CHSS Online Teaching Initiative

Designing a Course Banner

A course banner is an easy way to customize your Blackboard shell. A banner can be created in many different ways.

Here are the steps for creating a banner in PowerPoint.

1. Find an image

• a. Go to Flickr, and make sure to search “Only search within Creative Commons-licensed content.”
• b. Choose a file and download it as a jpg.

2. Go into PowerPoint and create a new blank slideshow.

• a. Create a new slide, and under “Design,” make the size: 10 in by 1.5 in., landscape.
• b. Under “Design,” click on various options, and choose one.
• c. Put the name of the course in one of the boxes. Make it the size font you want, say, 24 point.
• d. Add the image by right-clicking.
• e. Save it as a PPT file. Perhaps you can keep it as “banner template.”
• f. Now "save as,” and give it the name of the course, say, “Banner – name of course.” Save it as “jpg” file. Just save the one slide.

3. In BB, go to the control panel, “Customization.” Choose “Teaching Style,” and a theme you like.

• a. Go to “Select Banner,” and browse your computer to find the file you created in jpg format. Then submit.
• b. It will show on the announcement page.

Also, see the video, How to Create a Course Banner for Your Blackboard Shell, that offers a quick tutorial on how to create a banner using Paint. (video password: CHSS)