USING BLACKBOARD 6 

Instructor's Manual

 

 

  

 

How to make a course available:
  1. Login
  2. Click on the class
  3. Click on Control Panel
  4. Click Settings
  5. Click on Course Availability
  6. Click on the button for Yes
  7. Click Submit

 

How do I login and what is my password?

Username: It will be the first letter of your first name, followed by the first seven letters of your last name.
Password: It will be the first letter of your first name, the last four digits of your ID card number, followed by the first letter of your last name.

 

What is the difference between export, archive, copy, and recycle for a course?

The Blackboard Learning System includes several tools for reusing courses and course content. The tools are:

  • Export/Import: Export takes course content and puts it in a package that can be used in another course at a later date. One or more course areas can be included in the package. This is an effective means of reusing a course or parts of a course to teach another set of students next semester or for backing up content without keeping Student interactions.

  • Copy: Course Copy adds content from one Course to another. This is useful when teaching the same Course during the same term to different sets of Students. Course Copy is the best way to share content across multiple sections of the same course.

  • Recycle: Recycling a Course removes User interactions with the Course while keeping the content intact. This is useful when teaching the same Course to a new set of Students.

  • Archive/Restore: The Archive Course function creates a record of the Course including User interactions. It is most useful for recalling Student performance or interactions at later time. The archive package is saved as a .ZIP file that can be restored to the system at another time. In effect, Archive/Restore acts as a backup tool at the individual course level (although it is not a replacement for a fully formed, server-side backup and restore process!).

 

How do I designate a Teaching Assistant for the course I am teaching?

The student must be enrolled in the course.
If your T.A. is already enrolled in the class, start with Step 3

From the Control Panel

1. Choose User Management | Enroll User.
2. Enroll the user in the class. When the user is enrolled, the property for that user will be set to Student.

3. Choose User Management | List/Modify Users.
4. Using the Search Box or List All option, find the user's name.
5. When their record is located, click on the user's Properties button (located on the far right from the name).
6. From the next window, move down the screen to #4 Role & Availability and click the radio button next to Teaching Assistant.
7. Move to the bottom of the window and click Submit.

 

How do I add another instructor to my course?

Team Teaching a Blackboard Course
When a course is created, only one instructor exists.  In order to add another instructor to the course, you must enroll them first, then alter their role.  To do this, use the following steps:

From the Control Panel

1. Choose User Management | Enroll User.
2. Enroll the user that will be team teaching the course. When the user is enrolled, the property for that user will be set to Student.
3. Choose  User Management | List/Modify Users.
4. Using the Search Box or List All option, find the user's name.
5. When their record is located, click on the user's Properties button (located on the far right from the name).
6. From the next window, move down the screen to #4 Role & Availability and click the radio button next to Instructor.
7. Move to the bottom of the window and click Submit.

 

What's New and Different for Instructors in the Blackboard Learning System (Release Six)?

Click:  whatsnew_instructors.pdf

 

How do I add new courses?

Courses in Blackboard 6 are now created based on info from the course schedule.  Students who completed registration were also enrolled in the courses.  All of this was done from the administrative side as batch loads.  

New courses must be created from the administrative side of Blackboard 6. Please contact Geri Worley or Jesse McKneely with a brief description of the course you need. You will receive an email notice when the course has been created.

 

How does a student who added my course enroll in the course on Blackboard?

The professors are responsible for add/drops.  You will be able to adjust your roster from the Control Panel within each course. It is also possible to change the settings to allow self-enrollment.  This is done from Course Options - Settings. 

 

How do I add a student to a class roster? 

Login and select the course. Go to the Control Panel.  From there you will see the User Management Box with the Enroll User option.  You will be able to search for the student by last name and click a check box beside their name to add them to your roster.  Don't forget to click the submit button.

 

How do I change the settings for my course to allow students to self-enroll?

Login and select the course. Go to the Control Panel. From there you will see the Course Options Box with a link to Settings. From Settings, choose Enrollment Options. Click the radio button beside Self Enrollment, then click Submit. 

 

I have two sections of the same course.  When blackboard sets these up, it sets them up as separate courses, but I'd prefer them be one class together.  How do I accomplish this task?

You can copy the roster from one course into another course that currently exists on Blackboard. 

Control Panel > Course Options > Course Copy > Copy Course Materials into an Existing Course

1. Enter the Destination Course ID
2. Select Course Materials
3. Select Enrollments
4. Click Submit

 

How do I use the Gradebook to record daily attendance?

For recording daily attendance, you will need to add individual items to the gradebook for each class session.  You will also have to assign a point value for each. 

 

Is there a way for me to open an assignment submitted through the digital dropbox, edit it by adding comments, then save it back to the digital dropbox with changes? Is  there a better way to evaluate work and return it to the student through Blackboard?

The digital dropbox can contain anything you put in there and anything one of your students sends to your dropbox.  You can send a file to any student from your dropbox, BUT the students cannot access your dropbox and you cannot access their dropbox.  
 
The new Blackboard 6 Assignment Manager looks like an excellent way of doing what you have described below.  Students will complete an assignment in Blackboard.  Then, from your gradebook you can review, post grade, add comments, and send them a return file.