COURSE FILES. BLACKBOARD TUTORIAL for INSTRUCTORS

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1 OVERVIEW: Course Files provides file storage on the Blackboard server for a single course. Course Files within each course displays content for that specific course, not for other courses you teach. You can create folders and sub-folders in Course Files to organize your content in a way that is logical to you. You can move a large amount of content from your computer or network drive to Course Files in one action (zipped file and drag and drop) or upload files while creating content. After content is in Course Files, you can link it to any place in your course where attaching files is available. Content in the repository is content you can reuse. Therefore, you can delete links (Items) to files in your course, yet the files themselves remain in Course Files, where you can link to them again. Also, if you change or move a file to another Course Files folder after you link it in your course, the link will not break. Topics covered in this document: How to access Course Files Course Files Features Create Folders in Course Files Deleting a Folder Add Files to Course Files How to Add Files Using the Drag-and-Drop Function Deleting Files Linking to Course Files HOW TO ACCESS 1. Login to Blackboard and access a course. 2. In the Control Panel, click Content System to expand it and then click the ID of the course you re in. The course you re in will always be listed first. bbsupport@cityu.edu Page 1

2 3. The Course Content window will load displaying the top-level folder that contains the files and folders of this course. 4. Click View List to view the files as a list or View Thumbnails to view the files as thumbnails. bbsupport@cityu.edu Page 2

3 FEATURES A. Select check boxes to perform an action on one file or multiple files and folders at one time, such as Download Package or Delete. B. Click a folder's name to view its contents. C. Access an item's contextual menu and select an option, such as Edit Settings or Copy. D. To sort a column, click the column title. E. In the Permissions column, click the icon to view and change who can see, edit, delete, and manage a file or folder. F. Switch from View List the default view to View Thumbnails. bbsupport@cityu.edu Page 3

4 CREATE FOLDERS IN You can create Course Files folders and sub-folders needed to organize your files. Creating a logical filing system makes it easy to locate and link to files when creating content in your course. The folder structure in Course Files is separate from folders in a content area of your course and has no impact on the presentation of the content. Creating a Folder 1. Click the Create Folder button. 2. Type a name for the folder into the Folder Name field and click Submit. The folder is created. To add content to the folder, click the folder name to enter the folder and then add content. bbsupport@cityu.edu Page 4

5 Deleting a Folder You can delete any folder except the top-level course ID folder. If you delete a folder, the contents of the folder are permanently deleted and the links to that content in your course are broken. You are notified that the Delete action will result in broken links. In your course, the broken links appear with an "Invalid File" statement next to them. 1. Access a folder's contextual menu and click Delete. Alternatively, you can delete items by selecting their check boxes and clicking Delete on the action bar. bbsupport@cityu.edu Page 5

6 2. A warning message appears. Click OK to verify the deletion. 3. On the List Files and Folders With Links page, if a folder contains files that are linked to course content, or if the folder is directly linked to course content, the system informs the user of those existing links. You can clear the check boxes for items you do not want to delete. You can also view the 360 view report. bbsupport@cityu.edu Page 6

7 ADD FILES TO You can add files and folders to Course Files in multiple ways, including when you create course content. You can upload a single file, multiple files, or one or more folders to Course Files. After uploading, you can move files and folders to other folders as needed. When you use Browse My Computer to upload files from your computer, most files are saved automatically in Course Files. If you upload them into a course area, you do not need to upload the same files directly to Course Files. Course Files Saved Automatically When Creating Content When creating content, most files are saved automatically in Course Files. Examples include: Files uploaded to content types from the Build Content drop-down list, such as item, file, URL, image, audio, video, syllabus, and course link. Files uploaded when creating assignments Files uploaded when creating announcements Files uploaded to descriptions, instructions, and questions in tests Course banner files uploaded to the course entry point Files uploaded using the functions in the content editor for journals and blogs topics, and when creating a wiki Files uploaded to the discussion board using the content editor or the Attachments section Files uploaded when creating HTML objects. Imported course packages (attached files must fit requirements above) Course Files Not Saved Automatically When Creating Content When creating content, some files are not saved automatically in Course Files because of potential privacy issues or the type of file. Examples include: Self and Peer Assessment files Files uploaded to journals and blog entries in the Journal/Blog Entry Files section Files uploaded to wiki pages and the wiki home page Course cartridge files SCORM files Glossary files Student files uploaded when participating in course activities, such as uploading an assignment document or attaching files when creating journal entries bbsupport@cityu.edu Page 7

8 How to Add Files Using the Drag-and-Drop Function 1. Click the Course Files folder where you want to upload the files. 2. On the action bar, point to Upload and click Upload Files. 3. Click Multiple Files at the top of the page, if not already selected. 4. Blackboard requires a java app to upload files. Click Run. 5. Your security may ask for permission. Click Allow. bbsupport@cityu.edu Page 8

9 6. On your computer, open the folder containing the files and folders to upload. Position the folder next to the Upload Multiple Files and Folders page. 7. Select the files and drag them into the upload box on the Upload Multiple Files and Folders page. Attempting to upload a file with the same name as an existing file generates a prompt to overwrite the current file. bbsupport@cityu.edu Page 9

10 8. The files and folders appear in the upload box. To delete a file in the list, click the X in the Remove column. The contents of folders appear individually in the upload list, but after they are uploaded, they are contained in their parent folders. 9. Click Submit. A status bar displays the progress of the upload. bbsupport@cityu.edu Page 10

11 Deleting Files There are two methods for deleting files in Course Files. The first method is to access the contextual menu and choose Delete. You can also delete one or more files in one action by selecting the file(s) and clicking Delete on the action bar. Page 11

12 Linking to Course Files You can link to any document in Course Files by adding them to a content Item, Assignment documents, attaching files in the content editor, and anywhere else you attach files in Blackboard. Follow these instructions to link to a file in your Course Files. 1. Go to the desired content area (where you want your students to view the file) 2. Hover over Build Content and click Item. 3. Type a name for the Item into the Name field. bbsupport@cityu.edu Page 12

13 4. Enter text into the content editor if desired. Scroll down to Attachments and click Browse Content Collection. 5. Select the file and click Submit. 6. The Browse Content Collection page will close and return to Item. 7. Choose the desired options and click Submit. You ll find more about Course Files in the Blackboard Instructor Manual. Page 13