Faculty Guides and Documentation

Creating a Content Item

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A content item allows instructors to add content directly to Blackboard as well as attaching a file.  Content posted within an item will be visible to students within Blackboard, without the need to download a file.

Creating an Item, Part 1

Image of the Build Content Menu with Build Content highlighted with a #1 and Item highlghted with a #2

Log into Blackboard and access the content area in which you would like to upload your content item to.  Please refer to the guide titled Creating a Content Area for more information on how to create a content area.  To upload your document:

  1. Click on Build Content at the top of the page.
  2. Choose Item from the menu that appears.

Creating an Item, Part 2

Image fo the Create Item Screen under #1 Content Information with the following annotations: 1.Name: Enter the name of the document in the space marked Name.2.Color of Name: Select a color to use for the item name.3.Text: Type or paste your text into Blackboard's Text editor.  You can then use the formatting toolbars to format the text.
  1. Name: Enter the name of the document in the space marked Name.
  2. Color of Name: Select a color to use for the item name.
  3. Text: Type or paste your text into Blackboard's Text editor.  You can then use the formatting toolbars to format the text.

Attaching Files

Image of the file attachment section with the following items: 1.Attach Files: Click Browse My Computer to upload a file from your computer or click Browse Content Collection to upload a file that has already been added to the course. Once the file has been successfully attached, the file name will be listed below.2.File Name: The file name will appear here3.Link Title: the name of the file link can be changed here.  This does not change the actual name of the file4.File Action: If you are attaching a media file, this option will allow you to choose how to display the file.5.Do Not Attach: To remove an unwanted file, click on Do Not Attach to remove the file.
  1. Attach Files: Click Browse Local Files to upload a file from your computer or click Browse Course Files to upload a file that has already been added to the course. Alternatively, users can drag files from their computer into this area to upload files. Once the file has been successfully attached, the file name will be listed below.
  2. File Name: The file name will appear here
  3. Link Title: the name of the file link can be changed here.  This does not change the actual name of the file
  4. File Action: If you are attaching a media file, this option will allow you to choose how to display the file.
  5. Do Not Attach: To remove an unwanted file, click on Do Not Attach to remove the file.

Making the Document Available to Students

Image section 3, standard options, with the following annotations: 1.Permit Users to View This Content: To allow students to view this file, set "Permit Users to View this Content" to Yes.2.Track Number of Views: If you wish to use Statistics Tracking on this item, Select Yes. This will allow you to run a report on the item to see how many times students have accessed the item.3.Select Date and Time Restrictions: you wish to limit access to a specific time period, enter the starting and ending availability dates for the item. In order for the dates to be effective, select the checkbox next to Display After and Display Until4.When you are finished with setting up your Start Here document, click the Submit button at the bottom of the page

Under Standard Options, instructors can change the item's visibility to students or enable tracking of student views.

  1. Permit Users to View This Content: To allow students to view this file, set "Permit Users to View this Content" to Yes.
  2. Track Number of Views: If you wish to use Statistics Tracking on this item, Select Yes. This will allow you to run a report on the item to see how many times students have accessed the item.
  3. Select Date and Time Restrictions: you wish to limit access to a specific time period, enter the starting and ending availability dates for the item. In order for the dates to be effective, select the checkbox next to Display After and Display Until
  4. When you are finished with setting up your content item, click the Submit button at the bottom of the page
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Next Article Adding a Content File

Blackboard Learn Original

Introduction 13
Blackboard Ultra Base Navigation (UBN) Faculty 8
Customizing the Main Course Menu & Course News Page 21
Creating Content in Blackboard 3
Adding Files 19
Creating Assignments in Blackboard 7
Creating Interactive Rubrics 6
Creating Tests and Surveys in Blackboard 20
Creating Test Questions 19
Creating Adaptive Release Rules 8
Creating Self and Peer Assessments 9
Using Achievements 5
Using The Blackboard Calendar 3
Communication: Announcements 4
Communication: Discussion Boards 17
Communication: Messages and Email 6
Communication: Blogs 9
Communication: Journals 8
Communication: Wikis 7
Communication: Tasks 4
Managing Course Enrollments 5
Managing Course Groups 17
Running Course Reports and Monitoring Student Progress 8
Viewing and Downloading Course Evaluation Results 7
Grade Center: Introduction 4
Grade Center: Setting up Grade Columns 4
Grade Center: Organizing the Grade Center 11
Grade Center: General Grading Information 7
Grade Center: Viewing Assignment Results 9
Grade Center: Create recording for feedbacks 4
Grade Center: Viewing Test Results 13
Grade Center: Managing Grade Center Data 6
Adding Third Party Tools and Content 12
Managing the Content Collection 14
Importing/Archiving/Copying a Course 9
Managing Goals 3
Taking Attendance 7
Microsoft Teams Integration 2

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