Creating Content Items

Items are general pieces of content added to a Blackboard course. Files can be uploaded in their original format (such as .doc or .ppt documents) from your computer or from the Blackboard Content System. Students are then able to open or download the content to their computer.

Creating an Item in a Content Area

1. Login to your course.
2. Open a content area by clicking on it in the course menu.
   
   
    
3. Make sure the Edit Mode is ON.
   
   
    
4. Click Create Item.
   
   
    
5. Complete the Create Item page.
   
   Under Content Information
    
   • Type in the name of your item/subject into the Name field. Then you may choose your preferred color for the title of your item.
      
   • Use the Text box of the Visual Text Box Editor to enter and format your content. Some of the options include: changing font size and type, adding tables, creating hyperlinks to other Web site or embedding images or other types of files in your text.
     
     

   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. This feature is discussed in details in the next section of this document.
     
     

   Under Options
    

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

     

6. Click on Submit.

   Your added content will look something like this:

   

Attaching a File to an Item

1. Open a Content Area.
2. Make sure the Edit Mode is ON.
   
   
    
3. Click Create Item.
   
   
    
4. Complete the Create Item page.

   Under Content Information
    

   • Type in the name of your item/subject into the Name field. Then you may choose your preferred color for the title of your item.
      
   • Use the Text box of the Visual Text Box Editor to enter and format your content.
     
     

   Under Attach or Link Content
    

   • Click Browse next to Attach Local File or Link to Content Collection Item. Select a file.
   • Complete the Name of Link to File field. This name appears to users. They will click this link to open the attached file.
   • Select an option in the drop-down list in the Special Action field if necessary.
     
     
     
     Special Actions include:
      
     1. Create a link to this file - Select this option to attach the file to the item. A link is automatically inserted below the document title to access the file.
     2. Display media file within the page - Select this option if the linked file is a media file that will be displayed on the page. Fill in the Embedded Media Information to set the placement and controls for the media player.
     3. Unpackage this file - Select this action if the linked file is a zipped file. Files will be unzipped and the user can select an entry point, usually the "index.html" file.

   Under Options

   Fill in the Content Options
   
   
    

   • Click Yes or No to Permit Users to View the Content Item.
   • Click Yes or No to Track Number of Views.
   • Select the Date and Time Restrictions.
      
5. Click Submit.
   
   The attached file(s) will appear as linked content under the title of the content item and before any content or text added via the Visual Text Editor.

   

Modifying an item

To edit an available item, click on the action button/drop-down button next to the file name in Edit view and choose Edit.

Make your changes on the Edit Item page and click submit to save your updates.