Blackboard Information

STUDENT FAQ's

  1. Can successfully log into Blackboard but cannot see class?
  2. How do I contact my instructor?
  3. How do I send an email?
  4. I am connecting through AOL. Why is Blackboard not working?
  5. How do I access a class discussion?
  6. How do I access the Group Discussions?
  7. How do I send my Word file to the professor using the Digital Drop Box?
  8. How do I read my grades in the Online Grade book?
  9. How do I avoid being disconnected while taking a quiz?
  10. Why am I not getting emails from instructors that are being sent through Blackboard?
  11. Why can't I read some of the course documents?
  12. Does Blackboard have a spell checker?
  13. How do I print a Power Point presentation without wasting a lot of paper by printing only one slide per page?
  14. How do I save an Excel spreadsheet or other document so that I can complete it in later (outside of Bb)?
 

 

1. Can successfully log into Blackboard but cannot see class?


1) Have you officially registered for the class? Classes will be made available one week prior to the class start date.

If you register during the week prior or week after the class start date, the class generally will be available by 10 AM the next business day.

2 ) Contact your instructor if the class still does not appear after following the guidelines listed in number 1. To contact your instructor please visit our Staff Directory.

2. How do I contact my instructor?


To contact your instructor please visit our Staff Directory in new window.

3. How do I send an email?


From Within a Course:

  • Click on the Communication or Email button.
  • Click on Send E-mail link.
  • Choose the group or individual(s) to send email to.
  • Fill in Subject and Message fields.
  • Add Attachments if desired.
  • Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the Submit button


If you cannot see the email link please contact your instructor.

4. I am connecting through AOL. Why is Blackboard not working?


America Online (AOL) users may not be able to access Blackboard properly using the browser supplied with AOL. AOL uses its own internal browser that allows users to browse the web. These web browsers are usually older versions of Internet Explorer. Blackboard does not recommend using AOL with Blackboard software. To solve this problem, please do the following.

1. Connect to your AOL account as you normally would.

2. Minimize the AOL browser by clicking on the Minimize button. (You will still be logged on to AOL)

3. Click on the icon for Internet Explorer, Netscape, or Mozilla to open the browser.

4. When the browser opens, enter the FCC Blackboard web address into the web browser's address (http://frederick.blackboard.com/ ). Log in to Blackboard with your Blackboard username and password.

Note: To keep from being timed out from your AOL account, you should periodically (every 10-15 minutes) reopen the AOL browser and do a search of any kind.

5. How do I access a class discussion?

  • Click on the Discussion Board button
  • Click on the discussion posted
  • Click on one of the comments, click on reply or
  • Click on Add New Thread and start a discussion


If you continue to have trouble using the discussion board please contact your instructor.

6. How do I access the Group Discussions?

  • Click on the Communication button.
  • Click on Group Pages.
  • Click on your group.
  • Click on Group Discussion Board.
  • Reply to the comments of others or Add a New Thread


If you continue to have trouble using the discussion board please contact your instructor.

7. How do I send my Word file to the professor using the Digital Drop Box?

  • Click on Student Tools or Tools
  • Click on the Digital Drop Box


Note: Remember, if you click on Add, this will only upload a file to the Drop Box. It will not be sent to the instructor.

    To add a file to the Drop Box
    Click on Add File
    Enter a title
    Browse to the file you would like to add
    Enter comments related to the title

    To send a file to the instructor
    Click on Send File
    Click on the drop down arrow and select the file to send
    Enter a title
    Click on Browse if you would like to upload a file (if it is not in the drop down list)
    Enter any comments related to the title

    To remove a file from the Drop Box
    Click on Remove

If you continue to have trouble using the Digital Drop box please contact your instructor.

8. How do I read my grades in the Online Grade book?


Click on Tools
Click on Check Grade or View Grades

If you cannot view your grades please contact your instructor.

9. How do I avoid being disconnected while taking a quiz?


(taken from the NCCC Association of Distance Learning Educators.

If you connect to your Blackboard course through a dial-up Internet connection, you can be disconnected while you are taking online quizzes because of "idle time limits" set by your operating system or by your Internet service provider.

If you are disconnected while taking a quiz, do NOT close the quiz window. Instead, reconnect to the Internet. In most situations, you should be able to continue with your quiz where you left off.

You can do two other things to avoid idle time disconnections:

Before you begin your Blackboard quiz, disconnect from the Internet, then reconnect, and then enter your course and begin your quiz. In this way, your session time will be reset to zero.

This page opened in a separate browser window. Keep this page open while you are taking your quiz. This page has been designed to refresh itself every minute. Switch over to this window occasionally while taking your quiz so your connection will be active. The way to switch to this connection is to click on the link to the page on the taskbar at the bottom of your screen.

NOTE: Never click on the "back" button on your browser while taking a quiz. To do so will remove you from the quiz and give you a grade of zero.

10. Why am I not getting emails from instructors that are being sent through Blackboard?


All email generated in Blackboard will be delivered to the email address that you've registered with Blackboard. You must keep your email address current. To update your email address in Blackboard

    Login to Blackboard
    Locate the Tools menu on the left side of your welcome page.
    Click on "personal information," then "edit personal information." Enter the correct email address and hit "submit." Any new emails generated within Blackboard will go to that address.

11. Why can't I read some of the course documents?


You probably do not have the appropriate software to view the file. You can download free viewers for Microsoft products at http://office.microsoft.com/assistance/9798/viewerscvt.aspx

12. Does Blackboard have a spell checker?


Blackboard does not have a spell checker. An option is to compose messages and assignments in a separate word processor (for example, Microsoft Word). Run a spell check. Copy and paste the message into the Blackboard section in which you are working (for example, the discussion board).

13. How do I print a Power Point presentation without wasting a lot of paper by printing only one slide per page?


Go to the PPT slide show in Blackboard and right click while you are on one of the PP slides; select print; then:

    Make selections from "Print Range" - choose all, current slide, or selected sides (type in the slide numbers)
    Make selections from "Print What" (you most likely want "Handouts"). When selecting Handouts you also need to select the number of "Slides per Page" (you can select from 2-9 to be printed on a single page).

14. How do I save an Excel spreadsheet or other document so that I can complete it in later (outside of Bb)?


    Right click on the file link (do not click into or open the file)
    Select "Save Target As" from the File drop down menu
    Give the file its own name and save it
    Close the worksheet in Blackboard
    Open the worksheet that just saved