Blackboard Quick-start Guide
Content I Interaction I Assessment
Blackboard components:
Once the course is available, the CIA acronym is a handy way to remember Blackboard’s main components. There are several ways that we can use Blackboard.
Course content. There are a variety of components in Blackboard that help instructors share their content. You can easily create web pages; share photos, videos, slide shows and web links; and leverage resources such as Youtube and publisher content;
Interaction is the key to learning. Blackboard offers a variety of tools for students to interact with content, with their instructor and with each other. The most popular of these tools is the discussion board. Faculty post open-ended questions that allow students to exchange ideas about course topics. Other tools include assignment tools, chat rooms, journals, wikis, and more.
Assessments deal with assignments, tests, essays, etc. The main benefit of doing these through Blackboard is that it allows for students to know their grades in real time. The system also reminds students when assignments are due and whether they’ve been completed or not.
Purpose of the guide: Why and how to use it
Blackboard Learn (Blackboard) is Linfield’s course management system, and this guide will help you get started using the most common components. Blackboard is designed to be much more than an online storage receptacle for your syllabus. In fact, it provides components that promote active learning and academic integrity.
Blackboard is also designed to make it easier for you to facilitate learning, keep course materials organized and accessible, and implement fair rubrics and easy-to-manage assessments and grading.
Linfield's Blackboard server is secured and accessible only to those who have a CatNet username and password, and who are members of your course(s). For assistance with Blackboard contact blackboard@linfield.edu.
Overview of Blackboard Layout
Content
With the Blackboard Build Content tab you are able to create content, design how your course content will be presented, and decide where to locate course components. The content options allow you to present the material in a way that will work for both you and your students. The options for these components will allow you to release materials on specific dates and track who has accessed which parts of your course.
Image I Audio I Video I YouTube I Syllabus
Interaction
With the Blackboard interaction Tools tab, your students can engage in meaningful communication and collaboration through group work, discussion boards, and journals, to name a few interactive features. These tools connect students with each other and with you. You can be as inventive or hands-off as suits your style of teaching. Blackboard communication tools are useful for private conversations as well as whole class dialogue. Directions for using three of the most common Interactive features are provided below.
Assessments
With the Blackboard Assessment components, you can build quizzes, exams, and submission “boxes” for essays, papers and projects. These components make it easy for you to set submission criteria, keep student work organized, display rubrics, track work that needs to be graded, and provide grades and prompt feedback to students. Assessments can be graded numerically, with written feedback, with inline comments and in the case of objective tests automatic feedback. Directions for using three of the most common Assessments are provided below.
Survey I Peer and Self Evaluations (Coming soon!)
For any additional questions or to get help creating your BBLearn course, email blackboard@linfield.edu, or visit the Faculty Development Lab, located in Nicholson Library.