Blackboard: Exploring Your Online Classroom

Blackboard: Exploring Your Online Classroom
Gonzaga Online – Quick Start Guide
Step 1: Go to
www.gonzagaonline.net.
This is the homepage for
the online MA-ORGL
program. Bookmark this
page for future reference.
You will find many resources
and helpful links on this
page which you will use
throughout your entire
program.
To login to Blackboard,
click “Login”.
You will be redirected to
http://jesuitnet.blackboard.com.
Click “Login” again.
Step 2: Login using the
username and password
provided to you. You should
have received this
information in an email
from the Enrollment
Coordinator (Paeca Souther).
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Blackboard QuickStart Guide v.1 – Last Updated 8/10/05
Step 3: You are now on
your Blackboard
homepage. This page
summarizes everything
that you can access in
Blackboard.
Under “My Announcements”
you will see links to
system-wide announcements
as well as announcements
from each course you are
enrolled in.
If this is your first time
accessing Blackboard,
first you will want to
click on your course
under “My Courses”. If
you are a new student
this will be ORGL 500.
.
You can also click on
the “Courses” tab at the
top. This is just another
way to access your list
of courses
Step 4: When you click
on your course link, you
will be brought into the
“classroom” for that
particular course.
Take a few minutes to
get comfortable with the
course interface. Click
around and see what’s here.
Explore your classroom!
One of the first places you
should be sure to look at is
the Syllabus section. Click
on “Syllabus” on the left.
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Blackboard QuickStart Guide v.1 – Last Updated 8/10/05
Step 5: Here you will
find links to the Course
Overview, Course
Competencies, Course
Requirements, and
Course Materials.
To read about key dates
and assignments, click
on the Course Schedule.
Step 6: The course
schedule will look like
this. Each course is
broken down into
modules with various
assignments and due
dates associated with
each module.
Step 7: Click on “Modules”
on the left.
This is where you access
your online course
materials and assignments.
Click on “Module 1”
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Step 8: In each module,
you will find the specific
assignments required.
If this is your first time
accessing the course, be
sure to scroll down and
read through at least the
first module so you gain
an understanding of the
course requirements.
Step 9: Next, click on the
“Discussion Board”.
This is where you will
communicate with your
classmates and instructor.
In most classes, your first
task will be to introduce
yourself on the discussion
board. To do so, click
on the appropriate link
on the Discussion Board.
Note: Each link on the
Discussion Board is a
different topic or
conversation going on
in your class.
Here you will see the
individual comments
posted by your classmates.
You can see the subject,
author, and date posted.
You can also see if you
have read the comment
before or not. To read a
comment, just click on
the subject.
To post to the discussion
board, click on “Add
New Thread”.
Note: The Discussion Board
is a lot like e-mail, but you
have to visit the discussion
board in order to see the
messages your classmates
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Smith, Jane
Doe, John
Rodriguez, Juan
Johnson, Lyn
Williams, Kimberly
Smith, Jane
Jones, Maria
McMahon, Betsy
Madda-Hernandez, Karen
Welcker, Damaris
Doe, Jane
Butera, Paolo
Becker, Michael
McMahon, Betsy
Slingluff, Allison
Kim, Souyeon
Rykhus, Richard
Tuft, George
Doe, Jason
Vaughn, Jonathan
Walker, Elizabeth
Blackboard QuickStart Guide v.1 – Last Updated 8/10/05
have sent.
Step 10: Compose your
discussion post by creating
a Subject and writing
the body of your Message.
When you are done,
scroll down and click
“Submit”. You will see
your message posted on
the Discussion Board.
Step 11: Another helpful
place to explore is the
“Course Resources”
section.
Step 12: The Library
Resources section has
links so you can access
the same Library Services
and Resources as our
on-campus students.
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Blackboard QuickStart Guide v.1 – Last Updated 8/10/05
Step 13: For an overview
of everything in your
course, you can always
click on “Course Map”.
This will open a new
window.
You can expand each
folder by clicking on
“Open All” or by clicking
the + symbol next to an
individual folder.
Step 14: The Tools
section is another
helpful place with
important links.
On the Tools menu,
be sure to click on
Homepage when you
have a few minutes to
create your profile.
This is one way for you
and your classmates can
get to know one another.
You can introduce yourself,
add personal information
(like where you live, what
you do for a living, why
you chose the online MAORGL program at GU,
hobbies, etc). You can
even add a picture so people
can see your smiling face!
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Blackboard QuickStart Guide v.1 – Last Updated 8/10/05
Step 15: Finally, be sure
to explore the Online
Virtual Office, which you
can find under “My Courses”.
Every online student is
enrolled into this
office and it contains
helpful resources as well as
communication tools.
The MA-ORGL Online
Virtual Office is set up
like all of your other courses
so you will see any posted
announcements when you
first log in.
The information section
has helpful information
that you can use throughout
your program.
Click on the Discussion
Board.
The Student Lounge is
an area for you to socialize
with other students in the
program. Think of it like
a student lounge or coffee
lounge on a traditional
campus! Your conversations
can be about any topic. GU
staff and instructors do not
monitor this area.
If you need help or need to
contact a staff member, you
can post a message to the
Advising Forum. We monitor
this area regularly.
If you have any questions about this QuickStart Guide, please contact your Enrollment Coordinator (Paeca Souther –
866.674.8287) or your Student Services Coordinator (Jennifer Stoker – 866.295.3111).
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Blackboard QuickStart Guide v.1 – Last Updated 8/10/05