1. Blackboard
Feature
Friday
Feb 15
2/21/2013 Final Version 1

2. Do you have
a sandbox
course?
Obtain a sandbox course
on the Blackboard “test
sever” by submitting a ticket
to the iTech Help Desk.
Login to JNET.tamuk.edu
Click Tech Help
Enter Email and Password
Click
Request sandbox course
Final Version 2/21/2013

3. Are you
connected?
Select JavNET2 wireless
SSID in your WIFI setup.
Once connected you may
be prompted to download
and install a small network
access policy key called
Safe•Connect.
Safe•Connect is a network
access control technology
used by the university.
Final Version 2/21/2013

4. Are you able
to hear?
Use the Saba Centra
Audio Wizard to fine-tune
the performance of your
speakers and microphone
prior to a Saba event.
If you experience audio
problems, please contact
Ms. Cynthia Farias,
Video Conferencing
Coordinator at 361-593-
2858
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5. 5
Workshop Objectives
 Learn the why and the how for using the
1. Announcements tool in Blackboard
2. Send Email tool in Blackboard
3. Messages tool in Blackboard
4. Discussion Board tool in Blackboard
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6. Let’s Get Started!
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7. Announcements 49
Announcements Page
Course Menu
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8. 8
Why should I use this tool?
 remind your students of an upcoming
Announcements
deadline
 to say something to them that you forgot to
mention in class
 bring to their attention events that are
occurring on campus
 provide information as to why class is
cancelled
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9. 9
Teaching Tips
 In order for students to see announcements,
Announcements
they have to log in to Blackboard.
 Select the option to tell Blackboard to email
students as soon as you post an
announcement.
 Most recent announcements appear at the
top of the page.
 Move priority Announcements above the
repositionable bar to pin them at the top.
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10. 10
Our Recommendations
 Do not place date restrictions on your
Announcements
announcements.
 Blackboard will automatically remove the
announcement from view after the
announcement is more than seven days old.
 Create announcements only when you
actually want students to see them, rather
than creating them in advance.
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11. 11
How To
1. Within your course, locate the
Announcements
Control Panel
2. Within the Control Panel, click
Course Tools
3. Within the Course Tools menu, select
Announcements
4. On the Announcements page, click
Create Announcement
5. Add a the announcement
Subject and Message
6. Select any necessary options and click
Submit
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12. Send Email 12
Send Email Page
Course Menu
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13. 13
Why should I use this tool?
 Send crucial information to all students at
Send Email
one time
 Send email to a targeted group of students
 Remind students of important, upcoming
deadlines
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14. 14
Teaching Tips
 Emails sent to and from Blackboard are
Send Email
delivered to email addresses on file in Blue and
Gold Connection.
 Blackboard will also send you a copy of the
message, so you can see (and keep a record) of
what you sent.
 Once the communications leaves Blackboard, it
will be your responsibility to organize and
archive email in your own TAMUK@EDU
account for any future reference.
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15. 15
Our Recommendations
 If you want to keep track of email messages
Send Email
you've sent, we recommend that you keep
the copy of the message that you receive in
your own email inbox.
 We recommend that you use the
Announcements tool more extensively to
communicate with your students, since
Announcements are kept with your course.
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16. 16
How To
1. Within your course, locate the
Send Email
Control Panel
2. Within the Control Panel, click
Course Tools
3. Within the Course Tools menu, select
Send Email
4. On the Send Email page, click
All Student Users
5. Add a
Subject and Message
6. Select any necessary options and click
Submit
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17. Messages 17
Messages Page
Course Menu
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18. 18
Why should I use this tool?
 Reduce the amount of email being sent to
Messages
your TAMUK email account
 Send confidential information to a student
 Keep official course communications inside
of Blackboard
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19. 19
Teaching Tips
 Messages are course-specific, which means
Messages
that if you send a Message in one course,
that Message cannot be viewed within the
Messages area of a different course.
 Messages sent through the Messages
system cannot be forwarded outside of the
Blackboard system.
 The history of messages sent and received
is saved with the class when it is archived.
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20. 20
Our Recommendations
 Use Messages to keep track of what course
Messages
the student is asking questions about and
keep a record of it within the course.
 By using Blackboard Messages instead of
Send Email, issues with students changing
email addresses, mail not being delivered, or
email server problems will not affect course
communication.
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21. 21
How To
1. Within your course, locate the
Messages
Control Panel
2. Within the Control Panel, click
Course Tools
3. Within the Course Tools menu, select
Messages
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22. Discussion Board 22
Discussion Board Page
Course Menu
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23. 23
Why should I use this tool?
 Provide students with the opportunity to “think before
Discussion Board
they speak.”
 Provide students with the opportunity view the
responses and perspectives of all classmates
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24. 24
Teaching Tips
 Within a Forum, a list of posts called Threads is
Discussion Board
displayed
 Unread Threads and posts are displayed in bold
type.
 Collecting Threads gathers posts into a printable,
sortable format. Collections are a good way to
organize posts for quick reading.
 Instructors can “tag” discussion posts. When tags
are being used, they will appear at the bottom of the
posts. Posts can be filtered and sorted using these
tags.
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25. 25
Our Recommendations
 Create “Ask The Professor" forum and require
Discussion Board
students to post general questions there instead of
sending via email.
 Enable forum subscription to " Ask The Professor “
forum and subscribe to be notified via email when
new questions are posted.
 Create a “Student Lounge” social forum for off-topic
discussions.
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26. 26
How To
1. Within your course, locate the
Discussion Board
Control Panel
2. Within the Control Panel, click
Course Tools
3. Within the Course Tools menu, select
Discussion Board
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27. Questions
and Answers
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