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University of North Texas Revised August 15, 2011 Teaching Online for the First Time with Blackboard Vista A Getting Started Guide Center for Learning Enhancement, Assessment, and Redesign (CLEAR), University of North Texas
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University of North Texas
Revised August 15, 2011
Teaching Online for the First Time with Blackboard Vista
A Getting Started Guide
Center for Learning Enhancement, Assessment, and Redesign (CLEAR), University of North Texas
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Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 4
Instructional Consulting Unit Staff ............................................................................................................ 4
Seven Principles of Good Teaching Practice ................................................................................ 5
Checklist for New Online Instructors ............................................................................................. 6
Check Access to Systems ..................................................................................................................... 7
Activate Your EUID Account ......................................................................................................................... 7
Check Access to the Faculty Center on my.unt.edu ............................................................................. 7
Check Access to Blackboard Vista .............................................................................................................. 7
Instructions for Logging in to Blackboard Vista ............................................................................................... 8
Technical Requirements ............................................................................................................................................. 8
Training and Tutorial Resources on Blackboard Vista................................................................................... 9
Faculty Support on Blackboard Vista .................................................................................................................... 9
Student Support on Blackboard Vista ................................................................................................................. 10
Check Course Section and Materials ............................................................................................. 10
Check the Course Listing ............................................................................................................................. 10
Making a section request .......................................................................................................................................... 10
Student Uploads ........................................................................................................................................................... 10
Upload Schedule Each Semester * ......................................................................................................................... 11
What to Do If You Encounter Problems with Uploads ................................................................................. 11
Add Guests, Teaching Assistants, or Additional Instructors ......................................................... 12
Become Familiar with the Course ........................................................................................................... 13
CLEAR Instructional Consultant Departmental Assignments ................................................................... 14
What every online course syllabus should include ................................................................. 15
First Week of the Semester Tasks ................................................................................................. 16
Get Emergency Contact Information ...................................................................................................... 16
Monitor Student Activity ............................................................................................................................ 16
Tracking in Vista ........................................................................................................................................................... 16
Compare Student Grade Book with Class Roster .............................................................................. 16
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How Drops Appear in Your Grade Book ............................................................................................... 16
Two Weeks Prior to the End of the Semester ............................................................................ 17
Last Week of the Semester ............................................................................................................... 17
Best Practices for Managing the Course & Addressing Student Problems ..................... 19
Establish Emergency Contact Information .......................................................................................... 19
UNT Helpdesk ................................................................................................................................................. 19
Back-Up Plan for Technical Issues .......................................................................................................... 19
Using and Managing Mail: .......................................................................................................................... 19
Navigating and Grading Course Discussions ....................................................................................... 20
Viewing Messages ........................................................................................................................................................ 20
Compiling and Printing Messages ......................................................................................................................... 21
Download Grade Book Weekly ................................................................................................................. 21
Appendix A: Technical Assistance for Faculty .......................................................................... 23
Appendix B: Technical Assistance for Students ....................................................................... 24
Appendix C: Student Resources: If Technology Fails .............................................................. 25
Web Resources for Faculty Teaching Online Courses ............................................................ 26
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Introduction This guide was developed by the Instructional Consultants in the Center for Learning Enhancement, Assessment, and Redesign (CLEAR). Its purpose is to provide instructors who are teaching online for the first time with:
• an orientation to UNT-specific procedures for online instructors • instructions for accessing the systems they will need to use • a concise list of recommended best practices for online instructors • resources for further exploration and professional development
The guide begins with a checklist that addresses all of these areas. The sections that follow provide details on accomplishing the items within the checklist. While the checklist is general in nature and can be applied to teaching online every semester, some information in this guide is specific to the Fall 2011 semester, such as the Upload Schedule on p.11 and the Instructional Consultants Departmental Assignments on p.14.
If you have comments about the guide or would like to make suggestions for future editions, we would be happy to receive your input! Please email Jane Himmel ([email protected]).
Jane Himmel, Associate Director Center for Learning Enhancement, Assessment, and Redesign (CLEAR) Phone: (940) 369-8137 Email: [email protected]
Instructional Consulting Unit Staff Michelle Farley Instructional Consultant (940) 369‐7670 [email protected]
Lauri Morrow Instructional Consultant (940) 369‐8175 [email protected]
Rita Knoblock Blackboard Vista Faculty Helpdesk Manager (940) 369‐8856 [email protected]
Brett Patchen Instructional Consultant (940) 369‐7829 [email protected]
Mary Speight Instructional Consultant (940) 369‐8446 [email protected]
See p. 14 of this guide for Instructional Consultant departmental assignments.
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Seven Principles of Good Teaching Practice In March 1987, the American Association of Higher Education first published "Seven Principles of Good Practice in Undergraduate Education." These principles can be a guide to teaching online as well as in the traditional classroom. As you begin your semester teaching, remember these seven principles. Note that the first four are typical of a highly interactive environment. The online classroom should never be a static repository of materials. Student and faculty success online depend upon regular, quality interaction between you and your students, among your students, and between the students and the material.
1. Good practice encourages interaction between students and faculty. 2. Good practice encourages interaction and collaboration between students. 3. Good practice uses active learning techniques. 4. Good practice gives prompt feedback. 5. Good practice emphasizes time on task. 6. Good practice communicates high expectations. 7. Good practice respects diversity --- talents, experience, and ways of learning.
Keep these principles in mind as you go forward and have a successful semester!
Jane Himmel, Associate Director Center for Learning Enhancement, Assessment, and Redesign (CLEAR) University of North Texas [email protected]
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Checklist for New Online Instructors Check Access to Systems
Verify EUID and activate Account Management System account. Login to my.unt.edu. Login to Blackboard Vista.
Check Course Section and Materials
Check to be sure all sections you are teaching exist in Blackboard Vista. Add teaching assistants, guests, into appropriate roles through course grade book. Familiarize self with course organization and materials.
1. Check and revise content and links. 2. Review quizzes and assignment instructions. 3. Prepare and upload syllabus. 4. Set due dates for assignments and quizzes. 5. Set selective release dates for materials. 6. Post important dates to course calendar. 7. Set up grade book. 8. Set up discussions. Post ice-breaker. 9. Prepare course orientation for students and make sure there are links to help and
tutorials.
First Week of the Semester Tasks
Get emergency contact information from students. Check tracking to make sure all students have logged in. Compare student grade book with class roll. Modify or rearrange grade book if necessary.
*Remember to download your grade book weekly. Two Weeks Prior to the End of the Semester
Administer departmental evaluations. Last Week of the Semester
Download grade book and post grades on my.unt.edu. Follow the Download Semester Data instructions on the UNT Faculty Resource page to
download discussions, email, assignment submissions etc. (Go to Faculty Resources TrainingGuidesDownload Semester Data
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Check Access to Systems In order to gain access to your online course as well as the system into which you will obtain rosters and enter final grades, you will need to set up your login name and password. The University of North Texas provides each employee and student with a unique Enterprise-Wide User ID (EUID). The purpose of the EUID is to provide a single login and electronic identity for as many of the University's electronic resources as possible, within the limits of existing system security structures.
Activate Your EUID Account
1. To find your EUID and activate your account, open a Web browser and go to: http://ams.unt.edu. Enter your name and birth date in the blanks provided and click continue.
Figure 1: Personal Information blanks on ams.unt.edu form.
2. Verify your social security number as prompted. The next screen will display your EUID
and activate your account. If you encounter any problems, please call the UNT Helpdesk at 940-565-2324. Note: At this point you may be prompted to reset your password. Follow the onscreen instructions to do so. Remember never to share your account password with anyone else. Doing so is a violation of UNT Policy 3.6: Information Resources Security Policy.
Check Access to the Faculty Center on my.unt.edu UNT’s portal to online services is located at my.unt.edu. During your employment you will login to my.unt.edu for many reasons, but with regard to teaching activities, you will use it for completing tasks with relation to course rosters and grading. Be sure to test access before the semester starts. Instructions for logging in to my.unt.edu and using the Faculty Center are located here: http://essc.unt.edu/eis/faculty.htm. You may also request grader access by completing and submitting a form located here: http://essc.unt.edu/eis/docs/EIS_Additional_Grader_Access_Form.pdf.
Check Access to Blackboard Vista A Learning Management System (LMS) is a term used to describe the infrastructure institutions generally use to manage and deliver online courses. The LMS that we use at the University of North Texas is Blackboard Vista (formerly WebCT Vista). Think of Vista as your virtual classroom. You may use it to deliver course content, conduct course activities, provide feedback
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as well as grades, and communicate with your students via discussion, email, and chat. It is vitally important for you to check your access to Vista as soon as possible so that you will have ample time to become familiar with your course content, set course due dates, and post introductory discussion messages.
Figure 2: Blackboard Vista login screen.
Instructions for Logging in to Blackboard Vista
1. Log in to Blackboard Vista at http://ecampus.unt.edu. 2. Enter your EUID and password in the blanks provided. 3. Click the Login button.
If you are unable to log in, or if you receive error messages upon login, please call the Blackboard Vista Faculty Support Desk at 940-369-7394.
Technical Requirements
All Learning Management Systems have minimum technical requirements. You may be required to install additional software or make changes to settings on your machine in order to use the LMS. With Blackboard Vista, you may view a list of the technical requirements here: http://ecampussupport.unt.edu/go/settings.
Watch the System Alerts area of the login page for timely announcements about scheduled maintenance or unscheduled downtime.
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Training and Tutorial Resources on Blackboard Vista If you are new to Blackboard Vista, we recommend that you take advantage of some of the training services that we provide so that you can get up to speed quickly. Here are your options:
• Complete the short self-guided tutorial Getting Started with Blackboard Vista. This brief tutorial can be completed within a couple of hours, but you can work on it at your own pace as well as refer to it later in the semester if you need a refresher on any of the topics. Sign up today at http://cdl.unt.edu/go/register.
• Attend a live training session. CLEAR offers online and face-to-face training in Vista on
a regular basis. Attend a 50-minute introductory session on Wimba Classroom or take a longer hands-on session in a training room. To view workshop descriptions and find out when each workshop will next be offered, go to http://ecampussupport.unt.edu/go/training.
• Become familiar with the Blackboard Vista Faculty Resources pages at http://ecampussupport.unt.edu/go/faculty. We have provided numerous guides and step-by-step instructions for common tasks in Vista.
• Go to the Blackboard Basecamp. You should see a course on your Course List in Blackboard Vista called Blackboard Basecamp. This course site was created as a support community for faculty who teach online using Blackboard Vista. You will also find tutorials and manuals from Blackboard, Inc. on this site. Email [email protected] if you don’t find Blackboard Basecamp on your Course List.
• Make an appointment to meet with a CLEAR Instructional Consultant. (See CLEAR Instructional Consultant Departmental Assignments on p.14 in this manual to identify yours.) The primary role of the Instructional Consultant is to assist UNT faculty with the development, creation, delivery, and maintenance of quality online course material. Instructional consultants provide one-on-one and group training by appointment. Upon request, Instructional Consultants will assist the faculty member or course designer with improving their online course. The IC will evaluate the course using a standard rubric and will provide a detailed report with suggestions for improvements.
Faculty Support on Blackboard Vista Faculty support on Blackboard Vista is also provided by CLEAR. The Faculty Support Helpdesk is located in Chilton Hall, room 112C. While your instructional consultant will provide you with training and advice on selecting appropriate tools for course activities, the Faculty Helpdesk will troubleshoot problems you encounter. To report a problem with Blackboard Vista, email [email protected] or call 940-369-7394. For more detailed information on technical support for faculty, please see Appendix A: Technical Assistance for Faculty, p.23.
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Student Support on Blackboard Vista Technical support for Blackboard Vista is provided by the UNT Helpdesk. For detailed information on the type of assistance provided and how you can help your students prepare for emergencies, see Best Practices for Managing the Course & Addressing Student Problems on p.19 and Appendix B: Technical Assistance for Students on p.24 in this guide.
Check Course Section and Materials
Check the Course Listing The course sections you are teaching should appear in the Course List area of the My Blackboard page, which displays after you login. Check to be sure that all of the courses you are teaching appear in this list. You may combine sections into one course space or teach them as separate sections. If you do not see all of your sections listed here, you may make a section request to add them.
Figure 3: Course List on My Blackboard screen.
Making a section request
1. Fill out the new section request form at http://ecampussupport.unt.edu/go/sectionupload.
Note: If you are planning to use content from another instructor's course, then an email from the instructor granting permission must be sent to [email protected] or to [email protected].
Student Uploads Your section will be scheduled for automatic student upload when it is created. Students will be uploaded one week prior to the first day of the semester, but will not be able to access the content until the day the
The Course List appears in the center of the My Blackboard screen. The courses you are teaching should be listed here.
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semester starts. If you want the student to be able to access the content prior to the first day of the semester, you must make a request to change the access restriction dates by sending an email to [email protected] or [email protected].
Upload Schedule Each Semester *
Date Event
One week prior to the first day of classes
Students are uploaded into Vista sections. Although students appear on the course rosters/Gradebook in Vista, they do not have access to the course materials. Course adds and drops are processed once daily through 12th class day.
First day of classes Student access to course sections on Vista begins. (If an instructor prefers to open the section prior to the first day of classes, he or she must contact [email protected] or call 940-369-7394 to make a request. Instructors who call making the request must supply their EMPLID number for identity verification purposes.)
12th class day Automatic uploads officially end and one final upload will occur the morning of the 13th class day. Instructors are encouraged to check class rosters /Gradebook in Vista with rosters in my.unt.edu to be sure everything is correct.
Last day to drop a course with consent of instructor
Drops will continue to run once weekly through this date. When a student is dropped, he or she will remain in the Gradebook and will be denied access. Instructors may un-enroll dropped students through the Gradebook or choose not to display them.
* For specific dates, see UNT Academic Calendar: http://www.unt.edu/catalog/calendar.htm.
What to Do If You Encounter Problems with Uploads
• Contact [email protected] if students are not uploaded before the 1st class day or within 48 hours of section notification during an active term.
• Teaching Assistants and section designers can be added through the grade book by clicking on Enroll Members. You will have to know their EUID.
• Adding additional section instructors can be requested with the form at http://ecampussupport.unt.edu/go/adddesigner.
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Add Guests, Teaching Assistants, or Additional Instructors
If you have a teaching assistant to whom you would like to give teaching assistant access in Vista, please follow these instructions:
1. Login to Vista and click the course title to enter the course. 2. Click the Teach tab. 3. From the Instructor Tools in the bottom left section of the screen, click on Grade Book. 4. At the top of the Grade Book, click the button called Enroll Members. 5. Enter the EUID for the teaching assistant you would like to add. 6. Select the role “Teaching Assistant.” 7. Click the Enroll button. 8. Click Save.
Figure 4: Enroll Members screen in Vista Grade book.
If you encounter any problems adding someone through the Grade Book, please call the Vista Faculty Helpdesk at 940-369-7394 or fill out a Request Shared Designer and Instructor Access form at http://ecampussupport.unt.edu/go/adddesigner.
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Become Familiar with the Course It is important for online instructors to be familiar with the course contents and navigation. This task will enable you to identify anything that needs to be changed or updated prior to the start of the semester. We recommend you do the following things before each semester.
Check course navigation. You may be new to the course yourself. Can you find the major parts of the course easily from the home page? Does the home page organization make sense? Is it neat and uncluttered?
Check and revise content and links. Review the content on pages and in modules. Is information accurate? Do links to other pages of content our external Web sites work?
Review quizzes and assignment instructions. Are they complete and up-to-date?
Prepare and upload syllabus. (Please see the next section entitled “What Every Online Syllabus Should Include” for tips.)
Set due dates for assignments and quizzes.
Set selective release dates for materials. You may not want to release the entire semester’s content at the start of the semester. Set selective release dates to allow access to content according to a schedule or depending upon a student’s completion of quizzes or assignments.
Post important dates to course calendar. (You may enter calendar entries manually or tie them with assignments or quizzes.)
Set up grade book. Columns associated with existing assignments and quizzes should already be in place. However, you may wish to add more columns for other activities or may wish to set up calculated columns to add or average together multiple existing columns. Check column release settings so that you can determine if students can see grades once you have entered them.
Set up discussions. Most online classes make heavy use of asynchronous discussion forums. Asynchronous discussions allow faculty and students to post messages and responses when it is most convenient for their schedules. You will likely have discussion topics for each major topic or lesson in your course. Check these to be sure initial posts are made. We strongly recommend that you post ice-breaker discussion thread at the start of your class to enable you and your students to get to know each other and also to allow practice using the discussion tool.
Does your course include links to student help and tutorials? Have you provided an orientation for your students so that they know how the course activities will be conducted and where to find resources?
A CLEAR Instructional Consultant will be happy to assist you in reviewing your course and making recommendations for quick revisions that will help you get ready for the semester.
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CLEAR Instructional Consultant Departmental Assignments
The Instructional Consultants are assigned by department as follows:
College of Business Administration Brett Patchen [email protected] 940‐369‐7829
College of Education Michelle Farley [email protected] 940‐369‐7670
Frank W. and Sue Mayborn School of Journalism
Michelle Farley [email protected] 940‐369‐7670
College of Engineering Vacant [email protected] 940‐369‐7394
Honors College Michelle Farley [email protected] 940‐369‐7670
College of Information David Denny [email protected] 940‐565‐2143
School of Merchandising and Hospitality Management
Lauri Morrow [email protected] 940‐369‐8175
College of Music Brett Patchen [email protected] 940‐369‐7829
College of Public Affairs and Community Service
Lauri Morrow [email protected] 940‐369‐8175
College of Visual Arts & Design Michelle Farley [email protected] 940‐369‐7670
College of Arts and Sciences – Consultants divide departmental assignments
AERO, BIOC, BIOL, COMM, ECON, LING, MILS, WMST – Morrow CHEM, RTVF, SPHS ‐ Farley ENGL, ENTW, GEOG, GEOL, HIST, MATH, PHYS ‐ Vacant DANC, FOREIGN LANG, PHIL, PSCI, PSYC ‐ Patchen
If your school, college, or department does not appear on this list or is unassigned, contact [email protected] or the Center for Learning Enhancement, Assessment, and Redesign at 940-369-7394 to determine your consultant assignment or to have a consultant assigned to you.
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What every online course syllabus should include Consider the following items as a foundation for a syllabus that helps students understand the instructor's expectations as well as basic course information. Including each item may not be necessary. You may also contact your Instructional Consultant for an Online Course Syllabus Template.
A brief statement of overall course objectives that introduces students to what they should know and be able to do by the end of a course. Consider the personal tone set here as an important aspect of this statement.
A few words about course format, so that students know what to expect about how the teacher will be using class time.
A brief statement of expectations in terms of student responsibilities, clearly stating what the teacher expects (such as participation and the level of work).
A statement of what assessment techniques will be used to evaluate students, including information on grading policies.
A schedule of class dates and topics, along with week-by-week reading assignments. Due dates for papers, exams, projects, and so on, including any policies about late
assignments. Any pertinent information about academic policies and procedures (such as class
attendance, making up assignments, and university-wide policies).
Core Information
Course title, course number, term information and prerequisites Building and room number (if applicable) Instructor's name, phone numbers, e-mail address, and office hours Textbook(s) and supplemental readings; Course Website Course Objectives, Learning Outcomes Suggested bibliography Technical or special requirements (hardware, software, plug ins, i.e., Java, Flash, Adobe
Reader) Links to campus resources such as the library, writing labs, etc F1 Student Visa statement (see: http://cdl.unt.edu/go/f1visa) Accessibility statement (see: http://www.unt.edu/oda/pfs/taglines.html) Copyright statement (see: http://copyright.unt.edu/content/sample-copyright-notices) Plagiarism policy (see strategies for promoting academic integrity:
http://www.unt.edu/csrr/development/dishonesty.html) Email response time policy, preferred contact information Discussion/participation guidelines, including instructor's role Explanation of grading criteria and components of total grade Explanation of course geography and procedures: how the online course is organized,
how students should proceed each week for class activities, how to label assignments submitted (this is a MAJOR issue), where to post materials, any special instructions
Week by week schedule including topics, assignments, readings, quizzes, activities, web resources, specific dates
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First Week of the Semester Tasks During the first week of the semester it is important to check into the course frequently to check student progress and address any problems that may arise.
Get Emergency Contact Information This is a good time to obtain emergency contact information in the event you or your students need to make contact when they are unable to login to the Blackboard Vista system. This can be accomplished by creating a quiz that asks students to provide external email addresses or phone numbers.
Additionally, it is a best practice for you to provide emergency contact information for your students. (See Establish Emergency Contact Information on p.19 in this guide for instructions.)
Monitor Student Activity By the end of the first week all of the student enrolled in your course should have logged in. You can use Vista’s Student Tracking tool to view a detailed summary of activity information for individual students.
Tracking in Vista 1. Click the Teach tab. 2. Under Instructor Tools, click Tracking. 3. Select the type of report you would like to run along with the date
range and click Run Report. You may also wish to make an assignment, quiz, or discussion posting due during the first week of class in order to determine if all students are participating and to get them used to using the course tools. It’s good to set the precedent of expecting them to login regularly to check announcements and participate in course activities. Numerous studies have shown that the more engaged the students are in the class, the more likely
they will complete and be successful.
Compare Student Grade Book with Class Roster As indicated in the section on Student Uploads, students are uploaded into Vista courses automatically through the 12th class day. It is important to compare the rosters you receive from the EIS system to be sure all of the students are being uploaded. Occasionally, departments will create different section numbers for groups of students who match particular criteria (such as out-of-state or federation). If you were unaware of these additional sections and did not include them on the section request, the students will not be automatically uploaded until the request is corrected.
How Drops Appear in Your Grade Book Students who are dropped from the class continue to appear in your course grade book, but are denied access. The reason they are not removed completely is to prevent the loss of student work
Figure 5: Tracking tool button on Instructor Tools menu.
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in the event a student was dropped for non-payment and is re-added later. A student who is denied access will appear in the course grade book with a red symbol to the left of his or her last name.
Figure 6: Grade book with student denied access.
Two Weeks Prior to the End of the Semester The University of North Texas has implemented the Student Evaluation of Teaching Effectiveness (SETE), which contains a 12-item survey which collects the student’s view of teaching effectiveness. This process became mandatory with the Fall 2009 semester. However, faculty should consult with their departments and/or faculty handbooks regarding additional evaluation processes for their online course offerings. Please contact your CLEAR Instructional Consultant for advice or additional information or visit UNT’s Assessment & Measurement Information Resources site at: http://www.unt.edu/ir_acc/Assessment/Assessment_Home.html.
Last Week of the Semester You have two important tasks to take care of during the last week of the semester.
1. Once all of the grades have been entered, download a copy of the course grade book and enter your grades on my.unt.edu. Unfortunately, at this point in time there is no way to publish grades from Vista directly into EIS (my.unt.edu). See Part II: Grading Students in the Faculty Center at http://essc.unt.edu/eis/faculty.htm for instructions on entering grades in EIS. Faculty members are also required to place a copy of final grades in the department through which their course is offered. See the Faculty Handbook, Section III, part C. Grades and the Grading System: http://www.unt.edu/vpaa_fy0708_fhb/III-c.html.
2. Follow the Download Semester Data instructions on the UNT Faculty Resource page to download discussions, email, assignment submissions etc. (Go to Faculty Resources TrainingGuidesDownload Semester Data.)
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Course sections will remain available to students so that they may check final work for seven days following the last day of classes. If you wish to extend that access date, please email [email protected] or call 940-369-7394. You will need to provide your EMPLID for identity verification over the phone.
Course sections will remain available to instructors for one year following the end of the semester in which the course was taught in order to accommodate students who need to make up incompletes.
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Best Practices for Managing the Course & Addressing Student Problems
• emergency contact information (other than email) • developing backup plans in case students have trouble submitting assignments or
completing assessment • Using and managing the internal email features • Navigating and grading course discussions • Instructions on downloading Gradebook for departmental records
Establish Emergency Contact Information It is important to provide emergency contact information for your online students. A departmental phone number with voice mail would be appropriate. Please be sure to provide information to students on the procedure for reporting a personal emergency.
UNT Helpdesk Students should also be provided the student help desk information with instructions for reporting outages, tool problems, or submission/testing issues. The student help desk information can be located at: https://ecampussupport.unt.edu/index.cfm?M=Student_Resources.
Help desk hours should be verified each semester. Students can contact the help desk via email ([email protected]), phone (940-565-2324), or in person (ISB Rm. 119).
Back-Up Plan for Technical Issues Should your students encounter technical difficulties while submitting assignments or completing an assessment, it is recommended to have a stated policy as to how to handle such an occurrence. It is recommended that students immediately contact the student help desk so they can not only document the issue but troubleshoot the problem. The students should also contact the instructor immediately with the problem and the resolution provided by the student help desk. The student help desk should provide the student with a remedy ticket number.
Using and Managing Mail: Online instructors can get overwhelmed with the large volume of student emails their courses generate. An overflowing “inbox” creates great anxiety for students and instructors alike. You can develop options to make email management intuitive and simple for you and your students. Use the following options to help you control and organize email.
• Create a Discussion topic called Questions, Concerns, and Problems. Define what contributions are appropriate for the topic. Explain if one student has a question or concern about an assignment or a reading, it is probably a concern shared by others. All students can then benefit from your responses. If you still receive several emails about these types of concerns, address them in the Discussion topic and add an announcement advising students to look there.
• Organize email messages as soon as they are received into folders in your email account. You don’t need to respond to student emails as you receive them, but rather sort them
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into folders as they are received. A little organization goes a long way and once again, once you see a trend in the way email questions are headed, you can address them in one post on the Discussion Board.
• Consider sequentially numbering emails you send to students and number your folders in the same way. If a student needs to respond, you can use the numbering system to easily determine where the email belongs.
• In the Syllabus, clearly define what is an appropriate email to send privately to you and what is appropriate for the Discussion Board. For example, a student who has a concern about a grade would want to send you an email.
• Ask students to keep their necessary email messages simple and direct. Also, stress the importance of meaningful subject lines for all messages.
• Do not have assignments sent to your email address. Students should upload their assignments to the Assignment area or a Discussion topic.
• Even a “light load” of email can seem overwhelming if you don’t check your email often. Set a regular schedule of checking your email.
• You can alleviate some of the follow-up emails students may send to “see if you received my email,” by providing students with an estimated response time. It’s much better to tell your students you will respond to emails within a couple days (and then respond sooner) than to promise instant turnaround.
-- Adapted from resources provided by Blackboard Inc. © 2007
Navigating and Grading Course Discussions Navigating and grading the course discussions is best done from the “teach” tab. Discussions can be either threaded or unthreaded. When messages are threaded, they display as a series of messages on the same subject. The original message is listed first, followed by replies to that message. By default, messages in threaded topics are listed in threaded view, but you can change the view to unthreaded. Unthreaded messages are listed in chronological order.
Viewing Messages From the messages screen, do one of the following: • To display messages in chronological order, click Unthreaded.
• To display messages with all replies grouped under the original message, click Threaded.
• To expand a thread, next to the thread's subject, click the Expand icon.
• To expand all threads within the topic, in the table heading row, click Expand All.
• To collapse a thread, next to the thread's subject, click the Collapse icon.
• To collapse all threads within the topic, in the table heading row, click Collapse All.
• To display all messages in a thread, click its Display Complete Thread icon.
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Compiling and Printing Messages Messages may also be compiled and downloaded or printed. 1. Locate the messages. 2. Select the messages that you want to print or save:
o For threaded messages:
To select specific messages, select the check box next to each message.
To select all messages on the current page, in the table heading row, select the check box.
o For blog messages and journal entries: To select specific messages or entries, select the check box next to the subject.
To select all messages on the current page, click Select All.
3. Click Create Printable View. 4. If you want to print the compiled messages, click Print. 5. If you want to download the compiled messages, click Save as File. 6. If you want to reply to a message, click Reply. 7. When you are finished viewing the compiled messages, click Close this window. Grading course discussions should be in accordance with the syllabus. Additional information regarding grading of discussions can be obtained by contacting your instructional consultant.
Download Grade Book Weekly It is a best practice to download grade book data on a weekly basis. Member information can be exported as a comma-delimited or tab-delimited text file. Both of these file types can be opened in Excel or another spreadsheet program for easy sorting. You can export all column information, except formulas for calculated columns. The data that you can export is determined in part by the tab from which you commence the export.
1. From the Grades, Members, View All, or Custom View tab, do one of the following: o export all member data, click Export to Spreadsheet. The Export to Spreadsheet
screen appears. o export selected members' data, next to each member that you want to export, select
the check box and click Export to Spreadsheet. 2. If you did not select members to export in step 1, proceed to step 4.
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3. If you selected members to export in step 1, under Members to Export, do one of the following: o To export the selected members, ensure that Selected members is selected. o To export all members instead of the members you selected in step 1, select All members.
4. Under Columns to Export, do one of the following: o To export the information contained in the data columns that appear in the tab from
which you initiated the export, select Visible columns. o To export the information contained in all data columns that have been defined for this
course, select All columns. 5. Under Select Export Format, do one of the following:
o To create a text file where field information for each member is separated by a comma, select Comma-delimited.
o To create a text file where field information for each member is separated by a tab keystroke, select Tab-delimited.
6. Under Select Character Set, select the character set that works best with your spreadsheet application for your language.
7. Click Export. 8. Download the file.
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Appendix A: Technical Assistance for Faculty
• How to find Basecamp and other tutorials quickly o Blackboard Basecamp – Faculty who have access can log directly into the course
by using the following URL: https://ecampus.unt.edu/webct/logon/698921011 o Faculty Resources Online Training Guides https://ecampussupport.unt.edu/guides
• Finding out who the Instructional Consultant is for your department : Who to Contact http://clear.unt.edu/go/ic
• Configure your computer to work well with Blackboard Vista: https://ecampussupport.unt.edu/browser
• Blackboard Vista Faculty Helpdesk o Email [email protected] o Phone 940-369-7394 o Walk-in Location at Chilton Hall, Room 112C
• How to report an issue with Blackboard Vista o Report a problem with Blackboard Vista form
http://web3.unt.edu/helpdesk/service/service.php?ecampus o Email Blackboard Vista Faculty Helpdesk at [email protected] o Call the Blackboard Vista Faculty Helpdesk at 940-369-7394
• Change or update expired AMS password (used to login to Vista) https://ams.unt.edu/ • Blackboard Vista Faculty Resources: https://ecampussupport.unt.edu/faculty • UNT Active and Resolved Outages:
http://arsweb7.ars.unt.edu:9080/KinCal/calendar?CalendarName=combined
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Appendix B: Technical Assistance for Students
• How to find "Ticket to Vista" and other tutorials easily • Where students go for assistance:
https://ecampussupport.unt.edu/index.cfm?M=Student_Resources • Blackboard Vista Student Helpdesk
o Email [email protected] o Phone 940-565-2324 o Walk-in Location at ISB, Room 119 o Support Hours:
https://ecampussupport.unt.edu/studenthelpdesk • How to report an issue with Blackboard Vista
o Report a problem with Blackboard Vista form http://web3.unt.edu/helpdesk/service/service.php?ecampus
o Email Blackboard Vista Faculty Helpdesk at [email protected] o Call the Blackboard Vista Faculty Helpdesk at 940-369-7394
• Change or update expired AMS password (used to login to Vista) https://ams.unt.edu/ • Where students go for online assistance
o Make sure your computer is configured properly for Blackboard Vista https://ecampussupport.unt.edu/browser
o Blackboard Vista Student Resources https://ecampussupport.unt.edu/student
o If Technology Fails https://ecampussupport.unt.edu/index.cfm?M=Student_Resources&PF=if_tech_fails
• How to find "Ticket to Vista" and other tutorials easily o Ticket to Vista information
https://ecampussupport.unt.edu/index.cfm?M=Student_Resources&PF=Student_Vista_Tutorials
o Student online Training Guides list at https://ecampussupport.unt.edu/studentguides
1. Quick Start Guide 2. Adding Attachments 3. The Discussion Tool 4. Navigating Assignments 5. Taking Assessments 6. The Mail Tool 7. Chat & Whiteboard
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Appendix C: Student Resources: If Technology Fails
We rely tremendously on electronic technologies for distance delivery of our courses, but as you know, technology isn't always completely reliable. Please print these instructions and keep them handy.
The UNT Blackboard servers rarely experience unscheduled down time. As with any type of technology, it's possible that it could fail, though. The following guidelines can help you to prepare for any Blackboard problems.
Avoid trouble before it starts:
• Make sure your file is really attached to your e-mail message. (You can check by clicking on Preview before you post your e-mail message.)
• To help prevent a traffic jam, submit your work an hour or more before the deadline. • Check your e-mail within 24 hours for a message saying your work was not received.
Otherwise, assume it was received. • If you can't submit your assignment via Blackboard stay calm. Of course you will not be
penalized for lateness because of a UNT technology problem. • Check for announcements about Blackboard problems:
UNT entry page Vista entry page
• Notify your instructor via Blackboard email. If you can't get into Blackboard, use Internet e-mail. If you can't access the Internet, check for local problems (e.g., your ISP) and try again later.
• Submit your assignment using an alternative method (see below).
Alternative Methods
Do only one of the following (and be certain to look for any specific instructions from your instructor):
1. Attach your file to Internet e-mail to your instructor. 2. Send hardcopy via overnight mail to your instructor. If over-nighting to their office, be
certain someone will be there to accept delivery. 3. Call the department. 4. Deliver hardcopy to UNT. Note that some buildings are locked on Sunday mornings and
on holidays. Call UNT Police at 940-565-3000 to confirm open hours. 5. Fax it. Bear in mind that the fax machine may run out of paper on a weekend if it receives
too many large documents.
As a final note, UNT has a large crew of tech support people who are able to diagnose and fix problems very quickly. Try to maintain a sense of humor through any little blips and remember that the support staff wants to help you.
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Web Resources for Faculty Teaching Online Courses
CLEAR Resources
Center for Learning Enhancement, Assessment, and Redesign
CLEAR website: http://clear.unt.edu
UNTeCampus Students can access online course descriptions here: http://www.untecampus.com
Course Information Database (CID) You can enter information that will appear in UNTeCampus and describe courses for each semester here: http://www.unt.edu/cid
Blackboard Resources
Log into Blackboard Vista
a. Go to http://ecampus.unt.edu b. Use your EUID and AMS password to log in (see below).
Get your EUID or Account Management System (AMS) password
a. Go to http://ams.unt.edu b. To get your EUID, click “What’s my EUID” on the left. c. To get your password, click “Activate Account” on the left.
Request a Blackboard Vista section and/or student upload
a. Go here: http://ecampus.unt.edu b. Click Faculty Resources at the top. c. Under Support, on the left, click Request Forms and choose Section Request.
Set up your browser and Java to work properly with Blackboard Vista (VERY IMPORTANT)
a. Go here: http://ecampus.unt.edu b. Click Faculty Resources at the top. c. Click Technical Support on the left.
Get training in Blackboard Vista We offer online, F2F, and quick tutorial training in Vista. If you would like to take training, please email [email protected] and ask for the Instructional Consultant who assists your department or access the training descriptions and registration by:
a. Go to http://ecampus.unt.edu b. Click the Faculty Resources tab. c. Click Faculty Training Courses on the left.
Get help with Blackboard Vista a. Email [email protected] or call 940-369-7394 and ask to speak with your Instructional Consultant.
b. Access the Blackboard Basecamp on your MyBlackboard page. If you don’t have access, email [email protected] and request access.
c. Access the Faculty Resources here: http://ecampus.unt.edu and click Faculty Resources at the top.
d. Access the Training information on the left. Additional Using Turnitin or Wimba
a. Go to http://ecampus.unt.edu b. Click Faculty Resources. c. Click Turnitin or Wimba on the left, and these pages will provide you with basic instructions.
If you would like to set up an individual appointment with an Instructional Consultant, please let us know by emailing [email protected].
d. For TurnItIn information, you can also visit http://www.unt.edu/turnitin.
