Course Preview Page

Updated 8/4/2009

This Course Preview Page can be edited with the html editor inside a Blackboard course. Each semester, prior to the next term registration, the Course Preview Page must be updated. See Blackboard Tutorials for additional assistance using or updating the Course Preview Page. Upload this template to the File Manager (on Build tab) to the Public Files folder and use the actionlinks to edit this page. Then go to Manage Course (on Build tab), Course Preview Page Setup, browse to link and release the Course Preview Page.

Delete this top section of the preview page before you release it.

If you have any on-campus meetings, include specific information here along with details regarding consequences, if any, for not attending.

Faculty Introduction

This is the place where you briefly introduce yourself and talk about your experience with and/or interest in the subject matter of the course.

Course Description

This is where you put a general description of the course that highlights what makes this course particularly interesting or valuable from a student's perspective. You should include the course description from the catalog or BC Course Outlines. This is a good place to "market" your course.

Methods of Instruction

This is where you describe how course content will be delivered and how contact time will be allocated between in-class and out-of-class learning activities. You should describe the teaching techniques to be used, indicating their relationship to course objectives and student learning outcomes. By providing such a statement, you are helping students to understand their responsibilities as learners. Remember that a blended course combines face-to-face instructions with online learning activities. Please modify the following sample statement to reflect your specific methods of instruction and the correct number of credit hours for your course:

"This is a 3-credit hour course. Normally, a 3-credit hour course would meet two times each week (during a 16 week term) for a total of 3 hours per week or 48 hours per term. In this class, we will meet once a week for at least 1.5 hours, and you will engage in structured out-of-class or online activities for the remainder of the class time."

Please include a general statement about course assignments giving students information about how many tests, research papers, group projects, discussion assignments, etc. will be required for this class. This information will help students determine whether they can handle the anticipated workload.

Learning Outcomes

This is where you highlight the kinds of things that students should be able to know or do by the end of the course. You should include the general outcomes from the BC Course Outlines for this course.

Course Requirements

This is where you list key course requirements: Those written in bold are required and must be included in the Course Preview Page.

• Required Prerequisites or Special Admission Criteria (include any specific computer/technology skills or other special competencies needed).
• New to e-learning? Take the e-learning orientation before enrolling in any e-learning course.
• Before enrolling in an e-learning course review computer requirements.
• Hardware or Software Requirements specific to your course (if different from the BC standard)
• Required Meeting Dates or Times (include attendance requirements and dates of on-campus tests if any)
• All students must obtain their BC email address. It is used for course login.
• Consider posting your Course Syllabus to your faculty home page and providing a link to it from this Course Preview Page so students needing more detailed information can obtain it without having to contact you.
• If use of a college or public library card will be required for your course, provide a link to library information and tell them which cards they will need.

Course Materials

This is where you list course materials. Make sure to indicate which materials are required and which materials are optional. Tell students how and where to obtain course materials.

• Course Materials (texts, workbooks, CD-ROMs, DVDs, lab manuals, etc.)
• Must students purchase a publisher Access Code? Where can they get it (either from bookstore, Blackboard website for Student Access Code, or student purchase during the first week of the semester during orientation)?

How to Register for this Course

If enrollment in your course is restricted, let students know how they can sign up. Otherwise, please refer them to students' myBC website . Students must pay for the course before they will be able to log into the course.

Information Contact

Tell students how and where to reach you for more information about this course.  Include one or more of the following: office phone, e-mail address, office hours and location. Also, include the general phone number for your department.

How to Access this Course once you are Enrolled in this Course

Tell students what steps they need in order to log into their Blackboard course.

If you prefer for students to login on their own, please tell students when they will be able to login and what they should do once they login to your course. Normally, the login date should be the first day of the session in which the course is scheduled. Make sure that students understand that the only people who will be permitted to login are those students who have registered and paid for the course. There may be a delay of up to 24 hours from when a student registers and pays before Blackboard login is activated.

• Obtain BC email user ID and PIN code before attempting to login to Blackboard.
• At BC email address site, click on "ID Lookup", then enter your Student# (or INTL Student ID#) and PIN code (2 digit birth month and 2 digit year). Write down your email ID (not the @mail.broward.edu part), which is your Blackboard User Name.
• Your Blackboard User Name is the same as your BC email ID.
• Your Blackboard password is the same as your BC email PIN code.

Links to help students get connected to Blackboard/e-learning course(s) at BC

• BC Blackboard/e-Learning login page The direct link for Blackboard login is https://elearning.broward.edu.
• Student e-learning Resources
• Publisher access code help page
• Blackboard Helpdesk is available if you need any technical assistance using or logging into Blackboard.