Blackboard is an application which allows students of Shippensburg University to participate in courses in an online environment. Through Blackboard, students can view course documents, assignments, communicate with other students and faculty, and participate in online discussions, provided that they have access to an internet connection and an internet browser.

Click on an area below to go to that section or scroll down the page to read the whole document.

• What kind of computer do I need?
• How do I log in to Blackboard?
• How do I change my Password?
• What are the tabs at the top? Where is my course?
• How do I navigate in my course?
• Who do I contact for help?
• Are there any other help documents?

What kind of Computer do I need?

All college computers are already set up for you to use Blackboard. If you are using a home computer or laptop you will need:

• A PentiumII (or higher processor) computer
• 64 megabytes (MB) of random access memory (RAM) minimum
• Mouse
• An internet connection (outside of company firewalls - firewalls may cause connection problems using Blackboard and downloading files)
• A web browser ( Internet Explorer (IE) 7 )
  • note: Internet Explorer 6 is the college standard, and works most fluently with Blackboard and the documents provided by your instructors. IE can be downloaded from the Microsoft website free of charge.
  • How to download and install IE:
    1. Make sure that you have +30MB free hard drive space.
    2. Go to the download site linked above (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.asp). Select
    3. your language from the drop-down list and click Download Now.
    4. Choose Run this program from its current location and click OK.
    5. Click Yes if asked whether you would like to install and run Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 and Tools.
    6. Accept the License Agreement and click Next to begin the installation process.
       Note: it may take over an hour to complete the download process.
• Associated programs recommended by your instructor

• Microsoft Office 2003 (XP) is the college standard software and may be required to view and transfer files to and from your instructor.
• If you don't have Office 2003 (XP), you will need to download the Powerpoint Viewer, Word Viewer, and Excel Viewer. Follow the same steps as above to download and install.
• An activated Shippensburg University e-mail account.

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How do I log in to Blackboard?

Info.Ship (SIS) will automatically let Blackboard know in which course(s) you are enrolled. You are enrolled into your blackboard courses 48 hours after you register in the SIS.
Below are step by step instructions for finding and logging into Blackboard at Shippensburg University.

1. Connect to the Internet (On the college campus, you are connected automatically when you open up Internet Explorer. At home you will need to log into your Internet Service Provider)
2. Open Internet Explorer (IE), which is the standard college browser and recommended for Blackboard.
3. In the address bar of IE, type in the following address and hit enter.

   http://blackboard.ship.edu/

   There is also a Blackboard login link on the student information website (http://info.ship.edu/).

4. Click on the main Blackboard login button or the alternate Blackboard login button

5. Enter your username and password in the login fields:

   • Your Bb Username is your full Ship email address
     
   • Your Bb Password is <the first four characters of your last name>+<your birthdate YY/MM/DD>
     
   • Note: Change your password once you are logged in (see How do I change my Password?)

   EXAMPLE: Jane A. Smith, born March 21, 1984, Ship email address is: js1234@ship.edu
   
   Bb Username: js1234@ship.edu
   
   Bb Password: smit19840321

6. When you have successfully logged in, your "Welcome" homepage will come up on your screen, which lists all of the courses you are enrolled in under "My Courses". (Course in which you are Participating).
   
7. Click on the course that you want to enter, using the links on the right side of the screen. For more information on finding and naviagting your Blackboard course see the Where is my course? section.

How do I log out of Blackboard?

It is imperative that you log out of Blackboard after every session. To do this you must click on the "logout" button on the top of your Blackboard window.

If you fail to log out of Blackboard, your username and password information will stay on the computer and anyone who uses it after you will be logged in as you.

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How do I change my Password?

Changing your password can prevent others from malicious entry into your courses as you. After you successfully log-in to Blackboard it is advisable to change the password. The best combination is alphanumeric (ex. 44tt44) Note: This procedure will only change your Blackboard password, not your Ship email or SIS passwords.

Follow the steps below to change your password.

1. Login to Blackboard .
2. Click on Tools button located on the left.
3. Click on Personal Information.
4. Click Change Password
5. Enter your new password and confirm the new password.
6. Scroll to the bottom and click Submit.

You can use the new password the next time you log in to Blackboard.

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What are the Tabs at the top?

My Blackboard

My Blackboard provides a listing of all the announcements, courses, and calendar items you have created or are associated with in a central location. You can plot calendar events, tasks, and enter contacts from this location. Please feel free to experiment with My Blackboard. Further instructions on how to use the tools provided are available in the online student manual.

The Tools section contains quick links to different administrative areas in Blackboard

The boxes in the middle (modules) contain important information for students such as announcments and student information. Using the Contents and Layout buttons at the top you can add or remove boxes.

My Courses Box (Module) is a list of the courses you are teaching and participating in. This is the same listing as the My Courses Tab. Click on the name of the course to enter the course

My Courses

My Courses ists the courses you are teaching and participating in, as well as all the instructors for each course.

This is a list of the courses you are teaching and participating in. Click on the name of the course to enter the course

My Community

My Community tab is very similar to the courses tab. It lists any organization in which you are participating such as co-op organizations, program organizations, or club organizations.

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How do I navigate in my course?

The navigation area consists of a series of buttons located along the left side of the screen. Click on any of these buttons will take you to the corresponding area of the course. Some of these buttons may or may not be in your course depending on how your instructor has set it up:

	Due dates Course changes Weekly Announcements
	Official college course outline Course Syllabus
	Faculty information including name, email, office location, voicemail, hours
	Detailed course syllabus PowerPoint presentations Lessons & course notes Videos Articles Websites Question & answer sheets
	Assignments/marking scheme Deadlines Marking criteria Tests
	Discussion Student Roster Email Student and group pages
	Discussion areas set up by the instructor
	Helpful Websites
	This area holds the tools needed to submit information to the Instructor, view a course calendar, check your grades, use the dictionary and thesaurus, and change your password.

Who do I contact for Help?

For Log-in/Password/Navigation Questions go to...

24/7 Online Blackboard Support Center for Shippensburg University
Call toll-free telephone at 1-866-766-5960
Go to URL: http://d2.parature.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=780

For questions about content, test errors, and general course questions contact your instructor.

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Support Documents for Blackboard

You can find Blackboard Student Help file such as:
Saving a File
Attching Documents in E-mail
Microsoft Office, Acrobat, and Video plug-in/viewers
How to Submit Assignments set-up in Blackboard

Visit /login/student_help/BBStudentHelp.htm or click on Help Files for Students on the Blackboard Login Page.

An online Blackboard manual for students using Blackboard is available by clicking on the Help button at the top of your Blackboard screen. You can also find an online manual by clicking on tools from inside any course and clicking the manual button.

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