Canvas and Blackboard

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• Classroom Technology > Blackboard

Blackboard is a Learning Management System (LMS) application that aims to facilitate the planning, implementation and assessment of course material designed by the instructors (faculty and TAs) for student learning. Students can access all of the course materials and other resources made available by the instructors online from anywhere around the world.

Logging in to Blackboard

Log in to the Blackboard site at https://blackboard.qatar.cmu.edu/ with your username and password. You will then be redirected to the dashboard where you can view your courses, tasks and announcements.

Personal Preferences

Feel free to set things up the way you would like on your Blackboard by re-ordering navigation and other non-content information. This may include reviewing your personal information, configuring privacy options, and changing the language.

Personal Information

Your personal information is automatically taken from the Student Information Online (SIO) if you are a student or from the Human Resources if you are an instructor. You can edit your personal information by clicking on “Personal Information” in the Tools area.

Privacy Settings

As a student, you have control over your visibility in the course rosters and the ability for classmates to send you email through Blackboard on a course-specific basis. To control these settings, click on “Personal Information” in the Tools area and then click “Set Privacy Options”.

Change Language

The default language used to render application information can be changed and saved as a user preference. To control this setting, click on “Personal Information” in the Tools area and then click “Change Personal Settings”.

Blackboard for Faculty and TAs

There are a number of features that you, as instructors, can utilize to better manage your courses. Some of the main features are highlighted below:

• Build a Course: The ‘Course Menu’ provides you with the controls for setting up and managing the course structure. You can create new courses, add content material, rearrange items on pages, make the course available for students and export courses. You can read more about Building a course here.
• Communicate and Collaborate: There are a number of ‘Course Tools’ that can help you teach the course the way you would like to, including: creating groups, discussions, course calendar, wikis and announcements. Some of the tools are highlighted below:
  

  Send Email

  This option sends out an email to the instructor and other enrolled students from within the Blackboard application.

  Discussion Boards

  Use a discussion board to participate in course-related discussion outside of class. Conversations are logged and organized by forums set by the instructor that contain threads of all related replies. The instructor may also choose to provide a forum where students are able to post anonymously.

  Course Roster

  Retrieve a list of users enrolled in the course. Based on an enrolled user’s privacy configuration, their contact information can be retrieved from the Carnegie Mellon Directory.

  Group Pages

  Students enrolled in a course can be divided into project or study groups, and the instructor can provision the group with tools (e.g. blogs, calendars, discussion boards, tasks) accessible via the “Groups” tool.

  Read more about Tools Management here. See also Blackboard for Students > Communication Tools Available.

• Evaluate Student Work: Student assessment and progress can be tracked in the Grade Center. You can also administer online tests, post assignments, manage tests and surveys. See more information on this topic here.
• Manage Users: Blackboard gives you the freedom to add/remove users (students and course assistants) from your course at any point of time. You can specify their roles and affordances and limit their type of access. See more details on this topic here.

Blackboard for Students

As a student, it is your responsibility to keep a track of all your courses on Blackboard on regular basis. This is important because instructors will keep adding new content material and assignments over the semester. In order for you to stay up to date with what you can and cannot do, you will have to know about the following:

• How to Access a Blackboard Course: log in with your credentials on https://blackboard.qatar.cmu.edu/ and you will be redirected to your Blackboard dashboard. All of the courses that you are enrolled will be listed here.
• Course Navigation: The “Course Menu” is configured for each Blackboard course to reflect the tools and content to which students should have access. All course tools, assignments, and assessments should be available through the course menu.
• Communication Tools Available: This is similar to the communication tools mentioned in the Blackboard for Faculty and TAs section.
• How to View and Submit Assignments: You may be required to submit assignments within a course. See further details on view and submit assignments here.
• How to Submit Turnitin Assignments: In some courses, you may be required to submit a Turnitin assignment. Turnitin assignments are integrated into Blackboard in a different way than a normal assignment. See further details on how to submit turnitin assignments here.
• How to Check Grades: You will be able to access your course grades once the instructors permits you the access. You can check your grades by clicking on “My Grades” utility under the “Tools” area.