Blackboard Quick Start Checklist for Staff Users

Last Modified on 03/06/2025 5:02 pm HKT

(Please scroll down for Original Course View)

Ultra Course View

Target audience:

Blackboard Course Instructors / TAs / Supporting Staff who are interested in Ultra Course View.

Estimated time for going through this checklist:

30 minutes

About

This checklist lists out basic features of Blackboard Ultra Course View. If you would like to go through the tasks in a sandbox (testing course), please fill out Blackboard Ultra Course View (Pilot) Request Form: https://cloud.itsc.cuhk.edu.hk/webform/view.php?id=13662768,  or send your sandbox request to elearning@cuhk.edu.hk / ITSC Service Desk (https://servicedesk.itsc.cuhk.edu.hk).

Checklist

1. Access Blackboard

  1. Check Browser Support
  2. Go to https://blackboard.cuhk.edu.hk. Login with:

For more: 

2. Notification Settings

  1. On your Activity Stream Page, select Stream Settings (the gear icon) to open the Notification Settings panel.
  2. Edit your Notifications Settings.

3. Explore Courses page

  1. Access Courses page after signing on Blackboard.

4. Set Course Availability

You can set course availability on the Courses page or inside a Blackboard course.

On the Courses page

  1. Access Courses page after signing on Blackboard. 
  2. Open a course card's menu (the three dots) to change your course availability (e.g., choose Open course).

Inside a Blackboard course with Ultra Course View

  1. In the Details & Actions panel, check the course availability. 
  2. If the course is private and you would like to open it to students, click Students can’t access this course. 
  3. Then Open to Students to open the course.

5. Create an Announcement

  1. Access a Blackboard Course with Ultra Course View. 
  2. On the Content Page, select Announcements.
  3. Click Create Announcement (the plus button) to open the New Announcement page.
  4. Enter a title and message for the announcement. Use the options in the message editor to format text.
  5. You can send an email copy to all course members, including yourself. Select the Send an email copy to recipients check box.
  6. Select Save to save your announcement as a draft. The announcement is still not visible to your students yet. 
  7. On the Course Announcements page, click Post Now when you're ready to post announcements. Please note that you can only post announcements when the course is open to students.

You can also create Announcements using Blackboard Learn App: Announcements in the Blackboard Learn App

6. Add Content

  1. On the Content page, select the plus sign.
  2.  Click Create to add content, such as learning module, folder, document and link.
  3. Select an item's visibility (e.g., click Hidden from students) to change it. You can also create rules to release content. 

7. Create a Discussion

You can create a discussion directly on the Content page, or on the Discussion page. 

On the Content page

  1. On the Content page, select theplus sign.
  2. Select Create. 
  3. Select Discussion. You could make an initial post to start a discussion.  
  4. You could also click the Discussion Settings (the gear icon) to check and update the settings.
  5. Select the discussion's visibility (e.g., click Hidden from students).

On the Discussion page

  1. Select the Discussions tab on the navigation bar to open the course discussions page. 
  2. Click New Discussion. You could make an initial post to start a discussion.  
  3. You could click Add Folder and organize the discussions with folders. 
  4. You could also click the Discussion Settings (the gear icon) and select Allow students to create discussion topics.

You can also create and participate in Discussions using Blackboard App: Discussions in the Blackboard app

8. Add an Assignment

1. Access the Content page. Select the plus sign wherever you want to add an assignment.

2. Select Create.

3. Select Assignment under Assessment.

4. Click the assignment name and input a new name.

5. Go through Assignment Settings. You could click Settings (the gear icon) to edit and view more options.

6. When you finish updating the assignment settings, click Save.

7. Select the assignment's visibility (e.g., click Hidden from students).

9. Add a Test

1. On the Content page, select the plus sign wherever you want to add a test.

2. Select Create.

3. Select Test under Assessment.

4. Click the test name and input a new name. 

5. Go through Test Settings. You could click Settings (the gear icon) to edit and view more options.

6. When you finish updating the test settings, click Save.

7. Select the plus icon to add questions.

8. Select the test's visibility (e.g., click Hidden from students).

10. Manually enroll a user in your course

1. On the Content page, under Details & Actions and Books & Tools, click View course & institution tools . 

2. Select CUHK User Management - LTI.

3. Click Enroll User.

3. Input the Staff ID or Student ID of the user who you would like to enroll in your course.

4. Select Role. 

5. Click Submit.


For more features, please refer to:

  • Blackboard Instructor Guide (Ultra Course View)
  • Blackboard Help
  • Note: The 'Zoom Meeting' tool in Blackboard Learn Ultra Courses is integrated with Panopto. By default, the Zoom cloud recordings recorded with that tool will be uploaded automatically to the course Panopto folder and shared with users enrolled in that course.

Original Course View

Target audience:

New Blackboard Course Instructors / TAs / Supporting Staff

Estimated time for going through this checklist:

30 minutes

About

This checklist lists out basic features of Blackboard. If you would like to go through the tasks in a sandbox (testing course), please send your sandbox request to elearning@cuhk.edu.hk

Checklist

1. Access Blackboard

1. Check Browser Support

2. Go to https://blackboard.cuhk.edu.hk. Login with:

☼ For more: How to login Blackboard?

☼ You can also install Blackboard App and access Blackboard in your mobile device following the instruction here.

☼ Demo video

2. Notification Settings

1. On your Activity Stream page, select the Stream Settings (Gear) icon to open the Notification Settings panel.

2. Edit your Notification Settings.

☼ For more: Notification Settings

☼ Demo video

3. Explore Courses page

1. Access Courses page.

☼ For more: 

Navigate Outside a Course

Find Your Courses

☼ Demo video

4. Create an Announcement

1. Access a Blackboard Course. Access Announcement > Create Announcement.

2. Set No Date Restricted for Web Announcement Options.

☼ For more: Announcements

☼ You can also create Announcements using Blackboard App: Announcements in Blackboard Instructor

☼ Demo video

5. Add Content (e.g. Item)

1. Access Course Content > Build Content > Item.

2. Name the Item. Attach one (or more) file(s). Submit.

☼ For more: 

Types of Course Content

Create Content Items or Documents

Edit and Manage Content

☼ Demo video

6. Create a Discussion

1. Access Discussions > Create Forum. Check the appropriate settings and Submit.

2. Access the Forum that you have just created. Create Thread and Submit.

☼ For more: 

Create Forums

Create Threads

☼ You can also create and participate in Discussions using Blackboard App: Discussions in Blackboard Instructor

☼ Demo video

7. Add an Assignment

1. Access Course Content > Assessments > Assignment.

2. Input the Name, Due Date and Points Possible for the assignment.

3. Select the settings under Submission Details and Display of Grades.

4. Make the assignment available or select date for Limit Availability. Submit.

☼ For more: 

Create and Edit Assignments

Rubrics

Download Assignments

Assignment Inline Grading

☼ Demo video

8. Add a Test

1. Access Control Panel > Course Tools > Tests, Surveys, and Pools > Test.

2. Click Build Test. On the Test Information page, type a name. Click Submit.

3. On the Test Canvas, from the Create Question, select Multiple Choice.

4. On the Create/Edit page, provide the necessary information to create a question. Select Submit.

5. Access Course Content. Select Assessments > Test.

6. Select the test under Add an Existing Test. Select Submit.

7. Select the test options. Select Submit.

☼ For more: 

Create Tests and Surveys

Test and Survey Results

Grade Columns: Can I control when students see their grades and feedback?

☼ Demo video

9. Manually enroll a user in your course

1. Access Control Panel > Course Tools > CUHK User Management.

2. Click Enroll User.

3. Input the Staff ID or Student ID of the user who you would like to enroll in your course.

4. Select Role. 

5. Click Submit.

☼ For more: 

Using "CUHK User Management" tool to manually manage users in your original course


10. Set Course Availability

1. For Instructor: Access Notifications page. Click the Lock icon in the top right-hand corner.

2. For TA/Support Staff: Access Control Panel > Customization > Properties > Set Availability. Select Yes for Set Availability, and Submit.

☼ For more: 

Set course availability

Find Your Courses

☼ Demo video 1, Demo video 2


For more features, please refer to Blackboard Instructor Guide (Original Course View)


Contact us: elearning@cuhk.edu.hk / ITSC Service Desk (https://servicedesk.itsc.cuhk.edu.hk)

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