A Blackboard Tip of the Week: Start of Semester FAQ’s

This tip will discuss the three most frequently asked faculty questions at the beginning of the semester:

1. How do I make a course available?
2. How do I copy a previous semester's content into a new course shell?
3. How do I combine multiple course sections into one shell?

How do I make a course available?

(click here for video) Blackboard courses are created as unavailable to students by default. This means that students cannot access a course listed in Blackboard until the instructor makes the course available. To make a course available:

1. On the Control Panel, click on Customization and then select Properties
2. Under Set Availability, select Yes to Make Course Available. Click Submit.

How do I copy a previous semester's content into a new course shell?

Instructors can copy materials into a Blackboard 9.1 course from previous courses by using Course Copy. This feature allows instructors to use materials in more than one course, section or semester.

1. Enter the course from which you will be copying the material (the source course).
2. On the Control Panel click Packages and Utilities and then Course Copy.
3. Under Select Copy Options, click Browse next to Destination Course ID. In the Course window that pops, select the destination course, and click Submit.
4. Select the Course Materials to copy.
• If you select content areas with Tests, Assignments, or Discussions, then you must also select Grade Center Columns.
5. Click Submit. At this point, you should receive a message that states "Success: Course copy action queued. An email will be sent when the process is complete."

How do I combine multiple course sections into one shell?

If you are teaching multiple sections of the same course, or a cross-listed course, you may want to combine all students into one Blackboard shell. Instructors can merge multiple course sections into one shell by using the course copy tool.

1. Access the course from which you want to move users
2. On the Control Panel, click Packages and Utilities and select Course Copy
3. From the Select Copy Options dropdown select Copy Course Materials into an Existing Course
• Click Browse. In the pop-up window that appears select the Destination Course. Click Submit in the lower right-hand corner of the pop-up window
• NOTE: The Destination Course is the course to which the enrollments will be copied
4. Place a checkmark next to Tasks
5. Place a checkmark next to Include Enrollments in the Copy
6. Click Submit.