Central Lakes Regional Planning Team Dual Credit Tool Kit: Blackboard

Discovering Blackboard What is it? The Blackboard Learning System is: a web-based virtual learning environment that helps you manage your Dual Credit course on-line providing 24/7, one-stop course content and communication resource that supports you inside and outside the classroom TIP: You may see ‘Bb’ as a short-form. These are the many ways in which Blackboard can help you keep on top of your Dual Credit course. This is the Course Menu. Announcements, Course Information, Instructor Information, Course Syllabus,, Assignments, and Tools . These folders provide opportunity for you any or all of the following: Communicate, view/save course content and assignments. Plus use the calendar and grades tool, and library navigation to access online resources.

Using Blackboard Go to www.georgiancollege.ca Here’s the Blackboard icon; whatever page you land on, look for the logo.

Using Blackboard This is the Blackboard login page. Save this location on your Internet Favourites so it’s easily accessible.

Using Blackboard Your Username is your 9-digit Georgian Student number. Example: 200244444 This is your nine-digit Georgian College student number. It is a unique identifier that will be attached to your name for your life at G.C. When I give you your G.C. # later in this presentation, put it somewhere safe where it is also easily accessed. Some students have created a contact in their phone for their G.C. information so they can always access their student #.

Using Blackboard Your Password is your date of birth; two digits for year, month and day. Example: April 28, 1995 becomes ‘950428’. ‘950428’ Your password is your birth date: YYMMDD, two digits for each. So, if you were born April 28, 1995, your password would be the final two digits of the year which is ‘95’). ‘04’ for the month of April and ‘28’ for the day. ‘950428’.

Using Blackboard Trouble logging in? Looking for some tips? Before you click ‘login’, notice the ‘Technical Support’ link. This will take you to tip sheets as well as contact information for reaching technical support.

The Student Handout Using Blackboard ACTION! ACTION! Provide students with the handout for Blackboard. Do NOT give students their G.C. student numbers yet!. This is a document you want to keep handy as it will help you get into Blackboard here in class and when you are on your own. It tells your what it is and does, how it benefits you, and how to login in. It even provides you with a space to print out your student number and a hint for your password (we will do this later) and provides contact info for the IT department should you have problems logging in. ACTION!

Using Blackboard This is the Blackboard ‘home’ page. This is what the home page looks like. It’s a busy page and can be overwhelming unless you know where you are going. Before we leave this page, notice the Library Commons Website link to the left of the page. (Note: If your course includes essays or research papers, book a class visit with the library technician for exploring Library Navigation.) This link provides you with direct access to library and an unlimited number of resources available on line; taking time on your own to see where this link takes you is a good investment. But, for now, we’re going to go directly into your Course and Tools page.

Using Blackboard Click on the Courses and Tools tab at the top. Your dual credit course(s) will come up when you click on Courses and Tools. In this case, this student has two dual credits. We will choose Program Planning.

Using Blackboard Select your current course(s). Is student has two courses come up. As a dual credit student, you may have just one college course.

Using Blackboard This menu contains headings for other important course information. Your instructor may or may not have something in each folder. There are 6 menu items listed below the course name. Depending on the extent to which your instructor uses Blackboard, you may become very familiar with some or all of these folders. We’ll quickly go over the purpose of each. (Note: this is your chance to tell students in what way you will be using Blackboard in your course.) Notice the course name is displayed. Below it is the left sidebar menu that will help you navigate though the most important folders on Blackboard. Though instructors can manipulate Bb to show anything on this home page, often they choose announcements because it helps you remember to read these notes. Announcements are listed from most recent to least recent and you can scroll through them. TIP: Each instructor utilizes Blackboard differently so pay close attention in class as to what headings will be used and where items can be found.

Using Blackboard The third menu item is ‘Instructor Information’. This folder contains the various ways to contact your instructor and communicate via email, phone, or office visit. In addition to the syllabus, this is often another place you can find contact information for your instructor.

Using Blackboard ‘Course Documents may contain documents such as PowerPoint presentations and other documents made available to you by the instructor. This is Course Documents, a fairly common place for dual credit instructors to place some, if not all, course documents in. You may find weekly Powerpoints or presentations, test review documents, or even assignments (though there is also an Assignment tab).

Using Blackboard Each folder item can be opened or saved. When you click on one of the files, a dialogue box will open asking if you would like to ‘open’ or ‘save’ the file. ‘Open’ is just for viewing. The ‘save’ option is great because saving it locally on your computer or network means you can access it later, even if there’s no Internet or the Internet is very slow. TIP: Each time a new item is added by the instructor, save it to your computer to avoid having to access the Internet to view it.

Using Blackboard ‘Assignments’ may contain documents handed out in class, made available ONLY on-line, or even list group members for projects. As I mentioned earlier, there is an Assignment tab. You can see this instructor has even provided a breakdown for group presentations so students can check what group they’re in and when they’re project or presentation is due. You can’t see it, but if we scroll down, there is an assignment attached here that was not handed out in ‘hard copy’ in class; it’s the students responsibility to check for new items that may or may not have been handed out in class.

Using Blackboard ‘Tools’ is the last item on the sidebar menu. ‘My Grades’ provides a direct link to instructor-inputted marks. My Grades is a favourite destination of many dual credit students because it’s the place they will find their instructor has posted their mark. Only you and the instructor can see your marks.

Using Blackboard ‘My Grades’ lists all assignments and corresponding marks. For assignments not yet marked, there may be a blank. Here’s what My Grades looks like. It may or may not list all the assignments, completed or not. But you will find your marks for assignments, tests and projects that have been graded and entered by the instructor. The mathematics of Blackboard mean it may be difficult on your own to calculate your average mark at any given time, so you may need the assistance of your Dual Credit Support Teacher to help you with the calculation.

Using Blackboard: Your Turn! ACTION! 4 Easy Steps! Step 1: Google Georgian College, Blackboard to get started. Step 2: Look for the logo and click. Step 3: Login using your G.C. student # and YYMMDD password. Step 4: Click on the Courses and Tools tab. Look for Announcements, Course Information, Course Documents, Assignments and Tools (for My Grades). TIP 1: Check in with Blackboard at least 3 or 4 times/week. TIP 2: Call G.C. Tech Support (see handout for details) if you are having difficulty logging in. 4 easy steps to make Blackboard the centre of your academic universe. ACTION! Provide students with their G.C. student number. Allow time for students to login to Blackboard. Decide ahead of time where is it you would like them to go. Perhaps you have set up a treasure hunt and want to look for and record items, that you have uploaded for them to find, on a sheet of paper 5 (and there are prizes for the first 5 students who get all the answers! ).

Blackboard: What do I Get? Communication Course Content Calendar Grades Library Navigation Here’s a quick review of what Blackboard can do for you. (Read slide.) Our statistics show that when compared to students NOT using this learning system, STUDENTS USING BLACKBOARD: Are better organized and more focussed on their course(s); Transition more effortlessly to the college system; Submit more assignments on time and of better quality; Perform better on tests and achieve higher overall marks; Are more active participants in class, thus learning new concepts more easily; Develop a rapport with the instructor out of class; Quickly gain confident with interactive Bb activities and, thus, other on-line utilities. Make Blackboard your Favourite today ! And, for $0.99 you can buy the phone app.!