Blackboard Academic Suite User Manual |

Blackboard Academic Suite User Manual

Course Web Sites

Overview

Each course offered by an institution is hosted on a Web site. A course Web site consists of a navigation path, a Course menu, and a content frame. The navigation path allows users to return to any page accessed between the main course page and the current page. The Course menu links users to the available content areas and tools. The content frame displays Web pages accessed through the buttons or navigation path.

Organization Web Sites

Organization Web sites function in the same way as course Web sites. The organization Manager uses the flexible learning tools of a course Web site to provide an online environment for the organization. Organizations are only available with the

Blackboard Portal System

.

Linking to a course Web site

To create a link to a course Web site, simply copy the URL from the address bar in the

Web. Links to course Web sites can be posted inside the

Blackboard Learning System

or externally. In either case, the user will be prompted for authorization before accessing the course Web site.

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Blackboard Academic Suite

Functions

User Manual

The table below includes information on the components of a course Web site. The names of the areas are customizable by the Instructor or the System Administrator.

Area

Announcements

Staff Information

Content Areas

Assignments

Communication

External Links

Tools

Description

Announcements post timely information critical to course success. Announcements occupy the Main

Frame upon entry to a course Web site and can also appear on the My Institution and Courses area depending on system configuration.

Click

Announcements

from the course Web site tool bar to view course Announcements.

Staff Information provides background and contact information on course Instructors and Teaching

Assistants.

Content areas can contain a wide-range of content items including:

Course Information – Course Information displays descriptive materials about the course. Materials usually posted here include the syllabus and course objectives.

Course Documents – Course Documents may include learning materials and lesson aids, such as lecture notes.

Assignments lists the due date and description for class work. The Instructor posts assignments and can modify the instructions and due date. Students may view files the Instructor has attached to an Assignment. They may also attach files to an Assignment to submit to the

Instructor.

Course users communicate through the Communication

Center. The Communication Center allow users to:







 send and receive email read and post messages to Discussion Boards enter the Virtual Classroom view Student roster

 view Group pages

External Links connects course users to outside learning materials. Instructors may select outside materials and post a hyperlink and brief description for each external source.

Tools that can be used in the course Web site. These include: Digital Drop Box, Edit Home Page, Personal

Information, Calendar, View Grades, Student Manual,

Tasks, The Electric Blackboard®, and Address Book.

Accesses the Blackboard Resource Center.

Allows course Web site navigation through a collapsible tree directory. Instructors can go directly to various course areas.

Resources

Course Map

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Blackboard Academic Suite User Manual

Chapter 2 -

Blackboard Academic Suite

Gateway

Overview

To utilize the exciting features of the

Blackboard Academic Suite

users must have a valid username and password. The Gateway page welcomes users and provides a login button to access the Blackboard platform. Before logging in, a user must have a valid user name and password.

Note:

The

Blackboard Learning System

requires that cookies are enabled within the

Web browser.

Note:

The Institution may select to bypass the Gateway page. If this is the case, a

User accessing the URL will be directed to the My Institution tab and authenticated as a guest. Users may login to through a button on the header frame or a special portal module.

Functions

The following buttons appear on the Gateway page.

Note:

The

Course Catalog

and

Create Account

buttons may not appear depending on institutional preferences.

Function

Login

Course Catalog

Create Account

Description

Users can log into their account from the Blackboard

Gateway page.

Browse the Course Catalog .

Users can create an account to the Blackboard Gateway page.

In this chapter

This chapter includes the following topics.

Topic

Creating an

Account

Entry Page

Lost Password

Page

Course Catalog

Browsing the

Course Catalog

Description

Details how to create a Blackboard account with a user name, password and personal information. Depending on institutional preferences, this option may not be available to users.

Describes the page used to logon to Blackboard.

Details how to obtain a new password in the case that yours is lost.

Describes the Course Catalog for your institution

Details how to browse and search the Course Catalog for specific courses.

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