Add Course Link

The Add Course Link feature allows you to link to any item that appears in the course map from anywhere else in Blackboard. For example, Add Course Link can be used to add a discussion forum or quiz right after a specific posted article. Instructors can easily refer to previous documents, or the syllabus, which may reside in different sections of the course.

From within your Blackboard course:

Click Control Panel on the left under the navigation bars.

1. Click a selection from Content Areas
   
   
   
2. Click Add Item on the toolbar beneath the Content Area title.
   
3. Under External Link Information enter the title of your new content in the Name field.
   
   
4. Enter optional information in the Text box area.
   
   
5. Under Content
   Attach an optional local file to the Content Information that you just added above,
   by clicking to select a file to attach.
   

   Please Note: All of your added files should have a three letter extension on the file name, which already exists if the file is in its original format, such as .doc (Word), .ppt (PowerPoint), .jpg (images), .htm (Web pages), etc.

   To prevent potential problems, file names should not contain any spaces or special characters, except the underscore (_), which when used is often helpful in making file names easier to read.
   Examples:
   Use:    HomeWorkOne.doc or HomeWork_1.doc or Home_work_one.doc
   Avoid: Home Work One.doc or Homework/1.doc or Home work#1.doc

6. Name of Link to File: Enter an optional name for the attached file.
   
   
7. Special Action: Leave the default Create a link to this file;
   Or: click drop down arrow to select Display media file within the page when working with graphics or multimedia files;
   Or: Unpackage this file when adding .zip (compressed) files, typically PowerPoint presentations or collections of Web pages.
   
   
8. Under Options
   Make the content available:
   Click No if you want your content hidden until a later time. You can change this setting at any time.
   
   
9. Track number of views:
   See how many times each individual views your content.
   
   
10. Choose date and time restrictions:
    Set specific periods that you will allow content to be available.
    
    
11. Click Submit .

FAQs

rom the Control Panel:

1. Click on desired Content Areas (Course Materials, Assignments, Syllabus, Books).
2. Click on the Display View link on the right
3. Click the Add Course Link icon.
4. Choose a Name from the drop down menu or enter the name of the document in the Name field.
5. Enter a description into the Text field.
6. Click the Browse button to find the item to link to.
7. Click on the plus sign next to the folder icon you wish to open within the course map window.
8. Select the radio button next to the desired document or folder.
9. Click the Submit button at the bottom of the course map window.
10. Choose an option from the Special Action menu.
11. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the Submit button.

Options Section

Do you want to make the content visible? - This option allows you to make the content visible, or accessible to your students.
Do you want to add offline content? - This option is used when your course has a companion CD-ROM.
Do you want to track number of views? - This option lets you track how often individual users view the document.
Do you want to add metadata? - This option indicates if metadata will be used. Metadata is data about the added item, such as ownership, resource format, and copyright information.
Choose date restrictions - This option lets you set the dates that the document will be visible and invisible. This automates the "make contents visible" function.

More Information

Question: Can I link to the email feature from the Content Areas?
Answer:   No, you can only link to items that appear in the course map. These are typically documents (uploaded files), forums, quizzes and folders.

Question: If I create a course link, is the item removed from the original location?
Answer:   No, the feature simply creates a link to the item. The item stays in its original location.

Question: Can I link to an entire folder or does it have to be an individual file?
Answer:   You can link to anything that appears within the course map; this includes folders as well as documents.