Troubleshooting Common Blackboard Problems

Is Blackboard not behaving the way it should?  Here are some easy fixes to try before contacting tech support:

1. Switch to a different browser.  Most users find that Mozilla's Firefox provides the best Bb experience.  But if something isn't working properly, try using a different browser such as MS Internet Explorer (Windows OS) or Safari (MAC OS)
2. Exit your browser and then restart.  Close down all your browsers and then restart one.
3. Restart your PC.  This is a great fix for many, common computing ills.  Simply restart your computer. *Remember to save your work*

If none of that works, contact the Blackboard Help Desk:

• 866-590-9238
• Submit a Ticket
• Live Chat

Bb Updates from Sandy Cook

Many of you have asked about  Bb reliability and steps to improve

See this update from Sandy Cook in the System Office.

Gradebook Access and Other Bb Problems

I havre recieved reports from faculty at other colleges who report access denied errors in the gradebook, but they were using Internet Explorer.  Switching to a different browser such as Firefox was the fix.  In general, a good fix for many Bb problems is:

• Switch to a different browser
• Restart your browser
• Restart your PC

If none of that works, alert ITS--and alert me as well.

How to Run a Report on Student Access of your Bb Courseshell

Ever needed to know how much time your students are spending inside Blackboard?  Even needed to verify when a student was online in your course?  You can get such a report from Blackboard.  Here are the directions:

Visit Control Panel>Evaluation>Course Reports
Choose Overall Summary of User Activity and then choose the user.

bl_ios discussion forum

Own an iPad, iPhone or other IOS device?  Join the bl_ios@kctcs.edu distribution list to share your favorite apps and troubleshoot problems.  Email Richard.King@kctcs.edu to be put on the list.

Revised Instrument for Student Evaluation of Instruction

The BCTC Faculty Performance Review Committee has been hard at work on creating a new instrument for student evaluation of instruction.  Here's the most recent draft:

http://district.bluegrass.kctcs.edu/ben.worth/dlac/eval.pdf

Does it adequately address the needs of online instruction?  Should there be a separate section dealing with online issues?  Or should there be a single instrument that can is written such that it can be used for either online or on-ground classes?

Proposed Rubric

One idea in the KCTCS Distance Learning Peer Team that is really getting traction is a rubric for scoring courses offered via KCTCS Learn by Term (what we now call BW classes--basically any class that offered to the entire KCTCS online community).  The proposals stipulates that all Learn by Term would have to receive a satisfactory grade on the rubric.

You can view a draft version here:

http://district.bluegrass.kctcs.edu/ben.worth/dlac/rubric.pdf

What are your thoughts?