Uploading Large Files
100 MB is the maximum file size allowed to be uploaded to a Blackboard course site.
To deal with an oversized file, try one or a combination of these strategies:
Optimization and compression
Save a file at a lower resolution (for image files) or sample rate (for audio files). The sound and picture quality from these smaller files will be indistinguishable from large ones for many users.
Note: When scanning materials for the Web, use a low resolution (under 100 dpi, if you don't expect your students to print the document).
Editing
Trimming nonessential segments of a document can shrink a file's size without compromising its meaning. For example, graphics used to spruce up a PowerPoint presentation could be removed to reduce its file size.
Format choice
Here are examples of media that can be re-formatted to produce a smaller file (a file's format, e.g. Microsoft Word, Real Audio or PDf, is given under its properties or details).
- For images, try formatting TIFF files as JPG files.
- For PowerPoint presentations, try converting PowerPoint files to PDF files using Adobe Acrobat or other PDF creation software. Or use the "Save as Web Page" option within PowerPoint to save a presentation as HTML files.
- For audio and video pieces, try saving them as streaming media objects, rather than as static files.
File location
Oversized files can be placed on a computer outside the Blackboard system and then linked to a Blackboard course site. Streaming media files, for example, can be linked to Blackboard course sites from outside servers.
For more help with file management strategies, contact us.