How to get your class set up in Blackboard CE6 (Bb)

Building a class in Bb CE6 is a two-step process

  The following checklists cover what needs to be done for each of the steps.

Step 1) Get a Bb shell created for your class (Required for all classes)

• The only way to get a Bb course shell created is through Banner. The person in your department who schedules classes in Banner should check the box requesting a Bb shell. An empty Bb shell will be created and placed in your Bb account.
  
  Here is a list of departments and their schedulers.
  
  If your scheduler has problems or is unfamiliar with this process, have her contact Kathy Rousseau, the campus scheduler, at kcoates@pdx.edu.
  
  
• Once your Shell has been created, you may access it by going to http://bb.pdx.edu and entering your ODIN username and password. The shell should be listed in the Course List area.
  
  
• If your class shell is not listed or you have other problems, please contact blackboard@pdx.edu.
  
  

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Step 2) Place your teaching content into the shell by one of the following methods

a) Copy the contents from another Blackboard class (reuse Bb content from a previous term)

• You must already have a blank Bb shell. If not, see above 1) Get a Bb shell created for your class.
  
  
• The first time you open a new shell, you will be given the following three choices:
  

  

  
  
• Select Copy content from another course and then click on the Continue button. You will see a list of all your Blackboard classes.
  
  
  

  Note: Know your rights
  Only classes to which you have designer rights (represented by the Build tab in your class shell) will be on the list of Bb classes.



• Select the class you want to copy from, and click on the Continue button. The content (without students or student work) from that class will be copied to your new shell.

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b) Copy (migrate) the contents from a WebCT class

• You must already have a blank Bb shell. If not, see above 1) Get a Bb shell created for your class.
  
  
• Go to the Request for Online Course Help form at https://survey.oit.pdx.edu/ss/wsb.dll/s/2bfgc6f
  
  
• Fill out the information for Migrating a course (transferring the materials in one of your WebCT shells to the new Blackboard system).
  
  
• It generally takes 1-3 days to migrate a course, though it could take longer depending on how close to the beginning of a term the request is submitted. You will be contacted by email when your migration has been completed.
  
  
• Login to your class and check the content to be sure the migration was successful.
  
  
• If you have problems, please contact blackboard@pdx.edu.

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c) Build a new course from scratch

• You must already have a blank Bb shell. If not, see above 1) Get a Bb shell created for your class.
  
  
• Your new course shell should be listed in your Course List area. Click on the title to enter the shell.
  
  
• The first time you open a new shell, you will be given the following three choices:
  

  

  
  
• Select Set up a blank course and click on the Continue button.
  
  
• You will then see a page of Blackboard tools that are available for use in your class. Check the boxes of the tools you wish to use (this can be changed later if needed) and click on the Save button at the bottom of the page. You will now enter your empty shell and can start to build.

  

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