Course Update Checklist

Use this check list to make sure your course is ready to teach after you copy a Blackboard Learn course shell. If you have questions about updating your course, please email facline@umass.edu. 

Course Content

• • Post updated syllabus 

  • Add new content to class

  • Update due dates. To update multiple dates in your course see instructions for using the date management tool. 

  • Click through every page and folder in the class to make sure content is current, web links and links to other course content work, and delete or hide content that you will not be using in the current semester.

  • Remove any mention of student names and dates from previous semesters.

Discussions

• • Create the first thread in an "introductions" discussion forum to welcome students to the class and allow them to tell you and their classmates a bit about themselves.

  • Delete discussion threads from copied group discussion forums.

  • If you use group discussion boards, add any new forums prior to enrolling students in the groups.

Echo 360

• • Request new Echo360 section if you provide a single link to an Echo360 section or to individual Echo videos (you don't have to do this if you use "embedded" Echo videos), and indicate if you want cloned content.
  • Relink new section to course.

Grade Center

• • Make sure due dates for graded work are current (check in Column organization, or use date management).

  • Clean up grade center by deleting unused, "unassociated" columns (columns that you can delete).

  • Delete extra copies of Weighted total and Total columns.

iClicker

• • Create new course in iClicker software
  • Sync new course roster
  • Check iClicker Registration link on course menu

Library eReserves

• • Create a new request for linked library material. Library Reserves department will need some lead time.

Publisher content

• • Refresh / relink content when needed.
  • Link to new texbook version if necessary.

Turnitin

• • Recycle assignments

VoiceThread

• • Check VoiceThread links. (VoiceThread assignments will attempt to copy themselves to the new course automatically, and may not need to be relinked. The copy process will delete all comments that are not from instructors in the new course. It is important that you review all VoiceThreads in your course to ensure they are copied over properly.)
  • Recreate assignments from the VoiceThread link as needed.
  • Check VoiceThread Course View.
  • Check assignment grading (points possible).

Zoom

• Adding a link to your Zoom meeting.
• Add or edit transcripts of cloud recording in Zoom.