Introduction
Most Blackboard courses are linked directly to a single programme or module in RISIS e.g.
- the RISIS module EN2CRI Critical Issues is represented by Blackboard course EN2CRI-24-5_S1 Critical Issues (2024/25 Semester 1)
- the RISIS programme UFMICRO BSc Microbiology is represented by Blackboard course UFMICRO-24-5PR BSc Microbiology (2024/25)
As long as they are scheduled to run in RISIS, such courses are automatically created in Blackboard, and students enrolled on them in RISIS are automatically enrolled onto the corresponding Blackboard course.
In some situations you may want to set up a shared Blackboard space, with enrolments pulled from a number of RISIS module or programme codes. There are two options available:
Merged Courses
Can be used
- when you have a set of closely related RISIS modules, and you want to administer them as a single course in Blackboard
- to bring together students from the same cohort enrolled on related RISIS programmes.
Note: a Merged Course always replaces the Blackboard courses for individual RISIS modules or programmes being merged.
Supplementary Courses
Can be used when you want a shared Blackboard space in addition to individual RISIS modules or programmes.
Note: Supplementary Courses can not be used to deliver summative assessment, as this is not supported by the EMA Blackboard-RISIS integration.
Check the enrolment criteria for Merged and Supplementary courses – lists the RISIS module or programme codes associated with each course.
Merged Courses
Merged courses for modules
When you have a set of closely related RISIS modules, you can administer them as a single course in Blackboard by merging the courses into one. This may be desirable when students from more than one RISIS module are taught together, and need access to the same learning materials.
Examples
- Credit and Non Credit-bearing versions of the same module.
- Part 3 and Masters versions of a module, where students are taught together e.g.
FB3GSE Sensory Evaluation of Food (Part 3 UG)
FBMFSEN Sensory Evaluation of Food (Masters) - The same module coded to two separate Departments e.g.
ML2STA Society, Thought, and Art in Modern Europe (Literature and Languages)
HS2STA Society, Thought, and Art in Modern Europe (History) - The same module delivered on multiple Programmes e.g.
PY3EP, PY3P, PY3PPP, PY4PR (all final year UG Psychology Project modules) - Other permutations e.g.
LA1PA8 IWLP Arabic 1 (credit-bearing)
LA1PA8N IWLP Arabic 1 (non credit-bearing)
LA1PA9 IWLP Arabic 1 (credit-bearing with Script Support)
LA1PA9N IWLP Arabic 1 (non credit-bearing with Script Support)
Merged courses for Programmes
From 2024/25 it is possible to request a merged Programme course in Blackboard – bringing together students from a specific cohort on a number of related programmes. This may replace the need for a Supplementary course in some areas.
Possible examples of use
- merge Single and Joint Honours courses
e.g. bring together 2024/25 starters on BA History with students from BA History and English Literature, BA History and International Relations - merge programmes with different course codes but which are essentially the same
e.g. combine all Secondary Education Science pathways including PGCE, School Direct etc. - merge closely related programmes
e.g. all PGCert Independent and Supplementary Prescribing Pharmacy programmes starting in a given Semester.
More information on Using Blackboard for Programme delivery.
Key facts about Merged Courses
- A Merged Course always replaces the individual ‘child’ Blackboard courses.
- Merged Courses for modules can be used for summative assessment, and are supported by the EMA Integration.
- Merged Courses are designed to bring together students who are enrolled on different RISIS modules or programmes, where the student enrolments on those modules do not overlap. You cannot merge modules if the same students are enrolled on more than one of the child courses.
- When a Merged Course is requested, DTS will take the Blackboard course for one of the RISIS module codes (usually the first in the alphanumeric sequence) and make this the ‘Parent’ course. All courses merged into the Parent become ‘Child’ courses.
- A member of staff who is enrolled on a Child course will automatically be enrolled on the Parent course.
- As a member of staff, you should only add content to the Merged (‘Parent’) course.
In fact, it is not possible to make any edits to a Child course, and Child courses will not normally appear in your Courses list. - As a member of staff, you will always see a Merged course listed with its true name and course code – this differs from what a student sees (see below).
- All Merged Courses have the word ‘Merged, and the academic year, added to their name e.g. (Merged 2024/25). This name is visible only to staff enrolled on the course (see below).
How do students see Merged Courses?
- A student who is enrolled on a Child course will see that course displayed in their ‘Courses’ list.
It will be listed with the name and ID of the module they are actually enrolled on in RISIS.
- Clicking on the course link takes them to the Merged (‘Parent’) course.
When they access the Merged course, the course name they see will be the name of the module on which they are enrolled.
- What a student sees is not the same as what staff see (see points 5 and 6 above).
In the example shown above, an Instructor sees the course as ACM013-24-5_SX Project (Merged 2024/5 S13). - It makes absolutely no difference to students what the Merged course is called – whatever the Merged course is called, they will always see the name of the module they are actually enrolled on.
Request a Merged Course
Please note: with the move to Ultra courses in 2024/25 no existing Merged course arrangements will be carried forward – you will need to submit a new request.
For Modules: Request a new Merged Course
You will need to identify all of the RISIS module codes which are to be merged.
For Programmes: Raise a Service Desk ticket, specifying all of the Programme codes to be merged.
Supplementary Courses
When a shared Blackboard space is required in addition to the Blackboard courses created for RISIS modules or programmes, there are two options
- request an Organisation
- request a Supplementary Course
When deciding which is best for you the key question is: Do I need a distinct Blackboard site each year / for each new student cohort?
- If the answer to this question is Yes, then you should request a Supplementary Course.
- If you do not need your Blackboard site to be linked to a specific academic year or cohort, an Organisation will be more appropriate.
In either case, enrolments can be automatically pulled in from multiple RISIS modules or programmes.
- A Supplementary Course will always be set up for a specific academic year.
- An Organisation is not linked to a specific academic year. Content on it should be updated as required, so that students enrolled on the organisation always have access to the most up-to-date information. As students complete their programme of study, their enrolment on the Organisation will be disabled, and the new cohort enrolled on it.
We plan to assign an Expiry Date to all Organisations, but there will be a simple process for requesting renewal to keep the organisation active.
Neither Supplementary Courses nor Organisations should be used for summative assessment.
Request a Supplementary Course
Please note: with the move to Ultra courses in 2024/25 no existing Supplementary course arrangements will be carried forward – you will need to submit a new request.
Request a new Supplementary Course
If you want students to be automatically enrolled on the Supplementary Course, you will need to identify all of the RISIS module or programme codes from which enrolments should be drawn.
Guide last updated on September 12, 2022
