Blackboard 6: Customize Course Menu Options
Overview
It is now possible to customize the Course Menu in the following ways:
- Define the menu names
- Order the names
- Add content areas, some Bb tools, course items, or external URLs to the menu
- Collapse the menu to increase content space.
The first three actions above are accomplished in the Control Panel under the Manage Course Menu, which is found under the "Course Options" section (lower left). From the Manage Course Menu page, the instructor adds and modifies the content areas on the course Web site. For example, the instructor can choose to have areas for Staff Information, specific Content Areas, and Course Links. On the Manage Course Menu page they can add an area and modify the name to suit the course. Instructors have the option to include up to 10 different areas, or buttons, for each course.
Content areas may include:
- Folders that hold course documents
- Specific items such as a course syllabus
- External Links, which link to URLs outside of the course
- Course Links, which link to other areas within the course
Define Course Menu Names
To change an existing button label (name), click Modify next to the desired item, and either choose a name from the drop-down menu or type the desired label in the text box [this will override any label displaying in the drop down box], and click Submit.
Order Course Menu Names
Click the drop down box with numbers to the left of the item you would like to re-order and
choose the desired number. The order will change automatically.
Adding Content Areas, Tools, Course Items, or URLs to the Course Menu
In the gray bar at the top of Manage Course Menu, there are options to add a Blackboard content area, selected Blackboard tools, links to items you have added to your course, or URLs to external web sites. The table below details the functions available on this page.
Button |
Function |
Content Area |
This button adds additional content areas to the left navigation (i.e. adds more buttons). Content areas are areas such as assignments, books, course documents. Remember that you can have a maximum of ten buttons. |
Tool Area |
Similar to the Content Area, only this allows you to add a button to a "tool" area, rather than a "content" area. Tools are areas such as calendar, discussion, dropbox. |
Course Link |
This option allows you to make a button that links to another area within your course. |
External Link |
This option allows you to add a link that is not directly related to your course to the left navigation. For example, you could add a left nav button that linked directly to Jackson Library. |
IMPORTANT: While it is a good idea to display only those course menu items you will use, realize that removing items deletes them permanently. This will include all materials within an item area.
Recommendation: Do not ever use the Remove feature; rather, modify the item you wish not to display and uncheck the box next to "Make Available to Student/Participant Users."
Collapse Course Menu
When you are viewing the course from the regular view (not in the Control Panel), you may collapse the left hand navigation to allow more screen space for the main content. To collapse or expand the Course Menu, click the red arrow in the upper left hand corner of the
Course Menu. You may click to expand it back at any time.
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