My Blackboard Site

Managing Content

Content Areas are sections created by staff in a course site where various learning and teaching material can be added, for example assignment briefs or course handouts.

Adding a Folder within the Content Area

Folders can be used to organise your content areas by creating groups for different types of content. Additionally, folders can be used to hide documents from students until you are ready to make them visible. To add a folder to a content area:

1. Click on the Control Panel in the left hand panel.
2. From the Content Areas section of the control panel, click on the Content Area where the folder will be added (e.g. Training in the example below).
3. Click the Folder icon at the top-left of the page.

1. 1. Folder Information

      1. Enter a Name: in the text field or choose a Name: from the drop-down. (Do not exceed 18 characters).
      2. Choose a Colour for your Name. The name of the folder will be displayed in the colour you select.
      3. Add some Text if required. This can be a description of the folder's content.

   2. Options

      1. Make the Folder available, if you want everyone to see it.
      2. Select Track Number of Views if you want to find out how many students have accessed this folder. By turning this feature on Blackboard will record every visit to the folder made by each student.
      3. Select the Choose Date and Time Restrictions if you want the folder visible for a specific period of time (e.g. until a specific date).

   3. Submit

      1. Click Submit to finish. You will see a receipt to confirm your choices. Click OK.
      2. Click Cancel to quit. Nothing will have saved.

Modifying a Folder in the Content Area

1. Click on the Control Panel in the left hand panel.
2. From the Content Areas section of the control panel, click on the Content Area containing the folder to be modified (e.g. Training in the example below).
3. Click the Modify icon at the right of the page next to the Folder you would like to modify.

   1. Folder Information

      1. Change the relevant information.

   2. Options

      1. Change the relevant information.

   3. Submit

      1. Click Submit to finish. You will see a receipt to confirm your choices. Click OK.
      2. Click Cancel to quit. Nothing will have saved.

Removing a Folder from a Content Area

1. Click on the Control Panel in the left hand panel.
2. From the Content Areas section of the control panel, click on the Content Area containing the folder to be removed (e.g. Training in the example below).
3. Click the Remove icon at the right of the page next to the Folder you would like to remove.

Adding a File to a Folder in a Content Area

1. Click on the Control Panel in the left hand panel.
2. From the Content Areas section of the control panel, click on the Content Area where the file will be added (e.g. Tutorials in the example below).
3. Click on the name of the Folder where the file will be added (e.g. Basic in the example below).
4. Click the add Item icon at the top-left of the page.

   1. Content Information

      1. Enter a title for the document in the Name: text field.
      2. To choose the text colour for the document title, click on the Pick button and select the text colour from the colour palette.
      3. Enter a description of the document in the Text: textbox. If you have a short document that does not contain special formatting (indents, italics, centring, etc.) you can display it directly on the Blackboard page by copying it from the current file and pasting it into this textbox.

   2. Content

      1. Click Browse and navigate to the location of the file you want to add. This will be the file on your computer. Select the file and click Open. The file will appear in the Attach Local File: textbox.
      2. Type a name in the Name of Link to File: textbox. This is the text that students click on to access the file.
      3. Choose Create a link to this file from the Special Action drop-down menu.

   3. Options

      1. Make the document available if you want everyone to see it.
      2. Select Track Number of Views if you want to find out how many students have accessed this document. By turning this feature on Blackboard will record every visit to the document made by each student.
      3. Select the Choose Date and Time Restrictions if you want the document visible for a specific period of time (e.g. until a specific date).

   4. Submit

      1. Click Submit to finish. You will see a receipt to confirm your choices. Click OK.
      2. Click Cancel to quit. Nothing will have saved.

Adding a File to a Content Area

1. Click on the Control Panel in the left hand panel.
2. From the Content Areas section of the control panel, click on the Content Area where the file will be added (e.g. Training in the example below).
3. Click the add Item icon at the top-left of the page.

   1. Content Information

      1. Enter a title for the document in the Name: text field.
      2. To choose the text colour for the document title, click on the Pick button and select the text colour from the colour palette.
      3. Enter a description of the document in the Text: textbox. If you have a short document that does not contain special formatting (indents, italics, centring, etc.) you can display it directly on the Blackboard page by copying it from the current file and pasting it into this textbox.

   2. Content

      1. Click Browse and navigate to the location of the file you want to add. This will be the file on your computer. Select the file and click Open. The file will appear in the Attach Local File: textbox.
      2. Type a name in the Name of Link to File: textbox. This is the text that students click on to access the file.
      3. Choose Create a link to this file from the Special Action drop-down menu.

   3. Options

      1. Make the document available if you want everyone to see it.
      2. Select Track Number of Views if you want to find out how many students have accessed this document. By turning this feature on Blackboard will record every visit to the document made by each student.
      3. Select the Choose Date and Time Restrictions if you want the document visible for a specific period of time (e.g. until a specific date).

   4. Submit

      1. Click Submit to finish. You will see a receipt to confirm your choices. Click OK.
      2. Click ?Cancel to quit. Nothing will have saved.

Modifying a File in a Content Area

1. Click on the Control Panel in the left hand panel.
2. Select the Content Area you wish to enter under Content Area.
3. Click the Modify icon at the right of the page next to the Folder you would like to modify.

   1. Content Information

      1. Change the relevant information.
      

   2. Content

      1. Change the relevant information.

   3. Options

      1. Change the relevant information.

   4. Submit

      1. Click Submit to finish. You will see a receipt to confirm your choices. Click OK.
      2. Click Cancel to quit. Nothing will have saved.

Removing a File within a Content Area

1. Click on the Control Panel in the left hand panel.
2. Select the Content Area you wish to enter under Content Area.
3. Click the Remove icon at the right of the page next to the Folder you would like to remove.

Adding a Course/Organisation Link within the Content Area

Course/Organisation Links are links to pages within your Course or Organisation that you want your students to access.

1. Click on the Control Panel in the left hand panel.
2. Select the Content Area you wish to enter under Content Area.
3. Click the Course/Organisation Link icon at the top-left of the page.

   1. Set Area Properties

      1. Enter a name for the Link in the Name: field. This is the name that students will click on to open the page.
      2. Click on the Browse button to select what section within your Blackboard Course/Organisation you want a link to.
      3. Click on the plus sign next to the sections to expand and see what is within the sections.
      4. Check the box next to Allow guest access: if you want guests to access this area of the course. This only applies if you have made the course available to guests and made the course tool available to guests.
      5. Check the box next to Available for Student/Participant users if you want students to have access to this area of your course.

   2. Submit

      1. Click Submit. The new name will appear as a navigation choice in your Course /Organisation menu.
      2. Click Cancel to quit. Nothing will have saved.

Adding an External Link within the Content Area

External Links are links to Web pages you want your students to access. You can add external links to any document area in Blackboard.

1. Click on the Control Panel in the left hand panel.
2. Select the Content Area you wish to enter under Content Area.
3. Click the External Link icon at the top-left of the page.

   1. Set Area Properties

      1. Enter a name for the URL in the Name: field. This is the name that students will click on to open the page.
      2. Enter the complete URL in the URL: field. Remember, URLs are case-sensitive and must be typed exactly. You must include ‘http://’.
      3. Do not select the Open in new window option as this will take the user out of the Blackboard environment and it also breaks the History trail within the Browser.
      4. Check the box next to Allow guest access: if you want guests to access this area of the course. This only applies if you have made the course available to guests and made the course tool available to guests.
      5. Check the box next to Available for Student/Participant users if you want students to have access to this area of your course.

   2. Submit

      1. Click Submit. The new name will appear as a navigation choice in your Course /Organisation menu.
      2. Click Cancel to quit. Nothing will have saved.