Friday, August 19, 2016

[BB] Start of Semester Bb Checklist

If you are using UM's Blackboard Learn course site system, here are a few things to do just before the start of the semester.

  1. Make sure the course site is visible and open to students. You can do this using either Qwickly or the steps in the https://youtu.be/MH0-BExpzpw video.
  2. Using Blackboard, send a "Welcome" email to your students.  Either create an Announcement and use the "Send immediately" option, or use Control Panel > Course Tools > Send Email > All Users to bring up the email page.
    1. Use a Subject such as "Welcome to MAT211" using either your course code or course tile.
    2. Tell them how much you are looking forward to seeing them at the first class session (include title of class, date, time, and location).
    3. Remind them of anything to do before class (for example, DO or DO NOT buy the textbooks, read the syllabus on the Blackboard course site, post an introduction on the "Who are we?" discussion board, record an introduction on the "Who are we?" VoiceThread board, etc.)
    4. Give them an idea of what to expect at the first class session. Will you be reviewing the syllabus? Will you be covering any material from the text? Will you be using i>clicker for class feedback? Should they be ready to introduce themselves to the class? Do you want them to sit in the front rows of the classroom? Set them up for success.
    5. Wish them a great semester.
    6. Explain that any extra blank lines in the email are a "feature" of Blackboard and they are not your fault. (See NOTE 1 below.)

Want to know more about how to do any of this? Contact our UM Blackboard Help Desk by sending email to blackboardhelp@miami.edu or calling 305-284-3949 and leaving a voice recording. Someone will get back to you.

I hope you and your students have an EXCELLENT semester. Let us know what we can do to make that happen!

Sincerely,
- Bill -

William (Bill) Vilberg
Director, Information Technology
Academic Technologies, Learning Platforms
305-284-3944 

NOTE 1: There is currently a problem with email from our Blackboard Learn system whereby extra blank lines are inserted between paragraphs. We are working with the Blackboard company to get this problem resolved. Your email will go out, but it will not look as nice as it should,  or as nice as it looks in the editor in the Blackboard Learn system. If you are a Windows user you can workaround this problem by creating your message in Notepad, copying it, and pasting it into the Blackboard Learn text box. Everything will look fine if you use that workaround.

Posted by at