Audio/Video Blackboard Recomendations:

  • No more than 40 MB total of audio/video on any one Blackboard course
  • Media up to 1 MB: Completely fine (still subject the 40 MB rule)
  • Media of 1.1 MB to 9.9 MB: Use judiciously
  • Media of 10 MB and over: Upload to Streaming Media server

File Recommendations:

 

We recommend using Adobe PDF files instead of Microsoft Word or Excel files. PDF files load directly in the browser allowing a smoother user experience. Also, Word or Excel files prompt the user to either “Open or Save As” which sometimes can be blocked by Internet Explorer security settings. Starting with Office 2007, you can “Save As” PDF by changing the “Save as Type” to PDF. However, if you want students to edit and submit the Word/Excell file, both work fine in Blackboard.

 

Spreadsheets and Calculated Columns:

 

Importing a calculated column from a spreadsheet will override the column's formula with a hard number since spreadsheets do not recognize column formulas used in Blackboard. To ensure your calculated columns work, do not import those specific columns into Blackboard. The upload process is the same, except choose "Ignore" for those specific columns.

 

Blackboard Best Practices

 

Faculty

Initial Setup | Design Options| Add/Edit Content | Using the Course | Blackboard with Other Services

General
Browser Check / How to Log In (PDF Version)
Clear Browser Cache in Internet Explorer 8 and Firefox 3.5 (IE8 PDF Version) (FF3.5 PDF Version)
Clear Java Cache (PDF Version)
Configure IE7/8 Settings for Blackboard (PDF Version)
Allow Pop-Ups in Firefox (PDF Version)
Log into Blackboard through AU Access (PDF Version)
Customize the Look of Blackboard (PDF Version)
Use the Discussion Board (PDF Version)
Create an Account in Open Blackboard (PDF Version)
Dowload and Install the Lockdown Browser (PDF Version)
Customize the Course List (Hide/Show or Move Courses) (PDF Version)
Attach files in Blackboard (PDF Version)
Check All Blackboard E-mail through Course List (PDF Version)
   
Students
Submit an Assignment (PDF Version)
View Your Grades (PDF Version)
Self-Enroll in Open Blackboard (PDF Version)
 
  Faculty
Blackboard Quick Start (PDF Version) - Get content into a new course quickly
  Initial Setup
Copy Content from a Blackboard Course into Another Blackboard Course (PDF Version)
Create an AU Access Blackboard Development Course (PDF Version)
Add a Teaching Assistant and/or Section Designer (PDF Version)
Save Course Content in Blackboard (PDF Version)
Clear Unused Files in My Files (PDF Version)
 
  Design Options
Customize the Course Menu (PDF Version)
Customize Your Blackboard Course (PDF Version)
Customize Your Icons (PDF Version)
Add Content Link to a Page (PDF Version)
Reorder Grade Order for Students (PDF Version)
Add Headers and/or Footers (PDF Version)
Use Basic Selective Release Criteria (PDF Version)
Use Advance Selective Release Criteria (PDF Version)
 
  Create / Add Content
Add a Syllabus (PDF Version)
Add Files into Blackboard (PDF Version)
Zip a File and Upload to Blackboard (PDF Version)
Add a Group (PDF Version)
Create an Assessment (PDF Version)
Add an Assignment (PDF Version)
Add Files Via WebDAV (PDF Version)
Add Announcements (PDF Version)
Add a Learning Module (PDF Version)
Add a Calendar Entry (PDF Version)
Create a Media Library (PDF Version)
Add a Blog to the Discussion Board (PDF Version)
Subscribe to File from a Template (PDF Version)
Import/Export Assessments or Learning Modules (PDF Version)
 
  Using the Course
Enter Grades into the Grade Book (PDF Version)
Manage the Grade Book (PDF Version)
Using the Chat Tool (PDF Version)
Send an E-mail through Blackboard (PDF Version)
Create a Grading Form and Link the Form (PDF Version)
Use a Grading Form to Assign Grades (PDF Version)
View Survey Results (Online and in a Spreadsheet) (PDF Version)
View Assessment Reports and Statistics (PDF Version)
Download Assignments as a ZIP file (PDF Version)
Import / Export Grades Using Spreadsheets (PDF Version)
 
  Blackboard and Other Services
Add a Wimba Tool to Blackboard (PDF Version)
Require the Lockdown Browser for a Quiz (PDF Version)
Panotpo: Record a Session for a Blackboard Course (PDF Version)
Panopto: Add a Content Link (PDF Version)
Panopto: Access Recordings from Outside of Blackboard (PDF Version)
 

Last Updated: Sept 10th, 2010

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