Blackboard Basics
- 1. Blackboard Basics Greg Krynen Technical Trainer
- 2. What is Blackboard? A Course Management System (CMS) which connects your course materials with your students in a secured environment. A set of built-in tools for communicating with your students; Discussion Board, File Submission tool, Gradebook, etcetera.
- 3. Why should I use Blackboard? Your lessons, notes, etc. are accessible to students anywhere there is Internet access. You can create tests and quizzes that grade themselves and students get instant feedback. It is template based, so it does not require computer expertise.
- 4. What does Blackboard have to offer? Post lessons on-line Give surveys Give tests and Create discussion quizzes on-line boards Turn in work Organize calendar digitally Manage your grade Post book announcements Create Students can collaborative access grades groups
- 5. How do I access Blackboard? Student account – same as myAVC username. Instructor account –same as email address name. Password will be the same as your network login
- 7. The Control Panel has it all! Content management Course tool management Course layout design tools User management Assessments
- 8. More about Blackboard Tutorials – in application Manuals – in application AVC Helpdesk for Bb – Help button Bb Flex Training courses Forums – on the open web (be aware not all installations are the same so features mentioned in other sites forums may not be available on the AVC Blackboard system)
Editor's Notes
- #2: Welcome to Blackboard Basics, an overview of the Course Management System used here at Antelope Valley College. My name is Greg Krynen and I the technical trainer here on campus.
- #3: Blackboard is a course management system that has been designed to allow instructors to upload or create course materials online for their students to use in a secure environment. Blackboard has many tools to collaborate, post static materials, create assements, etc.
- #4: Students and the instructor can access the content of the course from anywhere they have internet access. Using the Blackboard Backpack option the content can even be downloaded for later use on a non-web connected system. It allows for several styles of assessment including multiple choice, short answer, multiple chapter, and many other types. Or mix several styles into one test using the Pool Manager. These test can be given time limits, availability dates and multiple attempts. Blackboard is template driven meaning the instructor does not have to have extensive HTML or web programming experience to implement the many great features it offers.
- #5: These are a few of the things AVC’s Blackboard system can help you accomplish.
- #6: Upon login your first screen will have basics tools in the left column and the right pane will contain tutorial links and the main heading for your account. Here is the screen you should see with a successful login.
- #7: The courses tab is where instructors can create the content for their classes. The first screen you should see will list any courses you are teaching or are signed up for along with Course Catalog search fields. Clicking on a course will change both panes the left will show the classes menu, and the My Course Tools box. The right pane should show the announcements for the class. Both the menu and the right pane contents can be changed by the class facilitator.
- #8: The control panel in the tools menu will give the instructor access to the menus needed to control the course. Including the ability to add and edit course content, manage the course calendar, announcements, etc. Altering the menu in the left pane and the layout of the pages. Adding and deleting students from groups. And what student does not like tests? Here is the general layout of the Control Panel.
- #9: This presentation is only a brief overview of the AVC Blackboard system. To learn more about it there are online tutorials and manuals that can be viewed inside the system. Th ehelp button on each page of Blackboard will link you to a page of common problems and resources. Through our FLEX training sessions I offer more in depth looks at Blackboard and its many submenus. As well on the open web there are many forums for discussion about blackboard in many languages. Just please remember not every campus installs the system the same way so some features may not apply to the AVC Blackboard.