Information Technology Services

• How do I request help with Blackboard?
• How do I get started with a Blackboard Organization?
• General Information
• Build Your Course
• Adding/Deleting Students to Your Course
• Communication and Collaborative Tools
• Online Gradebook & Assessment
• Changes in Blackboard Summer, 2006
• Support, FAQ, Known Issues, Policies

Visit the Blackboard Help Page.
http://www.ndsu.edu/bbhelp

1. Request Blackboard Access
   1. Go to http://enroll.nodak.edu and log in using your NDSU email ID and password
   2. When your data screen displays, click on "Blackboard" under Available Services on the left side of screen
   3. Verify that you meant to choose it when so prompted
   4. The service will become available overnight
      NOTE: If "Blackboard" is listed under your Current Services instead, you already have Blackboard access
   5. If a Non-NDSU person needs Blackboard access, visit the Requesting Access to Blackboard document, page 2, for instructions
2. Request a new Blackboard course
   1. Follow the Course Create Utility instructions
3. Review the new course checklist
4. Add your course content
5. Set up your gradebook (optional)

• What is Blackboard? A brief overview of Blackboard and its features
• Training Opportunities
• Blackboard Hardware/Software Specifications

• Instructor Manual (PDF)
• Building Courses with Blackboard (PDF)
• Adding Content by Uploading Files (PDF)
• Tips for Optimizing Students' PowerPoint Experiences in Blackboard 6.3 (PDF) (Also appropriate information for Word documents)
• Optimizing Files for Blackboard Delivery (PDF) Strategies for reducing the size of Word & PowerPoint files
• Saving PowerPoint Presentations as a Web Page (PDF)
• Importing A Web Site Into Blackboard (PDF) (for example PowerPoint presentations saved as HTML)

Prior to each semester, students are automatically enrolled in their Blackboard courses. These auto-enrolls are run until the last day to add classes. Students are not automatically deleted from Blackboard courses when they drop courses in PeopleSoft. Instructors must remove drops manually. If there are students that you need to add or remove manually from your class, use "Enroll Users" or "Remove Users from Course" from the Control Panel.

• Communication and Collaborative Tools (PDF)
• Grading Online Discussion Participation: A Sample Rubric from Northeastern University (HTML)
• Using the Bb6 Improved Assignment Feature
• Wimba Classroom

• New: Problems with Save Feature in Quizzes/Tests in Bb 7.1 (PDF)
• Making your Test Available in Blackboard 6.3 (PDF)
• Uploading Test Questions in Blackboard 6.3 (PDF)
• Using the Test Manager in Blackboard 6.3 (PDF)
• Setting Up Your Gradebook in Blackboard 6.3 (PDF)
• Student's View of the Gradebook (PDF)
• Disallowing Printing of Blackboard 6.3 Quizzes and Tests (PDF)
• Accessing the Student Ratings of Instruction (SROI) Using Bb (PDF)

• Discussion Board Changes - Take this link to find out what's changed in the discussion board. This is probably the biggest change.
  • Search Function Added
  • Copy forums to other courses or to group discussion boards
  • Use star rating for quick and easy peer review
  • Grade feature now part of the discussion board
  • Collect (viewing multiple threads at once) doesn't work, but there's a work around
• The "what you see is what you get" editting boxes now work in all browsers, including Firefox and Netscape. You may be asked to accept a certificate when you first try to edit. Choose always.
• You can copy exams and quizzes from one Blackboard course to another. Take this link to find out how.
• Find out more about the My Files tab and Blackboard File Management by viewing this tutorial.

ITS Help Desk: 231-8685

Blackboard FAQ from Bethel University