Tips for a user-friendly course: Simplify the Course Menu

As you click around in Blackboard, you will start to notice some customizable features. This is a great way to make your course shell stand out from others, but also to make important information more accessible. The easiest way to do this is to simplify the buttons in the course menu .

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Fig. 1 Default Course Menu

The default menu for all courses has nine buttons, but how many of us actually use all of them? For example, an instructor may include their contact info with the syllabus in the “Course Information” area, leaving the “Staff Information” area empty. So to simplify the course menu, the “Staff Information” button should be removed. Buttons can also be rearranged, renamed, and added.

All this can be done from the Control Panel . Look in the Course Options area and click on Manage Course Menu . This is where you can rearrange, modify, add or remove any buttons. You can rename a button by clicking Modify and typing in a new name. To create a new button, select the type of button you would like to add (Content Area, Tool Link, Course Link, or External Link), then customize the various options to categorize and name that button.

There are many more ways to customize your course. Contact IDEAL if you would like help “remodeling” your online classroom.

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