Blackboard Ten-Minute Checklist **Blackboard course sites are created as “unavailable” to students.**

ACCESSING BLACKBOARD Blackboard can be accessed directly from your USFConnect account at: http://connect.usfca.edu. Then click the Learning Technologies tab for access. *For Blackboard 9 until the end of July is the Summer Courses 2011 button on the Learning Technologies page.* Student Enrollment in Blackboard Officially registered students are automatically enrolled in your Blackboard course site. If a student does NOT appear in your Blackboard course, please have him/her go to One Stop and confirm registration for the course. BEFORE YOUR COUSE BEGINS Create a course Announcement. On the Home Page, Click the more announcement link. > Click Create Announcement button. > Create your announcement with a Subject and Message. > Scroll down to #2 - Web Announcements Options > Select a duration option. > Click the Submit button.

“Hide” any features in the Tools area you are not using. Click the Tools button on the Course Menu > Click Hide Link to hide features you will not be using. You can always unhide them at any time. Make sure your course is available for students. All courses are created as “unavailable” so that you can add your content before the students have access to the site. Please make your course “available” for students by going to the Control Panel Area > Customization >Properties > Course Availability > Select Yes. > Click the Submit button. SUPPORTING STUDENT SUCCESS Remind students to check your Blackboard site regularly for new information. Post a weekly Announcement in your course. [Announcements are a quick and easy way to keep in touch with your students about the course.] Check the Performance Dashboard to see when students last logged into your Blackboard site. Remind those who have not logged in recently to check more often for new course information. [Control Panel area > Evaluation > Performance Dashboard]

Suggest a file name protocol for digital assignments [example: wallacewk2paper.doc]. Remind students to only use alphanumeric characters when creating a file name. Blackboard WILL NOT recognize files or email addresses with special characters such as # & % $, etc. We recommend using only alpha-numeric file names in Blackboard and in general. When using any assessment feature, provide a sample or non-graded test/quiz for students to learn and practice how the feature operates. RESOURCES FOR BLACKBOARD For help with Blackboard: blackboard@usfca.edu To register for a Blackboard workshop - http://usfca.edu/its/learning/training/calendar/ Blackboard course copy or merge request – http://usfca.edu/its/learning/online/request USF Blackboard Wiki – Resources & Tutorial – http://blackboard.wiki.usfca.edu/