Orientation to Blackboard

1
Orientation to Blackboard

• Fall 2008
• Assumption College

2
What is Blackboard?

• Blackboard is Assumption Colleges course
  management system. Many instructors use
  Blackboard to supplement their traditional
  classroom-based courses. Some programs are using
  Blackboard as a delivery mechanism for fully
  online instruction.

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What is Blackboard? (cont.)

• Using Blackboard, instructors can distribute
  readings, send e-mail, post announcements, hold
  class discussions, collect assignments,
  administer quizzes, and hold virtual office hours.

4
What do I need to use Blackboard?

• A computer running Windows XP or Vista, or
  Macintosh 10.2 or higher
• A compatible web browser (next slide)
• Browser plugins to support media used by your
  instructor.
• CD drive (if your instructor uses a CD that comes
  with the textbook)

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Compatible Browsers

• If running Windows XP or Vista
• Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher
• Firefox 2.0
• If running Macintosh OS
• Firefox 1.5 or 2.0
• Safari 2 or 3

6
Browser Settings

• Disable Pop-up Blockers
• Some features in Blackboard work by opening popup
  windows
• Ad blockers and pop-up blockers will prevent
  these features from working correctly
• Google tool bar contains a pop-up blocker as do
  some antivirus programs
• Set browser to accept cookies
• Add http//blackboard.assumption.edu to your
  browsers trusted sites

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What if I dont own a computer?

• You can access to Blackboard on the Assumption
  campus using computers at the following
  locations
• ITC Labs
• DAlzon Library
• Technology Classrooms in Fuller, Testa Science
  building, and Founders
• You may also be able to use a computer at your
  local library to access Blackboard

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Tips for success

• Resolve problems early
• Check Blackboard site regularly for
  announcements, assignments, or other materials.
• Keep up with discussions
• Check the e-mail account you provided at
  registration for communications from instructor

9
Anticipating Problems

• When you have assignments due for a class, do not
  wait until just before the class to do the
  assignment. If you have problems, either getting
  into the system, with hardware, or software,
  leaving your work until the last minute may leave
  you without assistance with your problem. The
  Blackboard support staff cant know if you are
  having a problem unless you tell us and we are
  not available 24/7.

10
Help in Resolving Problems

• There are people to help you in using Blackboard.
• During the IT departments extended business hours
  (830 AM 8 PM Monday Thursday and 830 AM
  430 PM on Friday) you can call the IT HUB at
  508-767-7060 or e-mail at helpdesk_at_assumption.edu
• During the evening we have work study students
  working in the labs that can assist you on a
  walk-in basis. (We generally announce the hours
  at the beginning of the semester)

11
Check site regularly

• Blackboard sites are very dynamic. Instructors
  post documents, announcements, and assignments
  regularly and if you dont check, you wont see
  them. Plan to check in several times a week.
• If your class uses the discussion board you may
  want to check daily to participate in the
  discussion.

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Getting started with Blackboard?

• To use Blackboard you need
• Web address of server
• Username
• Password

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Blackboard Web Address

• The address of our Blackboard server is
• http//blackboard.assumption.edu

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Logging in to Blackboard

• Username your username will be the same as your
  Assumption College E-mail username.
• Undergraduates receive this information at
  orientation
• Graduate students receive this information by
  mail
• Continuing Education students receive this
  information in a handout in the second class
  meeting or via e-mail if the course is entirely
  online.
• Password will be first three letters of your
  last name followed by your 5-digit student number
• Both username and initial password are all
  lowercase

15
Resolving Login Problems

• Log in to your Blackboard account as soon after
  you receive your account information as possible
• If you have difficulty logging in make sure you
  check the following
• Enter username and password in lowercase
• Make sure your browser accepts cookies and that
  the Blackboard site is added to your browsers
  trusted sites

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Resolving Login Problems (cont.)

• If you still cant login, record the exact error
  message (in red under the login panel) and
• Contact the IT HUB at 508-767-7060 or
  helpdesk_at_assumption.edu.

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My Assumption page

• When you log in to Blackboard you will enter a
  personalized welcome page (My Assumption)
• Here you will find
• Listings of all your courses using Blackboard and
  the associated announcements
• Tools that allow you to record tasks, and
  appointments as well as change your password (You
  should change your password to one only you know
  and can remember.)

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Changing Password
Click on Personal Information Link
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Changing Password (cont.)
Click on Change Password Link
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Changing Password (cont.)
Enter new password twice to confirm change
Click submit
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Course Announcements
Click on links to read Individual announcements
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Courses
Links to courses Click link to enter course site
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Courses (cont.)

• Log in to Blackboard early and explore the course
  site.
• Get familiar with the layout and how your
  instructor has organized material.
• If youre confused or cant find materials ASK
  your instructor. Blackboard sites are designed by
  the instructors, IT has no control over content
  and our support team generally cant answer
  content related questions.

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Course Site
Navigation Panel Click on links to access course
information and materials The navigation items
will differ by course
25
Course Site (cont.)
Bread crumb trail Click on links to back up in
course site
26
Finding Documents

• Often instructors post documents for their
  students in Blackboard. These documents might
  include handouts from class, reading assignments,
  problems sets, etc.
• Some instructors post these documents under
  Course Documents, others create areas with
  different names (Handouts, Readings, Homework
  Problems, etc.) Explore your courses Blackboard
  site to see where your instructor is posting
  these materials.

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Documents
Click on the appropriate link, in this case
Course Documents, to see a listing of materials
posted for the course.
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Documents (cont.)

• Documents can be posted in two ways
• Imbedded in the web page, meaning that you see
  the document on the page.
• As an attachment, meaning you have to click on a
  link to see or download the document.

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Documents (cont.)
Document posted as an attached file, right click
link and save document, then open file
Document posted in page
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Documents (cont.)

• Documents can be posted in a variety of formats.
• Word documents
• Powerpoint shows
• Web pages
• Adobe Portable Document Format (pdf) files
• If you dont have the program that created the
  file you may need a viewer program to open the
  files. These viewers are available online.
• All College computers will have viewers for the
  commonly used file formats

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Discussion Board

• Discussion Board is Blackboards online threaded
  discussion list.
• All members of the class can see Discussion Board
  postings
• You can reply to postings and the entire class
  sees your responses

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Discussion Board (cont.)
Discussion Boards are accessed Through either the
Discussion Board or Communications link
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Discussion Board (cont.)
Links to Discussion Board Forums - click
to access postings
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Discussion Board (cont.)
Add Thread button Click to create a new posting
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Discussion Board (cont.)
Type in a subject Type Message Attach file (if
applicable) Click Submit
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Discussion Board (cont.)
Click on link to read post
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Discussion Board (cont.)
Click on one of the reply buttons to post a
response to a Thread.
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Digital Drop Box

• The Digital Drop Box is a file exchange area
  between student and instructor.
• Students can submit papers or homework through
  the Digital Drop Box.
• Instructors can distribute readings or other
  materials to specific students using the Drop
  Box.

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Digital Drop Box (cont.)

• Cautions about using the Drop Box
• Adding files to the Drop Box does not send them
  to the instructor, you must use the send button
  or the instructor will not get your file.
• Name files in the simplest form possible - use
  only letters, numbers, dashes and underscores in
  the filename. Other symbols can cause problems
  and make your file irretrievable to your
  instructor.

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Digital Drop Box (cont.)
Click on the Tools link to access the Digital
Drop Box
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Digital Drop Box (cont.)
Click on the Digital Drop Box link
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Digital Drop Box (cont.)
Click on the Send File button
You can click on the Add File button and add a
file to your Drop Box, but your instructor will
not see it. This can be useful if you want to
transfer a file between computers.
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Digital Drop Box (cont.)
Enter title
Add comments here
Browse for and select file
Click submit to send
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Assignments

• Assignments are special documents that
  instructors create to provide instructions and
  collect responses from students.
• Assignments are connected to the gradebook so
  when an instructor reviews it s/he can enter the
  grade into the gradebook directly.
• Assignments are connected to the student
  submitting the work.

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Assignments (cont.)
Click on the view/complete link to complete the
assignment
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Assignments (cont.)
1. Download file(s) provided by instructor
2. Add comments
3. Attach file(s)
4. Save to continue working on assignment or
submit to send to instructor for grading
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Quizzes

• Blackboard contains an assessment tool that
  allows instructors to provide online quizzes.
• Quizzes containing questions that can be
  automatically graded (multiple choice, multiple
  answer, true/false, fill in the blank) are graded
  on completion and your score displayed along with
  any feedback provided by your instructor.

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Surveys

• Surveys are anonymous, non-graded quizzes
• No feedback is provided to answers
• Surveys are often used to get a feel for how the
  class is doing or to make a decision about an
  activity (eg. Time for review session)

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Taking a Quiz or Survey
Click on link to quiz
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Taking a Quiz (cont.)
Click OK button to begin
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Taking a Quiz (cont.)
Complete the quiz (answer each question) and
click submit at the end.
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Taking a Quiz (cont.)
Click OK to submit quiz
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Taking a Quiz (cont.)
Click OK to see your score and the instructors
feedback
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Taking a Quiz (cont.)
Your score is reported with any
feedback specified by your instructor
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Reminders

• Check your Blackboard and Assumption e-mail
  accounts regularly.
• Keep up with assignments.
• Report problems early.
• Contact either your instructor for course content
  related problems.
• Contact the IT HUB (508-767-7060) with account
  problems.