Blackboard FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Page
For SVCC Students
Adobe Reader will be needed to view some of the materials provided below.
What is Blackboard?
Blackboard is the course management system that all colleges within the Virginia Community College System utilize for e-learning. This program is completely web-based and is accessible from any location that has internet capability.
How do i access blackboard?
You can access Blackboard by going directly to the login for Blackboard (http://learn.vccs.edu) or through your MySVCC (http://my.vccs.edu) page that gives you access to your VCCS Gmail, Student Information, and Blackboard accounts. There is a link to the MySVCC login page found on the home page of the college website as well. (Step-by-Step Handout).
I am new to the college. How do i find out my user name and password?
If you don't know your user name and/or need to set your password, go to http://my.vccs.edu/ and click on "Look up your user name and set your password". Input the information required and click on "Search". If you encounter a problem, you will need to submit a help request.
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Who do I contact for Blackboard Help and Support?
We have a help request ticketing system that you can utilize if you need assistance with Blackboard. You can also call the college between the hours of 8:30 am and 4:30 pm Monday - Friday for assistance. Phone 434-949-1042 or 434-736-2046 | To Submit a Help Request
I am enrolled in a course for the next semester, why can't I access it on Blackboard?
Students are not enrolled in a course area on Blackboard until the day before the session begins. At that point in time, instructors have to make their course(s) available to students, which for most is not until the first day of the session.
The semester has already started, and I just enrolled in another course. Why can't I access it on Blackboard?
When you enroll in a course after the semester begins, there is a delay from when you are enrolled to when you have access within Blackboard. The system must update which happens the following morning after you enroll.
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I forgot my user name and/or password. What do i do?
Go to http://my.vccs.edu/ and click on "Look up your user name and set your password". Input the information required and click on "Search". If you encounter a problem, you will need to submit a help request.
Do I need any special software to run Blackboard?
You do not need any special software to run Blackboard, but there may be additional software required by an instructor for a particular course. You do need an Internet connection, high-speed preferred, and certain plug-ins.
- Adobe Flash and Adobe Reader Downloads
- Check your version of JAVA and if needed download update.
- Other Plug-ins may be needed depending on the course.
- Current Virus Scanning Software if Recommended: Symantic Antivirus is available from the SVCC tab within Blackboard for free.
- Standard word processing software is needed when completing most course work. (Google Docs could be accessed and utilized by all VCCS students. If taking ITE 115, Microsoft Office 2007 is required.) Microsoft Office 2007 is currently used by the college's faculty and staff and is in all labs.
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What web browser should I use?
You should keep an up-to-date Web Browser. Firefox is recommended with cookies and javascript enabled. Google Chrome is not a fully supported browser and should not be used. We have noticed a lot of problems with using Internet Explorer 8. If you must use that browser, it should be in compatibility mode.
How do I submit an assignment in Blackboard?
Some instructors will have you email your assignments as attachments, and others will have you submit them directly into Blackboard. You need to refer to the syllabus within your course and/or contact your instructor to identify the method in which you are expected to turn in your course work. (Assignment Submission Within Blackboard) | (Assignment Email Submission)
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Is there training available for using Blackboard?
Please see the Student Training link for more information on student training and help available at your campus.
I am having problems submitting my assignments into Blackboard. What do i do?
One common problem with submitting assignments in Blackboard is with file name. File names should be kept simple. Letters (a-z), numbers (0-9), and underscores (_) are all valid characters. You or your instructor may encounter problems when using other symbols or spaces. Not all web browsers and operating systems will accept these file types when either uploading and/or downloading these files, so it is best to avoid them. See the list below for some common examples of both invalid and valid file names.
Invalid File Names |
Valid File Names |
file one.doc |
fileone.doc |
file-one.doc |
file_one.doc |
file#1.doc |
file1.doc |
file/one.doc |
|
file.one.doc |
|
If it doesn't seem to be a problem with the file name, it could be an issue with your web browser. When using Internet Explorer, students may receive an error saying “Please enter a valid file” while trying to upload a file using the assignment submission tool. You could try using IE8 in compatibility mode or switching to Firefox. Google Chrome is not a supported browser for Blackboard at this point in time and should not be used when working in Blackboard.
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Why am I unable to open documents in Blackboard?
There is a known issue between Blackboard 9, Internet Explorer 8, and Microsoft Office files (.doc, .docx, etc.) that can result in users not being able to click to open attachments in Blackboard. This impacts file attachments to content areas, files attached to the grade center, files attached to the discussion board, etc for both students and instructors. Possible solutions are noted below.
- (Solution 1) When clicking on an attached file in Blackboard 9 when using Internet Explorer, you should see the Information Bar appear at the top of the page To access the attached file, the user will need to click on “Allow” and then “Download File…” or simply “Download File” depending on the browser settings on the Information Bar. This will result in the File Download window appearing at which point the user can proceed to Open or Save.
- (Solution 2) Try right clicking on the file and selecting 'Open in New Window'. From this window, you would then have the option to 'Save' or 'Open'.
- (Solution 3) If you have administrator rights to your computer you can adjust the browser settings on the computer from which Blackboard is being accessed, the problem can be resolved through changing the following browser settings. Follow the steps below.
- Open Internet Explorer.
- Click on ‘Tools’.
- Click on ‘Internet Options’.
- Click on the ‘Security tab’.
- Click on ‘Custom Level’.
- Scroll down and locate ‘Downloads’ and select Enable for ‘Automatic prompting for file downloads’.
- Click ‘Ok’.
- Select ‘Yes’ on the Warning window that appears.
- Click ‘Apply’ and then ‘Ok’.
- (Solution 4) If the first two solutions do not work for you, or if you are not able to change your browser settings, use Firefox!
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How can a view a Word document or PowerPoint file if I don't have these programs on my computer?
If you do not have Microsoft Office, you may need to download viewers in order to view class information. Click below to download the necessary viewer:
MS Viewers (There is a different viewer for each MS Office program.)
When I click and open a document or a link for a website in my Blackboard course, I end up with a blank white screen when I close it. What do I do?
After opening and closing a document or external website linked in Blackboard, if there is a blank white screen and/or the course menu is gone, you must use the "breadcrumb trail" at the top of your course area. If you click on the course title, it will bring you back to the course entry page, which is generally set to the announcements page and the course menu is back.
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Why can I not see the course menu?
If your course menu completely disappears, you may have simply hidden the menu. Look for a right arrow on the left of your Blackboard window. Click it to display the course menu and click it again to hide it.
If you or your students find that course menu items seem to disappear and reappear, you can try refreshing the menu or switching to folder view. Click on "Course Menu Problems" link above for assistance.
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Why does it seem like Blackboard kicks me out sometimes?
Blackboard has a 3-hour time limit, but sessions timeout after 90 minutes of inactivity. Web Browsers DO NOT register typing as activity. If you're typing an assignment, assessment, or discussion submission for longer than 90 minutes, the session may timeout when the submit button is pressed. This means that you may lose your work. To prevent lost work, you may want to create your content in a word processor and then copy & past the content into Blackboard.
Why can't I see comments and feedback my instructor is posting for assignments?
When you click on your 'Student's Grades' link on the course menu, you see grades for various assignments completed and scored in your course. For some assignments, you may need to click on the actual score for an assignment to view the feedback. If the grade is underlined, it is a link that you can click.
For tests, you have to click the grade for that test in your student grades area, and then from the test submission window that appears, you must click on the grade again.
Keep in mind that Instructor's do not post feedback/comments for all assignments.
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How do I send an email with an attachment?
This handout will walk you through this process. The handout linked here focuses on the process to email assignments as attachments to instructors, but the steps to attach a file are going to be the same regardless of why your are sending the file.
How do I use the Discussion Board?
The discussion board is not utilized in all courses. If your instructor is using this tool, this handout will walk you through the process of posting 'threads', as well as, posting 'replies' to other students.
When completing a test with multiple essay questions, although I can click into the text box to enter my answer for question 1, I can not click into any other answer boxes. What do I do?
This seems to be related to Firefox 11, and the current work around is to turn off the text box editor within Blackboard. You can turn it off during the test and back on after the test if you choose. Text Box Editor Availability Instructions
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