Add Item

You can create most of your course using only the Add Item feature in Blackboard.

You can easily add information, instructions, and files such as Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, graphics, and multimedia in their original format. Blackboard creates the link(s) to the file(s) that you add, so that students with a single click can automatically load and view your items directly in Blackboard.

From the Control Panel:

1. Click a selection from Content Areas
   
   
   
2. Click Add Item on the toolbar beneath the Content Area title.
   
3. Under Content 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

Question: What kinds of documents can I upload to Blackboard?
Answer:   "Uploading" is sending and putting your document onto the Blackboard server or any Internet server. You can upload just about any type of file to Blackboard; however, the type of document affects how your students can view it. If you upload documents that were created and saved in specific software programs (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.), your students need that particular software installed on their computer to view the documents.

For example, if you upload a PowerPoint document (as a .ppt or .pps), your students will have to download the file and then open it in PowerPoint or the PowerPoint viewer. However, if you save your files as HTML and then upload them to Blackboard, the students can view the documents directly on screen from within Blackboard.

Question: Why should I save and upload my files as HMTL?
Answer:   Uploading HTML documents to Blackboard allows your students to directly access the information from within the Blackboard page. This is preferable for course information and documents, such as assignment instructions and timelines, which students may need to check frequently. There may be times when you want to upload files for students to download, such as templates or forms that need to be modified or copied, or longer documents that students will want to print. It is preferable to leave such documents in their original forms; for example, .doc, .ppt, .xls, etc.

Question: What should I put in the Name of Link to File field?
Answer:   If the file is intended to be downloaded and used outside of Blackboard, you might put for example, "Click to download." If the file is in a web format and intended to be viewed right in the Blackboard screen, you might put "Click to view." This lets students know what will happen when they click the link. Remember that whatever you type in this field becomes the actual link that students will click.

Question: Are files that are uploaded to Blackboard automatically checked for viruses?
Answer:   No, there is no easy way to check for viruses on the Blackboard server or any Internet based server. The best way to protect yourself is to have a virus protection program on your personal computer.

Faculty can request virus protection software from their college computer consultant. Students will have to purchase virus protection software. It is recommended that you protect your computer not only from documents you download within Blackboard, but also any documents you download from the Internet.

Question: How should I save my graphics?
Answer:   The most universally supported types of files, or file formats, on the web are those with the file extensions (files ending in) .gif (Graphics Interchange Format) and .jpg or .jpeg (Joint Photographic Experts Group).

In general, use .gif format for graphics that have few colors, or contain text or type, or have large areas of a single color, such as non-photographic logos and clip art. Use .jpg format for graphics that have many colors and lots of fine detail or gradations, such as photos. It is NOT recommended to use bitmapped (.bmp or .tiff) graphics with Blackboard. These files are very large and can affect your course performance, because they load slowly, especially for dial-up modem users. Many scanners default to .bmp files, so you should check for this extension when scanning photos or images.

It is also important to remember that Blackboard will upload all graphics in their original size. Make sure that you have sized and saved your graphics in an appropriate size for your course site. There are recommended sizes shown in the Page Editors when uploading course banners and staff photos.

Question: What kind of media files are supported by Blackboard?
Answer:   The following file types can be viewed within Blackboard:

• Graphics: GIF and JPEG


• Video: MPEG, Quicktime, AVI


• Audio: WAV and AIFF

Question: How long will it take to download my files(s)?
Answer: This depends on variations in connection speeds, file sizes, and Internet/network traffic. When developing your course materials, remember that some students may connect to the Internet via dial-up modems. You should keep your files small enough so that users with slower connections will be able to access the files in a reasonable amount of time. If you cannot keep the file size small, use the Text box area under Content Information, within the Add Item area, to describe the file, its size, and why it is important for students to view it. Simply informing students about longer download times will often diffuse the potential frustration associated with longer downloads.