Welcome back! We hope everyone’s spring term is getting off to a good start. As you’re getting your courses set up, here are some resources you might find useful.
Helpful Resources for Getting Started
Here are links to some helpful resources that will help you get everything ready to go for the semester.
- How to Export/ Import a Course
- Software Recommendations
- Getting Started with Blackboard Course Design
- Customizing the Course Menu
- Post Your Syllabus
- Adding Extra Time to a Quiz/Test
Additionally, if you have questions about setting up the Grade Center or using the ARI tool, these resources can help:
- Blackboard’s Grade Center can help you to complete your grade verifications during the term. Setting your total column as the External Grade will auto-populate each student’s up-to-date grade in the Academic Records Integration tool.
- New to Grade Center? Use the Grade Center Best Practices guide to get started.
- Need to enter grades or verifications? You can find instructions for Roster Verification, Midterm Verification, Quarter and Midterm Grades, and Entering Final Grades.
SaaS Changes
The switch to SaaS hasn’t changed too much with regard to how Blackboard operates but there are a few things that are displaying differently or that might be a bit more touchy than they used to be. The biggest issue? Cross listed courses.
Cross Listed Courses
Are you teaching a cross-listed course this term? Here are some things you need to know:
- Starting this term, cross-listed courses will display differently in Blackboard. Instead of a single shell displaying in your list of courses, all individual sections will display along with a master/parent shell. This means you’ll see both shells – the parent/master shell and the individual/child sections – in your course list.
- You only need to work in the master/parent course. You don’t need to import content into any of the child courses. Students will not see anything posted in the child shells and grading will not work in the child classes.
- You can hide the child courses. In order to reduce confusion and clean up your course list, you can hide the child courses if you so choose.
- You will need to ensure all students are listed when entering verifications and grades. For any courses that show up as Merged, you will need to select “Merged” from the drop down menu in the ARI system. If you do not do so, some students may be omitted. Learn more about Roster Verification here.
Knowledge Base article on Cross-Listed Courses.
Have other questions? Check out the full Getting Started support section on our Knowledge Base or send us an email!
