Getting Started > Overview

Blackboard is a Web-based integrated teaching and learning environment. It has been available at UIC since the May of 1999. Course site development and navigation is accomplished through a consistent and easy-to-use web browser user interface. Any instructor can request a course site for their class by clicking on the "Request a site" link.

How does it work?
In order to login to Blackboard a user must have an account - instructors can get an account by requesting a site or having another instructor request that you have access to their Blackboard site. That single account can be enrolled in many course sites with different access levels. Upon login a user will see a list of course sites that their account is associated with. The user access level for each individual site will determine what types of tools and links the user will have access to. A single user can theoretically be enrolled in one site as an instructor and another site as a student.

How are sites created?
Sites are generally created on a semester by semester basis. If you teach a recurring course you can request that next semester's site be a copy of a previous semesters site - we will copy all the content and quizzes that you have created but leave the old student enrollments behind. Student users are enrolled based upon the call number that you provide at the time of site request. Your rosters will be uploaded automatically two weeks before each semester begins. If you have a site that would require special enrollment instructions you can e-mail blackboard@uic.edu and provide us with the specifics of how you would like your enrollment processed. You can request a course site at any time.

How do I specify when a site will be active?
Sites will be available to students based upon the date range of availability that you provide in your site request. For typical semester based sites they will remain available to students until two weeks after the semester ends. The course site itself will remain available on the server to you and any other instructors that you have added in for one full year - this is to facilitate the requesting of course site copies and to allow you to continue course content development. After that period your course site will be backed up and removed from the server. You can request that your course site be restored at any time by sending an e-mail message to blackboard@uic.edu.

Can I add a cohort, or have instructors participate in my site from other institutions?
You have the ability to add in external (non-UIC affiliate users). If you would like to add these users to your course site please e-mail blackboard@uic.edu.

How do students get support?
Students typically understand how to use the system and will not have many problems. In order to have their password changed they will need to use the on-line password changing utility or visit a CSO consultant.

Can you keep track of what students are doing on the system?
All user access is continually logged and monitored. Via the webserver's access log, we can completely trace each student's moves on the system. If someone claims to have had mysterious problems, please point this out to them before asking us to check into their problem. After hearing this information students often change their account of what happened.

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Related FAQ's

Q: How do I login to the system?

To login to the system you must have an account (username and password). If you are an instructor and you do not have a username and password you can request a site by clicking on the link labeled "Request a Site" above.

If you already have a Blackboard account visit http://blackboard.uic.edu and login using your username and password.

If you have forgotten your password you can try to reset it yourself by visiting http://passwords.accc.uic.edu.

If you are unable to login altogether please send an e-mail to blackboard@uic.edu.

Q: What happens to my site at the end of the semester?

At the end of the semester your Blackboard site will remain on the server for one full year. This will allow you to request a copy of the course site if you teach it annually, or if you teach it every semester.

Student access to your site will be turned off according to the dates of availability you submitted in your Blackboard site request (by default this will occur two weeks after the semester ends). Your site will remain accessible to you and all other instructors for the full year.

After your site has been on the server for one full year we will archive it, save it on disk, and remove it from the server. If at any time you would like an old site restored you can submit a request to blackboard@uic.edu and we will restore it to the server.

Q: Do students need training?

Blackboard is a web browser based learning management system. Most students are able to use the system with little to no training. If a user knows how to browse the web they will know how to use Blackboard.

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