Getting started with Blackboard
From DurhamtechWiki
What is Blackboard?
Blackboard is a system for accessing course materials on the Web.
Instructors at Durham Tech may use Blackboard to post a syllabus, handouts, assignment details, or grades. Some instructors also use Blackboard for online discussions or tests.
Blackboard is used for fully online courses and for courses that meet in the classroom as well. But not all instructors or courses at Durham Tech use Blackboard. Students who are enrolled in courses that are using Blackboard have access to the system.
What do I need in order to use Blackboard?
To access courses on Blackboard you need:
- A computer with Internet access
- An email account (can be a free email account such as those available at Hotmail or Yahoo!)
- A Blackboard account
- A web browser that is supported by Blackboard:
| Windows | Mac OS |
| Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher or Netscape 6 or higher | Safari 1.1 or higher or Netscape 7.1 or higher |
| We find that the Firefox browser usually works well with Blackboard on both Windows and Macs. | |
Additional web browser requirements:
- JavaScript and cookies must be enabled
- To use the Virtual Classroom or Chat feature, Java 2 Runtime Environment version 1.4.1 or higher must be installed
How do I get a Blackboard account?
If you are taking a course that is using Blackboard, an account will be created for you after you register, according to the following schedule:
- Your account will be created the day after general registration ends, by the end of that day.
- If you register during late registration, your account will be created the day after late registration ends, by the end of that day.
What are my user name and password?
Student accounts on Blackboard follow this format:
User name = student’s last name, first initial, last 2 digits of Social Security Number Password = last 4 digits of Social Security Number
Example:
If Michael Jordan's SSN was 555-55-1234, he would use the following to login to Blackboard:
User name = jordanm34
Password = 1234
Notes:
- Your user name is based on the name you registered under this semester.
- User names do NOT contain spaces or symbols such as hyphens, dashes or apostrophes. (For example, O’Reilly becomes oreilly and Smith-Baker becomes smithbaker.)
- When your Blackboard account is first created, your password is set to the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number.
- If you change your password, it will remain whatever you change it to FOREVER (or until you change it again). It will NOT revert to the last 4 digits of SSN next semester.
How do I log in?
To log in to Blackboard:
- Go to this web site: http://blackboard.durhamtech.edu
(Or, you can use http://bb.durhamtech.edu, for short) - Click on the LOGIN button
- Enter your user name and password (see above)
- Click on the LOGIN button
You will see the Welcome screen, which lists courses you have access to.
IMPORTANT: The first time you log in, follow the steps listed below to record your email address in Blackboard.
How do I put my email address in Blackboard?
You MUST record your email address in Blackboard, so your instructors will be able to contact you.
To enter your email address in Blackboard:
- After logging into Blackboard, look for the TOOLS panel on the left side of the Welcome screen.
- In the TOOLS box, click on the "Personal Information/Password" link
- Click on the "Edit Personal Information" link
- Under Personal Information: Go to the "E-mail" field
- Replace the text in the box (email@email.edu) with your correct email address
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and click SUBMIT
- Click OK button twice
Note: The only required fields are First Name, Last Name, and E-mail Address.
How do I change my password?
To change your Blackboard password:
- After logging into Blackboard, look for the TOOLS panel on the left side of the Welcome screen
- Click on the "Personal Information/Password" link
- Click on the "Change Password" link
- In the "Password" field enter your new password (The new password should be something that you easily remember. It should also be kept secret.)
- In the "Verify Password" field enter your new password again
- Click SUBMIT
- Click OK button twice
REMEMBER: If you change your password, it will remain whatever you change it to FOREVER (or until you change it again). It will NOT revert to the last 4 of your SSN next semester.
How do I learn to use Blackboard?
Most students find Blackboard to be fairly intuitive to use. Once you are logged in, you will see a list of the courses you are taking that are using Blackboard. To enter a course's site, click on the name of the course in the list. Once in the course, use the menu on the left-hand side of the page to navigate to different areas of the class site. Each instructor organizes things differently. Check with your instructor if you are having finding locating information in the course.
Note: If you are taking a fully online class, be sure to attend the orientation! There, you will learn most of what you need to know to use Blackboard for your online class.
Also, you can poke around on this very site (Blackboard Help for Students) to learn many tips for using Blackboard.
Where on campus can I access Blackboard?
On Durham Tech's campus, you can access Blackboard from any open computer lab. See the Computer Lab Schedule for a listing of lab locations and open hours.
You can also access Blackboard from any computer, anywhere in the world, that has Internet access (from your home, at work, your local library, etc).
Where do I go for help?
We suggest that you look around on this site, which contains answers to the most common questions.
If you can't find an answer here, or want to ask a real person, see options for getting Blackboard help.
