Log into your Blackboard course and go to the Course News page.  Locate the box labeled My Announcements and click the more announcements link in the bottom right corner of the box.

You will now see a screen labeled Announcements.  Click on the Create Announcement button at the top of the page.

You will now see a screen labeled Create Announcement.  The section labeled Announcement Information allows users to enter the announcement subject and message.

1. Subject: Type in a subject for your announcement here.
2. Message: In the textbox, type the message you wish to send to students.

Web Announcement Options allows users to determine how to display the announcement to students.

1. Duration: Select Not Date Restricted to show the announcement to students for the entire duration of the course. The Not Date Restricted option is the default option.  Select Date Restricted to choose the time period in which the announcement will be visible to students.
2. Select Date Restrictions: If you choose to restrict the availability dates, check the box and enter the time and date the announcement would become available to students, and when the announcement would no longer be available to students.
3. Email announcement: Check the checkbox here to send an email announcement out to students.

The section labeled Course Link allows instructors to create a link to a course item when creating the announcement.  To link to a course item, click Browse and select the item to link to. When you are finished with setting up the announcement, click the Submit button at the bottom of the page to create the announcement.

When an announcement is created, it will appear in instructors and students Activity Stream.