Student Frequently Asked Questions

• Is there a handout or reference that I can view to learn more about using Blackboard or to use if I need help?
• I just recently dropped a course. Why does it still appear in Blackboard?
• I am officially enrolled in a class. Why isn't it showing up in Blackboard?
• How do I change my Blackboard email address and password?
• I don't seem to be receiving email that my instructor sends through Blackboard. Why not and what can I do?
• Is there anything I can do to make sure I don't get an error message when submitting a quiz?
• I got an error message when taking a quiz and now it won't allow me to re-enter. What should I do?
• What if I can't open a file that my instructor has uploaded to Blackboard?
• I have been asked to participate in a Discussion Board. How do I post a message?
• I added a file to the Digital Drop Box, but my instructor says that he/she didn't get it. What happened?
• I didn't find an answer to my question on this page, how do I get it answered?
  

Is there a handout or reference that I can view to learn more about using Blackboard or to use if I need help?

Yes. IDS has created a short one page sheet called Blackboard Student Essentials which gives you a brief overview of all of the tools available within Blackboard. Many instructors provide this to their students in class or online through their Blackboard course. You may access it now by clicking here. In addition, Blackboard has an online Manual that you can access anytime you are logged into a Blackboard course. To do so, click on Tools and then Student Manual.

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I just recently dropped a course. Why does it still appear in Blackboard?

Students are not automatically deleted from Blackboard. In order to be removed from a Blackboard course, you must contact the instructor to manually remove you. IDS cannot do this for you.

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I am officially enrolled in a class. Why isn't it showing up in Blackboard?

There could be a variety of reasons. First, your instructor may not be using Blackboard for the course. Second, the roster may not have been loaded into Bb for the course. You may want to ask your instructor if this has been done yet. Third, if you have recently added the course, the Blackboard roster may not yet have your information. This can take up to two days after adding a course.

KUMC students - ask your professor if the KUMC line number for your course was registered with IDS.

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How do I change my Blackboard email address and password?

Because Blackboard is linked to several other Online systems, you must go to this link http://www.ku.edu/technology/online.shtml and enter the Review or modify settings for your current Online services area to change your email address and/or password. It may take up to a day for the changes to take effect. Please keep in mind that this changes all your login information (for example, the K-You portal) and not just Blackboard.

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I don't seem to be receiving email that my instructor sends through Blackboard. Why not and what can I do?

Because Blackboard sends all email out as blind copies, many Internet based email systems like Hotmail and Yahoo view these messages as spam and remove them. To avoid this you should set your spam filters to low. Of course the best advice might be to use your KU email account to avoid this situation altogether. It could also mean that an email account wasn't specified when your online ID was created. To change this, go to http://www.ku.edu/technology/online.shtml and click on the Add Online Services to an existing KU Online ID link.

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Is there anything I can do to make sure I don't get an error message when submitting a quiz?

The best suggestion is to click the Save button at the bottom of the screen on a regular basis. This will insure that you are maintaining constant contact with the server and won't be timed out. Other tips: Do not use the back button on the browser and avoid clicking the cancel button when submitting. If your home computer is connecting to the Internet using a dial-up modem, you might consider taking the quiz on campus or some other location where high speed access is available.

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I got an error message when taking a quiz and now it won't allow me to re-enter. What should I do?

The instructor set this exam to be taken only once. In order to try again, you must ask the instructor to clear your attempt in the gradebook. Please do not call IDS for assistance with this issue. We do not have the authority to reset quizzes or alter grade books

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What if I can't open a file that my instructor has uploaded to Blackboard?

There could be several reasons for this. Here are some things you might try:

1) Ask the instructor to save and upload the file using a different format. For example .txt is a simple word processing format or .pdf is a common Web convention.
2) You might need to download free plug-ins or viewers. Microsoft, Macromedia, Adobe, and other company Websites have information.
3) Instead of clicking the link and trying to open the file remotely, you might try right-clicking the link and saving the file to your local machine and then opening it from that location.

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I have been asked to participate in a Discussion Board. How do I post a message?

First, find the discussion forum that you're supposed to participate in, and click on the link to enter. Then, you can either create a new topic by clicking on the Add New Thread button, or reply to someone else's message. (The Add New Thread option may not be available depending on how the instructor configured the discussion board.) To reply to a message, click on the posting and then click on the Reply button and add your text in the box provided.

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I added a file to the Digital Drop Box, but my instructor says that he/she didn't get it. What happened?

Using the Digital Drop Box can be a two step process. If you use the Add button, you add the file to your own digital drop box only. You must then click on the Send button to add it to your instructor's digital drop box. Alternatively, you can just click the Send button to do both steps together and send the file to both yours and your instructor's digital drop boxes simultaneously.

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I didn't find an answer to my question on this page, how do I get it answered?

You may submit a question to Instructional Development and Support via the "FAQ Add Question Form" located here. Your question will be answered as soon as possilbe.

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