Laboratory: Getting Started with Blackboard

Summary: This lab reviews some mechanics related to the use of Grinnell's Blackboard server for CSC151.

Logging In

You'll need to log in to the MathLAN (or to any workstation that runs a Web browser). Since you'll be starting the lab in MathLAN, it makes sense to log on to a MathLAN workstation. If you've forgotten how to do that, review the lab on MathLAN.

After you're on a working (and, hopefully, not too slow) computer, start up Netscape.

Once you're in Netscape, go to http://blackboard.grinnell.edu.

Click on the Login button. If all goes as plans, you should see a place to enter your user name and password. Your user name is the standard Grinnell username (without the @grinnell.edu). For example, mine is rebelsky. Just to confuse you, you use a third password for Blackboard (not the one you use for the campus network, not the one you use for MathLAN, but a third one).

• If you are a first year student, your password is (or was) your student id number, but without the leading zeroes. E.g., if your id is 00008234, your password is 8234.
• If you are not a first year student, your password is the last seven digits of your student ID number. E.g., if your id is 00008234, your password is 0008234.
• If you can't remember your password, click on lost your password? and ask Blackboard to send a new password link to your Webmail account.
  • Note that you can read Webmail in a separate window.

Once you've logged in, you should see a ``portal''-type Window.

Change Your Password

You may want to change your password to something you remember (even something that's the same as one of your other passwords).

• Click on Personal Information under Tools.
• Click on Change Password.
• Follow the instructions.

Check Your Grades

You are ready to enter the CSC151 Blackboard.

• Select either the My Grinnell or Courses tab.
• Click on the link for Fund of Cmop Sci 1 (2001S).

I won't use most of the links at the left (since I have a separate course site), but I will use some of the more interactive facilities.

One thing that you should try is checking your grade. Click on Tools and then Check Grade.

Try Discussion Board

Blackboard comes with five basic communication tools. We'll try two of them today, although I expect to rely primarily only on the discussion board.

Click on the Discussion Board tool (available at the left). You'll see a few forums. Read a few of the messages that are available in the rants forum. (There may only be one.)

Post your own message to the testing forum.

That's it for the discussion board.

Try Virtual Classroom

Click on the Virtual Classroom link (again, available at the left). Click on Enter Virtual Classroom. Wait for something to show up. Try playing with it for a little while (it won't be very interesting unless someone else is also logged in).

Can you envision using this tool?