Tip #45: End of Semester Checklist

Tip: End of Semester Checklist

End-of-semester checklist:
1. Export the final course gradebook.
2. Archive your Blackboard course.
3. Make the course unavailable.

Exporting the Blackboard Gradebook
1) Access the course that contains the Gradebook you want to export
2) Click the Control Panel link
3) Click Gradebook
4) Click the Download Grades button
5) Select Comma or Tab as the Delimiter Type (both file types can be opened in MS Excel)
6) Click the Submit button and then click the Download button
7) Save the file to your Desktop (or anywhere on your computer that is appropriate)
8) Click OK

Archiving a Blackboard Course
1) Access the course you want to archive
2) Click the Control Panel link
3) Under the Course Options category, click Archive Course
4) Click the Archive button
5) Click Submit
6) After you receive the archive completion email, navigate to the Archive Course page again. Right-click the zipped course file and click Save Target As… to save the file to your computer
7) Click OK

Making a Course Unavailable
1) Access the course you want to make unavailable
2) Click the Control Panel link
3) Under the Course Options category, click Settings
4) Click Course Availability
5) Select No
6) Click Submit

Tip #15: Word: Customizing Shortcut Keys

Shortcut keys allow you to quickly execute common commands without searching for the command on menus. Word has set shortcuts for several common tasks. Common preset shortcuts include CTRL-Z (undo), CTRL-S (Save), CTRL-C (copy), and CTRL-P (paste).
In Word 2007 you can change a default shortcut key to one that makes more sense to you. Or, you may want to add a shortcut key to a command that does not currently have one.

Setting a Customized Shortcut Key
1. Click the Office button
2. Select Word Options
3. Select Customize from the side menu
4. At the bottom of the window, next to Keyboard Shortcuts click Customize.
5. In the Customize Keyboard dialog box, locate the command for which you would like to edit the keyboard shortcut. Start by selecting the category. For each category, the commands will appear at the right side of the window. When you select one, a brief description will appear at the bottom of the dialog box.
6. The current shortcut key, if there is one, will appear in the Current Keys box
7. Click inside the box labeled Press new shortcut key
8. Press the shortcut key you would like to use. Include the Ctrl, Shift, or Ctrl + Shift keys.
9. If the shortcut key is currently assigned, Word will tell you what command currently uses the shortcut key. If this occurs, you may reassign the shortcut key, or select a different shortcut key sequence.
11. Under Save Changes In… select where the key is saved: Normal template affects ALL documents or only the current document
12. Click Assign to apply the changes
13. Click Close

NOTE: You can revert to the original shortcut presets by pressing Reset All on the Customize Keyboard dialog box.

Where can I find more information about Office 2007? The ISS Training site provides Quick Reference Guides and Courseware for Microsoft Office. https://portal.twu.edu/iss-training/appstraining/ms_applications.htm
For additional support, please contact the Help Desk, (940) 898-3971.

Tip #44: Weight Gradebook items by category or by item

Tip: You can weight Gradebook items by category or by item.

Here’s how to do it:
Navigate to your course Control Panel and click Gradebook. Click the Weight Grades button. Select the option to Weight by Category or to Weight by Item. Assign weight percentages to the desired categories or items. The percentages must add up to 100%. Click Submit to save the weights.

NOTE: After you assign weight to Gradebook items or categories, you cannot remove the weighting option from the Gradebook. Add weighting to the Gradebook only if you are certain that you will continue to use weighting the entire semester.

Weighting by Category:
Weighting by category allows you to assign a weight percentage to a particular type of Gradebook item, rather than to each Gradebook item. For example, you can weight all course quizzes at 30% of the students’ total grades. Each time you add a quiz, the weight percentage for each quiz will adjust accordingly.

To use this feature correctly, it is important that you assign Gradebook items to appropriate categories. You can change a Gradebook item’s category by clicking the Manage Items button in the Gradebook and clicking the Modify button next to the Gradebook item you want to change. Select a new category for the item and click Submit.

Tip #14: Outlook: Previewing Attachments

Previewing attachments is a new feature of Outlook 2007. When you receive an attachment in a message and want to see what the attachment contains without opening the file, you can preview the attachment. You can preview an attachment in the Reading Pane or from within an open message. To preview an attached file created in a 2007 Microsoft Office system application, you must have that application installed on your computer. For example, to preview a Word attachment, you must have Word installed.

How to do it:
To preview an attachment, click a single time on the attachment icon. The attachment will appear in the message frame.
To return to message view, click the Message icon

NOTE: To open an attachment for editing, or for printing formatting, double click on the attachment icon and the attachment will open in its original application.

Where can I find more information about Office 2007? The ISS Training site provides Quick Reference Guides and Courseware for Microsoft Office. https://portal.twu.edu/iss-training/appstraining/ms_applications.htm
For additional support, please contact the Help Desk, (940) 898-3971.

Where can I find information about Office 2007 training sessions?
The ISS Training Calendar lists upcoming training for Office 2007.
https://portal.twu.edu/iss-training/calendar/index.html

Tip #43: 2009 Blackboard Exemplary Course Program

Tip: Announcing the 2009 Blackboard Exemplary Course Program

The Blackboard Exemplary Course Program aims to help faculty use e-Learning technology more effectively by identifying and disseminating best practices for designing engaging online courses.

Using a rubric, instructors and course designers are able to evaluate how well their own course conforms to best practices for Course Design, Interaction & Collaboration, Assessment and Learner Support.

Consider participating in the 2009 Exemplary Course Program by submitting a course of your own or volunteering to be a reviewer or both!

There are many benefits to participating in the Exemplary Course Program:

• Learn course design best practices to improve the engagement, collaboration, assessment and learner support within your own courses
• Develop a fresh perspective by seeing how other instructors and designers from your discipline or area of interest are developing their courses
• Apply lessons learned from the Exemplary Course Rubric to your own courses or those you are helping to develop
• Receive detailed feedback on your own course development on the best practices you are employing or areas in which it can be improved
• Gain professional development experience and recognition for your accomplishments and participation in the program
  
  This is a valuable learning experience for even the most seasoned instructor or designer.
  
  To learn more about the 2009 Exemplary Course Program visit http://www.blackboard.com/ecp where you will find information on how to:
• Volunteer to be a reviewer
• Download the Exemplary Course Rubric and explore best practices
• Learn about how to participate in the 2009 Exemplary Course Program

We encourage you to consider participating in the Exemplary Course Program. If you have questions please send an email to: ecp@blackboard.com

Tip #42: Test Generator

Tip: You can upload tests from Word to Blackboard using a test generator.

A test generator created by BYU-Idaho allows instructors to type their test in Word and then upload into Blackboard. Tests must be formatted for the generator to work correctly. This program is designed for simple test designs including essay, multiple answer, multiple choice and true/false questions. Question options can be modified once the test is imported into Blackboard.
Here’s how to do it:
1. Type in your test and format it in Word:

Number your test questions. Do not put number/letters next to the responses.
Skip one line between test questions.
Place an asterisk (*) in front of the correct answer.

Multiple choice questions: Type your question, and on the very next line start your answers. Put an asterisk(*) directly in front of any correct answers.

Example:
1. Which one of these is not another name for sugar?
sucrose
*sodium
glucose
maple syrup

Multiple answer questions: Type in your question, press Enter, on the very next line enter your answers. Put an * directly in front of any correct answers.

Example:
1. Whole grains are an important part of a healthy diet. The three parts of a grain kernel are:
Exoskeleton
*Bran
*Germ
*endosperm

Essay questions: Type your question and give no answer. Move on to the next question number.

Example:
1. What should you consider when selecting food from the fruit group?

True/False questions: Type your question, and on the very next line type True. On the next line type False (T and F won’t work). Put an *asterisk directly in front of the correct answer.

Example:
1. The meat and beans food group includes only beef and lima beans
True
*False

2. Convert the test using the test generator:
Copy the test from the Word document. Open the test generator located at: http://www.byui.edu/insttech/bbtest.asp and paste (CTRL-V) your test into the text box. Click Save as text file. Note the location of the saved file.
Open the saved file. This will open the file in Notepad and you can perform a quick check to see if there are any obvious errors. If there are no errors, it will look similar to the first example. If there are errors, it will have question marks in the left column as seen in the second example. Go back and check the formatting in Word. If the correct number of questions is not listed, check that Enter was pressed between each question in Word.



3. Upload questions into a test.
From the Control Panel, select Test Manager. Click the Add Test Button. Name your test. Description and Instructions are optional at this point (they can be changed later). Scroll to the bottom and click Submit. Click the drop down menu next to Add Question and select Upload Questions. Click GO. Click Browse to find the file you saved from the test generator. Click Open. Set the number of points possible per question. Click Submit. A Question Upload Complete screen should appear. Click OK to proceed.
The questions will appear in the test.

NOTE: If an Error message appears, the Word document was not formatted correctly. Make changes and copy past it again into the Test Generator. Repeat the steps again from Section 2.

NOTE: Questions can also be added to a test pool by selecting Pool Manager and following the same steps for uploading questions.

Tip #13: Excel: Charts

Microsoft Office 2007 has removed the chart wizard feature. Charts are now created by a single click on the Office Ribbon’s Insert tab. This new charting feature allows easier customization. Once the chart is created you can modify it to display additional information and data.

Creating a Basic Chart
1. Arrange the data in rows and columns on a worksheet. Excel will determine the best way to plot the data. If you prefer a certain layout, look at the suggested data arrangements provided by Microsoft Office.
2. Select the cells that contain the data for the chart.
3. On the Insert tab, in the Charts group click the chart type, and then click the chart subtype.
NOTE: To see all available chart type, click one chart type, and then click All Chart Types.
4. The chart will be placed in the worksheet as an embedded chart.

Moving the chart to a separate sheet
To place the chart in a separate sheet so that it can be viewed by itself:
1. Click the chart to select it.
2. On the Design tab, in the location group, click Move Chart.
3. Choose where you want to place the chart.

Changing the chart layout or style
Pre-defined chart layouts and styles allow you to instantly change the look of a chart. Chart layouts allow you to change the information displayed and how the information is positioned on the chart. Chart styles allow you to change the chart color and design.

Applying a predefined chart layout
1. Click the chart.
2. On the Design tab, in the Charts Layout Group, click the chart layout you want to use.
Applying a predefined chart style:
1. Click the chart.
2. On the Design tab, in the Chart Styles Group, click the chart style you want to use.
Many more options are available for chart formatting and customization. See Microsoft Office’s Chart Creation for thorough directions on all charting options.

Where can I find more information about Office 2007? The ISS Training site provides Quick Reference Guides and Courseware for Microsoft Office. https://portal.twu.edu/iss-training/appstraining/ms_applications.htm
For additional support, please contact the Help Desk, (940) 898-3971.

Tip #41: Adding and removing instructors in your course

Tip: You can add instructors to your course and remove instructors from your course.

Here’s how to do it:
Navigate to your Control Panel and click Enroll User. Search for the instructor’s username by typing the last name and clicking the Search button. Place a checkmark next to the desired user’s name and click Submit. Return to the Control Panel and click List/Modify Users. Click the Search button and click the Properties button next to the instructor’s name. Under Role and Availability, select the Instructor role and click Submit.

To remove an instructor from your course, navigate to the Control Panel and click List/Modify Users. Click the Search button and click the Properties button next to the instructor’s name. Under Role and Availability, select the Student role and click Submit. Return to the Control Panel and click Remove Users from Course. Click the Search button and place a checkmark next to the instructor’s username. Type Yes in the confirmation box and click Submit.
NOTE: You must type Yes, with a capital Y.

Using the Add Users by Role feature:
If you know the Blackboard username of the instructor you want to add, you can use the Add Users by Role feature. Navigate to your Control Panel and click Add Users by Role. Select the role for the user from the drop-down box. Type the Blackboard username(s) in the username box. NOTE: You can add multiple users at once by separating each username with a comma. Click Submit to add the user.

Tip #12: Word: Quick Styles

As in previous versions of Office, users are able to apply formatting to words or a block of text using the styles feature. Office 2007 introduced Quick Styles, a faster way to add and change styles.

Applying a Quick Style to text
1. Select the text to which you want to apply a style. To apply a style to an entire paragraph, place the cursor in the paragraph.
2. On the Home tab, in the Styles group, click the style that you want. If you don't see the style that you want, click the More button to expand the Quick Styles gallery.

Note: You can see how selected text will look with a particular style by placing your pointer over the style that you want to preview.

Note: If the style that you want does not appear in the Quick Styles gallery, press CTRL+SHIFT+S to open the Apply Styles task pane. Under Style Name, use the drop down menu to find the style you want to apply.

Add a new style to the Quick Styles gallery
To add a customized style to the Quick Styles gallery:
1. Format the text to reflect the formatting needed.
2. Select the text.
3. On the Home Tab, in the Styles Category click the More button.
4. Select Save Selection as a New Style.
5. Give the style a name and click OK.
The style that you created appears in the Quick Styles gallery with the name that you gave it.
When you want to use that formatting, select the text and click on the quick style box.

For more information about using Quick Styles, see the Microsoft Office Quick Styles Tip Sheets.

Where can I find more information about Office 2007? The ISS Training site provides Quick Reference Guides and Courseware for Microsoft Office. https://portal.twu.edu/iss-training/appstraining/ms_applications.htm
For additional support, please contact the Help Desk, (940) 898-3971.

Tip #40: Grade Discussion Board forums or threads

Tip: You can grade Discussion Board forums or threads.

Here’s how to do it:
Navigate to your course Discussion Boards and click the Modify button for a discussion forum. Under Forum settings, select Grade forum or Grade threads. Grading a forum will allow you to assign grades for students’ posts to that forum. Grading a thread will allow you to assign grades for students’ replies to each thread in a forum.

After you have enabled grading, click the Grade icon next to the forum or thread you want to grade. Click the Grade button next to a student’s name. The student’s posts to the forum or thread will display. You can filter, sort, and print the student’s posts. To submit a grade for the posts, type a grade in the Grade box and click the Submit button.

Discussion grading and the gradebook:
It is important to note that when you enable grading for a forum or thread, columns for those forums or threads are automatically generated in the gradebook. When you enable grading by forum, a column for that forum is created in the gradebook. When you enable grading by thread, a column for EACH thread in a forum is created in the gradebook. Keep this in mind when choosing whether to grade by forum or thread. Gradebook management can become cumbersome if you choose to grade a large number of threads.

Tip #11: Word: Changing Default Formatting

Do you miss the single space after pressing enter in Word 2007? By changing a few settings you can adjust the default spacing for newly created Word documents.

The Normal Template is what you see when creating a new document- the blank document with spacing, font, etc. By changing the normal template, you change preset formatting features for any new document that is created.

Changing Spacing Defaults
To change default spacing, begin by closing any open Word documents. Open a new word document. On the Home tab, navigate to the Paragraph group. Click the Line Spacing icon . Select Line Spacing Options. To eliminate extra spaces inserted before or after pressing enter settings should be set as follows:

Adjust line spacing to fit your preference (Single, 1.5 lines, Double, etc.)
Once settings are adjusted, click Default. Select Yes on the confirmation window.

Changing Font Defaults
To change font defaults, begin by closing any open Word documents. Open a new word document. On the Home tab, navigate to the Font group. Click the open dialog box icon . Select the font, font size, and other features preferred for the default setting.
Once settings are adjusted, click Default. Select Yes on the confirmation window.

Where can I find more information about Office 2007? The ISS Training site provides Quick Reference Guides and Courseware for Microsoft Office. https://portal.twu.edu/iss-training/appstraining/ms_applications.htm
For additional support, please contact the Help Desk, (940) 898-3971.

Tip #39: Compress PowerPoint slideshows for better uploading to Blackboard

Tip: You can compress PowerPoint slideshows for better uploading to Blackboard.

PowerPoint files that contain images and photos can quickly become very large files. This can cause them to take a very long time to attach and download in Blackboard. Office allows you the option to compress images allowing you to have a smaller file size for PowerPoints that will be displayed only on the screen.

Here’s how to do it:
Compressing Images in PowerPoint 2007

1. Open the PowerPoint file.
2. Navigate to the Office Button in the upper left hand corner.
3. Click Save As- PowerPoint Presentation.
4. Click the Tools drop down menu on the lower left hand side of Save As menu
5. Select Compress Pictures
6. Click Options
7. Under Options check:
   a. Check automatically perform basic compression on save
   b. Check Delete cropped areas of pictures
   c. Check e-mail for the target output
8. Click OK
9. Click OK to the Apply compression settings now dialog.
10. Change the filename (ex: unit1_compressed.ppt)
11. Click Save

Compressing Images in PowerPoint 2003 and earlier

1. Open your PowerPoint presentation
2. Click File Menu and then Save as
3. In the save dialog box, click the Tools drop down menu
4. Select Compress Pictures
5. Select All Pictures in document
6. Select Web/Screen.
7. Select Compress pictures and Delete cropped areas of pictures
8. Click OK
9. Confirm that you want to Compress Pictures (if the dialog appears)
10. Change the filename (example: unit2_compressed.ppt)
11. Click Save

Note: It’s best to keep a copy of the original PowerPoint if you intend to print high quality handouts. PowerPoints compressed for web/screen use may appear grainy when printed.

Tip #10: Excel: Setting Print Area

Set Print Area, a popular feature in Excel allows users to select portions of a worksheet for printing. This feature’s location has moved in Office 2007.

By default, Excel prints all data on the current worksheet. You can define a specific print area to print a portion of the worksheet by setting a print area. When you define a print area, Excel will retain settings until it is cleared or replaced.

Setting the Print Area
To set the print area, begin by selecting the group of cells to print. Navigate to the Page Layout tab. In the Page Setup group, click Print Area and select Set Print Area.

Adding to the Existing Print Area
To add more data to the print area select another group of cells. Navigate to the Page Layout tab. In the Page Setup group, click Print Area and select Add to Print Area. The selected cells will be added to the existing print area.

Clearing the Print Area
Navigate to the Page Layout tab. In the Page Setup group, click Print Area and select Clear Print Area.

For more information on printing options in Excel 2007 be sure to check out Microsoft Office Online’s How-to sheets.

Where can I find more information about Office 2007? The ISS Training site provides Quick Reference Guides and Courseware for Microsoft Office. https://portal.twu.edu/iss-training/appstraining/ms_applications.htm

Tip #38: Subscribe to Discussion Board forums and threads

Tip: You and your students can subscribe to Discussion Board forums and threads.

Here’s how to do it:
Navigate to your course Discussion Boards and click the Modify button for a discussion forum. Under Forum settings, select Allow members to subscribe to: Forum and Threads. Click Submit. Users who subscribe to forums or threads will receive an email when forums or threads are updated.

NOTE: Enabling subscribing to forums and threads gives users the option to subscribe. Each user, including the instructor, can choose whether or not he/she wants to subscribe to a forum or thread. Once subscriptions are enabled users will see a Subscribe button on either the Forum or the Thread.

Tips for using subscriptions:

• Encourage all users who subscribe to forums or threads to check the SPAM filter settings on their email accounts. Some email programs may filter Blackboard emails as junk mail.
  
• Help users understand the difference between subscribing to a forum and subscribing to a thread. When users subscribe to a forum, they receive emails each time any thread in the forum is updated. When users subscribe to a thread, they receive emails each time that particular thread is updated.

Tip #9: PowerPoint: SmartArt

SmartArt is a new feature available in PowerPoint, Word and Excel. PowerPoint’s SmartArt has additional features and styles. SmartArt allows you to easily convert a bulleted list into a visual graphic. SmartArt is divided into four categories to describe the type of visualization: Process, Hierarchy, Cycle and Relationship. There are several layouts available for each of these types. SmartArt graphics can easily be changed and modified to suit your needs.

Creating a SmartArt Graphic
1. On the Insert tab, in the Illustrations group, click SmartArt.
2. In the Choose a SmartArt Graphic box, click the type and layout best suited for the text.
3. Enter text by doing one of the following:

• Click in a shape in your SmartArt graphic, and then type your text.
• Click [Text] in the Text pane, and then type or paste your text.
• Copy text from another program, click [Text], and then paste into the Text pane.

If the Text pane is not visible.
1. Click your SmartArt graphic
2. Under SmartArt Tools, on the Design tab, in the Create Graphic group, click Text Pane.

To convert slide text to a SmartArt graphic
1. Click the placeholder (the box with dotted borders that hold title and body text) that contains the text on the slide that you want to convert.
2. On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click Convert to SmartArt Graphic.
3. In the gallery, click the layout for the SmartArt graphic most appropriate for the text.
The gallery contains layouts for SmartArt graphics that work best with bulleted lists. To view the entire set of layouts, click More SmartArt Graphics.

More information about SmartArt is available at Microsoft Office Online- View a Quick Reference Card

Where can I find more information about Office 2007? The ISS Training site provides Quick Reference Guides and Courseware for Microsoft Office. https://portal.twu.edu/iss-training/appstraining/ms_applications.htm
For additional support, please contact the Help Desk, (940) 898-3971.

Tip #37: Modify the content and layout of your Blackboard Welcome page.

Tip: You can modify the content and layout of your Blackboard Welcome page.

Here’s how to do it:
Log in to Blackboard. On your Blackboard Welcome page, click the Modify Content button located in the upper right hand corner.
Place a checkmark next to the content modules you want to add to your Welcome page. Un-check any modules you want to remove from your Welcome page. Click Submit to save your changes.
NOTE: Some modules cannot be removed from the Welcome page. These items are marked by a red checkmark.

Modifying the layout of your Welcome page:
To modify the layout of your Blackboard Welcome page, click the Modify Layout button located in the upper right hand corner.
Under Customize Page Layout, select a module and click the arrow buttons to move the module up, down, or to another column. You may also change the color scheme of your modules. Click Submit to save your changes.

Tip #8: Word: Using Quick Parts

Quick Parts is new to Microsoft Word 2007. It allows you to add preformatted portions of text that can be reused as many times as you like. Quick Parts can save you a lot of time when you're creating your documents.
You could use Quick Parts to insert a cover page, headers, footers, page numbers, tables, watermarks, and more.

Inserting a Quick Part
Several types of Quick Parts are available.
1. Open the Insert ribbon
2. In the Text section of the ribbon, click Quick Parts
3. Click Building Blocks Organizer
4. Browse the list of building blocks
5. To preview an item, click it; it will appear in the right window
6. To insert an item, select it and click Insert.
7. To close without inserting anything click Close.

Creating your own Quick Part
If there are elements you frequently add to documents (headers, cover pages, text block, etc.), you can create your own Quick Part. To create your own Quick Part
1. Open a document that contains the item(s) you want to create as a Quick Part.
2. Select the segment of text or item.
3. Navigate to the Insert ribbon
4. In the Text section of the ribbon, click Quick Parts
5. Click Save Selection to Building Blocks Gallery
6. Enter a name for the quick part and under Options select the appropriate way for the item to insert (insert content only, insert content in its own paragraph, insert content in its own page).
7. Click OK.

To Insert your newly created Quick Part
1. Navigate to the Insert ribbon
2. In the Text section of the ribbon, click Quick Parts
3. Hover over the Quick Part you want to add. Right click for insert options. Click the desired insert option.

Tip #36: Discussion Post Ratings

Tip: You can enable discussion post rating on your course Discussion Boards.

What is discussion post rating?
Discussion ratings allow students and instructors to rate discussion posts on a scale of 1 to 5. Ratings appear as stars in the upper right hand corner of each discussion post.

NOTE: Users are able to see only the overall rating for a discussion post. This means that students and instructors cannot see who rated which posts or how many users rated the posts.

Here’s how to do it:
Navigate to your course Discussion Boards and click the Modify button for a discussion forum. Under Forum settings, select Allow members to rate posts. Click Submit. Users will have a drop down menu in the upper right hand corner of the post enabling them to rate discussion posts on a 5-star scale.

Tips for discussion post rating:
The post rating tool is not a grading tool. The rating tool can be used to motivate students to read each other’s posts and to improve the quality of their own discussion posts. It is recommended that you provide a rating rubric for students. This will help students to apply appropriate lenses when reading other student’s posts and it will help students to know the standards by which their posts will be graded.

Tip #7: Outlook: Using the To-Do Bar

In Office 2007, Outlook has improved organization by adding the To-Do Bar. This gives an overview of tasks, appointments, and flagged emails to make follow up more convenient.
The To-Do Bar can be customized to personal preference. The To-Do Bar can be minimized so that it is still available when needed, but increase the screen view for email.

Adding items to the To-Do Bar
Any items on your calendar are automatically listed for the day on the To-Do Bar.
There are two ways to add an e-mail item to the To-Do Bar:
Method 1: Drag the e-mail from your Inbox to the To-Do Bar
Method 2: “Flag” the item for followup by clicking the grey flag on the e-mail. Any flagged items will be listed on your to-do bar.


Marking an item as complete on the To-Do Bar
Calendar items are removed once the scheduled end time is reached.
There are two ways to add an e-mail item to the To-Do Bar:
Method 1: Drag the e-mail from your Inbox to the To-Do Bar
Method 2: “Flag” the item for followup by clicking the grey flag on the e-mail. Any flagged items will be listed on your to-do bar.


Customizing the To-Do Bar View
To change the To-Do Bar view, navigate to the view menu at the top of your Outlook screen and select To-Do Bar. From here you can select if you want to view the To-Do Bar as Normal, Minimized or Off.

Tip #35: Web Browsers & Java affect your Blackboard experience

Tip: Web browsers and Java affect your Blackboard experience

Here’s how to do it:
As with all programs, web browsers differ in how they work with Blackboard. Often issues that arise for users can be overcome by trying a different web browser.

The three major web browsers used are Internet Explorer (primarily on PC’s), Safari (primarily on Macs) and Mozilla Firefox.

When browsers provide newer versions, it’s considered good practice to wait until it has been released for a while before updating. This wait ensures that programs working inside the browser (like Blackboard!) will have found any potential incompatibilities and update as well.

If you’re experiencing difficulties, try downloading an alternate browser and see if the issue continues. Firefox 2.0, the most compatible version of Firefox with Blackboard, can be downloaded at http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-older.html

It might not be just your web browser
Blackboard depends on the use of an internet plug-in, Java. Having an up-to-date version of Java will enhance your Blackboard experience. The most current version of Java is Version 6 update 7. There are several methods of checking your java version but the Java website will do a quick check for you and display the version. You can test if Java is working and check your version of Java by going to: http://www.java.com/en/download/help/testvm.xml?ff3
If you notice Blackboard issues and you’re running an older version of Java, you might consider updating your Java version. The Java website provides free downloads of its latest version at: http://www.java.com/en/download/

When this still doesn’t help
Call the helpdesk for assistance! Be prepared to tell them what browsers you’ve tried things in and which version of Java you’re running. This will help those troubleshooting quickly identify any problem areas or trends in issues being reported.

TIp #6: Minimizing the Office Ribbon

The Ribbon is the top navigation bar in Office 2007. It is designed to help you quickly find the commands that you need to complete a task. Commands are organized in logical groups that are collected together under tabs. Each tab relates to a type of activity, such as writing or laying out a page. To reduce screen clutter, some tabs are shown only when they are needed.

Minimize the Ribbon for a Short Time
To quickly minimize the Ribbon, double-click the name of the active tab. Double-click a tab again to restore the Ribbon.

Always Keep the Ribbon Minimized
1. Click the Customize Quick Access Toolbar icon at the top of your screen .
2. In the list, click Minimize the Ribbon.
3. To use the Ribbon while it is minimized, click the tab and all options for that tab will appear.

Restoring the Ribbon
1. Click the Customize Quick Access Toolbar icon.
2. In the list, uncheck Minimize the Ribbon.

Keyboard shortcut: To minimize or restore the Ribbon, press CTRL+F1.
Tip: You can still use the keyboard shortcuts while the Ribbon is minimized.

Tip #34: Adding a Course Banner

Tip: You can add a banner to your course.

Here’s how to do it:
A course banner is an image that appears at the top of the Announcements page of your course. To add a banner to your course, navigate to the Control Panel. Click Course Design and then click Course Banner.

Click the Browse button to locate the desired image on your computer. Select the desired image file and click Open. Click Submit to upload the image as your course banner. NOTE: You must upload image files in .jpeg or .gif formats. Blackboard does not recognize other image formats.

Cautions when adding course banners:
Some course banners may create accessibility issues for course users. To avoid these issues, we recommend the following guidelines for course banners:

• Avoid uploading banners that contain moving images. Moving images may increase students’ page loading time and may interfere with students’ browsers.
• Avoid using large images. Keep images within 500 x 500 megapixels.
• Avoid uploading image files that are too large. The file size for any image uploaded to Blackboard should be no larger than 5 MB.

Tip #5: Saving documents in PDF format

PDF is a file format that preserves document formatting and enables file sharing. The PDF format ensures that when the file is viewed online or printed, it retains exactly the format intended, and that data in the file cannot easily be changed. PDF files can be read on any operating system making it a preferred choice for file sharing.

Office 2007 has the capability to save documents in PDF format.

Saving documents to PDF Format
Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Access documents can be saved in PDF format by following these steps:
1. Click the Microsoft Office Button, point to the arrow next to Save As, and then click PDF.
2. In the File Name list, type a name for the document.
3. If you want to open the file immediately after saving it, select the Open file after publishing check box.
4. Click Options to set the page range or other output options Click OK.
5. Click Publish.

Reading Documents in PDF Format
Most computers have the Adobe Acrobat reader application installed, allowing you to read PDF files. If however you are unable to open a PDF file, the free Adobe Acrobat Reader can be downloaded from:
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Tip #33: Helping students troubleshoot

Tip: You can help students to troubleshoot their Blackboard issues.

Here’s how to do it:
Consider posting a series of technical tips in Blackboard for your students. You might consider adding these tips to a Technical Support discussion board, allowing students and teaching assistants the chance to share concerns and solutions.

Students can follow a series of steps or procedures to troubleshoot their Blackboard issues. We recommend the following troubleshooting steps:

1. Log out of Blackboard and shutdown the computer. Restart the computer and re-log into Blackboard. Some issues may only require logging out and logging back in to Blackboard.
2. Clear out your browser cache. If you use Internet Explorer as your browser, click the Tools menu option on your browser. Click Internet Options and select the option to delete your browsing history, temporary files, and cookies. Click OK. Close the browser entirely and re-start the browser. Log in to Blackboard.
3. Try using another browser. Some issues may be caused by browser errors or incompatibility. Consider using another browser, such as Firefox or Safari (Mac users), to see if the issue persists in multiple browsers.
4. Try using another computer at a different location. Some problems that you experience may actually be related to your personal computer or to your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Make sure that the problem is occurring in more than one location and on one computer.
5. Turn off pop-up blockers while using Blackboard. Remember to enable them again once you’re done with Blackboard.
6. Check the Known Issues website to see if the issue you are having is a known issue. This webpage describes fixes or work-around for several known issues in Blackboard. http://www.twu.edu/blackboard/known_issues.asp

What to do if none of the troubleshooting steps work:
If the students’ issues persist after they have tried the troubleshooting steps, ask them to contact the TWU Help Desk. The Help Desk is available via phone, 940-898-9371 or via email, helpdesk@twu.edu. They also have a chat room in which students and faculty can discuss their Blackboard issues with Help Desk personnel. Students should be able to tell Help Desk their course information, instructor information, any troubleshooting steps they have tried, and as much detail as possible about what they do when the problem occurs, including any error message numbers.

Tip #4: Making Documents Compatible with Office 2003

With the introduction of Microsoft Office 2007, new file types were also introduced. All files created with Office 2007 now end with an “x” at the end of the filename.

Users of Office 2003 may not be able to open Office 2007 files. However, you can save your documents in “Compatibility Mode” ensuring that those using previous versions of Office can open your document.

How to save in Compatibility Mode:
1. Click the Office Button
2. Hover the Mouse pointer over Save As
3. Select Word 97-03 Document (or Excel 97-03 Document, PowerPoint 97-03 Document, or Access 97-03 Document)
4. Enter the filename and click Save.

NOTE: Some of the elements in Microsoft Office 2007 are not available in previous versions of Office. Office will display these elements as images. Users opening the document in earlier versions of office will be able to view these elements, but they will not be able to edit them. When saving a document in Compatibility mode, Office will let you know which elements will not be able to be edited.

Tip #32: Contingency Planning

Tip: You can create a contingency plan and develop back-up procedures for your Blackboard course.

Here’s how to do it:
Because of the volatile nature of technology, it is advisable that instructors who use Blackboard develop contingency plans and back-up procedures. Blackboard has several features that can assist instructors with this. We recommend that faculty consider the following procedures:

• Archive your course periodically. Archiving a course allows you to save course content and user data to your computer or an external drive.
• Use the Gradebook Export feature to save a copy of your Gradebook to your computer. We recommend that instructors export their Gradebooks at least once a week. For instructions on exporting your Gradebook, view the Blackboard Tip #18.
• Develop and communicate to students a back-up plan in case Blackboard is not accessible.

Considerations for contingency plans:
When creating your contingency plan, consider the following questions:

• What are TWU’s policies regarding contingency plans?
• Does your department recommend or require any specific contingency procedures?
• Do you have multiple methods by which you can communicate with students in case of an emergency (e.g., email + phone + emergency website)?
• Will you be flexible with the course calendar and due dates if necessary?
• What contingency recommendations will you make to students (e.g., print your course syllabus, keep back-ups of all files submitted to Blackboard)?
• What back-up spaces could you use to continue your course if access to Blackboard or to the TWU campus was not possible?

Tip #3: Quick Access Toolbar

The Quick Access Toolbar

The Quick Access toolbar provides ready access to frequently used commands. It can be customized to add icons you use most often.

Where do I find the Quick Access Toolbar?
The quick access toolbar is located at the top of the screen, next to the Office button.

How can I customize my Quick Access Toolbar?
To customize the quick access toolbar, click the small down arrow next to the quick access toolbar. Select from the list of common commands or click more commands for a full list of options.

Tip #31: Managing Student Access to Blackboard Courses

Tip: When students drop a class and are not automatically removed from Blackboard, you can limit their access to the course.

Limiting access to students who drop the course mid-semester
Students who have dropped a course mid-semester will not be removed from your Blackboard course roster. This is designed to allow instructors to keep records of all students in the course. Removing a student from the Blackboard course will delete all information, including grades for that student.

Here’s how to limit access and retain student information:
Navigate to your Control Panel and click the List/Modify Users link. Type the student’s last name, or click search to list the whole class roster. Select properties next to a student’s name. Scroll down to Section 4: Role and Availability. Under Available (this course only) select No. Click Submit.
NOTE: Limiting access to students will not remove them from your grade book. However, the student will no longer be able to log into the course.

Removing Students from a Course
If a student was never enrolled in the course per your WebAdvisor roster, removal of the student may be appropriate. Keep in mind that all student data will be removed including grades, assignment submissions and course statistics.

NOTE: Blackboard roster updates occur several times a day through the twelfth class day. It is possible that during these first days of the semester, students removed from a course will be added back into the course when the roster updates occur. Removing students after the twelfth class day will be permanent.

How to permanently remove a student from the course
Navigate to your Control Panel and click the Remove Users from Course link. Type the student’s last name, or click search to list the whole class roster. Place a checkmark next to the student’s name. Type the word Yes in the box and click Submit.

NOTE: Official student rosters can be obtained from WebAdvisor and compared with Blackboard. Students who are not listed in Blackboard but listed in WebAdvisor should call the helpdesk at 3791 for assistance.

Tip #2: Interactive Guides

Microsoft offers interactive guides that help make the transition smoother from Office 2003 to Office 2007.

Looking for your favorite Office commands in the new 2007 interface?
Microsoft has developed a visual, interactive reference guide to help you quickly learn where things are for all Office applications.

Where do I find the interactive guides?
Click the links below to access the interactive guide.
For help with Outlook 2007
For help with Word 2007
For help with Powerpoint 2007
For help with Excel
For help with Access


How do I use the Interactive Guides?
Click one of the above links and click Start the Guide.
Once the guide launches you will see the 2003 interface. Rest the mouse over a menu or button to for a description of the location in 2007. Click the mouse to see it highlighted in the 2007 version.

For more information about using these interactive guides, please visit the Office 2007 Interactive Guide website

Tip #30: Learning Objects

Tip: You can add Learning Objects to your Blackboard course.

What are Learning Objects?
Learning Objects are tools that can be used in your Blackboard course to facilitate interaction. There are 3 tools that instructors can use in their courses:
1. Blog tool: The blog tool allows users to contribute to and/or comment on course blogs. For additional information on the blog tool, visit our support website.
2. Wiki tool: The wiki tool allows users to collaborate in constructing shared web spaces. For additional information on the wiki tool, visit our support website.
3. Podcast tool: The podcast tool allows instructors to upload podcasts to their Blackboard courses or link to podcasts from other sources. For additional information on the podcast tool, visit our support website.


Activating Learning Objects in your course:
Before you can use the learning objects, you need to first activate them in the course. Navigate to the Control Panel and click Manage Tools. Select Building Block Tool Availability and check the tools you plan to use. Click Submit. Then from the Manage Tools menu select Content Type Availability. Check the tools you plan to use. Click Submit.

Adding Learning Objects to your course:
Learning Objects can be added to your course in the same way that Assignments are added to courses. Navigate to the content area to which you want to add a Learning Object. Click the Edit View link in the top right corner of the page. Click the drop-down box next to the words Select: Learning Unit and select the Learning Object you want to add. Click the Go button. To configure the options for that Learning Object, navigate to the Control Panel and click the appropriate Configure/Manage option for the tool.

Tip #1: The Ribbon & The Button

Microsoft Office 2007 introduced users to two new navigation features the “Ribbon” and the “Office Button.”

The Office Button
The file menu has been replaced by the Office Button, which can be found in the upper left hand corner of the screen.
Click the Office Button to see all the familiar commands from the file menu. Whenever you see an arrow to the right of a command it means that there are more options available.

Navigating the Ribbon
The Ribbon section of Microsoft Office 2007 is made up of a series of tabs that include commands, buttons, and galleries. Each tab contains a set of commands to use for the particular tab function. For example, the Home tab includes functions such as font type and paragraph settings.

Tip #29: Beginning of the Semester Tasks

Beginning of semester tasks:
1. Enhance course design and menu options.
2. Combine multiple course sections into one shell (if applicable).
3. Make the course available.

Completing the beginning of semester tasks:

Enhancing the course design and menu options
1) Access your course
2) Click the Control Panel link
3) Click Course Design
In the Course Design area, you can choose a course menu design, manage how the menu is displayed, manage the tool panel, and add/change the course banner.
4) Return to the Control Panel and click Manage Course Menu
5) To re-arrange the order of menu items, click the number next to an item and select a new number order for the item
6) To modify or remove a menu item, click the Modify or Remove button next to an item
7) To add a content area, link to a course tool, a link to a course area, or an external link to the course menu, click the appropriate button at the top of the page
8) Click OK

Combining multiple course sections into one shell (if applicable)
1) Access the course from which you want to move users
2) Click the Control Panel link
3) Under the Course Options category, click Course Copy
4) Click Copy Course Materials into an Existing Course
5) Type or Search for the Destination Course ID (the Destination Course is the course to which to enrollments will be copied)
6) Place a checkmark next to Tasks and next to Enrollments
7) Click Submit; you will receive an email notification when the enrollments copy is complete

Making the course available
1) Access the course you want to make available
2) Click the Control Panel link
3) Under the Course Options category, click Settings
4) Click Course Availability
5) Select Yes
6) Click Submit

Tip #28: Discussion Board Changes

In response to faculty and student feedback, some of the features of the discussion boards have changed.

What changes will I see in the Discussion Boards?
You will see improvements to the Discussion Boards. Users will have the option to mark posts as “read” by selecting threads and clicking a Mark as Read button. Users can also see the number of unread posts in a forum and click the number to view those posts.

Users will be able to choose a view setting for their Discussion Board: Tree View or List View. The List View is the view setting currently available in Blackboard. The Tree View is similar to the view setting that was previously available in Blackboard before 2008.

Instructors can enable new discussion forum settings. Instructors can enable tagging, which allows users to tag discussion posts with searchable keywords. Instructors can allow users to subscribe to discussion forums and/or discussion threads. Instructors can also enable replying with a quote, which allows users to embed a quote from the discussion thread to which they are replying.

Tip #27: Creating Assignments

Tip: You can create Assignments to which students will submit their work.

Here’s how to do it:
Navigate to the content area to which you will add your Assignments. For example, if you want to add your assignments to the Assignments content area, click the Assignments link on the course menu.

Click the Edit View button at the top right corner of the page. Click the drop-down menu next to + Select: and select Assignment. Click Go.

Name the assignment, type the points possible for the assignment, and type instructions for students. You can also attach a file for students to download. Select the dates you want to make the Assignment available and click Submit. NOTE: A Gradebook column for the Assignment will automatically be generated.

Assignments versus Digitial Dropbox:
We recommend that instructors use the Assignments feature, rather than the Digital Dropbox, to collect students’ work. Some benefits of using the Assignments feature are:

· The Assignments feature generates a Gradebook item. This means that, when students submit work to an Assignment, a completion indicator (!) is placed in the Gradebook column for that Assignment. Students’ submitted work can be viewed and graded within the Gradebook. Students’ assignments can be downloaded all at once and saved to the instructor’s computer, for grading at a later time (see Tip # 20).
· The Assignments feature is intuitive and easy for students to use. To submit their Assignments, students click the View/Complete Assignment link underneath the Assignment name and description. Students can then attach their files and click Submit to complete their Assignment.
· Instructors can provide feedback with students’ grades using the Comments box or by attaching a file for the students.

Want more information?
Step-by-step tutorials are available at: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard/Bb72Tutorials.asp
Visit our website: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard,
or call: (940) 898-3706

Tip #26: Using tables to organize VTBE content

Tip: Use tables in the Visual Text Box Editor (VTBE) to organize your content and images.

Here’s how to do it:
Navigate to a content area in your course (e.g. Course Documents) and click the Edit View link in the upper right-hand corner of the page. Click the + Item button to add a new item. Name the item and then click in the text box below. This is where you will add your table.

On the Visual Text Box Editor (VTBE), click the Create Table button.
Select the number of columns and rows for the table. Click Submit to add the table to the text box.

Add text or images to your table. After you have added your content, click the Submit button to save your content. Below is an example of how you might use tables to organize your content:



How to remove the table outlines:
To remove the table outlines, you will need to modify the HTML code for the table. Click the < > button on the VTBE to open the HTML view. You will see the following format code for the table:

To remove the table outlines, you will need to modify the HTML code for the table. Click the < > button on the VTBE to open the HTML view. You will see the following format code for the table:

In the part of the code that says “border=1”, change the 1 to a 0. Click the < > button again to switch back to your standard view. You will see that the table borders have disappeared. Click Submit to save your changes.

Want more information?
Step-by-step tutorials are available at: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard/Bb72Tutorials.asp
Visit our website: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard,or call: (940) 898-3706

Tip #25: Adding audio, video, or Flash using the VTBE

Tip: You can add audio, video, or Flash to a Blackboard item using the Visual Text Box Editor (VTBE).

Here’s how to do it:
Navigate to a content area in your course (e.g. Course Documents) and click the Edit View link in the upper right-hand corner of the page. Click the + Item button to add a new item. Name the item and then click in the text box below. This is where you will add the audio, video, or Flash.

On the Visual Text Box Editor (VTBE), click the Add button for the component you would like to add (from left to right, those buttons are Add MPEG/AVI content, Add QuickTime content, Add Audio content, and Add Flash content):

Click the Browse button to locate the file on your computer or external drive. Select the file options you would like and click the Submit button. On the preview page, click Submit again to add your content.

Caution regarding adding audio, video, or Flash files:
Be aware of the file size of the audio, video, or Flash file you add to your course. The larger the file size, the more difficulties students will experience in viewing that file and the Blackboard page on which the file is located. We recommend that any file uploaded to Blackboard is no larger than 5 MB.

Want more information?
Step-by-step tutorials are available at:

http://www.twu.edu/blackboard/Bb72Tutorials.asp
Visit our website: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard,
or call: (940) 898-3706

Tip #24: Adding an image using the VTBE

Tip: Add an image to your course using the Visual Text Box Editor (VTBE).

Here’s how to do it:
Navigate to a content area in your course (e.g. Course Documents) and click the Edit View link in the upper right-hand corner of the page. Click the + Item button to add a new item. Name the item and then click in the text box below. This is where you will add the image.

On the Visual Text Box Editor (VTBE), click the Add Image button.

Click the Browse button to locate the image file on your computer or external drive. Select any image options you would like and click the Submit button. Resize the image by clicking on the image and dragging the corners in or out, depending on whether you want to enlarge or shrink the image.

What to do if you do not see the VTBE:

Check to make sure that your VTBE is enabled. On your Blackboard welcome page (where your courses are listed), click the Personal Information link on the left-hand Tools menu. Click Set Visual Text Box Editor Options and make sure that the VTBE is enabled. Click Submit. You will need to log out and log back in to Blackboard to see your changes.

The VTBE for Safari users does not have the Add Image button. Macintosh users should use the Firefox browser to enable the full version of the VTBE.

Want more information?
Step-by-step tutorials are available at:

http://www.twu.edu/blackboard/Bb72Tutorials.asp
Visit our website: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard,
or call: (940) 898-3706

Tip #23: Creating an anonymous survey

Tip: You can create an anonymous survey in Blackboard.

Here’s how to do it:
Navigate to the Control Panel of your course and click Survey Manager. Click the + Add Survey button. Type a name for the survey and type any description or instructions you want to provide. Click Submit.

Add questions to the survey by clicking the drop-down menu next to the words Add Calculated Formula. Select the type of question you would like to add and click the Go button. For open-ended questions, select the Short Answer or Essay question types. Continue adding questions until you have completed your survey.

To launch the survey in your course, navigate to the course area to which you would like to add the survey. Click the Edit View link at the upper right corner of the page. Click the drop-down menu next to the words + Select: Learning Unit and select the Survey option. Click the Go button. Select the survey you created and click Submit. To change the survey availability and settings, click the Modify the Survey options link on the following page.

Survey anonymity in Blackboard:
Surveys in Blackboard are anonymous, so you will not be able to discern individuals’ survey answers. To view the full survey results, navigate to your course Gradebook. Locate the survey Gradebook item and click name of the survey. Click the Download Results link and select your download options. NOTE: Microsoft Excel will open a .csv file or a tab-delimited file.

Want more information?
Step-by-step tutorials are available at: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard/Bb72Tutorials.asp
Visit our website: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard,
or call: (940) 898-3706

Tip #22: Adding a course tool link

Tip: You can add a course tool link to a content area in your course.

Here’s how to do it:
Enter your course and click the course menu link for the content area to which you would like to add a tool. For example, if you want to add a tool link to your Course Documents content area, click on Course Documents.

Click the Edit View link on the top right corner of the page. Click the drop-down menu next to the Select icon and select the Tool option. Click Go.

Select the tool link you want to add and click the Next button.

Using tool links:
Consider adding tools to content areas to facilitate students’ navigation of the course. For example, if the students’ first task in the course is to create a Blackboard homepage, consider adding a homepage tool link to your First Tasks, Syllabus, or Assignments content area.

Want more information?
Step-by-step tutorials are available at:
http://www.twu.edu/blackboard/Bb72Tutorials.asp
Visit our website: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard,
or call: (940) 898-3706

Tip #21: Adding a glossary

Tip: You can add a glossary to your Blackboard course.

Here’s how to do it:
Navigate to your course Control Panel and click Glossary Manager. Click the +Add Term button to add a new term and its definition. Click Submit to save the term and definition. Follow the same steps to add more terms to the glossary.

You can create your glossary in Excel or in Notepad and upload it into your Blackboard shell. Click the Upload Glossary button and Browse for the glossary file you created. Click Submit to upload the glossary.

Creating a glossary in Excel or Notepad:
Create your glossary in Excel by creating a column for the terms and a column for the definitions. Save the Excel glossary as a tab-delimited file or .csv file.
To create your glossary in Notepad, type the term and definition in quotation marks and separate the term and definition with a comma: “term”,“definition” (do not type any spaces between the characters). Save the Notepad file as a .txt file or .csv file.





Want more information?
Step-by-step tutorials are available at: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard/Bb72Tutorials.asp
Visit our website: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard,
or call: (940) 898-3706

Tip #20: Downloading students' Assignments all at once

Tip: Download students’ Assignments to your computer all at once through the Gradebook.

Here’s how to do it:
The Blackboard Assignments feature gives instructors several options for viewing students’ work. Create an Assignment to which students can submit their work. When you are ready to download students’ work, navigate to your course Gradebook.

Click the name of the Assignment in the Gradebook and click Item Download. To download all the students’ Assignments, click the Select All link at the top of the page and click Submit. The students’ assignments will be packaged as a .zip file that can be downloaded to your computer. Right-click the link provided, select “Save Target As…” and save the file to your computer.

Errors when downloading students’ assignment files:
Some instructors may receive an error when attempting to download students’ Assignments all at once. To reduce the incidence of this error, recommend to students that they follow Blackboard-appropriate naming conventions (see Tip # 19). If you still encounter the problem, download the students’ Assignments individually.

Want more information?
Step-by-step tutorials are available at: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard/Bb72Tutorials.asp
Visit our website: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard,
or call: (940) 898-3706

Tip #19: Naming files for Blackboard

Tip: Reduce the number of error messages you and students receive when opening files by appropriately naming files uploaded to Blackboard.

Here’s how to do it:
There are several file name characters that may lead to error messages when instructors or students upload or download files. To reduce the occurrence of those errors, follow these naming conventions:

• Use only letters, numbers, underscores, and hyphens in file names
• Use hyphens or underscores in place of spaces in file names
• Do not use periods in a file name, except before the file extension (e.g. “Name_test1.doc”)
• Do not use spaces, commas, pound signs (#), question marks, equal signs, ampersands (&), asterisks (*), or any other special characters in file names
• Keep file names under 60 characters in length

You may recommend to students that they follow these same naming conventions. This is helpful when you are downloading multiple students’ files all at once (e.g. downloading students’ completed assignments)

Uploading multiple files into Blackboard:
When you upload multiple files into Blackboard, they are automatically organized numerically then alphabetically by the name of the file. If you want a specific order in which your files will appear, name the files accordingly. For example, you may name a file 1_Hill_article and another file 2_McCubbins_article so that they appear in numerical order.

Want more information?
Step-by-step tutorials are available at: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard/Bb72Tutorials.asp
Visit our website: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard,
or call: (940) 898-3706

Tip #18: Downloading/uploading your Gradebook

Tip: You can download your Gradebook into Microsoft Excel and upload your Gradebook into Blackboard from Excel.

Here’s how to do it:
To download your Blackboard Gradebook to Excel, navigate to your course Gradebook. Click the Download Grades button. Select the Tab filter type and click Submit. Right-click the Download button and select Save Target As…

Name the file and select the location on your computer to which you want to save the file. Click the Save button. Locate the file you saved, double-click the file, and it will open in Microsoft Excel.

NOTE: We recommend that instructors periodically download their Gradebooks to an external drive for record-keeping purposes.

Upload your Gradebook from Excel into Blackboard:
Navigate to your Gradebook and click the Upload Grades button. Click the Browse button to locate the Excel file on your computer hard drive. Click Submit. Select the Excel column you want to import. Select the column to which you will import the Excel information or select the option to create a new Gradebook column. NOTE: You can import only one column at a time. Click Submit.

On the next page, select which students’ grades you want to upload or click the Select All button to upload all students’ grades. Click Submit.

Want more information?
Step-by-step tutorials are available at: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard/Bb72Tutorials.asp
Visit our website: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard,
or call: (940) 898-3706

Tip #17: Beginning of semester checklist

Tip: Beginning of semester tasks

Beginning of semester tasks:
1. Enhance course design and menu options.
2. Combine multiple course sections into one shell (if applicable).
3. Make the course available.

Completing the beginning of semester tasks:
Enhancing the course design and menu options
1) Access your course
2) Click the Control Panel link
3) Click Course Design
In the Course Design area, you can choose a course menu design, manage how the menu is displayed, manage the tool panel, and add/change the course banner.
4) Return to the Control Panel and click Manage Course Menu
5) To re-arrange the order of menu items, click the number next to an item and select a new number order for the item
6) To modify or remove a menu item, click the Modify or Remove button next to an item
7) To add a content area, link to a course tool, a link to a course area, or an external link to the course menu, click the appropriate button at the top of the page
8) Click OK

Combining multiple course sections into one shell (if applicable)
1) Access the course from which you want to move users
2) Click the Control Panel link
3) Under the Course Options category, click Course Copy
4) Click Copy Course Materials into an Existing Course
5) Type or Search for the Destination Course ID (the Destination Course is the course to which to enrollments will be copied)
6) Place a checkmark next to Tasks and next to Enrollments
7) Click Submit; you will receive an email notification when the enrollments copy is complete

Making the course available
1) Access the course you want to make available
2) Click the Control Panel link
3) Under the Course Options category, click Settings
4) Click Course Availability
5) Select Yes
6) Click Submit

Want more information?
Step-by-step tutorials are available at: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard/Bb72Tutorials.asp
Visit our website: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard,
or call: (940) 898-3706

Tip #16: End of Semester Checklist

Tip: End of Semester Checklist

End-of-semester checklist:
1. Export the final course gradebook.
2. Archive your Blackboard course.
3. Make the course unavailable.

Completing the end-of-semester tasks:
Exporting the Blackboard Gradebook
1) Access the course that contains the Gradebook you want to export
2) Click the Control Panel link
3) Click Gradebook
4) Click the Download Grades button
5) Select Comma or Tab as the Delimiter Type (both file types can be opened in MS Excel)
6) Click the Submit button and then click the Download button
7) Save the file to your Desktop (or anywhere on your computer that is appropriate)
8) Click OK

Archiving a Blackboard Course
1) Access the course you want to archive
2) Click the Control Panel link
3) Under the Course Options category, click Archive Course
4) Click the Archive button
5) Click Submit
6) After you receive the archive completion email, navigate to the Archive Course page again. Right-click the zipped course file and click Save Target As… to save the file to your computer
7) Click OK

Making a Course Unavailable
1) Access the course you want to make unavailable
2) Click the Control Panel link
3) Under the Course Options category, click Settings
4) Click Course Availability
5) Select No
6) Click Submit

Want more information?
Step-by-step tutorials are available at: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard/Bb72Tutorials.asp
Visit our website: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard,
or call: (940) 898-3706

Tip #15: Filtering and sorting the Gradebook

Tip: You can sort and filter items in your Gradebook.

Here’s how to do it:
Navigate to your course Gradebook. You can sort Gradebook items by Position, Category, Date Added, Date, Points Possible, Title, and Weight. Select your sort criteria and click the Go button. Sorting is useful to locate specific columns in the Gradebook and to minimize scrolling to find these columns.

Filtering your Gradebook allows you to view only the items you specify. You can filter your Gradebook by Category or by users’ last names.

Filtering Items by Category:
Categories are created automatically for all Gradebook items. To manually categorize items or change categories in the Gradebook, click the Manage Items button and click the Modify button next to an item for which you would like to change the category. Select a category from the drop-down list and click Submit.
After categorizing the Gradebook items, select the category by which you would like to filter the items and click the Go button. To view all Gradebook items again, select All as the filter category and click the Go button.

Want more information?
Step-by-step tutorials are available at: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard/Bb72Tutorials.asp
Visit our website: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard,
or call: (940) 898-3706

Tip #14: Locking Discussion Board threads

Tip: You can lock Discussion Board threads so that students cannot edit their posts or add to the thread.

Here’s how to do it:
Navigate to the Discussion Board area in your course. Click on the discussion forum in which you would like to lock threads. Place a checkmark in the boxes to the left of the threads you would like to lock. If you want to lock all threads, click the Go button next to the Select All drop-down menu at the bottom of the page.

After selecting the threads, click the Lock button at the top of the page. Notice that the status of the locked threads will change from Published to Locked. A locked thread is still readable by users but can no longer be added to or modified.

Unlocking Discussion Board threads:
To unlock a Discussion Board thread, place a checkmark in the box next to the thread and click the Unlock button.

Want more information?
Step-by-step tutorials are available at: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard/Bb72Tutorials.asp
Visit our website: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard,
or call: (940) 898-3706

Tip #13: Early Warning System Rules

Tip: You can assess students’ progress in your course by creating Early Warning System rules.

Here’s how to do it:
Navigate to your course Control Panel and click the Early Warning System. You can add a Grade Rule, a Due Date Rule, or a Last Access Rule.

• A Grade rule identifies when student performance is equal to, below, or above a defined level.
• A Due Date rule identifies students who do not complete work by the due date.
• A Last Access rule identifies the last time a student accessed the course.

Example: Adding a Grade rule
In this example, an instructor chooses to receive Early Warning System notification for every student who scores lower than a 70 on the Midterm exam. Click the + Grade Rule button and type a name for the rule. Select a Gradebook item for which you would like to be notified; in this example the instructor selects the Midterm exam. Define the criteria (e.g., less than or equal to) and the score (e.g. 70). Click Submit to save the rule.

Place a checkmark next to the new rule and click the Refresh button. Exit the Early Warning System and return to that area to view the updated page. To view a list of the students who meet the criteria, click the name of the rule. NOTE: The rules do not automatically update; you must Refresh the rules to see if any new students meet the criteria.

Want more information?
Step-by-step tutorials are available at: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard/Bb72Tutorials.asp
Visit our website: http://www.twu.edu/blackboard,
or call: (940) 898-3706