Update Overview
Blackboard's latest update includes changes to the Base Navigation Menu, to the way that users navigate between pages in Blackboard, and to the top menu available visible of your courses:
Base Navigation Menu Update
This update includes minor changes to the appearance of the Base Navigation Menu, found on the left side of the page when you first log in to Blackboard. The menu's functionality, tools, and links are the same, but their location in the menu is slightly different. For example, the user profile link now appears at the top of the menu and the Sign Out button has been moved to the bottom. Please click the image below to zoom in and compare.
Overall Navigation Changes
Previously, when you clicked on a course link in the Base Navigation Menu, Blackboard will open that course inside of a floating page with its own 'x' (close) menu on the left. As you opened additional items or links, the pages would stack, with previous levels visible on the left.
Now, after the initial update, when you click a link to open a course, it will load in the current window. You will not need to 'x' out of your course page to return to the main Institution or Courses page. Instead, you can use your browser's Back button -or- use the new Navigation bar, which has been added at the top of the page.
A future update will remove the stacking feature inside of courses, as well. After the planned update, when you are inside of a course and click on an assignment, document, or other item, it will open inside of the current window. Users can then use their browser's back button to return to the previous page.
New In-Course Navigation Bar
Blackboard has added a general navigation bar at the top of every course page. Here, you can:
- Return to the main Institution page (the page you see immediately after logging in to Blackboard).
- Access a list of all of your four most recent courses. You can click on any of the courses in this list to open them — or if the desired course is not listed, jump directly to the main Blackboard Course page.
- Click on the current course's title to return to the Course Content tab (the first page that you see when accessing the course).
Additional updates to the in-course navigation are planned, including the removal of stacking in content items within a course (to match the navigation in the Base Navigation menu). For more detailed information about the current update, please visit Blackboard's Help Center page for instructors or for students.
My Blackboard Tools
All of the existing tools will still be available in the Global Navigation Menu, which contains tools/links that may be used to move between different areas in Blackboard. You can use it to access any of your courses using the Courses link, or click the other links to find more information about all of your courses consolidated in one place. For example, clicking on the Activity link will show you new assignments, changes, and updates that have recently occurred in all of your courses. All of the other menu links (like Calendar and Messages) will display the associated information from all of your courses in one place. Please see the links below for more information about the available tools.
Profile - Make changes to your online persona. You can add a profile picture and information such as your name's pronunciation.
Institution Page - Find information about UND and view important system notifications and updates.
Activity - See the most up-to-date notifications from all of your courses in one place.
Courses - View a list of all past, present, and future courses. Click the links to view any course that is currently open (available to students).
Organizations - View organizations you're a member of.
Calendar - See course events and due dates for all courses and organizations.
Messages - View and send messages from all of your courses (visible in Bb only, not email).
Grades - Check your current grades across all courses.
Tools - Access global functions that are outside of your courses, like your Content Collection and Portfolio.
Notification Badges / Icons - indicate how many new items are in each area.