Information Services

Learn : Getting Started

Discover the key elements in adding content and engaging students within a Learn course.

Using Learn for Hybrid Teaching

Blackboard Learn is the University’s virtual learning environment (VLE) and the hub of your course's online teaching.  It allows you to publish course-related resources and active teaching activities, such as hosting online discussions, as well as integrating with a number of other important systems that you and your students will use, including lecture recording (Media Hopper Replay), pre-recorded teaching videos (Media Hopper Create), the university blogging platform, and assignmnet submission and feedback platforms (for example Turnitin or PebblePad). This page is designed to get you started with key aspects of preparing and delivering engaging teaching in Learn, including:

  • Adding folders
  • Adding a content item
  • Adding  Hyperlinks
  • Uploading files
  • Creating Announcements
  • Adding Lecture Recordings
  • Adding Media Hopper Content
  • Creating Discussion Boards

Learn also enables you to easily create virtual classrooms for students enrolled on your course, using Blackboard Collaborate or Zoom. More information and training is available on those pages.

Session Recordings

If you would like to jump stright into specific aspect of using Learn please see the short videos below. Otherwise you may want to watch a recording of a training session that we run bringing all of this information together:

Resources

Content Editor within Learn - An Overview 

The content editor is a powerful tool which can enhance the student experience of a course when used well..

Video: New Text Editor within Learn - An Overview
New Learn Content editor

Adding a Content Item in Learn

The items tool is the recommended method for adding content to a Learn Course. 

Video: Adding a content item in Learn
Adding a Content Item in Learn

Adding a Hyperlink in the Learn Content Editor 

Links to web pages can be set up to open in separate windows. 

Video: Adding a Hyperlink in the Learn Text Editor
Adding a Hyperlink in the Learn Text Editor

Uploading files in to the Learn Content Editor 

 You can upload both individual or multiple files in to Learn at once. 

Video: Uploading Files in to the Learn Text Editor
Uploading Files in to the Learn Text Editor

Creating an Announcement in Learn 

Announcements can be emailed to students as well as appearing on the course pages. 

Video: Creating an Announcement in Learn
Creating an Announcement in Learn

Adding Lecture Recordings to Learn 

  Lecture recordings should be automatically available in all courses, however if they are deleted they can be restored.

Video: Adding Lecture Recordings to Learn
Adding Lecture Recordings to Learn

Adding Media Hopper Content to Learn 

You can add any content available to you from Media Hopper directly to your course. 

Video: Adding Media Hopper Content to Learn
Adding Media Hopper Content to Learn

Discussion Boards in Learn 

To promote conversation within a course you can create discussion boards with various topics (forums) and threads within them. 

Video: Discussion Boards in Learn
Discussion Boards in Learn