Blackboard Semester Start Reminders

🎓 Semester Start Faculty Checklist

Welcome to a new semester! Here's your quick guide to preparing your Blackboard course shell so students have a smooth experience from day one.

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✅ 1. Check Course Links

• Test all web links, file links, and external tools (like publisher content or videos).
• Update or remove any broken or outdated links.

✅ 2. Hide Future Content

• Use adaptive release or availability settings to hide items not ready to be shown.
• Avoid overwhelming students with all content at once—stage content intentionally.

✅ 3. Copy or Create Course Materials

• Use the Course Copy tool to import materials from a previous course.
• Check copied items for duplication or outdated information.
• Delete any placeholder or unnecessary content.

✅ 4. Set Up Grade Center

• Ensure key columns (Assignments, Tests, Discussions, etc.) are present.
• Verify that Total or Weighted Total columns calculate accurately.
• Hide or rename any irrelevant columns.

✅ 5. Revise / Create New Content

• Update your syllabus, due dates, and instructional materials.
• Add updated lecture materials or instructions.
• Use accessible formats: PDFs with readable text, properly captioned videos, etc.

💡 Pro Tips

• Run Blackboard’s Accessibility Checker to scan for common issues.
• Use Student Preview Mode to test how your course appears to learners.
• Publish or unhide your content before the semester starts!

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