Blackboard User Guide - For Faculty

 

Designing your online course in Blackboard (Bb) is very simple, and does not require any specialized computer knowledge. Because of the flexibility built into Bb, there are many ways to organize your course.  For example, you can post your assignments at the end of the lectures, or in the assignments section.  Either way can work well.  Just keep in mind that you want students to be able to find what they need as easily as possible, so keep your organization logical and simple.

 

Getting Started

 

NOTE: Beginning in January 2008, all Blackboard usernames will use the following format: ub_ubnetname. 

For more information, select “How Do I Login to Blackboard?” above.

 

About Blackboard at UB

 

IMPORTANT: All courses are created automatically, and all students are added automatically to those courses – please DO NOT create courses, create student accounts, or add students, as this will affect the automatic processing!  For more information, select “How Do I Add & Remove Students From Blackboard” below:

 

Using Blackboard

 

Blackboard Help

 

 

How Do I Login To Blackboard?

 

1)     You MUST have a UBNet account in order to access Blackboard beginning in January 2008:

·         A UBNet account is available to all faculty (and also allows you to create a yourname@bridgeport.edu email account, access the UB online library databases, and view your course rosters online.

·         To create a new UB Net account go to http://www.bridgeport.edu/ubnet/main-links/newacct.html

·         If you already have a UBNet account but don’t know your username or password, go to https://www.bridgeport.edu/ubnet/cgi-bin/resetpass.cgi

·         You will need to know your UB ID number - if you do not know your UB ID, you should contact the academic department that hired you or refer to a previous UB paystub.

 

2)     To login to Blackboard:

·         Visit: http://bb.ctdlc.org

·         Username:  ub_ubnetname (For example, Joe Bridgeport with email jbridgep@bridgeport.edu would use ub_jbridgep)

·         Password:  ub_ubnetname (Your password is the same as your username)

 

·         Beginning in January 2008, all Blackboard usernames will use the following format: ub_ubnetname.

- If you used Blackboard previously and your username does NOT FOLLOW the ub_ubnetname format, you will NOT see any current courses when

  you login, so you must use the new username & password described above (and you should discontinue using your old username & password).

- If you used Blackboard previously and your username already DOES FOLLOW the ub_ubnetname format, you can continue using your current

  username and password.

 

3)         If you can’t login to Blackboard:

·         You should reset your password online at http://bb.ctdlc.org/webapps/blackboard/password.

When resetting your password:

Choose option 1 “Username Option” and enter the following:

- First name -- last name – username (as described above) -- click submit --

- Your new password will be sent to your bridgeport.edu email.

                      OR

Choose option 2 “Email Address Option” and enter the following:

- First name -- last name -- bridgeport.edu email -- click submit --

- Your new password will be sent to your bridgeport.edu email.

 

·         You should change your password immediately after you login for the first time:

Login to Blackboard then go to Tools, Personal Information, Change Password, enter your new password, then Submit.

 

4)     You MUST check your UB email to send and receive emails from your students:

·         To login to your UB email go to http://www.bridgeport.edu/email

·         If you do not remember your UB email username or password, you can request both online at:

https://www.bridgeport.edu/ubnet/cgi-bin/resetpass.cgi

·         If you want to continue using an alternative email, you may forward your UB email to your other email account.  Instructions for forwarding email can be found at http://www.bridgeport.edu/pages/2250.asp#ubemail

 

 

 

 

 

What Is Blackboard?

 

Blackboard is UB’s “online classroom” where instructors can share online course materials that support student learning.  Blackboard is also simple for you to use - you can access your Blackboard courses from any computer with Internet access, anywhere and anytime!

 

 

How Do I Get Access To Blackboard?

 

All faculty officially assigned to courses will automatically get access to Blackboard (please read “How Do I Login to Blackboard” below).  If you can login but not see your courses, you must contact your academic department to confirm that faculty assignments have been sent to the registrar and posted in our Datatel system.  You will have access to the course the day after the assignment is posted to Datatel.

 

 

Are Instructors Required To Use Blackboard?

 

Beginning in January 2008, all courses at UB will have a course site available on Blackboard.  However, it is up to individual instructors to decide whether or not to use Blackboard.  Courses that have not been enabled by instructors (see How Do I Make Course Sites Available To Students? below) will be invisible to students.

 

 

I Already Have Email, Do I Have To Use UB Email?

 

You must have a bridgeport.edu email account to access Blackboard.  If you want to continue using an alternative email, you may forward your Bridgeport email to your other email account.  Instructions for forwarding email can be found at http://www.bridgeport.edu/pages/2250.asp#ubemail

 

 

How Can Instructors Use Blackboard To Enhance Learning For Students?

 

A Blackboard course can include any of the sections listed below.  Names of these sections can easily be changed, and sections can be added or deleted, to allow you to structure your course to best meet your instructional needs.

 

  • Announcements (general announcements to all the students, can be used to keep in touch with students throughout the course)
  • Syllabus (course syllabus)
  • Staff Information (instructor contact information)
  • Lecture notes & presentations (course materials written by the instructor)
  • Assignments (descriptions of assignments)
  • Discussion Board (for posting questions that students must respond to and interact with other students)
  • Web links & resources (links to other relevant websites)

 

 

 

How Do I Add Course Materials?

 

Instructors can edit courses, upload documents, create tests, etc. through the Control Panel.  Only instructors have access to this area.  You can get into the Control Panel by clicking on “Control Panel” on the bottom left menu after you enter a course.  Take some time to look through the various sections in the Control Panel to get an idea of how to use each section.

 

 

Here is an example of how to add content to Blackboard.  To upload a syllabus, you can choose from the following options:

 

  • “+Item” to add your item directly
  • “+Folder” to create folders for similar items
  • “+External Link” to add a link to an external website
  • “+Course Link” to add links to other sections of your course
  • “+Test” to add an online test

 

After adding material, you can revise anything you have added to your course by clicking on “Modify” on the right and you can remove anything you have added by clicking on “Remove”.  Here is what you will see when you click on “Syllabus” in the Control Panel, with the options for adding material (which are similar in the other course sections as well):

 

 

 

How Do I Transfer Content Into A New Blackboard Course Site From A Previous One?

 

All courses will have a Blackboard course site created automatically (so there’s no need to manually create or request course sites).  These course sites will be empty and will not contain any copied content.  Instructors will have the choice of adding new content or selectively copying forward content from their previous Blackboard courses.  The process involves only a few steps, and instructors will not have to “start over” from scratch:

 

Part 1 – Exporting materials from existing course site

  • Login to your current course
  • Enter the control panel
  • Click on Export Course, then Export
  • Select the materials to export, then Submit
  • Wait for a confirmation email from support@ctdlc.org, go back into the course control panel, click on Export Course, right click on the file name “Export File…”, then save to your computer

 

NOTE: Archive can be selected in addition to export (not in place of) if instructors want to save user interactions as part of their course records.  However,

the content can NOT be used for later import, and would need to be restored administratively for viewing purposes only.

 

Part 2 – Importing materials into a new course site

  • Login to your new course
  • Enter the control panel
  • Click on Import Package
  • Browse to find the file saved in Part 1, and select the materials to import, then Submit
  • Wait for a confirmation email from support@ctdlc.org, and your new course will be ready to use and edit

 

Part 3 – Editing the left menu in your course

After you import previously used content, the buttons/links on the left of the course may change.  You can edit the left menu through the control panel:

  • Enter the control panel
  • Click on Manage Course Menu
  • To remove unwanted buttons/links (you must be certain, as this process cannot be undone) click Remove on the right of the button/link you wish to remove
  • To edit the name of existing buttons/links click on Modify on the right and type in the new name or select a name from the dropdown menu
  • Click submit and the changes will now appear in the left menu

 

NEED HELP?  If you would like the Distance Learning office to transfer your content or to combine your cross listed courses or courses with multiple sections,

please send your request to kbickell@bridgeport.edu

 

 

How Do I Make Course Sites Available To Students?

 

All course sites will be created as “unavailable” to students (hidden from students but accessible to the instructor).  Instructors must change the course availability setting when they are ready for students to access the course:

 

  • Login to Blackboard
  • Click on the name of the course under My Courses
  • Enter the control panel (on the bottom left)

 

Option A – Set beginning and ending dates for availability

1.       Click on Settings (under Course Options)

2.       Then select Course Duration

3.       Click Select Dates

4.       Place a check next to Start Date and End Date

5.       Select the appropriate start and end dates

6.       Then click Submit and students will now be able to access the course during the selected dates.

7.       After you make the course available to students, you must send students the following instructions:

(To send email through Blackboard:  login to course - control panel - send email - all student users)

http://www.bridgeport.edu/include/docs/conted/BbGuide-Student.htm

The Distance Learning office will NOT be sending instructions to students, and ask that instructors send this information to students.

 

Option B – Make available immediately with no end date

1.       Click on Settings

2.       Then select Course Availability

3.       Select Yes

4.       Then click Submit - students will now be able to access the course

5.       You will also need to make the course unavailable to students at the end of the semester by following the same process and select No in step 2.

6.       After you make the course available to students, you must send students the following instructions:

(To send email through Blackboard:  login to course - control panel - send email - all student users)

http://www.bridgeport.edu/include/docs/conted/BbGuide-Student.htm

The Distance Learning office will NOT be sending instructions automatically to students, and ask that instructors send this information to students.

 

NEED HELP? If you would like the Distance Learning office to make your course available and/or send instructions to students, please send your request

to kbickell@bridgeport.edu 

 

 

How Do I Add & Remove Students From Blackboard?

 

Adding Students:

  • Adds are processed automatically on a daily basis.  The Distance Learning office does not add students.  Instructors SHOULD NOT manually add students into Bb courses or create student accounts as this will interfere with the automated process!  Instructors should check their course roster in Blackboard periodically for students who add (control panel - list users - list all - list all) or contact their academic department for a list of students who add.

 

Instructors should send the following instructions to students who add a course:

(To send email through Blackboard:  login to course - control panel - send email - all student users)

http://www.bridgeport.edu/include/docs/conted/BbGuide-Student.htm

NOTE: Instructors SHOULD NOT manually add students into Bb courses or create student accounts as this will interfere with the automated process!

 

NEED HELP?  If you would like the Distance Learning office to send instructions to students who have added your course, please send your request

to kbickell@bridgeport.edu 

 

Dropping students:

  • Drops are not processed automatically.  Instructors should contact their academic department for a list of students who drop, and use one of the following options for handling students who drop a course:

 

To disable students

(Disabling makes students inactive so they CANNOT access the course, but retains a record of their course activity and coursework)

REQUIRED for online courses to retain a copy of student activity for financial aid purposes.

·         Login to the course

·         Enter Control Panel

·         Click on List/Modify Users – List All – List All (or enter student last name and search)

·         Click on Properties on the right

·         Select No under Availability in part 4.

·         Then click Submit

 

To delete students permanently:

(Deleting removes all student records of course activity and coursework permanently!)

·         Login to the course

·         Enter Control Panel

·         Click on Remove Users From Course – List All – List All (or enter student last name and search)

·         Place a check mark to the left of the student’s name

·         Type the word Yes on the bottom right

·         Then click Submit

 

NEED HELP?  If you would like the Distance Learning office to disable students who have dropped your course, please send your request

to kbickell@bridgeport.edu 

 

 

How Do I Add Additional Instructors To A Blackboard Course?

 

It is possible to manually add additional instructors to a Blackboard course (for use with TA’s, GA’s, second instructors, etc.)  To add additional instructors:

 

  • Login to the course
  • Enter control panel
  • Click on Enroll Users
  • Search for the desired user, select, then Submit

 

NOTE: If you cannot find an account for the instructor, DO NOT create a new account or this will prevent the user from accessing other courses and being a part of the automated system in the future!  The new account must be created by the automated system (so the user must be listed as in instructor for the course in our Datatel system – please have your academic department contact the registrar to add the instructor to the course in Datatel, and the account will be created the following day.)

 

NEED HELP?  If you would like the Distance Learning office to ad additional instructor to your course, please send your request to kbickell@bridgeport.edu 

 

 

How Do I Combine Course Sections/Cross-Listed Courses In Blackboard?

 

In Blackboard, multiple sections of the same course assigned to one instructor (see example #1 below) and cross-listed courses (see example #2 below) are treated as separate courses in Blackboard.

 

Example #1: Multiple sections of ENGL 101 taught by the same instructor (such as section 1A, section 2A, and section 3A) are treated as 3 separate courses in

Blackboard.

 

Example #2: Cross-listed PHIL 101/WREL 101 is treated as 2 separate courses in Blackboard, PHIL 101 and WREL 101.

 

Rather than teach each of these sections separately, instructors often prefer to teach one combined course (a single ENGL 101 course rather than 3 separate sections as described in Example #1 above, or a single PHIL 101 course rather than 2 separate courses as described in Example #2 above).

 

To combine rosters from multiple course sections/cross-listed courses into a single course in Blackboard:

 

1) If you would like the Distance Learning office to combine your cross listed courses or courses with multiple sections, please send your request

    to kbickell@bridgeport.edu

 

2) Instructors can combine the courses manually:

·         Choose one of the sections or cross listed courses to use as the Master Course (such as section 1A in Example #1 above).

·         Enrollments for each of the unused courses (such as sections 2A and 3A in Example #1 above).need to be entered into the Master Course.

·         Enter the control panel for one of the unused courses (must be done individually for each unused course).

·         Click on Course Copy on bottom left under course options

·         Then click on Copy Course Materials into an Existing Course

·         Then under Section 1 (search for the appropriate course ID of the master course, the click on “select” on the right)

·         Then under Section 2 (place a check in the box to the left of at least one content area - even if there is no content in the course, one area must be selected for the copy to work)

·         Then under Section 3 (place a check in the box to the left of enrollments)

·         Submit (on bottom right)

·         Repeat (must be done individually for each unused course).

NOTE: Any students who add one of the courses will be entered into Blackboard in the actual course section they add, and will need to be added to the master

course manually.

 

 

How Does The Blackboard Gradebook Work?

 

Instructors can keep track of grades right in Bb.  Through the Gradebook, faculty can post grades for assignments and give students an opportunity to keep track of their progress online.  To use the gradebook, click on Control Panel, then “Gradebook” from the “Assessment” section on the right.  Here is what you will see in the Gradebook:

 

 

 

With the gradebook you can:

 

  •  “Add Items” (such as discussion and participation grades)
  • “Manage Items” (change the order)
  • “Gradebook Settings” (change the settings)
  • “Weigh Grades” (set grade weights which will be calculated online)
  • “Download or Upload Grades” (move grades to and from your own grade book)

 

You can also click on a grade column to see statistics associated with the grade, and click on the student’s name to see details associated with the students’ grades in the course.

 

 

How Do I Contact Students Through Blackboard?

 

To send an email to your students through Blackboard, follow the steps below:

 

·         Enter your course

·         Click on Communication on the left (you can also access through Control Panel, Send Email)

·         Select “send email” then “select users” (or select “all users” to send a message to all students)

·         Select the name of your student and click on the right arrow

·         Type in your subject and message and click on “submit” on the bottom right

 

 

What Happens To My Course At The End of The Semester?

 

At the end of each semester, instructors should make courses unavailable to students and save course materials for future use, once all work is completed. 

 

To make courses unavailable to students:

(Note students should not be deleted in order to retain a copy of their participation for financial aid purposes)

  • Login to Blackboard
  • Click on the name of the course under My Courses