The Add Folders feature allows you to create folders which help you organize and sort your course content. Folders make it easier for students to find documents by limiting the amount of scrolling needed and by labeling specific content areas. There are two main ways of using folders to organize your material; content-based and chronological order. An example of content-based organization is creating a folder for all your lecture notes, another for readings, a third for PowerPoint presentations, etc. An example of chronological order is to create a folder for all Week One materials, another for Week Two etc.

Note: Items must be uploaded into each folder. Although items (not folders) cannot be dragged and dropped from other areas of Blackboard, they can be copied between areas or courses.

From the Control Panel:

1. Click on desired Content Areas (Course Materials, Assignments, Syllabus, Books).
2. Click the Add Folder icon.
3. Choose a Name from the drop down menu or type a name for the folder into the Name field.
4. Type a description of the folder contents into the Text field.
5. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the Submit button.

More Information

Q: Can I move documents from one folder to another?

A: Blackboard does not function like your computer desktop where you can drag and drop documents from folder to folder. Documents need to be uploaded directly to the specific folder. You can copy documents from one folder to another, though.

Q: I have created folders but when my students click on them they get a message saying Folder Empty. Why are my students receiving this message?

A: This is a common problem due to the way Blackboard creates folders. Instructors frequently place the material in the folder description area, instead of actually in the folder. Make sure that you use the text field shown when creating your folder for just the folder description. Add content to the folder from the main Content Areas page in the Control Panel, by clicking on the underlined name of the folder. You will know you are inside the folder when the heading says Location: folder name.

Q: Can I change the order of my folders?

A: Yes, Blackboard allows you to rearrange any of the folders or documents after they have been created. You will notice a numbered drop down menu next to each folder or item. This drop down menu can be used to change the order of the items. A good way to use this feature is to make new documents number one; this places them at the top of the page, making your most recent document the first item students see.

Q: Can I add folders in other folders?

A: Yes, once inside a folder you can choose to add additional folders or any other type of content available in Blackboard.