Managing Your Course Menu

Overview
You can customize your course menu on the left using the options under Manage Course Menu. This allows you to set up new content areas, as well as short cuts to tools and external links.

Manage your Course Menu using the Blackboard Control Panel:

Add a Content Area
Content Areas are where you upload the majority of your course materials.


1. Go to the course in which you wish add the content area.
2. Select Control Panel in the course menu on the left.
3. Under Course Options select Manage Course Menu.
4. Select the +Content Area button.
5. Provide a name for the content area. This can be set either by selecting an option from the drop down menu, or manually entering a name into the box provided below the menu.
6. If you wish to allow Guest or Observer access, select those boxes.
7. If you want your students to be able to see the menu item, make sure the box next to Available for Student/Participant users is selected.
8. Select Submit.
9. Select Ok.
   
   
Adding a Tool Link
Tools are specific features in Blackboard that can be useful for students and instructors. If there is a particular tool you use extensively in your course, such as Groups, it can be helpful to create a tool link.


1. Go to the course in which you wish add the tool link.
2. Select Control Panel in the course menu on the left.
3. Under Course Options select Manage Course Menu.
4. Select the +Tool Link button.
5. Select a tool type from the Type drop down. There are a wide variety of tools to choose from. Some of the most common links created are My Grades or Groups.
6. You can change the name displayed for the link in the Name box.
7. If you want your students to see the link, make sure that the box next to Available for Student/Participant users is selected.
8. Select Submit.
9. Select OK.

Adding a Course Link
Course links allow you to direct your students more deeply into your course structure than the surface content area. You can link them to a specific folder and item, and it will take the user directly to that spot in your course.


1. Go to the course in which you wish add the course link.
2. Select Control Panel in the course menu on the left.
3. Under Course Options select Manage Course Menu.
4. Select the +Course Link button.
5. Provide a name for the Course Link.
6. Use the Browse button to find the item you wish to link to within your course.
7. If you wish to allow Guest or Observer access, select those boxes.
8. If you want your students to see the link, make sure that the box next to Available for Student/Participant users is selected.
9. Select Submit.
10. Select OK.
    
    
Adding an External Link
External links allow you to link outside of Blackboard, to take your students to another site.


1. Go to the course in which you wish add the external link.
2. Select Control Panel in the course menu on the left.
3. Under Course Options select Manage Course Menu.
4. Select the +External Link button.
5. Provide a name for the External Link.
6. Enter the URL for the site you wish to link to.
7. Decide if you want to have the link open outside of Blackboard, or within the frame. If you wish the link to open in another window, select the box next to Open in a new window.
8. If you wish to allow Guest or Observer access, select those boxes.
9. If you want your students to see the link, make sure that the box next to Available for Student/Participant users is checked.
10. Select Submit.
11. Select OK.

Questions? E-mail help@campus.fsu.edu or call (850) 644-8004.