Online Template Overview

Here is an overview of the UR Online Course Template.  

The Online Template consists of the following areas already created for you:

Left Hand Navigation:

• Course Home Page - The page that appears when a student enters the course. More information about this page is provided below.
• Meet the Faculty - A quick link to the faculty contact information on the Course Home Page.
• Announcements - The Blackboard Announcements tool.
• Syllabus - A place to add your formal syllabus.
• Course Schedule - A blank page for you to construct your course schedule. This provides a quick and easy location for students to see an overview of the course with activities and due dates.
• Learning Modules or Course Materials - A content area consisting of folders for your course modules or materials. More information about these is available below.
• Tools Area - Consisting of links to various Blackboard tools, like Discussions, Journals, Groups, and Email. These tools, except Email, are hidden from students initially. If you wish students to have access, you can use "Show Link" to make them available.

• Support Area - Consisting of links to a number of support services, including your school's technology support page for students (Student Support), My Grades, Tools (access to a number of Blackboard tools), and links to Library Resources and Reserves. This area also includes a hidden link to resources for Faculty and a place for the Faculty member to take notes about their course experience (Private Faculty Reflection).

Course Home Page:

• Read Me First! - This is a location to welcome your students to the course, each and every time they enter. It is suggested that you customize this text to what is happening in the course and provide the date you last entered the course so that they know when you were there to check assignments and discussions. Update this area frequently to let them know what is expected of them at any given point in the course.
• Meet the Faculty - Include contact information and a photo of yourself here. Also, include any other important personnel involved in the course (Teaching Assistants, etc.)
• Meet your Classmates - A discussion board created to allow the students to introduce themselves. Edit this item to provide instructions about what you would like them to say in their introduction. Include a first post with your own introduction as a model.
• Learning Modules or Course Materials - A quick link to the same area as noted on the left hand navigation.

Learning Modules or Course Materials

• Course Overview and Introduction - Basic information about your course can be added here. There are default items where various essential components of an online course are defined. It is important to include these types of informational elements in your course. Learn more.
• Module # - Title - There are seven folders for course modules already created. These folders contain essential components to an online learning module. Learn more.