Blackboard learning system
From CTOWiki
WSU has two different software packages nicknamed Blackboard, officially named Blackboard Academic Suite and Blackboard Learning System CE. For more information, please read Blackboard (disambiguation).
Blackboard learning system CE version 8 is the current version of the eLearning online learning environment used by the WSU Pullman campus.
Announcements
See this wiki page for Announcements
Outages for Blackboard Learning System CE
Please check this wiki page for scheduled or unscheduled service outages for Blackboard Learning System CE.
Blackboard CE version 8 Reference Manual for Faculty
Be sure to scroll down when you click the link to see this PDF file as the first page title is low on the page. This manual is produced by Blackboard for use by faculty and is not to be distributed except for individual faculty use. To save a copy fo the PDF to your local computer, from your browser choose "file", "save as" to save a local copy.
Media:Blackboard_Learning_System_-_CE_Enterprise_8_Designer_and_Instructor_Reference.pdf
Browser problem help
Please check the browser tune up page for further help. WSU Pullman runs Blackboard CE version 8
http://www.webct.com/tuneup/viewpage?name=tuneup_browser_tuneup_information
Also an excellent page on browser tips and trouble shooting is at the Blackboard web site at URL
http://www.webct.com/tuneup/viewpage?name=tuneup_browser_troubleshoot
This includes topics such as
- General Tips
- Spyware and Deceptive Software
- Try Using a Different Browser
- Check Your Computer for Viruses
- Keep Your Microsoft Windows Software Updated
- Troubleshooting Errors
- Sun Java Runtime Environment Errors
- Green screen and code like "); d.writeln(" ");
- HTTP 403 Forbidden or Access Denied Errors
- Search Toolbars and Session Already Running Errors
- WebDAV and Folder is Invalid Errors
- "Error on Page" when attempting to add an attachment in WebCT Vista or CE 6
Download blockers - I can't see the powerpoint or word file the professor posted
Attention Students:
If your professor posted powerpoint or word documents in your course and you are having trouble viewing those files please read the information below.
If you are clicking a file posted in a Blackboard course and you see a blank page or a message at the top of the screen in the information bar that the files has been blocked for download. Please choose this link
http://wiki.wsu.edu/ctowiki/Blackboard_learning_system/download_blocker
to set your Internet explorer browser to avoid the download blocker. Another option is to use another browser such as Firefox to download the files.
Ask Dr C. - online question and answer service for Blackboard Learning System CE
For Faculty: http://www.blackboard.com/communities/ask_drc/ask_drc_Faculty.htm
For Students: http://www.blackboard.com/communities/ask_drc_students.htm
Access Issues
Request a course in Blackboard Learning System CE
Faculty and instructors
Faculty and graduate instructors can request a course space for eLearning systems including Blackboard Learning System CE via our online system at the following URL
http://olerequest.ctlt.wsu.edu
Instructors will need to know their WSU Network ID to request a course. Instructors should also know the course prefix, course number, course section and campus when requesting a course. Courses requested are created once per hour at 5 minutes past the hour. During the semester, students are enrolled overnight after the course is created.
This URL is also linked from the login page at
http://elearning.wsu.edu
Students
Students are added automatically to Blackboard Learning System CE course spaces based on METRO course enrollments and do not need to make any request. If you are officially registered in a WSU course and that course has a eLearning system course space you can just log in to Blackboard Learning System CE to see your course.
University of Idaho students in eLearning classes
WSU Friend IDs are available for University of Idaho students taking an eLearning class. Please follow the information at this CTO wiki page to give U of I students access.
http://wiki.wsu.edu/ctowiki/Access_to_Online_Learning_Resources_for_non-WSU_Students
Finding a class
Blackboard Learning System CE Classes are created for some but not all WSU sections. It is instructor choice to have or not have a eLearning system class space. If there is a space, you can access Blackboard Learning System CE in 2 ways.
- By the direct URL http://elearning.wsu.edu
- via myWSU - log in to myWSU and navigate to the academics, learning. On that page there is a link to your classes and Blackboard Learning System CE.
Log in to Blackboard Learning System CE with your regular WSU Network ID and its password.
How do I get enrolled in a class space, and what if I add the class late?
Students are automatically enrolled in eLearning system class spaces via an update between the learning system and the registrar. When you sign up for a class, if that class has a eLearning space, you will be enrolled. If you add the class late you are still enrolled. There is a nighty update process for adds and drops that runs once each night. So if you add the class today, the next morning you will see the class in the eLearning system.
Forwarding email from Blackboard courses to another email, either WSU email or another provider
Blackboard courses have an email tool which is internal email within the Blackboard system. To read this email, you normally log in to the course and read email there. You can also forward that course email to an external email address if you correctly configure your settings within the Blackboard System. Please see this page for help on how to configure email forwarding within Blackboard. Please note sometimes hotmail will block email from WSU. ITS is working to get WSU email forwarding to work correctly with hotmail.
http://wiki.wsu.edu/ctowiki/Blackboard_learning_system/email
Where do I add my TA to my Blackboard Learning System CE class?
See this link for Instructions and screen shots showing how to add a TA to a class.
Building and Taking Courses
Supported browsers for Blackboard CE 8.0 and 8.1 -- the version WSU Pullman uses for eLearning
Supported Browsers for eLearning Blackboard CE 8.0 Listed below are the supported operating systems and browsers for use with the Blackboard. Other browsers and operating system may work well, however, the listed configurations are the only configurations that are tested and supported by Blackboard.
See this URL for a current list of supported browsers
[ http://www.webct.com/tuneup/viewpage?name=tuneup_browsers_vista80_ce80]
Viewing Office 2007 documents with Office 2003
IF you have problem viewing attachments from Office 2007, please go to URL http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=941b3470-3ae9-4aee-8f43-c6bb74cd1466&DisplayLang=en to download and install the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack. You will then be able to open and work with Office 2007 files sent as attachments in Office 2003.
Information and instructions on posting PowerPoint files to a Blackboard Learning System CE course
Please view this page if you plan to post PowerPoint files to Blackboard Learning System CE. This page contains a link to a free PDF creator utility for turning powerpoint files into PDF files.
Grade book help for faculty
Please see this page for faculty information on using the grade book in a course.
Discussion Tool -- Using this tool and Posting messages to discussion forums in an eLearning course
Please see this link for a page on discussion forums.
http://wiki.wsu.edu/ctowiki/Blackboard_learning_system/discussion
Grading Rubrics
Tips for taking online quizzes and exams in Blackboard Learning System CE for faculty and students
Please view this page for tips for taking online quizzes and exams in Blackboard Learning System CE.
Java and Blackboard Learning System CE - my computer applet broken, trouble uploading files to file manager, browser closes or freezes, trouble adding attachments
"Java" is an add-on technology that extends the capabilities of web browsers. The eLearning system uses Java for Chat, Who's Online, file uploads via the "My Computer" icon, and other functions. Having a compatible Java version installed on your system will help you have the best possible experience; having an incompatible Java version may cause a variety of problems, including browser "crash", "hang", or "freeze" episodes.
Some users have reported problems using Blackboard Learning System CE with Microsoft Windows and some versions of the Sun Java Runtime Environment (JRE). Reported problems include a "hung" or "frozen" browser on login or when using the "Check browser" link, chat room errors, failure of file uploads via the "My Computer" icon, failure when trying to add attachments to discussions or assignments and possibly other errors.
You can determine what Java version you have, and check its compatibility with Blackboard Learning System CE. Go to http://elearning.wsu.edu and before you log in, click the "Check Browser" link on the left side of the window.
Please access this page for instructions on how to fix Java problems.
Get the correct Java for eLearning
http://wiki.wsu.edu/ctowiki/Blackboard_learning_system/java
Uploading Files from Your Computer to Blackboard Learning System CE WebDAV or Get files
You may wish to upload files to the "My Files" area under the "Content Manager" tab of the MyClasses page, or to the "Course Files" area of the "File Manager" within courses. Uploads to both areas work the same way. There are two methods:
- Use "Get Files" and the "My Computer" icon to transfer up to 7 files at once. (Instructions) [This is the only method available from Macintosh computers. We are hoping for a fix from Blackboard.]
- Drag-and-Drop Files using WebDAV (Instructions)
Problems Downloading Files -- a.k.a. I see a blank page when I click a link in the course
If a professor posts word documents or excel files, they will be downloaded and opened in that specific software from a course. HTML or PDF files are not downloaded but rendered in the course window itself.
Sometimes students can be confused by seeing a blank screen instead of the file and they do not notice the information bar saying the file has been blocked for download.
The default setting in Internet Explorer is to block downloaded files. In a course if you access a file that needs to be downloaded, such as a Microsoft Word document, the download blocker is activated.
Often the information bar comes up right below the address bar telling you a file has been blocked. You can click on that bar to download the file but that action takes you back to the my Classes page. You then have to go back to the course and again click the link for the file you want and it will download.
To prevent this you can set Internet Explorer to not use the information bar on downloads and to prompt instead for file downloads by following the steps below.
This procedure will allow Web sites to automatically prompt you when downloading files and software (bypassing the Information Bar).
- Open Internet Explorer.
- On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
- On the Security tab, click Custom Level.
- Do one or both of the following:
- To turn off the Information Bar for file downloads, in the Downloads section of the list, under Automatic prompting for file downloads, click Enable.
- To turn off the Information Bar for ActiveX controls, in the ActiveX controls and plug-ins section of the list, under Automatic prompting for ActiveX controls, click Enable.
For problems with Chat or Email - please clear the Java cache.
Go to the Java page and follow the steps for clearing the Java Cache. Do not uninstall Java, just clear the cache. The Java cache is different than the browser cache.
Changing settings using the my Settings option
You can change settings such as paging preferences, font size, email and others by choosing the my Settings link from the top right of the my Classes page. See this page for details.
Support
Hands on help for WSU faculty
We invite faculty to drop by the Center For Teaching, Learning and Technology (CTLT) lab, CUE 502, for one-on-one help and questions about Blackboard Learning System CE. Open lab hours for help are now
Thursday 8:30 to noon
Please stop by the lab at the CUE building room 502.
From August 18th 2008 to September 8th 2008 open lab hours will be extended. The hours during this period will be Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 8:30 to noon.
Faculty may also call 335-1355 to make an specific appointment if open lab hours do not fit your schedule.
Help for faculty at Blackboard.com
Help resources, FAQ's, and the Ask Dr. C question and answer service can be found at the URL below.
https://behind.blackboard.com/s/faculty/cevista
Help for students at Blackboard.com
Help resources, FAQ's, and the Ask Dr. C question and answer service can be found at the URL below.
https://behind.blackboard.com/s/student/cevista/
Training for Blackboard CE
Faculty are invited to open lab hours for individual training at the CTLT every Thursday from 8:30 to noon inthe CUE building room 502. Open lab hours are extended to every morning at the beginning of the semester.
Sample Exemplary Courses
History of usage of the WebCT Blackboard system at WSU
http://wiki.wsu.edu/ctowiki/Blackboard_learning_system/history
External Links
Related Tutorials
Blackboard_learning_system/Common_Errors
(See all Blackboard Learning System CE Pages)
