Components of Course Tools

This area includes numerous student-focused tools. One of the most important allows your to check your class grades. You can also send messages and e-mail within the Blackboard application.

Area	Description
	Instructors will post important messages or announcements of upcoming events or things to know in this area.
	Instructors can use blog posts to provide structure for discussion on class topics and other issues. Blogs are an open communications tool for students to share their thoughts.
	Instructors use this area to enter significant events that might occur during the semester.
	Collaboration Sessions are real-time lessons and discussions. Two Collaboration tools are available; Virtual Classroom and Chat sessions.
	In this area you will find information about your instructor such as; e-mail address, phone number, office hours and location.
	The Discussion Board is a tool for sharing thoughts and ideas about class materials. It is made up of forums that may appear anywhere in the course
	A link of glossary terms for the course.
	The Groups feature allows Instructors to create groups of students within a course. Groups enable users to collaborate with each other.
	Messages are private and secure text-based communication that occurs with the course and among course members.
	This allows a student to check their grades during the semester.
	View a list of users enrolled in the course.
	Instructors can send e-mail to all or selected individuals users, students, groups, teaching assistants, instructors or observers.
	In this area an instructor can post reminders to the students of tasks that are coming up in the course during the semester.
	View the user manual in a separate window.

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