Designing Your Site > The Control Panel

The Control Panel is your key to customizing your Blackboard course site. The Control Panel button can be found on the lower left hand side of the screen, and is only available to users with "instructor" access. The Contol Panel interface controls the way that your site will display to all users.

The Control Panel is broken up into subsections based upon the different areas and tools included in the system. From a site design standpoint some of the most important links in the Control Panel are located in the Content Areas and Course Options portions of the display.

"Course Options>Manage Course Menu" allows you to customize the way that your navigation menu will appear to users of your Blackboard site. You can rename navigation buttons, disable areas, and really customize the way your site navigation will appear. The "Course Options>Settings" link has a variety of tools that will allow you to customize the design and appearance of your site, including the title, duration, entry point, and a host of other options.

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Related FAQ's

Q: What is the difference between a course builder and a TA?

The different user access levels control different aspects of what an individual user can do. This chart gives you a general idea of the different types of actions a user type can perform:

Q: How do I allow guest access?

You can allow guest access to certain areas of your site by logging in and clicking "Control Panel>Manage Course Menu". From this interface you can enable guest access on a content area by content area basis. This will allow anyone with a Blackboard account to browse to your course and see the content that exists in the specific content areas that you have "enabled" guest access for.

If you need to create a "guest" account for an instructor at another University please send an e-mail to blackboard@uic.edu.

Q: Can I change the title of my course site?

Yes, you always have the ability to change display options associated with your course site. Login and click "Control Panel>Settings>Course Name and Description".

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