1. Blackboard Essential Elements
The following are functions and items that
you will use regularly in your Blackboard
course regardless of whether you teach
face-to-face, hybrid, or online courses.

2. Upload
to transfer (as data or files) from a
computer to the memory of
another device (as a larger or
remote computer)
-merriam-webster.com
-commons.wikimedia.org
When you upload a file
(image, document, presentation, etc..), you are placing a
copy of that file into another location. In Blackboard, you
upload files into various areas. Places you may often
upload files to:
•
•
Best Practice: My Content (this area allows you to
upload files that you want to use every semester and
can be accessed from all courses).
Course Content (any file you upload into your course
will automatically be stored here, but will disappear
when the course is removed from the system).

3. Download
an act of moving or copying a
file, program, etc., from a usually
larger computer system to
another computer or device
-merriam-webster.com
-mydocs.dot.ga.gov
When you download a file, you are copying the
file from a larger system (like Blackboard) and
placing a copy into your own file on your device
(laptop, desktop). Students will generally
download your files to their own computers.
Consideration:
• You can download any type of file.
However, you must have the program in
order to be able to view the file. (Adobe
Reader (pdf), Microsoft Word (word
doc), Microsoft Powerpoint (powerpoints).

4. Copy
an imitation, transcript, or
reproduction of an original work
-merriam-webster.com
-iconarchive.com
In Blackboard, you can copy files from one class to
another and, at the end of the semester, you can
copy your entire course to your new course.

5. Announcements
a written or spoken statement that
tells people about something : public
or formal words that announce
something.
http://blog.lavenderfestival.com/?atta
chment_id=509
In Blackboard, you can use Announcements to keep
your students up to date on upcoming
assignments, post changes to the course
schedule, or communicate other information they
may need. In announcements, you also have the
option to automatically send the announcement
through email to your students.

6. Grade Center
Secure, web-based grade book.
Your Blackboard Grade Center allows you to
customize your gradebook using
points, percentages, and weights. You can also link
directly to a variety of assignment types within your
class.

7. Syllabus
a summary outline of a
discourse, treatise, or course of study
or of examination requirements
-merriam-webster.com
http://www.collegemagazine.com/editorial/3
836/Is-Syllabus-Week-For-Real
The college requires a variety of items be included in
your syllabus. You will have access to a template
that you can use in Blackboard to make it easier for
you to complete this task.

8. This tab’s use varies depending on the type of class
you teach:
Instructor Info
Important information about the
instructor.
•
•
•
http://lisamcalister.com/your-why-ininternet-marketing/
Face-to-face-phone number, office, office hours
Hybrid- same information + online presence
(office hours)
Online-same as above + this area should be used
to allow the students to see you as human. In
online courses, this is the opportunity to tell the
students a little about yourself.

9. Folders in Blackboard allow you to organize materials
for your students to use.
Folders
a collection of files or documents that
are stored together on a computer
-merriam-webster.com
Best Practice:
Maintain a folder for each week/unit
Warning:
It is tempting to place all of the lectures in one
folder, all of the handouts in another. This can be
very confusing for students.
Think about it like handing the student a folder filled
with everything they will need to be successful that
week.
paperclipsetc.com