Blackboard @ the University of Bristol

roger.gardner's entries



Blackboard - overnight issue resolved

Monday, 16 November 2009 10:14 A GMT
Blackboard was unavailable on Sunday night and early this morning due to a database issue, which has now been resolved. Apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused. 

Adding content - earlier issues have been resolved

Monday, 5 October 2009 3:06 P GMT
The intermittent problem earlier this afternoon which affected some instructors when trying to add content to their Blackboard courses has now been resolved. Once again we apologise for any inconvenience caused. Please get back to us at bb-help@brist

Intermittent error when adding content - Monday 4th Oct 14.30

Monday, 5 October 2009 1:44 P GMT
Some instructors are currently experiencing an intermittent error when trying to add content e.g. upload files to their Blackboard courses. We are looking into this as a matter of urgency. In the meantime, if you have received this error please wait

How can I copy materials from one course to another?

Friday, 25 September 2009 11:16 A GMT
As long as you are an Instructor on both courses, you can copy materials as follows:Click on the origin course (containing the materials you wish to copy)Click on Control PanelClick on Course CopyClick on Copy Course Materials into an Existing Course
Category: FAQs Resources

How can an instructor delete a specific post in a discussion thread?

Tuesday, 22 September 2009 1:08 P GMT
To delete a specific post in a discussion thread:Click on the ForumClick on Tree view in the top rightClick on Expand all to see all postsSelect the ones you wish to removeClick Remove

Blackboard course access OK

Tuesday, 22 September 2009 8:59 A GMT
The earlier problem with accessing Blackboard courses has been resolved. Once again apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Tuesday 22nd Sept 09.15 - problem accessing Blackboard courses

Tuesday, 22 September 2009 8:16 A GMT
There is currently a problem accessing Blackboard courses. Our technical team are looking into this. Apologies for any inconvenience this is causing.

How can I hide users in the Grade Center?

Wednesday, 2 September 2009 3:16 P GMT
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How can I view the results of a Blackboard survey in the Grade Center?

Friday, 17 July 2009 2:15 P GMT
Find the survey in the Grade Center Click on the Double down pointing arrows to the right of the survey nameYou should see a menu (see screenprint below)Select "attempts statistics"

How do I add a self and/or peer assessment activity to my Blackboard course?

Friday, 17 July 2009 1:55 P GMT
The self and peer assessment (SAP) activity in Blackboard 8 manages the process of student self and peer assessment of work, which is outlined in the flow chart below The guide below covers the Design stage in which an instructor sets up the ass

What is the early warning system?

Wednesday, 15 July 2009 3:47 P GMT
The early warning system allows lecturers to set up automated early warning "rules" to notify them of various danger signs with regard to student performance or participation , whether it be grades, submission lateness or last Blackboard lo

How can I allow participants to keep updated about discussions in a forum?

Wednesday, 15 July 2009 2:07 P GMT
In Blackboard 8, it is now possible to subscribe to a discussion thread. This means that whenever a new post is made in a forum, you are notified by email. N.B. This can be enabled by the instructor in the discussion forum settings, as shown in the s

How do I add an activity to my Blackboard course?

Wednesday, 8 July 2009 1:21 P GMT
A range of activities are available in Blackboard, which can be added to your course, e.g. assignments, discussion boards, wikis and blogs. These can be added as follows ...

What is the Grade Center in Blackboard 8?

Wednesday, 8 July 2009 11:33 A GMT
The Grade Center in Blackboard 8 replaces the old Gradebook. It offers a range of new features which include:Inline editing of grades and comments from a single pageThe ability to display grades for selected students onlySmart Views, which allow lect

What is the self and peer assessment tool?

Tuesday, 7 July 2009 2:39 P GMT
It is a tool in Blackboard 8 which manages an online process of self and/or peer assessment.This includes:individual submission of assignmentsrandomised allocation of assignments for peer assessmentassessment (self and/or peer)Collation, recording an

How can I copy a test from one Blackboard course to another?

Friday, 26 June 2009 1:26 P GMT
To copy tests from one course to another you need to use the Export and Import test options which can be found in the Test Manager section of the Control panel. The process is as follows:  Step 1: Export a testGo into the course that contains
Category: FAQs Assessment

20th May 16.30 Blackboard service back to normal

Wednesday, 20 May 2009 3:39 P GMT
Blackboard is running normally again. Apologies to any users who experienced intermittent connection difficulties or slow performance earlier this afternoon.  

20th May 15.30 Blackboard slow

Wednesday, 20 May 2009 3:06 P GMT
Apologies if you are currently experiencing slow performance or connection problems with Blackboard. We are working to resolve this ASAP.

13th May 09.50 - Blackboard currently unavailable

Wednesday, 13 May 2009 8:58 A GMT
Blackboard is currently unavailable. The  technical team are investigating this and we will post as soon as we have any additional information. We apologise for the disruption this is causing you.

How can I provide feedback to my students using the Gradebook if they aren't submitting an assignment electronically?

Thursday, 23 April 2009 2:19 P GMT
 Even if your students are not submitting assignments electronically you can still provide feedback using the Gradebook as follows:First add a Gradebook item (this will not be linked to any assignment but will just appear in the Gradebook)Go int

How can I change the order of the announcements in my course?

Thursday, 23 April 2009 2:11 P GMT
The order of announcements can be controlled as follows: Permanent announcements in general will always appear above others.The "Display after" option controls the order. Announcements with a later "Display After" date/time will a

Gradebook totals not updating correctly

Monday, 20 April 2009 1:20 P GMT
If gradebook totals are not updating correctly and you are using Internet Explorer then try the following:Click on ToolsClick on Internet OptionsUnder "Browsing History" click on SettingsSelect Every time I visit the WebpageClick OKClick th

How do I add a new content area to my Blackboard course?

Wednesday, 8 April 2009 8:51 A GMT
Content areas are used to organise course materials. For example you may have a content area for all assignments, or a content area for each topic in a course.  Links to Content areas appear in the menu on the left of a course. To add a new cont

How can I ensure students can see their grades for an assignment in the Blackboard gradebook?

Tuesday, 7 April 2009 8:57 A GMT
 If your students cannot see their grades it may be that these are set as unavailable. To check this:In your Blackboard course click on Control Panel.Click on Gradebook.Click on the title of the assignment.Click on "Modify gradebook item&qu

24th March 10am - problems with single sign on affecting off-campus access to Blackboard

Tuesday, 24 March 2009 10:46 A GMT
A problem has been identified with single sign on which is affecting some users' access to Blackboard from off-campus. IS are working to fix this. Apologies for any inconvenience this may be causing.


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