWF file requires the use of Flash Player.

About Tip Sheets…

Tip sheets cover a variety of topics, from best practices advice to quick reference guides for specific tasks. Tip sheets are available in PDF (download Reader), or PDF format. To save the file to your computer, right-click (Windows) or control-click (Mac) the link on the page below and select the appropriate command to save the file.

Announcements [Back to top]

Creating an Announcement

In this animated tutorial, you will learn how to create an announcement in a Blackboard Learning System (Release 6), course Web site.
[HTML / SWF]

Assessments [Back to top]

Using the Question Pool Upload Feature

In this tip sheet, you will learn how to format a text file of your questions using the format specified. Once created, you can upload the questions into the Blackboard Learning System. Please note this feature is available in the Blackboard Learning System (Release 6) Enterprise version only.
[PDF - 179KB] Posted (11/24/2003)

Assignments [Back to top]

Creating an Assignment Tip Sheet

Ways on creating creating, reviewing, and grading assignments are all available in this tip sheet.
[PDF - 174KB] Posted (11/24/2003)

Creating an Assignment

In this animated tutorial, you will learn how to create an Assignment in a Blackboard Learning System (Release 6) course Web site.
[HTML / SWF]

Completing and Submitting an Assignment

In this animated tutorial, you will learn students complete and submit an Assignment in a Blackboard Learning System (Release 6) course Web site.
[HTML / SWF]

Grading an Assignment

In this animated tutorial, you will learn how to retrieve and grade an Assignment in a Blackboard Learning System (Release 6) course Web site.
[HTML / SWF]

Course Development [Back to top]

What's New and Different in Release 6

A quick overview for instructors, covering the major differences between Blackboard 5 and Blackboard Learning System (Release 6).
[PDF - 21KB]

Getting Started in Your Release 6 Course

This tip sheet was designed for students who have never used Blackboard before.
[PDF - 147 KB]

Modifying your Course Design

In this animated tutorial, you will learn how add a course banner and customize your Course Menu.
[HTML / SWF]

Course Roles

This tip sheet defines the privileges associated with each Course Role in Blackboard. Familiarity with these privileges is useful for Instructors who have TAs, Graders, or student assistants.

[PDF - 232KB]

Building a Learning Unit

In this animated tutorial, you will learn how to build a Learning Unit, which encourages your students to view content in a specific, predetermined order.
[HTML / SWF]

Field Lengths

This tip sheet lists all of the text fields in Blackboard, and the number of characters you can input into each one.
[PDF - 20KB]

Communication and Collaboration Tools [Back to top]

Creating and Managing Groups

In this tutorial, you will learn how to create and manage a collaborative group in a Blackboard Learning System (Release 6) course Web site.
[HTML / SWF]

Creating a Discussion Forum

In this animated tutorial, you will learn how to create a Discussion Forum, and modify Forum and User Settings in a Blackboard Learning System (Release 6), course Web site.
[HTML / SWF]

Archiving Discussion Board Threads

In this animated tutorial, you will learn how to create an archive, move threads to an archive, release threads and remove archives in a Blackboard Learning System (Release 6) course Web site.
[HTML / SWF]

Working with Discussion Board Options

In this animated tutorial, you will learn how to access and utilize the Discussion Board options.
[HTML / SWF]

Digital Drop Box [Back to top]

Digital Drop Box

Provides the ins and outs of the Digital Drop Box. You and your students will find this tip sheet to be a valuable resource.

[PDF - 56KB] Posted (11/24/2003)

Digital Drop Box vs. Assignments

In this tip sheet, you will learn how the Assignment content type varies from the Digital Drop Box, and review some scenarios where one tool is more appropriate than another.
[PDF - 69KB] Posted (11/24/2003)

Gradebook [Back to top]

Gradebook Icons and Definitions

This tip sheet will teach you how to interpret the Gradebook Icons to ensure an easy grading process in Blackboard 6.

[PDF - 147KB]

Weighting Grades by Category or Item

The Release 6 Gradebook contains a grade weighting feature that allows an instructor to determine how the software calculates the final grade for a student. There are two options: Weight by Item and Weight by Category...

[PDF - 165KB]

Gradebook Weighting by Category

This tip sheet walks you through considerations and tasks for implementing accurate grade weighting.

[PDF - 144KB]