Advanced Blackboard: Content Creation

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Advanced BlackboardContent Creation

• JQ JohnsonDirector, Center for Educational
  Technologies
• University of Oregonjqj_at_darkwing.uoregon.edu
• 8 July 2005

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This presentation

• Review
• Additional content
• Uploading HTMLimages
• WYSIWYG editor
• Including advanced HTML in text boxes
• Uploading multifile content
• HTMLimages
• ZIP files containging multifile HTML, e.g. from
  PPT
• Document Package

• SCORM learning objects
• Publisher-provided Course Cartriges
• Uploading exported coursesites
• Additional topics by request

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Review Adding course content

• Visit a content area in control panel
• Add appropriate content, e.g.
• Item (may include title, explanatory text, and
  attachments)
• Folder
• Test (link to online quiz)
• Assignment (student submission form), on pulldown
  menu
• etc.
• Once created, can modify, move/copy, or delete

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Review Organize your content hierarchically

• Blackboard encourages a moderately deep folder
  hierarchy
• Tools for creating, rearranging, managing the
  hierarchy
• Breadcrumb trail
• Course map, Detail view
• Multiple items in folders, with attachments

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Review Choosing file formats for attachments

• HTML is universally readable, and can be created
• Using MS Words save as web page (dont create
  HTML from PPT)
• By hand or using custom tools, e.g. Dreamweaver
• .DOC, .XLS, and .PPT can be posted directly
• No additional work for you
• Require students to have appropriate reader
  software
• Preserve original with full fidelity (a plus and
  a minus)
• PDF also universally readable
• Create on PC using Acrobat or PDFCreator
• MacOS X has built-in PDF support
• Think carefully before posting specialized
  formats
• Consider download time (10MB maximum?)

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Including HTML in text boxes

• Select HTML
• Can type HTML or copy and paste
• Must be valid HTML with matching open/close tags,
  no headers
• Can also include equations, check spelling, etc.

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Advanced HTML

• The text of items can contain rich HTML code,
  including Javascript
• Example try setting text to HTML and paste
• ltscript language"Javascript" SRC"http//www.dow
  nes.ca/news/OLDaily.js"gtlt/scriptgt
• (a news feed for Stephen Downes OLDaily,
  http//www.downes.ca)

• Items can be external links to HTML or XML or
  other formats, including dynamic materials
• Most documents will appear within Blackboard
  window
• Example try an external link to Wired Campus,
  http//chronicle.com/infotech/wiredcampus.xml(cur
  rent news about Ed Tech from the Chronicle of
  Higher Education)

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HTML attachments

• Common situation HTML document with associated
  images
• Upload as a normal attachment Blackboard will
  notice and prompt for image files

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Packaged attachments

• ZIP files allow upload of a whole directory at a
  time (as a single attachment)
• Choose Add Item, then Special Action Unpackage
  this (ZIP) file. Typical uses
• HTML file plus supporting files (relative links)
• A set of related HTML files (a whole site)
• A learning object
• Or choose Add Document Package.
• Upload a set of files and directories that become
  Bb folders and items/attachments
• E.g., a collection of photos or audio clips

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Creating/finding ZIP files

• Create ZIP files using
• Windows XP send to compressed (zipped) folder
• MacOS X File-gtcreate archive
• ZIP Central, StuffIt, WinZip (PC)
• MacZip (Mac)
• etc.
• Many learning objects are distributed as ZIP
  files, e.g. from
• Merlot, http//www.merlot.org
• SMETE, http//www.smete.org
• Maricopa LX, http//www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/mlx
  /
• etc.

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SCORM Content

• Can be very extensive learning objects
• Object is a zip package with a specialized format
• Object has a standard navigation structure
  internally, and can interact with gradebook to
  include assessments, etc.
• Tools for building SCORM content include
• Reload
• SoftChalk LessonBuilder

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Packaged course cartridges

• Many publishers distribute extensive materials
  for upload into coursesite
• Usually course cartridges with download key,
  and requiring students to purchase textbook and
  license key in order to access
• Cartridges vary, but often include
• Copies of figures from text (and sometimes full
  text)
• Quiz test banks
• Sample powerpoint lectures
• Online exercises and simulations
• Glossaries, web links, etc.