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Settings

Why?

Blackboard allows a great deal of control over certain elements through use of the settings.

Implications for Teaching and Learning.

Controlling the settings is one way you begin to make the technology work for you rather than you working for the technology. Using settings to make the course function as you intend is as important as setting up a classroom for certain activities in the F2F world.

Setting it Up.

Accessing the Settings Feature.

1. Select and login to the course.
2. Click on the Control Panel button on the left side of the screen to view course management options.
3. Click on Settings in the Course Options section of the Control Panel.
4. The Settings window appears.

Course Name and Description.

This feature allows instructors to customize the name, description, and subject type of a course. From the Control Panel:

1. Click the Settings link in the Course Options section.

2. Click the Course Name and Description link.

3. Type the course name.

4. Enter a brief course description.

5. Select a Subject Area form the drop-down menu (This may not be available at this time).

6. Select a Discipline from the drop-down menu (This may not be available at this time).

7. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the Submit button.

    

Modifying Course Duration.

1. Click on the link titled Course Duration.
2. Click the radio button located next to Continuous to make the course available at all times without any date restrictions.
3. Click the radio button next to Select Dates and click in the checkboxes next to Start Date and/or Ending Date to set date restrictions or click the radio button next to Days and enter a number of days the course should be available from the date of enrollment.
4. Click Submit.

Enrollment Options.

1. Select Control Panel >Course Options > Enrollment Options
2. Set the desired options for student enrollment.
3. Click Submit.

Faculty using Blackboard courses have two options for "populating," or enrolling students within a course other than automatic upload or manual enrollment 

1. Enable the "Self Enrollment" course settings option to permit students to self enroll
2. Allow students to email enrollments to instructor.

Course Entry Point.

The Course Entry Point allows you to choose the first page of your course site. By default, Blackboard automatically opens to the Announcements page.

From the Control Panel:

1. Click the Settings link in the Course Options section.
2. Click the Course Entry Point link.
3. Choose a Content area from the Entry Point pull down menu.
4. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the Submit button.

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