Adding Images to your Course Documents

Using images in teaching activities can make the learning experience exciting, engaging and deeper. In a Blackboard course, images can be used at various locations:

  • Images can be added throughout an entire course including Course Information, Staff Information and Course Announcements
  • You can attach resources containing images such as MS Word, PowerPoint or Excel documents
  • URL links can be made to external images or Web pages containing images on other Web sites
  • Tools such as the Discussion Board or the Grade Center, Assessments, Surveys and Assignments can also be used to add images to a course
  • You can share images via batched E-mails and during managing of User Groups  

Adding images using the Visual Text Editor

  1. Login to your course.
  2. Choose the content area and/or folder that you would like to add your image in.

    Course menu displaying two sample content areas: 'Course Information' and 'Course Content'
     
  3. Make sure the Edit Mode is ON.

    Blackboard Course Information Content Area displayed in Edit Mode
     
  4. Select Create Item and complete the page. 

    Create Item

    Under Content Information

    • Type the title of the image in the Name field.
    • Choose your preferred color for the title of your item.
    • Add a description or introduction to the image in the Text box.
    • Click in the Text box where the image should appear and then click on the Attach Image button.

      Content Information section of Create Item page
       
    • The Insert Image window similar to the one shown below will be displayed.

       Insert Image window
    • Provide the necessary information in this window.
       
      • Click on the Browse button to locate your image file, or provide the URL such as http://oel.umflint.edu/master_images/BB_Update/33_IsertImage.gif of the desired image in the Specify Source URL section.
      • Make sure the Set Width and the Set Height fields are blank so that your image appears in its original size.
      • Make your selections next to the Launch in new window and Border options.
      • Always create a text description of your image using the Alt(ernate) Text field. This text will be displayed while the image is loading and also if the image does not appear. More importantly, this makes images accessible to users of screen reading software.
      • Click Submit. At this point, you will see a confirmation window.
      • Click on the Submit button to close this window. Your image will appear within the Text box of the Create Item page. If you want to change the position of your image, you can do so at this point by clicking on the image and dragging it to its new position.

    Under Attach or Link Content

    • The browse button can be used to attach files to the content item either by creating a link to the file(s) or by using a special action.

      Attach or Link Content section of Create Item page

    Under Options

    • Use the Display After and Display Until checkboxes and the date fields to choose date and time restrictions for the item.

      Options section of Create Item page

     

  5. Click on Submit.
    6. Your added image will look something like this:

    Image added using the Attach Image button of the Visual Text Editor