Course Access:
Students
Faculty
- Do you have access to Blackboard, but not your course?
Please check with your instructor. Your course may not be open and available to students. Some faculty open their courses before the start of the term, others do not. Shortly after you have properly registered for a course, you will be enrolled in the course in Blackboard. Use your email log on information to access your Blackboard courses.
- Are you assigned to teach a course, but do not have access?
Faculty assignments are pulled from Power Campus; this is an automatic process. If you are the instructor of record this assignment is sent to the Office of the Registrar by your director, chair, or dean. If you are not the instructor of record, then please ask the instructor of record to add you to his/her course -- or ask the instructor of record to submit an online help request for assistance.
What is Blackboard?
When do I receive a Blackboard account?
How do I change my password?
Is there a Blackboard manual?
Where can I find additional Blackboard help and resources?
Why can't I type in the text box on the Discussion board or in an exam?
Taking a Timed Exam - Why can't I see all of the exam question, or the Save and Submit buttons?How do I upload a document in the Assignment Area?
What is Blackboard?
Blackboard is a course management system. It is a central repository for disseminating course materials. It makes web-enhanced and online classes easier to teach. Examples of Blackboard features include: discussion board forums, online testing, plagiarism detection, and peer assessments.When do I Receive a Blackboard Account?
How do I change my Password?
Blackboard accounts are created in conjunction with your Samuel Merritt Email account. In general, all students receive this information during your program's orientation, and all new faculty receive this information once the New Employee Services form has been processed.
Your password for Blackboard and email are the same. You cannot have a separate password. To change your password, go to the User Password Maintenance page. Visit Your Samuel Merritt accounts explained in detail page for further explanation.Is there a Blackboard manual?
Yes. The manual available to faculty from the Control Panel in the Help box and to students under Course Tools.Where can I find additional Blackboard help and resources?
I cannot type in the text box on the Discussion board or in an exam.
This is an Internet Explorer (IE) 7 browser issue. If you are using IE 7, a quick fix is to make sure the Visual Text Box Editor is set to "Unavailable" .Taking a Timed Exam - Why can't I see all of the exam question, or the Save and Submit buttons?1. From the Blackboard Welcome tab > in the Tools column > select Personal Information
2. Select Set Visual Text Box Editor
3. Click Unavailable
4. Submit
Note: This problem doesn't occur using the Firefox browser. Go to www.mozilla.com/firefox/ to download and install a free copy of Firefox.
In a Timed Test using Internet Explorer 8 browser - the Timer dialog box is known to obscure parts of the test text and the Save and Submit buttons. Using this browser can result in the user being dropped from the exam area and loss of all test results. In this case the student may be asked by the instructor to take the exam over from the beginning.There are two options to correct this issue that should be done BEFORE taking the test:
1. Use either an Internet Explorer (IE) 7 or Firefox browser
www.mozilla.com/firefox/ .
2. Using IE 8 you can correct this issue by turning on the Compatibility View feature:
a. Launch Internet Explorer (IE) 8
b. Select Tools
c. Select Compatibility View Settings
d. In the Add this website text box, type: bb.samuelmerritt.edu
e. Click Add
f. Repeat steps d & e and type in samuelmerritt.blackboard.com
g. Click Close
h. RestartHow do I upload a document in the Assignment area?
a. Click on View/Complete Assignment (assignment name).
b. The Upload Assignment Materials window opens
c. Add comments to the instructor in the Comments box, as needed or instructed.
d. Click on Browse to locate a local file (document on your computer) - Open and save the document.
e. You can add more files by selecting Add Another File
f. Click to Save the assignment, or Submit to email it to the instructor.
Note: Saved assignments are accessed by clicking on the View/Complete Assignment section.
REMEMBER, the instructor won't have access to your document(s) until you SUMBIT it.(Note: Problems have been reported uploading documents using the Firefox 3.5 browser, please use IE to perform this function.)
