Blackboard Tip of the Month

Blackboard Tip of the Month

Q: I am having trouble opening PowerPoint files and some document files posted by my students. What is causing this and what can I do to fix it?

Q: My students are having problems opening some of my documents. What can I do?

A: The problem could stem from the file name. To ensure that Blackboard will work properly, please follow these guidelines:

How to Name a Document to Post in Blackboard
1. Do not post two items/documents with the same name. (Instruct your students to include their last names in document names for assignments to avoid duplicate file names.)

2. Do not exceed 20 characters in a file name. (The shorter the better.)

3. Be sure to include a file extension (e.g., .doc, .ppt, .xls).

4. Do not use any special characters other than numbers or letters in your file name. (Do not use hyphens, underscores, # signs, punctuation marks, etc.)

5. Do not use spaces in the file name.

Note:
Blackboard recommends that instructors follow guidelines 1, 2, and 4 above when naming tests/quizzes, assignments, etc. For example, use “Unit 1 Test” instead of “Test #1” and make sure that you do not repeat assignment or test names within the same course shell.

Questions?
Contact nwoodward[at] matcmadison [dot] edu (Nancy Woodward) at (608) 246-5210 or the Blackboard Mentors.