Blackboard 9.1 SP11 Student Guide

• Accessing Blackboard • Institution Home Page • Updating Personal Information • Adding a Picture • Course Navigation • Breadcrumb Navigation • Send Email • Upload Assignment • Discussion Board Participation • Test and Assessments • Calendar • Viewing Course Grade • Online Learning Tips • Help, Support, and Resources

Accessing Blackboard: 1. Open a browser window. It is recommended to use a recent version of Internet Explorer or Firefox.

HINT: To ensure functionality, view Blackboard in “Compatibility Mode.” 2. Enter https://rsccd.blackboard.com in the address window, then click “Go.” Enter the Web Advisor

User ID in the “User Name” field and the Web Advisor Password in the “Password” field. Click “Login.” Click “User ID and Password Help” for assistance if needed.

Enter Web advisor User ID

Enter Web Advisor Password

Click for User ID / Password help

Institution Home Page: The Blackboard “My Institution” Home Page is the first page visible when accessing Blackboard. The Institution home page has links to and information on (NOTE: The modules may appear in a different order):

• Blackboard Help: Link to Blackboard help and tutorials • Distance Education Support: Provides links to Distance Education resources and support • NBC in the News • Santa Ana College Mission Statement • My Organizations: Provides links to orientations, practice courses and other organizations.

o HINT: The Student Online Orientation is a great place for students to start. It provides some instruction on how to be a successful online learner, and provides a course for students to practice their skills.

• My Courses: Provides a quick link to all your courses • Browser Test: It is recommended that all users perform the browser test when first accessing

Blackboard. o HINT: Use Internet Explorer or Firefox, but ensure that Compatibility Mode is enabled for the

site.

Modules provide information and quick links

Link to Notifications Dashboard

Add a module to the page

Global Navigation Panel Log

Off Bb

Link to SAC Website

Course Link(s)

Help and Support

Browser Test

Links to Distance Ed support & resources

Updating Personal Information: 1. It is extremely important to keep personal information updated in Blackboard. This information, allows

the instructor to contact students. IMPORTANT: Email addresses must be kept current in Blackboard for communication. Email addresses changed in Web Advisor will not be changed in Blackboard. This must be done separately (see below). First, from the Global Navigation Panel, under “Settings,” click on “Personal Information.” Next, click “Edit Personal Information” to update information and / or change an Email address.

2. Complete the personal information on the edit page. It is important to keep the Email address current.

Check the Email field to ensure that the most current Email address is displayed. If not, please update it. Once all the desired information has been entered, click “Submit” to save the changes. Click “Cancel” to return to the menu with no changes.

Adding a Picture 1. To add a profile picture, from the Global Navigation Panel, under “Settings,” click “Personalize My

Settings.” Next, click the box next to “Use Custom Avatar Image.” Finally, click the “Browse My Computer” icon. The profile picture will be displayed in the page headers, People tool, blogs, journals, discussions, roster, and within notification modules including What’s New, Needs Attention, To Do, and Alerts.

Click to update Email address

Enter current Email address

2. Select the desired file from the computer. Click “Open” to add it to Blackboard. HINT: The recommended pixel size is 150 x 150. Larger images should be cropped before imported.

3. This image should be displayed. Click “Submit” to update and add the profile picture to the account.

Click to select file

Navigating a Course: To access the Course Home page, click the name of the class under the “My Courses” section of the Institution Home page. Classes can also be accessed through the Global Navigation Panel in the upper right corner, under the “Courses” section.

The Blackboard Course Home Page is the first page visible when a course is accessed. Just as in a classroom, Instructors can customize the online course. Therefore, the course home page and the tools available may look different in each online class. The example below is an example of a common way a course may be set up. The course home page (in this example) contains:

• Course Tool Bar: Changes the view (list or folder), refreshes the page • Course Menu: The menu students will use to navigate the completed course • My Calendar: Class events, due dates, etc. • Needs Attention: Newly submitted assignments, discussion boards, etc. • My Announcements: Class announcements • What’s New: Show what is new in the class by category • Alerts: Class alerts for past due, early warning system and activity • To Do: Informs students what needs to be completed to earn a grade, what is past due, what is due

today, and in the future.

Course Home Page Link

Course Menu

Click link to access course

Course Tool Bar

Modules provide information, reminders, & quick links to content

Click on the edge of the menu to collapse

Breadcrumb Navigation

Breadcrumb is a navigation aid that allows students to keep track of the location within a course. The breadcrumb is located in the upper left corner. Students can return to previous menus simply by clicking the corresponding portion of the breadcrumb. The current page, is on the far right of the breadcrumb. The pages are separated by “>” which indicates the relationship. To the left of the > is the parent page. In the example below, “Articles” is located in “Unit 3.” “Unit 3” is the “parent” page or folder. Click “Unit 3” to return to that folder.

Send an Email:

1. There are multiple ways to send an Email in Blackboard. The easiest is to click the “Tools” icon on the Course Menu, then select “Send Email.” Tools also has links to the tools available in the course such as Announcements, Groups, Journals, Discussion Boards and more. The instructor may have created a contact for themselves located under “Contacts.” Private messages (not Email, but very much like the private messages in Facebook) can be sent through the “Course Messages” tool.

2. The Send Email page allows users to select who to send an Email to: All Users – Instructor and all

students, All Groups – all groups in the course, All Teaching Assistant Users – teaching assistants in the course (if any), All Student Users – all students in the course, All Instructor Users – all instructors (if more than one), Select Users – select the individual users that will receive the Email, and Select Groups. Students will primarily be contacting the Instructor. Click on either All Instructor Users or Select Users.

Click the blue line to expand the course menu bar

Click to expand section

Click to collapse section

Click link or to access

Breadcrumb: click any part to access that page

Click to send Email

3. Complete the Email Information page. Start by selecting the recipients, as the “Select Users” is being used for this example. This step will not be necessary if “All Instructor Users” was selected in the previous step. To select the user, click on the name of the person to Email in the “Available to Select” column. Use the left facing arrow (>) or chevron, to move the recipient to the “Selected” column. Multiple recipients can be selected by pressing and holding the <Ctrl> key and clicking on multiple names. The “Select All” icon at the bottom of the box will select all users.

4. Complete the Subject field, and enter and format the text of the Email in the Message box. Files can be attached by clicking the Attach a File link in the Attachments section. Once the Select Users page has been completed, click “Submit” to send the Email. Click “Cancel” to return to the menu with no changes. A copy of the Email will be sent to the sender. NOTE: The confirmation does not confirm delivery of the Email, only that the Email was sent through Blackboard. Any non-delivery notifications will be received in the sender’s mail box.

Click the name(s) of the recipient(s)

Click to select all

Click to move to or from a column

Complete (Upload) an Assignment:

1. Access the assignment through the course menu. Many assignments will require a separate word or PDF document be uploaded.

2. If the Assignments page appears, click on the appropriate assignment.

3. Review the Assignment Information section. This section will provide the details of the assignment, and any necessary documents will be attached.

Email address sent from

Enter Email text Use tool bar to configure Email text

Enter subject

4. The Assignment Submission section allows assignments to be typed in or a document uploaded into Blackboard. Click Type Submission to enter the assignment in a text box. Click Browse My Computer to add a file. Find the file to be uploaded, and click once to select in the “Choose File to Upload” dialog box. Once selected, click “Open” to continue. The file should be added to the Assignment Submission section. Click “Do Not Attach” to remove or unattach the file. Once the assignment has been completed, click “Submit” to continue. Click “Cancel” to return to the menu with no changes.

Discussion Board Participation:

1. Discussion Boards can be accessed multiple ways. Instructors may include them in assignments, provide direct links, or provide a quick link to the Discussion Board Tool. The use of Discussion Boards may vary from course to course. The Discussion Board page provides links to forums, descriptions, the number of total posts on a thread, the number of unread posts, and the total participants. Click on the “Forum” or title of the Discussion Board to participate.

Assignment Instructions

Click to enter text

Click to add a file or document

Add comment(s) for instructor re: assignment

Enter assignment text

2. The Forum page will display all thread, allow users to Create Thread, access Grading Information, Subscribe to a forum, Search for a particular forum, and change the Display. Click Create Thread to start a new post.

3. Complete the Subject field on the Create Thread page. Next, enter and format the post in the Message text box. Files can be attached by clicking the “Browse My Computer” icon in the Attachments section. In the dialog box, select the file to be included, and click “Open.” Click “Submit” to save and continue. Click “Save Draft” to save a copy to continue working on at a later time. Click “Cancel” to return to the menu with no changes.

Click on forum title to participate

Click to create thread

Grading Info

Click to subscribe

4. To respond to a post, click the Forum title to access it. Click on the Thread title to open the thread.

5. Click “Reply” on the desired thread. The Editor will appear directly below the post. Enter and format the response in the Message text box. Files can be attached by clicking the “Browse My Computer” icon in the Attachments section. In the dialog box, select the file to be included, and click “Open.” Click “Submit” to save and continue. Click “Save Draft” to save a copy to continue working on at a later time. Click “Cancel” to return to the menu with no changes. Posts are displayed from oldest to newest. The new post will be at the end of the page.

Enter text for post

Enter post subject

Use to format text

Click to attach a file

Click to save as draft

Click to respond

6. Blogs, Wikis, Journals and other types of assignments can be completed much like the Discussion Boards.

Tests and Assessments Online courses, just as in traditional classes, have tests, quizzes and other assessments. Unless set up otherwise by the instructor, assessments (test, quiz, etc.) can only be accessed one time, and must be completed once opened. Because assessments are administered online, there are some technical requirements and suggestions. To reduce the possibility of experience issues during an assessment, do the following: Computer Preparation 1. Prior to starting an assessment, reboot the computer. To reboot the computer, turn it off completely. Leave

it off for a minute or two, then start it up.

2. Use the recommended browser Firefox or Internet Explorer. Blackboard usually works best with the newer versions of the browser. For a complete list of supported browsers, click the link below: http://help.blackboard.com/en-us/Learn/9.1_SP_10_and_SP_11/Student/002_Browser_Support_SP_11

Click to reply to the post

Click to send an Email to the author

Save as draft

Enter response

Use to format text

Click to add file

Total # of words in text box

3. If using Internet Explorer (IE), set the browser to run Blackboard in Compatibility mode. Also ensure that Pop-Ups, Cookies, and Java are enabled for the site. Assessments will not work unless the browser is in Compatibility mode.

a. Compatibility mode can be enabled using the “Tools” menu in Internet Explorer. Click the Tools pull down menu, and select “Compatibility Mode Settings.”

b) The Blackboard website should appear in the “Add this website” box. Click the “Add” button. The website will appear in the Compatibility View box. Click “Close” to exit.

Assessment Recommendations: • DDoo nnoott uussee aa wwiirreelleessss ccoonnnneeccttiioonn. Use a computer that is physically connected to a network with a wire.

Wireless connections can time out or lose connectivity, which will lock up the assessment and make it unavailable.

• DDoo nnoott uussee aa mmoobbiillee ddeevviiccee. The test features may not be available on a mobile device, and mobile devices may lose connectivity. Assessments should only be taken on a computer.

• OOnnllyy hhaavvee oonnee ((11)) bbrroowwsseerr wwiinnddooww ooppeenn. Multiple browser windows or sessions can cause error or the browser to shut down unexpectedly.

• DDoo nnoott hhaavvee aannyy ootthheerr pprrooggrraammss ooppeenn oonn tthhee ccoommppuutteerr. Other programs may interfere or cause problems with the assessment.

• DDoo nnoott cclloossee tthhee bbrroowwsseerr wwiinnddooww dduurriinngg tthhee aasssseessssmmeenntt. This will “close” the test and it will not be accessible.

• DDoo nnoott lleeaavvee tthhee tteesstt ppaaggee iinn BBllaacckkbbooaarrdd oonnccee tthhee aasssseessssmmeenntt hhaass bbeeeenn ssttaarrtteedd (e.g. attempting to view course materials, another website, etc.). This could cause the assessment to crash or malfunction, and students will become locked out of the test and unable to access it.

• OOnnccee ssttaarrtteedd,, ccoommpplleettee tthhee aasssseessssmmeenntt. Assessments, unless otherwise specified by the instructor, can only be accessed once. If it is not completed during that time, it will not be available.

• BBee aawwaarree ooff ttiimmee ccoonnssttrraaiinnttss on the assessment. The instructor can set a time limit and the test must be completed within the allotted time.

• CClliicckk tthhee ““SSuubbmmiitt”” bbuuttttoonn when the assessment is complete. This will ensure that it is submitted. Completing an Assessment 1. Locate the assessment. Instructors may include assessments within a content area, provide direct links, or

provide a quick link to the course Test page. Click on the title of the assessment to access it.

2. The assessment will open in Blackboard. The first page provides the Instructions, indicates if it is a Timed Test, Timer Setting - if the test will save and submit when the time expires, and Force Completion - if the test can be completed in multiple sitting or must be completed at one time. Click “Begin” to start. Click “Cancel” to return to the menu with no changes.

Indicates timed test Action when

time expires

If the test must be completed once started

Click to start test

3. Once the assessment begins, the information will remain displayed at the top of the screen. If timed, a timer

will appear below the information and will let the student know how much time is left to complete the assessment. The screen also displays the point value for each question, which question is displayed and how many questions there are total. This can be useful for time management.

4. Assessments can be in a number of different forms, requiring different types of answers. For example, True/False, Multiple Choice, Short Answer, Essay, Fill-In-The-Blank, Matching, etc. Text boxes will be available for answers requiring input such as short answer or essay. For choice type questions, click the box next to the desired answer to select it. Once a question has been completed, click “Save Answer” to continue. If the Forward icon, represented by a left facing arrow or greater than sign (>) is clicked, the answer will be automatically saved, and the next question will display. A dialog box may appear when the answer is saved. Click “OK” to continue, then click the Forward (>) icon. No dialog box appears if the Forward icon is used.

Assessment information

Time Remaining

Question Point Value

Click to save

Click box to select answer

Question

Click to advance to next ?

5. When the assessment is completed, and all the questions have been answers, click the “Save and Submit” icon. A confirmation box will appear. Click “OK” to continue and submit the assessment. Click “Cancel” to return to the test. A confirmation page will be displayed containing information about the assessment, such as the course name, assessment title, date and time started, date and time submitted, and time used. Some test results may be available immediately. In these cases, click “OK,” located in the lower right corner to view the test results. The Review Test Submission page will contain a summary of the assessment. The preliminary grade will appear in the “Attempt Score” field.

IIMMPPOORRTTAANNTT: Students should contact the instructor immediately if any technical issues are encountered during the assessment, or prohibit the access to or completion of the assessment.

Calendar

1. The course calendar allows students to view upcoming assignments and due dates. The calendar can be accessed either on the home page, or from Tools. From the home page, click the “More Calendar Events…” link in the Calendar module. From Tools, select Calendar to open and view the course calendar.

Click to access calendar

2. The calendar will be displayed. The calendar view can be set to display by Day, Week, or Month by clicking the icons in upper left corner. The current month / week / day is always displayed. To select a different time period, click the forward (>) or back (<) icons next to the month. Calendar items appear color coded on the calendar. If a student is enrolled in multiple courses, each course will be represented by a different color on the calendar. Students can create Personal calendar events. Course calendar events are added by the instructor. Personal calendar items can be added by clicking the plus (+) icon in the upper right corner, or by double clicking on the date of the event to be added. Complete the fields in the Create Event dialog box. The name of the calendar event should be entered in the New Event Name… field. Enter the Start and End dates / times. Click either date field to select from the calendar. If it is an All Day or Repeat event, check the appropriate boxes. Enter the Event Description in the text box. Click “Save” to continue. Click “Cancel” to return to the menu with no changes. Note that all added events will appear on the Personal calendar and will be color coded accordingly. Only instructors can add events to the course calendar.

Calendar color display key

Click to change view to day, week or month

Click to view next or previous month

Course event

Click to add new event

Enter event description

Use to select date / time

Enter Start / End Dates / Times

Viewing Grades 1. To view the grade in the course, click the My Grades link on the course menu.

2. The My Grades page usually displays the grade in the course, as well as the grades on individual assignments. However, the grades and how they are displayed are determined by the instructor and may vary from course to course. Links are provided for the Description, (if applicable) Grading Criteria, and Comments. Comments are the instructor’s feedback. The assignment or assessment can be accessed by clicking the name. Submitted document or assignments that have not been graded appear at the bottom of the grades, under Submitted.

Click to view grades

Submitted, ungraded assignments

Course Grade

Click title to view assignment & rubric

3. Instructors may provide addition comments and feedback in the rubric. To view the Rubric, click on the assignment or assessment title to access. The “Review Submission History” page will display an image of the submitted work. The grade details are on the right. Grade is the grade assigned. Attempt is the date and time that the assignment was submitted. The Rubric icon is on the attempt line. The submitted document is located in the Submission section. The instructor may leave additional comments in the Grader Feedback section. Click “OK” at the bottom right to return to My Grades.

4. The Rubric detail will provide students with a description of the assignment, a breakdown of their grade, additional feedback, and provides the criteria that was used to grade the assignment or assessment. Instructors have the option of making this available or not, therefore rubrics may not always be accessible in a course. Click Exit to return to assignment detail.

Image of submitted document

Submitted document

Instructor feedback

Click to view rubric

Grade

Online Learning Tips

Collaborative Learning Online learning is more of a collaborative learning environment, with the instructor acting more as a guide through the learning resources then a lecturer. Online learning students have more responsibility for reading ad interacting with the content, the instructor, and other students in the course. To be successful in a collaborative learning environment:

• Take responsibility for your learning and listen carefully • Prepare by reading all of the assigned materials before any group activity • Actively participate in interactions such as discussion forums, chat rooms, virtual classroom, etc. • Ask questions if you do not understand and seek clarification if you are confused • Expect feedback on your performance in a timely manner • Provide constructive feedback to your peers when appropriate • Share only relevant experiences, ideas, and thoughts • Apply newly learned knowledge to your environment • Be flexible, adaptable and patient • Develop an active sense of humor and have fun

Grade for the section

Additional Comments

General Rubric comments

Point & Percentage of total grade

Criteria for specific grade

Main Criteria

Time Management A set of well-developed time management skills may be the most important tool for success in an online learning environment. Students need to plan ahead and allocate sufficient time to access course materials, participate in collaborative activities, and complete all of the assignments.

• Realistic Expectations: Anticipate spending the same amount of time on the online course as you would for the same course in a traditional classroom. A good rule of thumb is about two to three hours per week per credit (e.g. a 3 credit course would be approximately 6-9 hours per week).

• Check-In Frequently: Log onto the online course frequently to ensure that you are up to date on the announcements, assignments, materials, any changes and communications. At a minimum, log on two to three times per week.

• Look Ahead: Use the course calendar to stay on track with assignments and due dates. Look ahead to see what is coming up so you can be prepared.

• Speak Up: Contact the instructor or peers if you do not understand something or if you need further clarification. The instructor is a great resource, use them! Instructors are there to ensure that you understand the material, content, and assignments. Check the course syllabus for contact information. Many online instructors will offer online or virtual office hours.

• Plan and Organize: Use the course calendar or a personal calendar (e.g. Google Calendar) to schedule study time, and create “milestones” to ensure that you are on track for projects and papers. It’s too easy to miss deadlines or fall behind.

Netiquette (Net Etiquette) Netiquette or Net Etiquette refers to the acceptable standards of behavior when interacting in an online environment. There are a few simple rules:

• Be Respectful of Others: It is important to be courteous and respectful of others time, bandwidth, and opinions; behave in a manner that is professional; never “say” anything online that you wouldn’t be willing to say to someone in person; remember that there are many different viewpoints, beliefs and ideas – embrace the variety, you may change your opinion … understand that we may disagree as it is part of the learning experience … if you do disagree, remember to challenge the idea and not the person; be open minded and listen to others thoughts and ideas.

• Privacy: Posting private information in the wrong place can have serious consequences. Respect the privacy of classmates and what is shared in the course.

• Appropriate Language and Communication: Check your writing for errors before posting, either use a word processing program (such as Word) or use the spell check tool in the text boxes in the course. Use proper spelling and grammar. Refrain from using social media abbreviations (e.g. lol, omg, lmao, etc.) and any inappropriate or offensive words. Remember do not type in all capital letters – it is the same as yelling at someone and is considered rude. Be careful with the use of humor and sarcasm, both can be easily misunderstood.

• Just the Facts: Respect other people’s time by keeping messages, posts, and comments short and to-the-point. Support stated opinions with facts and reliable sources. Review all discussion posting before posting your own to avoid redundancy. Remember to be friendly, positive, and self-reflective when participating.

Blackboard (9.1 SP11) Help and Support

IInnssttrruuccttoorrss are the best student resource for a course. Students should contact the instructor first if they need any assistance or have any difficulty with the course. The Instructor should be contacted immediately if any technical issues are encountered during an assignment or assessment, or if anything prohibits the access to or completion of a class assignment or assessment. Help, Support and Resources on Blackboard

1. From the Institution Home Page, find the “Blackboard Help” module. Click the link for “Blackboard Tutorials and Help.”

2. A new page will open to the Blackboard On Demand Learning Center. Browse or search for specific topics within the learning center. Short videos and written instructions are available for many topics.

3. Distance Education also provides resources on the Blackboard Institution Home page. Locate the “Distance Education Support” module. Click on the appropriate link.

Click to access Blackboard Tutorials and Help

Enter topic or keywords to search

Categories to browse

4. Blackboard Help is also available from the Course. Click the “Help” icon located at the bottom of the Course menu.

5. A new page will open for the Official Blackboard Help site. Browse the Table of Contents or search

for a topic or key words.

Enter topic or key words to search

Click for help

Click > next to category for topics

Blackboard Online Help, Support and Resources 1. Visit the Distance Education Website at www.sac.edu/disted for Blackboard information, help, support

and resources.

Additional Student Resources DDiissttaannccee EEdduuccaattiioonn OOffffiiccee The Distance Education Office supports faculty and students in all areas of online learning and instruction. Contact or stop by the Distance Education Office at: SAC DISTANCE EDUCATION OFFICE

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Distance Education Student Blackboard Guide by Santa Ana College Distance Education is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License