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The Course Readiness Checklist is designed to help faculty prepare their new courses when they have taught the same course in a previous semester. It provides the steps you should take to ensure that your course is ready to go before the first day of class.
To prepare your course for the upcoming semester, follow these steps.
- Copy Content
Copy the content from the previously taught course or your development shell into the new Blackboard course shell. Detailed instructions for how to perform a course copy can be found on the Blackboard Resources page in the portal under “Preparing a Course for the New Semester” or in the Blackboard Course Copy Knowledge Base article. If you have not taught the course previously, you may choose to build the course from the ground up or another instructor may agree to share their materials with you. The ITDS team can assist you with either of these processes, if needed.
- Update Items
After you’ve added content from a previous course to your new course, you’ll update a variety of items to prepare for the new semester. Instructors typically need to update the following items, although every course is unique and some courses may contain additional items that require updates.
Due Dates: Using the “Batch Edit” function, instructors can update due dates in batches, rather than one at a time. For more details on how to utilize “Batch Edit” visit the resources on the Blackboard Resources page in the portal or refer to the Using Batch Edit article provided by Anthology.
Bio Details: Open the Welcome and Start Here module and travel to the section that contains the instructor’s biographical information. Make any updates or changes that are needed.
Welcome and Start Here: Because a new Welcome and Start Here default template is added to each course shell every semester, courses can sometimes end up with multiple Welcome and Start Here modules included. Your course should only include one. Confirm that the proper “Blackboard Help, Technical Support, and Additional Resources” page is included in the Welcome and Start Here module that you’ll be using, then delete excess Welcome and Start Here modules. For more details on how to create and update an effective Welcome and Start Here module, visit the “Course Design Welcome and Start Here” article or the Best Practices for Your Welcome and Start Here Knowledge Base article.
Delete Unnecessary Items: Delete any unneeded (or hidden) items from the course. This helps keep the content current and reduces excessive scrolling for you or students.
- Prepare Gradebook
Set up your gradebook for the new semester. Some of these steps my not be necessary if you’ve completed them previously.
To prepare your gradebook:
- Delete old “totals” columns from the Gradebook.
- Set up the Overall Grade. Students are unable to see their course average if the Overall Grade is not set up.
- Update or add a Syllabus
Include an updated syllabus in your course
- Turn on Progress Tracking
Toggle Progress Tracking on or off depending on what makes the most sense for your course design. (Students often contact us requesting that Progress Tracking be turned on for their courses.)
- Confirm Links Are Working
Occasionally, links added to a previous semester of the course can break when content is copied. It’s always a good idea to check that links are still working as expected prior to opening the content to students.
- Open the Course for Students (optional)
As a final step, instructors do have access to the process used to open a course early for students. If you choose to make your course available sooner than the first day of the new semester, follow the instructions found on the Blackboard Resources page in the portal or in the Blackboard: Open or Close a Course for Students Knowledge Base article.
For additional assistance preparing your course, please contact the CU Instructional Technologies and Design Services team.
