[Please note that instructors may choose to hide this feature from students.] 

Students may view a course roster to see who is participating in their course site by doing the following:

1. Log into your course site.
2. In the navigation menu, click Tools.
   
3. Click Roster.
4. Set the search parameters to First Name and Contains. Click Go.

The following directions are for instructors who are setting up group wiki sites within Blackboard.

1. Log into your course site with Edit Mode set On.
2. Click on the Content Area where you’d like the wiki to appear (i.e. Content).
3. Click on the double arrows next to Add Interactive Tool, then select Campus Pack Wiki.
   
4. Type a Title and provide a Description for the wiki.
   
   *Optional:  If you are going to have just a single assessment of the wiki, you could choose to Create a Grade Book Entry.  However, if you will be assessing the wiki at different stages in the students’ creation process, you may want to manually create separate columns in the Grade Center for those assessment purposes.
5. Click the Add button.

Once the wiki has been created, you will note the following series of options across the top of the page for managing the wiki:

Subscribe – Users may subscribe to receive email notifications that provide a summary of changes to the subscribed content.

Export – Users with rights to export can obtain a zip file of the wiki with options to include tags and comments, if desired.

Settings - Site Settings can be adjusted from the Settings link. Settings also includes an Appearance option to customize the icon representing the wiki and change the theme of a wiki.  While this information is often added to a wiki when it is created, a user with permission may update a site’s settings at anytime.

Permissions - User privileges for the wiki are managed from the Permissions screen. This is where an instructor or other individual with privileges can determine who can view the wiki, as well as which users have permissions to edit, comment, tag, and/or manage the site.

Widgets - A widget is something that you can easily add to a site within the wiki to enhance its functionality.

Assessment - The Assessment tool built into the wiki provides transparency for assignments. Instructors can see student contributions to the wiki as well as gain a better understanding of student progress.

Attachments – Manage attachments for more efficient storage.

Page List – Lists pages in the wiki.

Recycle – This option allows selective removal of content from an existing wiki.  This option should be used with great care.

Please note: If you are a School of Education student, you will most likely post all of your reflections to your WordPress bPortfolio rather than a separate Blackboard blog.  Be sure to clarify with your instructor where you should be posting your reflections.

To add a blog entry, locate where your instructor has posted the link for the blog and click Add New Entry.

If you are interested in having students blog beyond the duration of your single course or you are interested in students using a blog for developing a portfolio, we would recommend using a tool like WordPress.  Feel free to contact us for more information about blogging and which tool may best suit your needs.

To set up a blog:

1. Log into your course site with Edit Mode set On.
2. Click on the Content area in which you would like the blog to appear.
3. Click the Add Interactive Tool button and select Campus Pack Blog.
   
4. Type a Title for the blog.
   Type a Description, if desired.
   Leave Deployment set to Single Copy.
   
   *Optional: If you want to create a single Grade Book entry to evaluate student work, check the box Create Grade Book Entry and fill in the corresponding Entry Name and Points Possible.  The Entry will appear as a column in your Grade Center.
5. Click Add.

Once the blog is in place, students will click on the View link that appears beneath the name of the blog and click Add New Entry to post content.

My Technology:

• My computer is at least 3-years-old or newer and meets the recommended hardware specifications.
• I have the latest version of Microsoft Office and virus scanning software on my computer.
• I am using the latest version of Mozilla Firefox as my browser.
• I have downloaded all recommended plugins.

Under Announcements:

• I have included a welcome message.
• I have included directions about where to find the syllabus, course schedule, course documents, assignments, etc.
• I have included a note letting students know that they should contact the SPU Online Learning Help Desk (onlinelearning@spu.edu or 206.281.2212) if they need technical assistance with Blackboard.

Under Content:

• I have included a syllabus that clearly addresses the expectations for the class, including:
• course objectives
• required and optional texts
• descriptions of assignments
• grading criteria
• privacy statement: “Only students enrolled in the course will have access to the online content of the course.”
• disability statement: “Please let the instructor know if you have any disabilities that may impact your performance in the course.  The online components of the course have been designed to meet Section 508 accessibility guidelines.”
• I have included a course schedule which addresses:
• how the course will be organized (i.e. modules, weeks, topics)
• discussion and assignment due dates
• I have posted my contact information, including:
• my title (Professor Jones, Dr. Jones, Mr. Jones)
• email address (*Please use your SPU email address as that is the one used by Blackboard.)
• office phone number
• office location
• office hours
• short introduction of self to students that includes information about your educational background, hobbies/interests, how frequently will you be checking your course (i.e. daily, over weekends)
• photo (If you have a favorite photo of yourself and need help converting it to a digital format, we can assist you by scanning the photo.  We can also take a current picture of you using our digital camera.)
• I have included the documents and assignments for at least the first week of the course.
• Each module folder (or week) includes:
• clear objectives
• interactive and engaging content
• opportunities to discuss, collaborate, and reflect on learning (i.e. Discussion Board, Journal, Blog, etc.)
• assignments or assessments aligned with course and module objectives
• clear instructions about how I’d like students to submit their work

Under Discussions:

• I have set up forums for the start (or all) of class.  These forums may include:
• an “Introductions” forum
• a “General Questions” forum
• a “Coffee Shop” forum for discussion not relevant to the course content (i.e. prayer requests, getting to know others, what’s happening in student’s lives)
• I have checked the settings for forums:
• the anonymous option is unchecked
• students are able to edit messages
• students are able to create new threads
• students are able to add attachments (Note: This function is typically used in forums in which students are asked to post papers or projects but can be used in any forum if desired.)

This article walks the reader through a series of questions to help evaluate whether or not teaching online is a good fit.

• Entering or Changing a Grade
• Deleting a Grade
• Marking a Grade as Exempt
• Editing or Erasing an Attempt
• Undoing a Grade Change
• Creating a Grade Column
• Creating a Weighted Column
• Deleting a Column
• Grouping Grade Columns into Categories

Additional assessment resources may also be found on Blackboard’s site and on the SPU Blackboard Help site.  If you need any assistance with the Grade Center, please contact us.