Accessing My Blackboard Course(s)
To access your distance learning courses in Blackboard, you will need to log into Blackboard. On your home page you will find a list of all courses you are enrolled in that is utilizing Blackboard in its delivery. By clicking on the course, you will enter in the course and the materials provided by your instructor for the course.
The instructions below outline how to access a course in Blackboard, along with a brief overview of what materials and tools you will find related to your course.
Please Note: For more information on Blackboard tools not covered in this tutorial, please refer to the User Manual located under Course Tools.
1. Access your Blackboard home page by logging into Blackboard.
2. In the My Courses Box is a list of the Blackboard courses you are enrolled in, along with any announcements particular to the course.
Please Note: If an Internet course you registered for does not show up in you’re My Courses Box, contact your instructor.
3. Click on the name of the course in the My Courses Box to enter the course and access course materials.
4. The Course home page should appear.
The left navigation menu provides the options for the navigating through the course materials.
Your course menu items may include:
Clicking on the tabs across the top of the page will allow you to change views of your Announcements, and view:
Click on document name to access the document.
Please Note: You will need the appropriate software to open some documents. For example:
| File Type: | Needed Software: |
| .doc |
Microsoft Word |
| .xls |
Microsoft Excel |
|
Adobe Reader (free download) | |
| .htm or .html |
Any Web browser |
Click the Learning Unit name to access the materials, learning activities, and tests for the unit.
Materials
The Learning Unit will encompass a variety of materials provided by your instructor to be reviewed and studied for the the course.
Some of the materials included in the Learning Unit may require you to indicate their completion.
Click on Mark Reviewed when you have completed the task. This notifies your instructor that you have completed this task.
Learning Activities
Some sections of the Learning Unit may be learning activities that your instructor will ask you to complete, often for a grade. These activities might involve a variety of tasks, and may or may not require you to access the Assignments folder in Blackboard in order to compete the activity. Be sure to read your instructor's instructions carefully to make sure you complete the activity as directed.
Activities that are to be completed in the Assignments folder generally require a document supplied by your instructor to be downloaded from Blackboard to your computer. You will complete the work and then upload the completed activity back into the Assignments folder in Blackboard.
See Completing Assignments in Blackboard for more information on completing assignments in Blackboard.
Tests
Some sections of the Learning Unit are Tests. Tests are generally timed and may limit your access the test. You should always allow sufficient time to take tests.
See Test Taking Tips for Blackboard for important information on Test Taking in Blackboard.
- Assignments -- Your instructor may have you complete some learning activities in the Assignments folder.
When you complete a learning activity and upload it to Assignments, an entry is automatically created in the Gradebook. Your instructor will then grade the assignment and post in in the Gradebook.
See Completing Assignments in Blackboard for more information on how to complete Assignments.
5. The Tools Box:
Discussion Board
The Discussion Board allows students to engage in interactive discussions -- however they do not have to be online simultaneously to participate.
See Using Blackboard's Discussion Board for more information on the Discussion Board.
Calendar
The Calendar provides information on important deadlines for your course. You may click on the tabs to change view to day, week, month or year.
By clicking on Quick Jump, (located at the top of the Calendar) you can quickly view a particular Calendar date.
Digital Dropbox
The Digital Dropbox provides a method for sending documents to your instructor. Upon submission your will receive an electronic time-dated receipt.
See How to Use Blackboard's Digital Dropbox for more information on the Digital Dropbox.
My Grades
My Grades allows you to view your grades as you progress through the course and complete assignments and tests. Some grades will be automatically posted once you complete the assignment or test. Others will be manually entered by your instructor.
Please Note: If some portions of the assignment or test requires the instructor to review and grade it, your grade will display "!" until your instructor enters your grade.
You may use the Course Map as an alternative way to navigate through the course materials.
-
Quick View/Detail View - The Quick View/Detail View button controls your course navigation menu. Quick View provides the short list of the main sections included in the course.
Click on Detail View to see the detailed view of your course navigation.
In the Detail View, you may click on the "+" icon at the top of the menu list to open all the folders. This will allow you easily and quickly navigate to any folder or course document.
Click on Quick View to return to the Quick View navigation menu.
6. Logging Out of Blackboard:
Click the Logout button located on the tool bar located at the top of the page.
You should always log out of Blackboard whenever you are finished to insure that someone using the computer after you does not have access to your course materials.