Getting Started with Blackboard: What is Blackboard?
“What is Blackboard?”
Blackboard (Bb) is the University’s Virtual Learning Environment, providing an electronic space for staff and students to interact.
It is designed to provide a dedicated site for every module taught at the University. Make sure you check Blackboard regularly for staff announcements, key dates, module information and reference guides.
Blackboard often provides a one-stop-shop for all your course materials. Depending on your module, it may also be used for the following:
- Discussion Forums
- Hosting and management of online assessments
- Collaborative areas for group work with communication and file sharing facilities
- Online submission of student work
- Embedding multimedia content
- Links to external resources
“What can I do with Blackboard?”
Blackboard provides a well-structured environment for your tutors to make course materials available.
However, it is capable of far more, including:
- Links to external resources
- Discussion Forums
- Tools for creating and monitoring online assessments
- Collaborative areas for groups of students with communication and file sharing facilities
- Student online submission of work
- Wikis
- Blogs
- Embedding multimedia content
Key Concepts and Terminology
Site
In Blackboard the site is the basic building block of the system. It is an area to support the delivery of a programme of study to an identified group of students. At the University of Lincoln, a Blackboard site will automatically be set up for each module. Additional sites exist at programme and subject level, will be made available to students as required.
Community
In addition to module, programme and subject sites, Blackboard provides Community sites. This enables the creation of an interactive area for example for student societies and committees.
“Where can I find out more?”
Bb is available at http://blackboard.lincoln.ac.uk.You can log in using your network username and password. Begin by browsing the system and familiarising yourself with the standard features and layout.
For further help and guidance, click on the Help & Support tab for support materials and contact details, or email helpdesk@lincoln.ac.uk.