Messages can be used to contact students and staff directly from Blackboard, without having to use an external messaging system. This functionality enables you to send communications to:
- specific users (students and staff enrolled on the course)
- groups created in the course
- all instructors on the course
- all students on the course
- all course members
You can send and access your messages via the Messages tab located on the top menu. The number of unread messages that you have will be indicated with a purple circle.
In addition to the Messages tab, you can also send messages from various areas inside the course:
- Gradebook > Students tab > click on a student > Send Message (top right)
- Discussions > click on a Discussion > Student Activity > Envelope icon (top right)
- Gradebook > Markable items > click on an item > Send Message (top right)
- Analytics tab > Send Message (top right)
- Groups > three dots next to a group > Send message
- A submission point in a unit content area> Submissions > Send message (top right)
You can choose to send a Message as an email and allow replies.
Students’ experience
As a default, Messages in unit courses are set to ‘Learners can only reply to messages’ but you can change this for one of the following options in the Course Settings (see the top right corner of your unit page):
- Learners can message anyone in their course
- Learners can only message staff and learners in their groups
- Learners can only message staff
- Learners can only reply to messages
If you enable one of the options allowing students to message staff, envelope icons will appear next to staff’s name in the Course Staff register.
In the Course Settings, you can also turn off Messages completely which will make the Messages tab disappear from the top bar of your course.
Note: To disable the Messages tab as well as the envelope icons in the Course Staff box, you need to have the Messages set to ‘Learners can only reply to messages’ and only then switch them off.
As different teaching teams have their preferred modes of communication, it is essential to agree on a consistent communication strategy and make it clear to students.