Getting Started with your Site: Tools Overview
Blackboard sites contain a large number of tools. Some of these are standard Blackboard tools, while others are optional plug-ins that the university has bought and integrated into Blackboard. This helpsheet offers a brief overview of the tools that are available and how they might be used.
All tools that are available on a site can be viewed by clicking on Tools in the site menu.
Instructors determine which tools are available. They may also decide to give a tool a dedicated button on the site menu, if it is particularly important or regularly used. Below is a selection of the tools available.
The Tools
Web Assign
WebAssign is an online education platform built by educators that provides affordable tools to empower confident students in a virtual learning environment.
Achievements
Set goals and achievements against tasks in this module (not currently used at Lincoln)
Announcements
Send important announcements to all students and staff enrolled on this site
Blackboard Collaborate Ultra
Schedule and join Blackboard Collaborate Ultra web conferencing sessions and view recorded archives.
Blogs
Create and manage blogs for Sites and Site Groups.
Calendar
Track important events and dates through the Calendar.
Contacts
Instructors can post contact information about themselves and others.
Content Market Tools
Access all Content Market tools (not currently in use at Lincoln)
Course Messages
Create and send private and secure Messages to course members.
Discussion Board
Create and manage Forums within the Discussion Board.
Glossary
View a list of important terms and their definitions.
Goal Performance
View goal performance within a site.
Groups
Create and manage formal groups of students to collaborate on work.
Journals
Create and manage journals that can be assigned to each user in a group for the purposes of private communication with the instructor.
Microsoft Teams
Set up a Microsoft Teams meeting from this site (saved to Blackboard Calendar no Outlook invite is sent)
My Grades
Displays detailed information about students grades and marks – not available to staff
Panopto Content
Access the Panopto folder associated with this site
Pearson Custom Tools
Access and Manage Pearson’s Custom Integration for this course through Blackboard.
Pearson’s MyLab & Mastering
Access and Manage Pearson’s MyLab & Mastering products for this course through Blackboard.
Poll Everywhere
Single Sign-On Link to Poll Everywhere.
Portfolios Homepage
Create and manage personal Portfolios and Artifacts.
Roster
View a list of users enrolled in the Course.
Send Email
Send email messages to different types of users, system roles and groups.
Site Portfolios
Create and manage student portfolios of work
Tasks
Use tasks to keep track of work that must be completed. Each Task has a status and a due date.
UL – Reading List
Tool for creating a link to the UoL reading list managed by the Library
Wikis
Create and manage wikis for Sites and Site Groups