Blackboard 9.1 Basics for Faculty

Bb 9.1 Basics for CSS Faculty

Follow the steps below in order to assure your success in the logistical aspects of using Blackboard at The College of St. Scholastica.

Logging In

Blackboard is accessible from within the COR Portal:  http://www.cor.css.edu. Once you're in the portal, simply click the Logins link located at the top right of the screen.

Courses

The Blackboard Administrator will generate course "shells" for all of the regular CSS courses you teach, and the site for a future semester will generally be available two weeks after registration for that upcoming semester has opened. Students who are registered for your course will be added automatically to the course site, and this usually happens two weeks prior to the first day of class. You, the instructor, are in control of when students are able to access your course site. When you are ready for students to see and log into your Blackboard site, you need to make it available. This video tutorial as well as resources provided on the Resource Tab in Blackboard, will guide you through the process of making your course available.

Blackboard makes a useful supplement to support face to face teaching activities. Your Blackboard site can provide students with 24/7 access to a syllabus, Web links, course calendar, and many other optional tools such as discussions, in-course email, and quizzes. Many instructors also like to use Blackboard to provide students with access to a personal online grade book. Other commonly included features include links to library and academic support services.

Exploring Blackboard

Once you've logged in to Blackboard, you'll be in main launching point from which you can access all courses assigned to you. As a faculty member, you can use the Edit Mode to work in your course and then turn Edit Mode off when you are ready to approximate a student view of the course.

For consultation on practical and pedagogical aspects of developing your Blackboard site, please contact Sarah Bryans Bongey at sbongey@css.edu,  Nikki Schutte at nschutte@css.edu, or Joel Johnson at jjohnson@css.edu. Sarah, Nikki and Joel will assist you with suggestions for the effective development and teaching via WebCT and other instructional technologies. Andrew Ortman is the Blackboard Administrator, and you can reach him via email at aortman@css.edu

Additional Help and Information

Blackboard has an extensive and context-sensitive system of Help pages that are built right into the program. To access this information from within your Blackboard site, simply click on the Help link at the top of your Blackboard screen. There is also a Resources Tab available, as well as self-paced training courses for both faculty and students. Additional support may be found at the following sites:

Resources for CSS Faculty

Resources and Information from the CSS Academic Technologies site http://www.css.edu/atc.xml

Ask Dr. C (A Searchable Question and Answer Database for Blackboard users) http://www.blackboard.com/Support/Ask-Dr-C.aspx

Software that is available for download and use by all CSS instructors:

1. Download Respondus - helps with the creation of long or complicated tests/quizzes that get uploaded to Blackboard.
2. Download Impatica - allows you to process your PowerPoint [with or without narration] and present it in a format that can be viewed via even the slowest of connections.

3. Download StudyMate - a quick way to create online flash cards, crosswords and other learning games for your Blackboard course.

Go to the following site, and click on Software Downloads:https://www2.css.edu/intranet/The site is password protected, but you can download the software by using your Novell/Google Apps ID and password (that's the same ID/Password you use for your CSS email!)

Information to give your students

Blackboard Help Page for Students

http://ondemand.blackboard.com/students.htm

24/7 Support:
Toll Free: (866) 847-0564.