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Course Design

Manage Course Menu

The Manage Course Menu feature allows instructors to customize their Blackboard course. Instructors can create a navigation menu specifically for each course with titles and functions of their choice. This feature creates additional content areas and adds tool functions to the navigation menu. Instructors can rename any of the navigation buttons/links. You can also modify or remove existing areas of the course menu by clicking on the Modify or Remove buttons next to each heading. However, the titles you enter should not be more than 18 characters long.
  1. Log in to the Blackboard Course Management System using your NetID and Password
  2. From the My Institution tab, locate and click on the course you would like to manage
  3. Click the Control Panel button

Adding Navigation Buttons

From the Control Panel, select Manage Course Menu found under Course Options
To add a Content Area
  1. Click on the Content Area icon
  2. Choose a name from the pull-down list, or type a name into the Name field
  3. Click on Submit
To add a Tool Link
  1. Click on the Tool Link icon
  2. Choose a tool type from the pull-down list
  3. Click on Submit
To add a Course Link
  1. Click on the Course Link icon
  2. Type a name into the Name field
  3. Click on the Browse button to browse for the link
  4. Click on Submit
To add an External Link
  1. Click on the External Link icon
  2. Type a name into the Name field
  3. Enter the URL (web address starting with http://...)
  4. Click on Submit

Course Design

The Course Design feature allows the instructor to customize the look and feel of each course by managing their course design, choosing a navigation style and uploading a course banner.

From the Control Panel, select Course Design found under Course Options.
You are presented four options:
Course Menu Design – change the navigation buttons
  1. If you choose buttons, select a type, shape, and style
  2. If you choose text, select a background and text color
  3. Click on Submit
Manage Menu Display Options
  1. Choose the default view of the Course Menu
  2. Click on Submit
Manage Tool Panel – choose which links to display in the Tool Panel

Course Banner – add a banner to the top of the Announcements page
  1. Click the Course Banner link
  2. Click the Browse button to navigate to your previously created banner (either in .gif or .jpg format)
  3. To remove a banner, check the Remove this banner box
  4. Click on Submit

Manage Tools

The Manage Tools feature allows you to enable or disable the various Tools offered within the Blackboard system. Tools are the additional features that Blackboard offers for students and instructors beyond content delivery, such as email, student homepages, and a Grade Center.
  1. From the Control Panel, select Manage Tools found under Course Options
  2. Click on Tool Availability
  3. Uncheck the Available boxes for the tools you want to make unavailable (disable)
  4. Click on Submit
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