Embed A YouTube video in Blackboard 9.1

BlackBoard 9 has an  Add YouTube Video option under Build Content. This adds one item to the page.

You can also use the Add Mashup icon in any text box to add a YouTube video, for example in a Discussion thread, a blog, wiki or journal.

When you click on either the Build Content/Add YouTube video or the Add Mashup icon, the Search for YouTube window appears.

Type the name of the video, the subject or some key words to search for it. (The url does not work.)

When you press the Go button, a list of videos that match your criteria appear. Choose the one you want by clicking the Select button under it.

If you are adding the video in a text box you are done. The video will appear.

If you are adding the video as an item of its own, complete the screen of options that appears:

• Type directions for students in the Description box.
• Set a time limit when you want the video available.
• You can attach a file if needed.
  
• When done, click Submit.
  

The video displays in the course. The video file is not stored in Blackboard, but only linked to Blackboard. The student remains inside Blackboard to view the video.

The video item will look like this when embedded in a content item:

Alternatively, you can link to a video in BlackBoard

Since a video generally has a url you can paste that url into any BlackBoard content item.

· Copy the url from the box labeled URL, or from the address bar of the web page.

· Paste the link in any content item.

· When you use a link the student is taken out of Blackboard to the web page and video is played there.  There may be other distracting things on that page.

Embed A Non-YouTube Video in Blackboard or Any Other Web Page

Get that Embed Code

Many videos can be embedded in BlackBoard besides those on YouTube, for example those on news website. The trick is to find the Embed Code for the video. It is generally near the video in small print.

First find the Embed code icon and copy the data given, usually by clicking in the field and pressing Control/C. Here is an example from the Economist videos and from the New York Times.

Copy this data by either pressing Control/C or by right clicking your mouse and choosing Copy.

Now it’s on your computer’s clipboard, ready to copy into Blackboard.

Put it in BlackBoard

Log on to BlackBoard.
Note to Mac users: in order see the Toggle HTML button you must use FireFox as your browser when you log on to BlackBoard. If you use Safari, you won’t have this functionality available.

You can embed the video in any item in which you have a text  box with icons:

· Click the Toggle HTML Source Mode icon

· Paste the embed code that you copied.

· Click Submit. Result: Video displays with picture and controls in BlackBoard page.

· The video file is not stored in Blackboard, but only linked to Blackboard. The student remains inside Blackboard to view the video.