How to login to Blackboard How to send messages How to submit discussion board assignments How to upload written assignments

Transcription

1 Blackboard Basics How to login to Blackboard How to send messages How to submit discussion board assignments How to upload written assignments Mental Health Services Department Central Texas College

2 1. Go to the CTC Website: How to login to Blackboard 2. Click on Students Current CTC Students Blackboard Username: Enter the first letter of your first name, first letter of your last name and last 6 digits of your social security number. Example: Your first and last name is: John Smith Your social security number is: Your username would be: js Password: Enter the month, day and last two digits of the year in which you were born: mmddyy. Example: Your date of birth is: May 10, 1978 Your password would be: Once you are logged in you can access your courses by clicking on the course titles listed under Courses. A common view of the main navigation page of a course is displayed below. On the left hand side you have a course navigation bar which lists the contents. Please note: the navigation bar may differ slightly from course to course.

3 Announcements Any announcements for your classes will be made via Blackboard. Please ensure that you check the Announcements on a regular basis to keep up with your instructor s latest updates. Syllabus The syllabus pages should be read to familiarize yourself with the course content. Modules/Lessons You can view and start your lessons using the modules/lessons link in the navigation bar on the left. Discussion Boards The discussion boards can be accessed through the navigation bar on the left. Messages Contacting your instructor can be accomplished through Blackboard by clicking on Messages. Note: please ensure that you read the syllabus and understand the method of contact preferred by your instructor. Quizzes/Exams Quizzes, proctored and non-proctored exams are to be taken in Blackboard. Proctored exams have special requirements. You are responsible for identifying your test proctor and testing location when you register for a course, or shortly thereafter, and providing the following information to the Central Texas College Testing Office: o o o o o o o o Your name The last 5 digits of your social security number Your location and testing site The testing site's mailing address, telephone number, and fax number The name and address of the testing site's POC (point of contact) The course in which you are enrolled The date your course began Your instructor's name For those based on Central Campus, the Testing Office is located in Building 111, Room 233. Tel: (254) For those not based on Central Campus, please visit the Testing Office website for information on how to notify them of the location and contact information for your chosen proctor: Viewing Grades To view your grades click on the Course Tools link provided in the navigation bar and select My Grades.

4 How to send messages Contacting your instructor can be accomplished through Blackboard by clicking on Messages. Note: please ensure that you read the syllabus and understand the method of contact preferred by your instructor. 1. Click on Messages in the navigation tree on the left. 2. Click on Create Message

5 3. Click on To 4. First click on the name of the person you want to send the message to. 5. Next, click on the right arrow to move the name over to the box on the right.

6 6. The name of the person you want to send a message to should now be in the box on the right. 7. Write the Subject in the subject line, and then type your message in the message box. If you have anything to attach to the message, you can do so in the attachment section. Otherwise press Submit and the message is sent!

7 How to submit discussion assignments For all of the classes that you are taking in the Mental Health Services Department, you are required to post assignments to the Discussion Board and you may also be required to respond to other students discussion board posts. We created this handout to show you how to do the above. Step 1: Posting to the Discussion Board 1. Once you have logged into your Blackboard account and selected the correct course, click on Discussion Assignments in the navigation tree on the left. 2. Next click on the Module that you need to post to (e.g. Module 1 Discussion):

8 3. Click on Create Thread to post to the Discussion Board: 4. To create a thread, you will need to: Input a Subject (check your assignment instructions to see if your instructor requires a specific subject title) Write your response to the Discussion Board question in the box. When you are ready to post, press Submit WRITE YOUR RESPONSE IN HERE!

9 5. You should now see your response in the Discussion Forum. 6. You can see if anyone has replied to your post by the number of Unread Posts.

10 Step 2: Responding to a post on the Discussion Board 1. To respond to a posting, click on the thread that you want to respond to: 2. You will see the following. To reply to this post, click Reply.

11 3. Here you will be able to reply in the message box and then press the Submit button. TYPE YOUR REPLY IN HERE! 4. You will be able to see your reply listed underneath the original post/thread.

12 How to submit written assignments For any classes that you are taking in the Mental Health Services Department, you are required to: Type your assignments using word-processing software, for example Microsoft Word* Save your files in a Rich Text Format /.rtf Submit your assignments through Blackboard We created this handout to show you how to do the above. Please note: assignments should not be handed in on paper, submitted via , or sent through Messages in Blackboard. *If you do not have Word-processing software on your computer, you may be able to download one for free from websites such as openoffice.org. Step 1: Writing your assignment in Microsoft Word 1. First you need to open Microsoft Word. Click on Start : 2. Next, click on All Programs, Microsoft Office, then Microsoft Word. A blank Word file should open automatically, but if it doesn t, go to File and select New. A blank file will open up and you can type your assignment here. Important Note: Each Professor has their own preference of how assignments should be formatted and saved, and it is your responsibility to understand what this is and to follow it accordingly. This information will either be provided in your Blackboard Class or if you attend classes on campus, Professors may also tell you in class. If you are not sure, check with your Professor before submitting an assignment!

13 Step 2: Saving your assignment in Microsoft Word To avoid losing any of your work, make sure to save your assignment regularly! 1. To save your assignment go to File and select Save as. A box will pop up like below: 2. Make sure you save your assignment where you will be able to find it again! In this example we will save the assignment to the Desktop by clicking once on the word Desktop. 3. Next, click once in the File name box and type in the name you want the file to be saved as e.g. DAAC 1304 Module 8 Written Assignment. (Make sure you check if your Professor requires you to save your assignment as a specific name) 4. Finally, click in the Save as type box, and a list of formats will drop down. Select Rich Text Format (rtf). 5. Press: Save 6. Now that your file is saved, you can click on the x in the top right hand corner when you are ready to close the file.

14 Step 2: Submitting your Assignment in Blackboard: 1. Once you have logged into your Blackboard account and selected the correct course, click on Written Assignments in the navigation tree on the left. 2. Click on the Module you want to submit your assignment e.g. Module 8 WA.

15 3. You will see the Assignment Information and a box under Assignment Materials. DO NOT WRITE YOUR ASSIGNMENT IN THIS BOX! Scroll down instead using the scroll bar. DO NOT WRITE YOUR ASSIGNMENT HERE! 4. Under the Assignment Materials box you will see Browse My Computer click this once.

16 5. This box will pop up. 6. First you need to find the assignment that you saved e.g. in this example we saved the assignment to the Desktop so you will click on Desktop once. 7. Once you see the file that you want to attach, click on the file once and press: Open

17 8. The assignment should now be attached. 9. Once you see that your assignment is attached, press the Submit button. If for some reason you do not see your assignment listed under Attached Files, you will need to work through the steps 4-7 again. Mental Health Services Department Students! If you have any problems submitting your assignment or want to check that your assignment has been correctly attached, please call the Mental Health Services Department on (254) If you attend classes on campus, you can also visit us in room 259 of the Planetarium Building - directly above our classrooms 138 & 141.