Blackboard Teaching staff introduction
This guide is intended to give a brief summary to staff of the processes involved in using Blackboard. Each section contains references to further information which can be found on the Blackboard Support for Staff web pages.
What is Blackboard?
Blackboard is an electronic system, known as a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), which uses Internet technology to provide a platform for teaching and learning via the World Wide Web. Because Blackboard is designed for the use of students and staff rather than computer programmers or IT specialists, it does not require a high level of IT expertise or experience. As an Internet-based system, the learning materials on Blackboard can be accessed 'anywhere, any time' - all that is needed is a suitable computer with Internet access. Details of the technical requirements for accessing Blackboard, including an automated diagnostic check, are available on the Blackboard Technical Information web pages.
Who can use Blackboard?
All staff and students can access Blackboard through the myUWE portal. From the start of the 2008/09 academic year, there is an expectation for all modules to have a Blackboard course that is accessible to students enrolled on the module. In addition, some Programmes may also be supported through the use of Blackboard, and courses may also be created (via ISIS student groups) to support other teaching and learning activities that are outside the Programme or modular structure.
What sort of computer will I need to access Blackboard?
All UWE networked computers are correctly configured to use Blackboard. In order to access Blackboard at home, your computer will need to conform to some minimum specifications. For more on technical requirements for accessing Blackboard, including access to commonly required plugins, please consult the Blackboard Technical Information web pages. An instant diagnostic check can be performed on your computer at:
http://info.uwe.ac.uk/online/blackboard/technical/test.asp.
Who do I ask for help when using Blackboard?
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Blackboard Support is your first point of contact for help in using Blackboard. You can e-mail the team at blackboard@uwe.ac.uk, or telephone 0117 32 85735 (internal extension 85735). Or you can Contact the Blackboard team using this form. The E-Learning Development team give advice on all aspects of online teaching and learning at: http://www.uwe.ac.uk/elearning/ Your Blackboard User Group representative can advise on local arrangements; student registration; staff and student access issues; course availability issues; keeping abreast of ongoing developments. A list of representatives is available at: http://info.uwe.ac.uk/online/Blackboard/staff/management/meetings.asp#usg. Personnel Services IT Training deliver centrally supported training courses in the use of Blackboard. Course details are available at: http://info.uwe.ac.uk/personnel/trainingDevelopment/IT/default.asp. Face-to-face and drop-in support. Should you wish to visit the Blackboard support team on a drop-in basis to discuss a particular Blackboard issue, staff will normally be available during the hours given for telephone support (9am to 12.30pm). The Blackboard support team is part of the I.T. Services' Academic Technologies Group, based in I.T. Services, Botetourt House (Building 640), Bristol Business Park, Frenchay Campus. A map of the Frenchay campus is available at: http://www.uwe.ac.uk/maps/frenchay_map.shtml. If you require other forms of face-to-face support, including advice on elearning, please contact Blackboard Support to discuss appropriate arrangements.
Where do my students go for support?
Blackboard Support has developed a Blackboard Support for Students section of their web site for students to use. Student support includes an introduction, overview, guidance on specific features, plus School support and IT Support Centre contact details.
How do I login to Blackboard?
You can access Blackboard after you login into myUWE. Here is how you can login to myUWE:
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From inside UWE, either follow the link on the UWE intranet page, or type the word 'my' in the address field in your web browser. From outside UWE, either follow the 'Log in' link on the UWE home page and then select the 'myUWE' option, or type https://my.uwe.ac.uk into the address field in your web browser.
You will need your original network user ID and password which you were given at the start of your first year, even if you have subsequently changed this in any system other than: LDAP, EDUonline or ResNet. If you have forgotten your original network user ID and password, then you should contact your home School Administration Office. In exceptional circumstances, if you are experiencing problems accessing myUWE, you can access Blackboard directly. Attachment of staff and students to Blackboard courses is controlled via ISIS, the University's staff and student record system. If you are teaching on a module but can't see a Blackboard course for this module when you log in, please contact your School administrative staff. They will be able to attach you to the module in ISIS. Further information on the relationship between Blackboard and ISIS is available under the heading The relationship between Blackboard and ISIS below. Blackboard refers to teaching staff as Instructors. When you log in to Blackboard, you will see every course you are attached to as an Instructor listed in the 'My Courses' area on the Blackboard landing page. To enter a course, select its title. For further information on getting into a course, please see Blackboard Staff Guide: Getting into your Course. Each run of a module is associated with a separate Blackboard course, so you may see more than one course with the same name. If you are unsure which course is associated with which run of a module, your School administrative staff will be able to advise.
How do I use Blackboard?
Blackboard Support offers a range of Blackboard Staff Guides on specific features of Blackboard including Blackboard : An Overview and Blackboard Staff Guide: Navigation which we recommend you refer to before first using Blackboard. Personnel Services offer several Blackboard training courses, including an introduction, course design, assessment and communication. Blackboard Support strongly recommends you book a session if you are new to using Blackboard. Details of the training sessions offered are available at:
http://info.uwe.ac.uk/personnel/trainingDevelopment/IT/default.asp. Your School may also have local support representatives who offer training and advice; please contact your Blackboard User Group (BUG) representative to find out more. A list of BUG representatives is available at: http://info.uwe.ac.uk/online/Blackboard/staff/management/meetings.asp#usg.
What material should I place on Blackboard?
Blackboard can be used by any member of staff to provide access to teaching and learning materials by their students. The E-Learning Development web site contains information on the development of online teaching and learning resources at: http://www.uwe.ac.uk/elearning/.
How do I add content to Blackboard?
As an Instructor, you have access to the Control Panel of each of your courses. From the Control Panel, you can add content to your course, which can then be accessed by your students. Further information on the Control Panel, please see Blackboard staff guide: The Control Panel. For a comprehensive guide to adding course content, please see Blackboard staff guide: Adding Content.
Making a course available to students
In order to ensure that students don't see courses empty of content, all Blackboard courses are created as unavailable (to students) by default. Once appropriate content has been added, courses can be made available to students. For guidance on how to make a course available, please see Blackboard staff guide: Setting Course Availability.
The relationship between Blackboard and ISIS
Each module run in ISIS exists as a separate Blackboard course. Every night, data from ISIS is fed into Blackboard. This feed of data contains information on module
runs and the students and staff attached to them. In addition, some Programmes may also be supported through the use of Blackboard courses, and courses may also be created (via ISIS student groups) to support other teaching and learning activities that are outside the Programme or modular structure. Further information is available from The feed from ISIS to Blackboard.
Referral runs of modules
As each module run is associated with a separate Blackboard course, new courses are created for referral runs of modules. Students who fail a module will be enrolled on the referral run, and will lose access to the Blackboard course associated with the first run of the module. A guide is available that illustrates the relationship between first runs and referral runs in Blackboard.
Modules, Programmes, ISIS student groups and Fields
There are FOUR types of organisational entity in ISIS that are fed to Blackboard. These are:
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Module run, fed to a Blackboard course; Programme, fed to a Blackboard course (either supporting students on the Primary Award, or the Primary Target(s), but not both); Student group (of Blackboard Course type or Non Credit-Bearing (NCB) Plus type) fed to a Blackboard course; Field, fed to a Blackboard Content Collection folder (but not a course).
The student group of Course type is intended to support learning that is module-like but is not part of a formally validated award. The student group of NCB Plus type is intended to support any educational course which is not credit bearing and, as such, does not lead to a qualification or institutional credit, but whose details are still required to be returned to HESA Further information on the appropriate use of student groups can be found in the guide Module Runs and Student Groups. To submit a request for a group use the online form Application for Approval of Blackboard Student Groups. When filling out this form, you will need to provide a unique group code. Guidance on the conventions for assigning codes is available from the ISIS Group Conventions guide. This guide also contains advice for administrative staff on setting up a group
in ISIS.