Blackboard LMS

 

What is it?

Blackboard is the Learning Management System (LMS) used to deliver all online and classroom/web combination courses at City University of Seattle. Using Blackboard, instructors can post course documents, communicate with students (through announcements and e-mail) and facilitate asynchronous discussion between students. In-class students can use the Blackboard course shell to exchange out-of-classroom e-mail with classmates and the instructor. Instructors are required to post assignment grades for courses in all delivery modes in Blackboard's Grade Center.

How do I get access?

Every course is automatically set up with a Blackboard Course Shell, including in-class courses. PeopleSoft automatically populates courses when instructors are assigned and when students are enrolled. Instructors get access to the Blackboard course shell 17 days ahead of the course start date and students get access two days prior to the course start date. Courses appear as a hyperlinked list in the Faculty Portal for instructors or in the Student Portal for students.

Instructors new to CityU are required to register for, and complete, an online, interactive Blackboard Basics course or the Blackboard Basics Competency* before teaching their first class.  The purpose of the Blackboard Basics training course is to teach (or review) all the skills and controls of the Learning Management System needed to set up and manage the Blackboard classroom.

Who do I contact if I have problems?

Visit the CityU 24/7 Help Desk or call 866-379-0288 to get help over the phone, or you may email CityU's Blackboard Support staff.

Where Can I Learn More?

A student orientation to Blackboard is typically offered as a webinar near the beginning of each quarter. Check the university calendar in the Student Portal for upcoming webinars.

CityU Blackboard Wizard for Faculty

Blackboard Wizard
CityU's Blackboard Support Team is the Wizardry behind this site. The Wizard Blog is full of just in time tips; FAQs; CityU Blackboard tutorials and videos

Tutorial Videos
Created by CityU Blackboard Support team for CityU instructors: Bb Introduction; Control Panel; Bb Tools; Creating an Announcement; Copy Course Content; Edit Content; Creating Learning Modules; Assignment Manager; Assignment Tools Management; Discussion Board; Test Creation; BB Email

Tutorial Documents
CityU Blackboard Support team created handy references in word or pdf format on the following topics: Blackboard 9 overview; Edit a faculty information profile; Edit a faculty information profile; Entering grades in a grade center; Create and manage small groups; Downloading grades; Copying content

Blackboard FAQs
Over 50 questions asked by CityU instructors, answered by the CityU Blackboard Support team in the following categories: Announcements; Assessment; Communication; Control Panel; Discussion Board; General Information; Grade center; How to get Technical Help
 
Blackboard On-Demand Tutorials

Blackboard on Demand Tutorials
Short interactive video tutorials show how to accomplish all tasks the Blackboard 9.1 platform is capable of. Keep in mind the generic nature of content and CityU may not use all features. Check with Course Managers if in doubt.

Understanding Your Course
Tour the course environment; Working in the course environment; Building course content

Communicating and Collaborating
Using the Discussion Board; Managing Group Work; Blogs and journals; Announcements and Scheduling

Assessing Learners
Grade Center; Tests, Surveys, Pools; Assignments

Getting Started with the Grade Center
This short document in the On Demand collection covers the basics of the Grade Center in just a few pages. Learn how the Grade Center is structured and how to complete common Grade Center Tasks.
 
Blackboard Knowledge Base

Blackboard Knowledge Base (requires login to Bb)
Log in to Blackboard and click Help at top of any screen to access the Help Desk and Blackboard Knowledge Base in the left navigation menu. The Knowledge Base has more than 706 support references, created by support professionals who have resolved issues for our customers. It is constantly updated, expanded, and refined to ensure that you have access to the very latest information.

Instructional topics in the Knowledge Base (requires login to Bb)
Adaptive Release; Add, Organize, Manage Content; Alerts and Notification; Announcements; Assignments Tool; Blogs; Calendar; Collaborate; Columns - Basic Tasks; Columns - Calculated Grades; Contacts; Content Areas; Content Availability; Control Panel; Course and Tool Settings; Course Menu; Create Item; Discussion Forums; Download-Upload Grades; Early Warning System; Equation Editors; Files/Documents; Folders; Glossary; Grade Center; Groups ; Guest-Observer Access; Journals; Learning Modules; Links; Module Pages; Performance Dashboard; Properties; Roster; SafeAssignments; Self and Peer Assessment; Send Email; Settings; Submissions-Grading; Tests, Surveys, Pools; Tool Availability; Tracking Reports; Users; Virtual Classrooms; Visual Text Editor

 

* Instructors with previous Blackboard 9.0 experience, who are comfortable with Blackboard 9.0, may complete a Blackboard Competency activity. Email your request to BBsupport, and the Blackboard coach will send you instructions on how to get started.

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