To activate a CSUSB Blackboard Course Site account for a class, all faculty do this by completing the DL Planning Notification form located at http://odl.csusb.edu/fr_f.htm
To reuse all or part of an old course site for a subsequent semester, submit a DL Planning Notification form [http://odl.csusb.edu/fr_f.htm] for the new course site, just as if you were requesting an entirely new course site. However, when asked if you would like to copy course materials from an existing Blackboard course, include the course ID, section number, and semester of the course from which you wish to copy content. The new course site will be created as a copy of the existing course site.
When a new course site is created as a copy of an existing course site, all of the course content (announcements, course information, staff information, course documents, assignments, and external links) and all of the assessments and assessment pools (but not the Grade book nor the Assessment results) are copied to the new course site. It is possible to copy only the course content or only the Assessments and Pools but we are not able to copy neither only specific portions of the course content nor specific portions of the Assessments and Pools. Custom content areas that are created by faculty can also be included or excluded.
If you want to reuse only part of the content of an existing course site in a new course site, you can either (a) have all of the existing course site copied over and then remove the portions that you do not want to use this time (b) have a new course site created and (re)-upload the portions that you want to re-use.
When a new course site is created as a copy of an existing course site, we do not routinely copy over information that is tied to specific course users (like the Student Roster and the Discussion Board entries) since the new course site will usually have its own Student Roster, etc... Much of this user-specific information can be included in the copy process upon special request (in the Comment section of the DL Planning Notification Form) if there is not a specific reason for doing so, though we would typically advise against it.
Login to http://blackboard.csusb.edu. Click on the “Login button” enter your name and password. Your courses will be listed on the right hand side under the tab heading “My Courses”
System Requirements
These requirements refer specifically to your computer hardware. Remember, it is OK if you satisfy or exceed the "Recommended" settings. "Minimum requirements" are meant for basic use of Blackboard. If you require any additional plug-in software applications, always check with the appropriate vendors as the "minimum requirements" may change. You should also check with your instructor for any other hardware/software requirements specific to your course.
“Remember; always be prepared for your online class before it begins for the best learning experience!”
| Platform | Apple Macintosh | Microsoft Windows | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | Recomended | Minimum | Recomended | |
| Operating System | OS 8.6 | OS 10+ | 98 SE or ME OR NT4 w/SP6 | 2000 or XP |
| Processor Speed/Type | 300 MHz PowerPC G3 processor | 800 MHz PowerPC G4 processor or better | 400 MHz Intel Pentium II processor, or equivalent | 800 MHz Intel Pentium III processor, or equivalent/better |
| CPU Memory | 64 MB of RAM | 256 MB of RAM | 64 MB of RAM | 256 MB of RAM |
| Monitor Resolution | 800 x 600 | 1024 x 768 | 800 x 600 | 1024 x 768 |
| Internet Connection | 56 kbps Dialup Modem | Any high-speed connection (e.g. Cable Broadband or DSL) | 56 kbps Dialup Modem | Any high-speed connection (e.g. Cable Broadband or DSL) |
| Free Hard Disk Space | 50 mb | 500 mb or greater | 50 mb | 500 mb or greater |
| Audio (Sound) Card | 16-bit sound card | 24-bit sound card | 16-bit sound card | 24-bit sound card |
| Video Card | 16 MB VRAM with 65,000 colors or 16-bit | 64 MB VRAM with True Color (24-bit or 32-bit) | 16 MB VRAM with 65,000 colors or 16-bit | 64 MB VRAM with True Color (24-bit or 32-bit) |
Browser Requirements
The following describes which versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator have been Certified or use with the Blackboard Learning System. Also indicated are versions that may be Compatible, but have not been certified. Certified configurations are indicated by an X have undergone a thorough set of tests conducted by Blackboard Quality Assurance and are 100% supported by Blackboard Product Support. Compatible configurations are indicated by an empty cell and have undergone a limited engineering analysis, which indicates that Blackboard is not aware of any issues resulting from that configuration. Blackboard recommends that users adhere to the Certified configurations.
|
|
Microsoft Internet
Explorer |
Netscape Navigator |
||||||||||
|
|
4.5 |
5.0 |
5.1 |
5.2 |
5.5 |
6.0 |
4.8 |
4.8 |
6.0 |
6.1 |
6.2 |
7.0 |
|
Windows 2000 |
|
X |
|
|
X |
X |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Windows XP |
|
|
|
|
|
X |
|
|
|
|
X |
X |
|
Mac OS 9.2 |
|
X |
X |
|
|
|
|
X |
|
|
|
X |
|
Mac OS X.1 |
|
|
X |
X |
|
|
|
|
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|
X |
X |
|
Mac OS X.2 |
|
|
|
X |
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|
|
|
|
|
X |
How
do I determine my browser version?
Internet
Explorer:
From the Help menu,
select "About Internet Explorer". Check the version and then click the
OK button.
Netscape
Navigator:
From the Help menu,
select "About Communicator..." (or "About Navigator...").
Check the version and then click Netscape's "Back" button.
What
about Mozilla Safari or Opera?
Mozilla and Opera
are currently not certified or compatible browsers. This means that Blackboard
will not support these browsers and offers no assurance that there are no issues
involving their use.
What
about AOL or MSN? (AOL and MSN USER PLEASE READ)
Currently,
Blackboard is not designed to work with browsers like AOL or MSN (or another
internet service that provides a customized browser), Blackboard has features
that the fore mentioned browsers do not support. We strongly recommend that AOL
or MSN users download a standard (or stand-alone) version of either Internet
Explorer or Netscape. Browser: You will need to have IE 6 or greater or Netscape
6.2.3 or greater. It is recommended that you download the latest release or IE
or Netscape if you experience problems with your current browser microsoft.com
or netscape.com.
Microsoft Office 97
of higher (or Microsoft Office Converters and Viewers), Adobe Acrobat Reader,
Windows Media Player or equivalent, QuickTime plug-in, Real Player plug-in.
Collaboration Tools
(Virtual Classroom & Lightweight Chat) — Plug-in for PC users only:
The Java 2 Run Time
Environment 1.4.x or higher. This plug-in may be downloaded from the page that
appears when a user joins a Collaboration Session.
Collaboration Tools
& Macintosh Users:
Mac OS 9 and Mac OS
X both come with the plug in you need for using the Collaboration Tools. Mac OS
8 users may need the Mac OS Runtime for Java (MRJ) plug-in available at http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75097.
For all types of
Browsers:
1.
JavaScript must be enabled
2. Cookies must be enabled
Students are enrolled automatically into Blackboard courses according to information supplied by the registrar so there is no need to enroll individual students into your course site. As long as the student enrolled to take your class and is up-to-date with all payments, he/she should appear in the student roster of the course. Though it is generally sooner, it sometimes takes up to 24 hours before the complete student roster will appear and then will be updated automatically as changes occur. It is possible depending on how the paper work is processed that “adds” can take days or weeks. Blackboard is not directly connected to the attendance system all participants are manually added. Student course enrollment is updated up to the census date on a daily basis.
All students
registered for the course, are automatically enrolled through the Registrar when
the Course is created, however, you do have the option of adding additional
users to the course.
Only Instructors,
their designated course builders, or TAs have the ability to add users.
To
add users to your course:
3.
Go to the Control Panel
4.
Click on "Enroll User"
under the User Management area.
5.
Search for the user by either
their last name or their user name. If they are in the CSUSB Blackboard
database, their full information will appear.
6.
Check the box to the left of their
name.
7.
Scroll down and click on
"Submit"
To add additional
Instructors or TA's to your course, first add them following the above method
and then changing their user role.
Contact the Office
of Distributed Learning ODL and indicate who and to what title you would like
the student changed to.
If the user that you wish to add a user that is not in the Blackboard database (i.e., does not have an CSUSB blackboard account) Contact ODL and we will assist you.
When the shell is
created, it is not available to students. Students will not be able to access
your Blackboard site until the course is made available. When your site is ready
for student access:
1.
Go to the Control Panel.
2.
Under the Course Options area,
click on "Settings".
3.
Click on "Course
Availability".
4.
Check "yes"
5. Click on "Submit"
Because documents
often have rather complex formatting, getting them to display properly on the
Web can be a challenge. There are a number of methods with varying degrees of
success and unique pros and cons. The simplest way to post a syllabus is to
convert it to html and upload that file.
While Blackboard
will accept file attachments in several different formats (including .doc, .ppt,
.xls), we recommend that you convert all documents to html before uploading them
to Blackboard, because it ensure that users will be able to view the documents
regardless of whether or not they have the application in which it was
originally authored.
1.
Save the document as a "Web
Page" or "as html".
2.
Login to the Blackboard course in
which you wish to add the syllabus.
3.
Go to the Control Panel of the
course.
4.
Click on the Content Area in which
you want your Syllabus to appear. (If you would like to put the Syllabus in its
own folder, see the How To on adding folders in a Content Area.)
5.
Click on "Add Item".
6.
Name this document using either
the drop down box or specifying your own name.
7.
Scroll down to the second section
called "Content Attachments"
8.
Click on the Browse button to
locate and add the item you wish to attach (the syllabus with the .htm or .html
extension).
9. Click on "Submit"
Step
1. Click
Control Panel on Course menu
Step
2. Select
Test Manager in the area of the Course Control Panel.
Step
3 Click Add
Test.
OR
Step 1 Select
Test Manager in the area of the Course Control Panel.
Step
2 Click
Modify next to an existing Test.
Step
3 Click
Modify in the first section on the Test Canvas.
Once the test is created it must now be deployed or
made accessible for students to take.
Step
1 Select
a Content Area in the Course Control Panel.
Step
2 Click Add Test.
You should see the test you created click on the test once to
highlight it and then click on the “submit button.”
FACULTY MEMBERS
Online
1.
ODL Faculty Resource Page: http://odl.csusb.edu/fr.htm
Phone
2.
Office of Distributed Learning ph: (909) 537-7439
(available during regular business hours, Monday – Friday Summer operating
hours are dictated by campus policy)
E-Mail
3.
Blackboard Help Address: odlnews@csusb.edu
In-Person
The ODL Staff is available for appointments or by walking basis during regular
business hours Monday - Friday. To schedule an appointment, please contact the
ODL Staff at (909)537-7439. ODL offers regular, in-person workshops. For a
schedule of current workshops, please visit: http://trc.csusb.edu/.