The week before the semester starts can feel like a sprint: A full inbox, a syllabus that still needs one more edit, and a course shell that isn’t quite ready for students yet. Before the scramble sets in, work through this updated baker’s dozen checklist to get your Blackboard course ready to go.

1. Before you get started:

• Check out the latest news to learn what’s new for your courses. Our Blackboard site receives updates and enhancements every month.

• Depending on your course size, enrollments, and needs, you might want to merge your Blackboard enrollments: Manage content, communication, and grades for multiple sections in the convenience of one course site.

2. Copy your course content from a previous semester.

Bypass the long wait and digital file transfers required for export and import. Use course copy -- it’s faster and more convenient since import is only available via RT ticket.

• TIP: Prep your courses ahead of the new semester for a stress-free start. Request a development course shell for ongoing content development and maintenance. 

3. Refresh course materials

Next, add or update content in Blackboard, to include syllabus & faculty information; course materials and assignments; and, if you use them, publisher integrations or other resources.

• Don't forget to check course links for broken or missing content. If you use a lot of external links and third-party tools, check the validity of those resources. 

• Verify permissions for Google, Box, and YuJa to make sure your students can view these essential media and files.

4. Update library reserves.

Digital course reserves are available through the AOK Library, making it easy for you to request from your desktop and for students to access, read, view, or listen from the convenience of their own devices. Course reserves are synchronized through your Blackboard courses. 

• TIP: Submit reserve requests early -- processing takes time, especially for materials requiring copyright clearance, digitization, or accessibility improvements.

5. Upload multimedia to YuJa and large files to UMBC Box or Google Drive.

Please remember that Blackboard is not a streaming service. 

• When you update your course content with new resources, be sure to place multimedia (video, audio) in YuJa and other large files to cloud storage. 

6. Update due dates, release conditions, support staff, etc.

Use the Batch Edit to modify nearly everything with a date in your course whether availability or release conditions. 

• You should also review and update settings for:

  • Assessment feedback settings for tests and assignments

  • Imported announcements (if you plan to reuse)

If you have a TA or grader in your course, you can add them now. There is no self-enroll step, so it’s important that you do this or they won’t have access to your course.

7. Create a central Start Here area for your students so they know how to get started.

Include a welcome video. Let students know what to do first before classes start and where to find important content. 

• Use YuJa to invite students to explore the course with a course tour and orientation. Be sure to caption your videos for accessibility.

8. Check your course content for accessibility.

Use your course’s Ally accessibility report to gauge the accessibility of course content and prioritize improvements.

• Set alternative text & descriptions for images.

• Structure Word/PowerPoint files with headings & styles rather than font changes.

• Avoid PDFs consisting only of scanned images.

• Caption videos or provide transcripts. 

Ally automatically creates alternative versions of your files for students including Electronic Braille and mobile-friendly HTML.

9. Set up your virtual gradebook.

Students benefit from knowing how they’re doing in your course throughout the semester. 

• The Overall Grade can be calculated as weighted, points, or advanced calculation using a formula.

• Review your grade posting policy so grades release when you’re ready to publish.

• Update the grade schema to customize how scores map to letter grades.

10. Prepare virtual meeting places.

Create spaces to meet with students virtually. 

• Use Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, or Webex for lectures, office hours, drop-in support, student study groups, and more.

11. Set the tone for your course with a welcome message.

No matter what format you teach, create an online introduction to create a sense of connection and build community in your course. Send an opening email or post an announcement to your course to greet your students. 

• TIP: You can use YuJa to post the same video across all of your courses, or create a short, unique video within each Blackboard course using a video announcement.

12. Configure your personal notifications.

Choose which notifications you receive about activity in your courses. 

• Notifications can appear in the Activity Stream or via email digest for new messages, gradable items, discussion posts, or student performance alerts.

13. Set your course availability.

Students cannot access your course until you make it available. 

• TIP: If you'd like to open your course earlier than 3 weeks before the semester starts, you might need to request support to make sure students see your course when you want them to have early access.

Do you have a tip to share with other faculty? Please comment in this post and let us know!

Would you like to learn more about Blackboard? Join one of our training sessions or review the Blackboard FAQs. 

Connect with Instructional Technology

As always, if you have any questions about teaching, learning, and technology at UMBC, please consider the following options:

• Check our extensive FAQ collection

  • What's new in Ultra? |Known Issues

• Open a ticket via RT

• Follow the Instructional Technology & DoIT myUMBC groups

• Request a consult with instructional technology staff