Course Organization and Framework

Creating content for your courses takes time and thoughtful planning. If you teach multiple courses that use similar content, you can copy content items and folders between those courses to save time, so you don't have to start with a blank slate.

You can copy entire courses and/or select individual items from other courses you’re currently teaching or have taught in the past. You can also combine items from multiple courses with a full course copy or individual item copies by selecting the checkboxes.

This information also applies to organizations.

Read more about:

• Copying an entire course
• Copying individual course items
• Copying content from an Original course to an Ultra course (video)
• Copying content from Original courses to Ultra courses
  • Table of content types converted from Original courses to Ultra courses
  • Content nesting and flattening logic in Ultra
  • Issues and exceptions copying content

The course banner image provides a sense of identity for the course. The image establishes a connection between the content and the course participants.
Click on the "edit display settings" link that shows under the course image menu item in the Details & Actions menu.

 
A new side menu appears. Click on the course image icon.

 
In the pop up you can select to upload an image from your own computer or select an image from the Unsplash image repository.

 
You can resize the image, drag the focal point and or add alternative text to the image.

 
Finally, add an image description in the Alternative text field to make it easier to connect the image to its context or click the Mark the image as decorative checkbox to hide the image from people using assistive technology.
 

A "learning module" is created to systematically organize course content in a structured, sequential format, enabling instructors to manage the order in which students access the materials. In contrast, a "folder" serves merely as a container for grouping related documents or information without enforcing a specific viewing sequence. Therefore, a learning module offers a more organized learning pathway compared to a folder, which functions solely as a grouping mechanism.
If you want students to proceed through the content by viewing each item in a particular sequence, use a learning module. If an order doesn't matter and/or you are adding content such as the Syllabus, course overview, resources, etc., use a folder.

Key Differences:

• Learning modules can contain a folder, but a folder cannot contain learning modules.
• You can add one level of a folder to a learning module, meaning each folder can only contain content items, but not additional folders.
• Folders help you visually organize your material in the Course Content area. However, when viewing a learning module, students experience the content seamlessly and do not see folders as they navigate horizontally.

Procedure

• On the Course Content page select the plus sign where you want to add a learning module or folder, and then select Create. You’ll find learning module and folder under the Course Content Items heading.
• Select the newly created learning module or folder to edit the name and add a description.
• Use the plus icon to add new content directly or drag and drop existing content into the module or folder.
• You can add folders to a learning module to help organize content. Folders in learning modules can only be one level deep, meaning that each folder can contain only content items, not other folders.

When you are finished adding content, set the visibility for the learning module or folder. To force students to view the learning module's content in sequence, select Conditional availability in the module's visibility menu and then select Sequence. If you force a content sequence, students must  access and complete each content item within the module in the order you place it. NOTE: forced sequence is not available for folders.

NOTE: You can create sub-folders within a folder, however, Blackboard Ultra only supports a two-level folder structure. You cannot create or upload a third folder into a second-level folder.

What Do Students See?

When a module or folder is visible, students can also view all visible content within them, including due dates. Students can open and access the content in any order.
If you force a content sequence in the learning module, a message appears. Students are told that they need to open and complete the content in order, along with other conditions you set.

 
After students open a content item, they can navigate through the module with the arrows at the top of the browser window. When students are required to access the content in order, a lock appears next to the arrow.

Students can exit the module before completion. When students return, icons appear next to the module content if the sequence is enforced. The icons show which content is complete, in process, and not started, so students can pick up where they left off.

A green circle with a check mark means that content is complete. A partially filled green circle means the content is in process. A lock icon means the content hasn't been started.
 

Images can be added to learning modules to enhance the aesthetic of a course or organization and aid in content identification.

 
Procedure

Navigate to your course content and access the learning module editor.

 
Upload your preferred image by choosing "add image" or clicking on the image icon.

 
You can use either the "drag-and-drop image" feature or navigate to your computer using the "upload" function.
 

•    The image appears in preview mode, click next to further edit or resize the image.

 
•    Edit or resize the image by dragging the slider to magnify the size or dragging the image to reposition it.

 
•    Add an image description in the Alternative text field to make it easier to connect the image to its context or click the Mark the image as decorative checkbox to hide the image from people using assistive technology.
 

Emojis can be added anywhere you use text, such as a module or folder name or descriptions. Emojis are available using both Windows PCs and Macs.

Procedure

Adding an emoji to a learning module, folder name, or description can be done when they are created or any time while editing them. Point the mouse on the name of the folder or learning module or the description of either, right click and select Emoji.

 
In the emoji picker that opens, search for and select an appropriate emoji. The emoji will be added.

 
Click the Save button. The emoji that you selected will now appear as part of the name of the learning module, folder, or in the description.

 
NOTE: Do not associate an emoji with the title of an assignment or test if you plan to use Respondus Lockdown Browser in your course. It will result in an "unexpected error" that will prevent you from accessing the Lockdown Browser dashboard. You can still use them with any documents, folders or learning modules. 

To give instructors more control over their course content, instructors can now convert folders to learning modules and learning modules to folders.

Procedure

Benefits of changing a folder to a learning module include: 

• Thumbnail images: Learning modules come with thumbnail images, which provide a visually appealing course experience. 
• Forced sequencing: Instructors can force students to navigate learning modules in linear paths. 
• Progress bar: Learning modules have a progress bar for students that highlights the number of items that they need to complete and their progression on those items. 
• Previous and next navigation: Students can quickly navigate to the next or previous item in a learning module. 

To change a folder to a learning module, click the 3-dot menu for the folder and choose the Change to Learning Module option.
 

To change a learning module to a folder, click the 3-dot menu for the learning module and choose the Change to a Folder option.

 
NOTE: All learning module functions are removed when converting a learning module to a folder. 
 

1.    On your course Content page, hover over the title of the item you want to move until the Move icon appears. 

2.    Click on the move icon of the item you want to move, drag the item to the new location, and release it.

Note: If you are placing items in a module or folder, ensure that the module or folder is open/expanded. This will allow for easier drag and drop in the correct location.