New templates for Blackboard Learn designed to help instructors create courses quickly

Creating a new course in Blackboard Learn should now be easier thanks to new Purdue-developed templates available for all instructors to use.

The new templates, created by ITaP’s Course Design and Development (CDD) team, can help instructors develop their Blackboard course quickly by providing step-by-step instructions and built-in universal content, like links to Purdue policies and student resources.

The templates – which will be the topic of discussion at ITaP’s next Tech Today event, held from 11:30 am.-12:30 p.m., Friday, March 2 in the Wilmeth Active Learning Center, Room 1121 – were also created to encourage a pedagogical approach to course design.

"“The templates are invaluable," says Keith Dickson, professor of clasics in Purdue's College of Liberal Arts. "They clarify and greatly streamline the process of constructing a digital course, and will be welcomed by anyone interested in making the transition to online teaching.”

Although Purdue already offers a default template for designing courses, the new templates are designed with specific types of courses in mind, including hybrid and self-paced courses as well as a template for writing-intensive courses. 

A description of each template, along with a video explaining the template’s features, and instructions for accessing the templates can be found here.

Edwards says faculty interested in learning more about the templates, including help getting started building their course in Blackboard, can attend two faculty professional development events held during the week of Spring Break:

  • Rapid Course Development Using Blackboard Templates, will take place from 2-2:50 p.m., Wednesday, March 13, in WALC 1121. Faculty can learn more about Blackboard Learn course templates and receive instructions for organizing their own course.
  • Online Course Open Work Session, from 3-3:50 p.m., Wednesday, March 13, in WALC 1121, encourages faculty bring their laptops and work with instructional designers on creating their course in Blackboard Learn.

 Instructors can request a one-on-one consultation about using the Blackboard Learn templates, or other questions related to course design, by contacting tlt@purdue.edu.

 Writer: Dave Stephens, technology writer, Information Technology at Purdue, 765-496-7998, steph103@purdue.edu

 Last updated: February 21, 2018