Other Tools
This page describes the other tools and links you will find on the left menu in the New Instructor Template.
If there is an item on the left menu that you will not be using, please hide it from students or delete it. To do this, click on the action link (gray arrow) that appears, and choose Hide Link or Delete.
Other tools:
Messages This is an internal messaging tool within your course. Messages sent to and from the Messages tool will not go to your, or your students’, external email. These messages will be saved in Blackboard Learn within your course. If you choose to use the Messages tool to communicate with your students, we strongly suggest that you let your students know that they should click on the Messages link each time they log-in to the class, to check for messages from you; the system does not show an alert for new messages.
Announcements Shows announcements that have been posted to the course. You can post new announcements by clicking Create Announcement.
Discussions This is a link to the class Discussion Board. The Discussion Board is the umbrella location for all of your Discussion Forums. A Discussion Forum is a place to discuss a particular topic. A thread is a response to a Forum. The term "post" is used to describe a thread, or a response to a thread.
Assignments This is a blank page (also called a "content area") where you can place links to your assignments. We suggest that you create the assignment in the folder or learning module where it takes place, and then place a link to it in the Assignments area. Students often find it useful to have a place where all of their assignments can be accessed. If you do not use assignments in your course, or if you choose not to use this area, we suggest deleting or hiding it from the left menu.
Tests This is a blank page (also called a "content area") where you can deploy your tests. We suggest deploying your tests in this area, and then creating a link to the test in the appropriate weekly folder or learning module. If you do not use tests in your course, or if you choose not to use this area, we suggest deleting or hiding it from the left menu.
My Grades This is the area where your students will be able to see all of their graded items, if you have made them visible. This area will always be blank for you, the instructor.
Information on navigating a Blackboard course from the student perspective can be found on the Navigating Your Course Student Orientation and Resource page. Please share this resource with your students.