Blackboard for Faculty

What is Blackboard?

Blackboard is an online course and learning management system available to the entire USCB community. Every course offered at USCB has a Blackboard course generated for it. All instructors of record and registered students have access to Blackboard and their course sites.

Need Assistance with Blackboard?

Blackboard Help Center

Log in to Blackboard

Use your USCB Network Username and Password to log into Blackboard. If you do not know your USCB Network Username and Password, you can get the information through my.USCB.edu.

1. Go to http://blackboard.uscb.edu.
2. Enter your Username and Password in the appropriate fields, and then click Login.

Change Your Email Address in Blackboard

By default Blackboard uses your official University email address. You can change the email address for email sent through Blackboard.

1. Click the Personal Information link in the Tools area on left side of the Blackboard home page.
2. Click the Edit Personal Information link.
3. Enter your desired email address. (For example, johndoe@gmail.com).
4. Click Submit to finish and to save changes.  If you decide to use your USCB email address in the future, you must manually change your Blackboard email address.
5. Click the X on the Success bar at the top of the page.

Access Your Class

From the My USCB tab, under My Courses, click a class link to access the class. Or, click the Courses tab, and then click a class link under Course List.

Edit Mode

Make sure Edit Mode is On. Edit Mode MUST be ON in order to perform functions as an instructor.

Create an Announcement

Use the announcements feature to communicate with your students (i.e. post time-sensitive material such as assignment due dates, changes in the syllabus, corrections or clarifications of materials, and exam schedules).

1. From within a course, click the Announcements link on the Course Menu. If the Announcements link is not present on the Course Menu, you need to add this Course Tool. Click the + sign above the Course Menu.
2. Click the Create Announcement button.
3. Under Announcement Information, type a Subject (name for announcement) and a Message (text of the announcement).
4. Under Web Announcement Options, set the Duration, Select Date Restrictions, and check the Email Announcement check box.  To permanently display the announcement, select Not Date Restricted.
5. Optionally, to link content in the course to the Announcement, click the Browse button under Course Link, and then click the specific course link.
6. Click Email this announcement to all course users to send an email to all Course users with the contents of the Announcements. If a user does not login in to the Course, he/she will be made aware of the Announcement through email.
7. Click Submit, and then click the X on the Success bar at the top of the page.

Create a Content Area

You can create content areas on the course menu to serve as containers for your course content.

1. Point to the + (plus sign) above the course menu.
2. Click Content Area on the drop-down list.
3. Type a Name for the new content area.
4. Select the Available to Users check box.
5. Click Submit. A link to the new content area appears at the bottom of the course menu. You can drag and drop it to another location on the course menu.

Create a Content Folder

You can create content folders to organize content. After you create a content folder, you can add content.  For example, you can create folders for each week of your course within a content area. 

1. From within the content area, point to Build Content on the action bar, and then click Content Folder.
2. On the Create Content Folder page, type a Name.
3. Optionally, in the Text box, type instructions or a description.
4. Select the Standard Options.
5. Click Submit. The newly created folder is empty.
6. Click the X on the Success bar to close it.  

Create a Content Item

You can create content (e.g. readings, lecture videos, links to websites, tests, and assignments) within content areas.  These are non-graded items. 

1. From within the content area or content folder, point to Build Content on the action bar, and then click Item.
2. On the Create Item page, type a Name.
3. Optionally, type instructions or a description in the Text box.
4. Optionally, Attach File and select the Standard Options.
5. Click Submit.
6. Click the X on the Success bar at the top of the page. 

Create an Assignment

The Assignment feature in Blackboard allows instructors to accept coursework, manage grades, and provide feedback for each student separately. You can add Safe Assignments through the Assignment feature.

1. From within a content area point to Assessments on the action bar, and then click Assignment.
2. On the Create Assignment page, type a name for the assignment (required) and instructions (optional).
3. Optionally, Attach File that students need to complete the assignment and set a Due Date.
4. In the Grading section, type Points Possible (required) and Add Rubric (optional).
5. Optionally, expand the Grading section (Submission Details, Grading Options, and Display of Grades) to make selections such as number of submission attempts, anonymous grading, how the grade is displayed, and use SafeAssign.
6. In the Availability section, check the check box to Make the Assignment Available, if necessary. Optionally, Limit Availability and Track Number of Views.
7. Click Submit and then click the X on the Success bar at the top of the page. The assignment will be added to the content area you specified and a column is created in Grade Center.  To view a completed assignment, go to the Grade Center.  Click the ! in the row next to a student's name to grade an assignment for that individual, add comments, and send a file attachment back to the student.

Create a Discussion Board

You can add discussion board forums to a content area or folder and link the forum to the Discussion Board area.

1. From within a content area or content folder, point to Tools on the action bar, and then click Discussion Board.
2. On the Create Link: Discussion Board page, click the Create New Forum button.
3. On the Create Forum page, complete the Forum Information, Forum Availability, and Forum Settings, click Submit, and then click the X on the Success bar at the top of the page.
4. Back on the Create Link: Discussion Board page, the newly created forum is highlighted, click Next.
5. On the next Create Link: Discussion Board page, modify the link name (optional), type instructions in the Text box (optional), make sure it is Available (required), Track Number of Views (optional), and set Date Restrictions for display (optional).
6. Click Submit, and then click the X on the Success bar at the top of the page.

Merging Courses

To merge a course in Blackboard, instructors now must contact Blackboard support. 

Adding Users/Instructors/TA's

IMPORTANT:  Be careful when removing instructors from a course - if you accidentally remove an instructor who was supposed to be in the course, you will need to contact the Help-Desk to re-add the instructor. Instructors should not use this process to add students, as it interferes with the automatic add/drop process.

Adding a User If You Know the Person's Username

• On the Control Panel, expand the Users and Groups section.
• Click Users.
• On the Users page, select Find Users to Enroll.
• Enter the username you want to enroll in the course.  (This is the person's University email username without the @uscb.edu).  Do not click Browse.
• To add an additional user, put a comma after the first username you entered (without any spaces) and type in the next username.
• Select a Role and Enrollment Availability for the users. 
• Click Submit.
• You may need to click the Refresh button on the right side of the screen to see the user appear in your course.

Adding a User If You DO NOT Know the Person's Username

• On the Control Panel, expand the Users and Groups section.
• Click Users.
• On the Users page, select Find Users to Enroll.
• Click on the Browse button to search for users. 
• Click on the dropdown menus to search for the user by last name.
• Select the name and click Submit to enter the name into the Username textbox.  YOU STILL HAVE TO CLICK SUBMIT A SECOND TIME TO ENROLL THE USER.
• Select a Role and Enrollment Availability for the users.
• Click Submit to add the user.
• You may need to hit the Refresh button on the right side of the page to see the user appear in your course.

Other Blackboard Features

• For instructions on how to use other features, go to: https://help.blackboard.com/en-us/Learn/9.1_2014_04/Instructor.

Instructor On Demand Videos

- For assistance, contact the ITSS Service Desk or call (843) 208-8086. -