An Overview of Add Item, Folder, URL, Course Link, Test

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Login to your Blackboard site, and click on the Control Panel.

control panel

The purpose of this tutorial is to discuss what the use and function are of certain menu items such as: Add Folder, Item, Course Link, URL, Test. One of the places this menu is accessible from is the Control Panel when you click on the Course Documents.

course documents

You will then see the following choices that can be used as tools to add to your course.

Add Item

This tool allows you to quickly and conveniently add content to your course. Click on add item and follow steps 1-2 to add the selected file. You can add a file that was made in a number of different formats. However, just as a reminder, the file type of choice for the web is HTML. Depending upon the file format that you use, it may be necessary for the learner to download a plug-in or viewer to be able to view the file.

Add Folder

The use and function of add folder is primarily that of organization. The buttons that are accessible from the home page direct the entry points to your course. You can then set up the structure of your course and organize that information by folders. You can add a folder and then add the following for example, a URL, an item, a course link and a test within the folder. You can also add a folder within a folder. You can create several folders for example, under Course Information.  You can make the depth and breadth of your Blackboard site very “deep” but you may wish to reconsider this if your learners are novices in the use of web courses. Having a depth level of 1 or 2 folders from the Course Documents button is probably the maximum amount of depth that you may wish to initially consider.

Add URL

A URL can be added directly to your course. This URL can be included within the folder that you set up or it can be outside of a folder.  You can use this tool to provide a direct link to an outside site. When you add a URL, you will need to add it as http://www.indstate.edu vs. using just www.indstate.edu.

Add Course Link

The course link provides the option of being able to connect or cross link documents. You can create a cross link to documents that have already been uploaded within your Blackboard site. You can also cross link to the discussion board forums that you have set up.  A course map will appear that will list your documents and you can link to those items that appear in the course map.

Add Test

The add test function allows you to add a test to your course. Using the Add test feature you can also add a survey to your course.

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