Blackboard TutorialThis tutorial will show you how to use various function of the Blackboard Learning System.  You will use Blackboard as the means to complete your online coursework.   It is important to know how to locate course materials and resources, use discussion boards, submit assignments, and complete exams.  This document will walk you through the basics of being a student in Blackboard.

• Accessing Your Course
• Overview of the Course Environment
• Navigating in Your Course
• Completing Course Assignments
• Communication Tools
• Working with the Discussion Board
• Working with Group Pages
• Student Tools
• Working with the Digital Drop Box
• Viewing Grades
• Working with Tasks
  

Please be aware that the Blackboard Learning System is a customizable interface so the titles, screen captures, and features shown and discussed here may not match your course exactly. Your course may also differ exactly with those your course and courses may look different.

Please check the Browser Comparability, Browser Settings and Plugin & Filename Pages

Accessing Your Course

Access to this course requires a Username and Password on the Blackboard system, which are provided above.

Step 1:   Direct your browser to http://blackboard.garrettcollege.edu

Step 2:   Click on the Login button

Step 3:   Enter your Username and Password in the appropriate boxes.
Note: If you don’t know your Blackboard Username and Password, check with your instructor.  If you have forgotten your password you may be able to use the ‘Forgot Your Password?’ feature at the bottom of this Login screen to obtain a new one.

Step 4:   Once in the system, click the name of your course, Getting Started in Blackboard, from the personalized list in the “My Courses” box.

Overview of the Course Environment

Once you have entered a Blackboard course, you will always be able to see the navigation items down the left hand side of the screen. This is known as the Course Menu.  You use these buttons or text links (shown below) to view various areas of the course. Note that each course varies depending on the instructor’s preferences, so your course may look different, or have different functionality in the navigation items.

Most instructors group related items together under a particular navigation link, e.g. the syllabus, course policies and schedule might be found in a section called Course Overview, and handouts, assignments and lecture notes might be found under a link titled Lesson One, Chapter Material or Course Documents.  Explore each of the navigation items in your course and you should soon see a pattern emerge which will help you know where to find the particular information you are looking for.

Navigating in Your Course

There are 2 types of navigation:

1. Navigating between course areas
2. Navigating within a content area

To navigate between course areas, click on the link in the Course Menu OR use the Course Map to navigate.

Clicking the Course Map link will display an outline view of the course. The Course Map can be expanded to display individual items under each of the areas. Select a folder or item to have its contents display in the course window.

When you navigate within a content area, you can use internal navigation to move between documents and folders.

Internal navigation links, like these shown above, will appear at the top of each content area within a course. Clicking on a title will take you to that area of the course: i.e. the course name (Introductory Oceanography) will take you to the entry page of the course. Selecting –the name of a content area (Chapter Material) will take you to the top level of that content area.  This path of links is often referred to as a “breadcrumb trail.”

Note: Due to the dynamic nature of many of the pages within the course it is strongly recommended that you use the internal navigation links instead of the browser’s Back and Forward buttons.   

To open folders and files: Click on the title.

Completing Course Assignments

Your instructor may create Assignments for you to complete online. Links to these assignments will appear within a content area, and will contain some basic instructions along with a link to View/Complete the activity.  

Step 1:   Click on the View/Complete link.

Step 2:   If your instructor has attached a file to the assignment (such as related readings, or a list of essay questions), you can open that file and review the contents by clicking on the file name.

Step 3:   Follow your instructor’s requirements for completing the assignment. For example, your instructor might ask you to write an essay in a word processing program, and submit it for a grade by a specific date. You can write your essay, and come back to the Assignment area at a later date to submit your work.

Step 4:   After the work is completed, add your Comments for the instructor (these are required) in the text box. Browse to attach files (such as your essay) related to this assignment.

Step 5:   Submit the page.

You can check on the grading of this assignment by revisiting the View/Complete link in the course, or using the “View Grades” tool found within the Tools area of the course.

Communication Tools

The Communication Tools allow you to send email, view student Web pages (if created), and participate in discussion boards or class chat sessions.

Note: Your instructor and Blackboard Administrator decide which Communication Tools are available in your course, so your options may not include all of those listed here.

Communication Function Announcements New information about the course – room changes, quizzes, chat room meetings. Send E-mail Send email to other students & instructors in the course.  Collaboration Synchronous (real-time) Virtual Classroom & Lightweight Chat tools allow for a chat room, whiteboard, web browser and Q & A area. Roster List of student’s names and their email address, and links to the Student Web Pages in that course. Group Pages Listing of groups in the course and access to private group areas. Discussion Boards Asynchronous (on your own time) tool with discussion threads and responses.

Working with the Discussion Board

Step 1:   Navigate to the class Discussion Board using the appropriate links. (via an individual link in the Course Menu or under the Communication link)

Step 2:   Click on the name of a forum to enter that discussion.

Step 3:   Click on the Add Thread button to post your initial response to original Forum.   

Step 4: Click the title of another participant’s message to read the posting.

Step 4:   To respond to a message, click the Reply button following the text.

Working with Group Pages

Not all courses will use group pages.

Step 1:   Navigate to the class Group Pages area using the appropriate links. (via an individual link in the Course Menu or under the Communication link)

Step 2:   Click the Group Name to enter the area for that group.

Note:  You must be a member of a Group to enter the area for that particular group.

Step 3:   Select the Group Tool you wish to use.

Student Tools

The Student Tools area, like the Communication Tools, is customizable by course based on instructor preference. All options here may not be available for your course. These tools allow for such actions as: electronic file exchange, checking your grades, building a course Web page and viewing calendar events.

Working with the Digital Drop Box

Step 1:   Navigate to the Digital Drop Box area using the appropriate link. (via an individual link in the Course Menu or under the Student Tools link)

To Add a File
Step 2:   Click Add File.

Step 3:   Enter a Title for your file and Browse to find the file. You may enter Comments describing the file, if you wish.

Note:  Adding a file does not send the file to the instructor. This places a copy of the file in your Digital Drop Box where you can access it or send it at a later time.

Step 4:   Click Submit. The file will be in the Drop Box noted with the words “Posted on:”

To Send a File
Step 2:   Click Send File.

Step 3:   Select a file that has already been added. OR
Browse for a file to send to the instructor.

Note:  Sending a file will add this file into your Digital Drop Box as well as make a link to the file available to the instructor.

Step 4:   Click Submit. The file will be in the Drop Box noted with the words “Submitted by”.

Viewing Grades

Step 1:   Navigate to your Gradebook area using the appropriate links. (via an individual link in the Course Menu or under the Student Tools link)

Step 2:   Click the Grade indicator to see the final score for any online Assessments or Assignments you completed within the course.

Note:  Only Assessments and Assignments created within Blackboard will display additional information about scoring. Any manual entries the instructor created will not be clickable or provide more grading details.

Working with Tasks

Step 1:   Navigate to the course Tasks using the appropriate links. (via an individual link in the Course Menu or under the Student Tools link)

Step 2:   Click on the name of a task to read more information about that task.

Step 3:   Change the Priority and/or Status of a task by clicking on the Modify button and adjusting the fields on the page.

Step 4:   Click Submit.

Distance Learning Contact Information
Distance Learning Coordinator
dlearn@garrettcollege.edu
301-387-3155

Blackboard Assistance

If you are having problems with a class on Blackboard, contact your instructor immediately.
Other Inquiries should be emailed to: dlearn@garretcollege.edu
Phone: (301) 387-3155 (8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Monday - Thursday)