Quickstart Guide for Instructors

Managing content on a page is as simple as uploading a document. Check out our quick guide below and you’ll be up and running in minutes.    

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What is Blackboard?

Blackboard is known as a virtual learning environment. This means is is an easy way of extending communication and information exchange beyond the classroom or lecture theatre.

It consists of a number of features, such as:

• an area for storing documents such as lecture notes, handouts, readings and other materials
• a bulk email facility and a way of posting class announcements
• a class list, access logs and a gradebook
• groups features for tutorial classes, project teams, etc.
• a discussion forum for communicating
• a means of allowing students to submit or upload assignments such as essays, reports or data

Background

Blackboard started in 2003 on a small server used by some pioneering staff. Since then it has grown to be one of the heaviest used applications on campus, used by over 14,000 active users (students and staff) with over 2,500 active modules.

In 2007 a major upgrade of the Blackboard service was undertaken to integrate it with the main student records system (Quercus+) and the Human Resources database. At this time, the university moved to upgrade to the Blackboard Learning System™ – Enterprise License (version 7.2), which is one of the three products within the Blackboard Academic Suite of software products. This upgrade occured on the 17th of August, 2007. Subsequently, all official course instances and modules at NUI Galway have a Blackboard site. All staff and registered students automatically have accounts.

Again in 2009, the system was upgraded to Blackboard Learning System™ – Enterprise License (version 8.5), on the 17th of July, to provide more benefits such as improved Gradebook functionality.

Requirements

Before starting to use Blackboard, it is highly recommended to review the requirements. Check out our quick browser checker, or read more about what is required.

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