*How do I make my course available to students? top of page
Setting the course available is done through the Settings menu in the Control Panel of the course. Select the Settings option and then select the Course Availability option on the menu.
*How do students see my course after the semester begins? top of page
The instructor makes the course available through the Settings option in the Control Panel.
*When will the course be available or is that something the administrator does? top of page
The faculty is the person who makes the course available to students. Students are added to the Blackboard roster as soon as they enroll in the course. When the instructor sets the course availability to Yes, then the students will see the course. The course availability is set through the control panel under Settings.
*How long after the semester can students access the Blackboard course? top of page
Students will have access to a Blackboard class for approximately one week after the end of the semester, unless the instructor sets the course to unavailable sooner than the one week period.
*How long after the semester can the professor access the course? top of page
Instructors will have access to courses for one year after the end of term date for that course. After one year, the course will be disabled and removed from the Blackboard server.
*My class is full and I've gotten numerous e-mails asking me to let them in. How can I add a student to my online class? top of page
After the semester begins, if you are not meeting on campus the first night, then you can send an email to Kim Covell (kcovell@avc.edu) and include the student's name, AVC ID, CRN, and a statement authorizing Kim to add the student to your roster.
*Can I copy files from a previous Blackboard course into a new Blackboard course? top of page
Yes, through the course copy function available in the control panel.
*What does archiving a course do for me? top of page
The archive process is basically a one way operation and acts as a backup for emergencies. After completing the process, you should download the archive to your local computer and remove the copy from the Blackboard classroom. If there is a need to recover the archive, the Bb system administrator must do the recovery operation. One of the reasons for this is that a recovery operation re-enrolls students in the class, so even if we recover the file ten years from now, the list of students in the archive are actually re-created and re-enrolled in the course.
*How often should I archive my site? top of page
Each archive is a complete and compressed copy of everything in your site. The frequency in which you archive is determined by your level of comfort in what might be lost since the last archive. I would recommend at least once a month, but if you have lots of change in your course each week, archive once a week. It really does not affect the system so long as you remember to download a copy to your local computer and remove the copy in your Web site.
*If I archive the course, does that affect the shell? Or can I then go back to my shell and continue as though nothing happened? top of page
The archive has no impact on your course shell, other than to create a compressed backup and take up storage space on the server if you leave it in the archive area.
*I imported a course cartridge into the course, but there is some of the information I will not use this summer. I am afraid to remove it because I may want to incorporate some of it later in a different online course. Will I be able to get another cartridge? top of page
Do not delete the information, just make it unavailable. You will not need another cartridge as you can just copy content from one course to another.
*The "My Courses" list in Blackboard is becoming a little difficult to browse, as there are now tons of courses with the same names and the links don't specify the year and the semester. Would it be possible to add this info to the list? top of page
In the upper-right corner of the area where the courses are listed under the My Courses tab that is visible after you log into Blackboard, there is an icon of a pencil. If you click on the icon, you can select which courses are displayed on the list and what information about the course is displayed. That should help clear up the list.
*Can students view videos online or must they go to IMC? top of page
At this time we do not have a method (or licensing) for placing videos online.
*What do I do if I have a student who has signed an incomplete for an online course and requires access to the Blackboard classroom? top of page
If a student requires access to a Blackboard classroom in order to fulfill an incomplete contract, it is the responsibility of the instructor to set the course to available, and then disable access for all students except the student who is completing an incomplete. Failure to disable access for students, other than those completing an incomplete contract, means that students will have the same access that was available during the semester.
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Last updated: June 20, 2007