Adding a Start Here Document

The Start Here document provides information to students on how to get started in the course, and shows students how to navigate the course site.  Instructors can use the Start Here document to explain the function of each course content area and which course tools will be used in the course.  

What to Add to Your Welcome Document

Welcome to [Course Name and Number]

This is the home page for our course and where you will find any announcements.  

You are welcome to browse through the course and click on links.

I invite you to find out a little about me by clicking on the "About the Instructor" link in the course menu on the left.

To get started in this course, click on the "START HERE!" link in the course menu on the left.  The "START HERE!" page will give you general information about how to navigate the course, course content, how to access weekly modules, and tips to being successful in this class.

By the end of the semester, my goal is for you to have achieved these LEARNING OUTCOMES:

 Good luck!  I'm looking forward to a great semester.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me through this Blackboard course (Blackboard email) or through my SPC email

Types of Things to Add to the Start Here Content Area in the Course Menu 

The course menu is located on the left and side of the page and helps students navigate your course.

What to Expect

Course Syllabus

Course Schedule

Course Map

Student Support Services

- Tutoring

- Disability Services

 

Blackboard gives you the capability to set up a different start page rather than Announcements. This might be helpful for students to land on the Start Here page for the first weeks of the semester. Here's how to edit the landing page.

 

 


 

The following steps will walk the user through the process of uploading a Start Here document to their course site.

Creating your Start Here Document, Part 1

Image of the Build Content Menu with Build Content highlighted with a #1 and Item highlghted with a #2

Log into Blackboard and access the content area in which you would like to upload the Start Here document to.  Please refer to the guide titled Creating a Content Area for more information on how to create a content area.  To upload your document:

  1. Click on Build Content at the top of the page.
  2. Choose Item from the menu that appears.

Creating your Start Here document, Part 2

Image fo the Create Item Screen under #1 Content Information with the following annotations: 1.Name: Enter the name of the document in the space marked Name.2.Color of Name: Select a color to use for the item name.3.Text: Type or paste your text into Blackboard's Text editor.  You can then use the formatting toolbars to format the text.
  1. Name: Enter the name of the document in the space marked Name.
  2. Color of Name: Select a color to use for the item name.
  3. Text: Type or paste your text into Blackboard's Text editor.  You can then use the formatting toolbars to format the text.

Attaching Files

Image of the file attachment section with the following items: 1.Attach Files: Click Browse My Computer to upload a file from your computer or click Browse Content Collection to upload a file that has already been added to the course. Once the file has been successfully attached, the file name will be listed below.2.File Name: The file name will appear here3.Link Title: the name of the file link can be changed here.  This does not change the actual name of the file4.File Action: If you are attaching a media file, this option will allow you to choose how to display the file.5.Do Not Attach: To remove an unwanted file, click on Do Not Attach to remove the file.
  1. Attach Files: Click Browse My Computer to upload a file from your computer or click Browse Content Collection to upload a file that has already been added to the course. Alternatively, users can drag files from their computer into this area to upload files. Once the file has been successfully attached, the file name will be listed below.
  2. File Name: The file name will appear here
  3. Link Title: the name of the file link can be changed here.  This does not change the actual name of the file
  4. File Action: If you are attaching a media file, this option will allow you to choose how to display the file.
  5. Do Not Attach: To remove an unwanted file, click on Do Not Attach to remove the file.

Making the Document Available to Students

Image section 3, standard options, with the following annotations: 1.Permit Users to View This Content: To allow students to view this file, set "Permit Users to View this Content" to Yes.2.Track Number of Views: If you wish to use Statistics Tracking on this item, Select Yes. This will allow you to run a report on the item to see how many times students have accessed the item.3.Select Date and Time Restrictions: you wish to limit access to a specific time period, enter the starting and ending availability dates for the item. In order for the dates to be effective, select the checkbox next to Display After and Display Until4.When you are finished with setting up your Start Here document, click the Submit button at the bottom of the page

Under Standard Options, instructors can change the item's visibility to students or enable tracking of student views.

  1. Permit Users to View This Content: To allow students to view this file, set "Permit Users to View this Content" to Yes.
  2. Track Number of Views: If you wish to use Statistics Tracking on this item, Select Yes. This will allow you to run a report on the item to see how many times students have accessed the item.
  3. Select Date and Time Restrictions: you wish to limit access to a specific time period, enter the starting and ending availability dates for the item. In order for the dates to be effective, select the checkbox next to Display After and Display Until
  4. When you are finished with setting up your Start Here document, click the Submit button at the bottom of the page