Frequently Asked Questions for Faculty
Here you can find Blackboard Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Faculty.
How do I login to Blackboard?
Email servicedesk at servicedesk@sharjah.ac.ae and ask to reset your password. Don't forget to mention your name, email and ID number.
If you are connected in the university of Sharjah network, blackboard will open based on your PC Login username
If you are login from outside UoS network, a popup window will appear. Insert your username and password as follows:
Username: Sharjah\Your University ID
Password: University Network password
What is my Blackboard username and password?
your Blackboard username and password are not different han
- Username : sharjah\University ID (ex. 101...)
- Password : University Network Password
I forget my password?
Email servicedesk at servicedesk@sharjah.ac.ae and ask to reset your password. Don't forget to mention your name, email,ID number. and a photocopy of yourID.
What type of browser should I have in order to use Blackboard?
End users must use a certified or compatible operating system and browser configuration with the Blackboard Academic Suite.
preferred to be "
Google chrome"
Click here to check if your browser is supported.
When and how courses are added into Blackboard?
At the beginnig of each semester respective courses are created automatically into Blackboard based on schedules finalized by the registration's office.
It is required that all course enrollments should be accurately updated in Banner registration system.
Any change to course creation should be done in the Banner registration system and it will take effect on Blackboard accordingly.
courses are not added manually they are reflection of what is available in banner
Although the semester began, I still can't see my courses in Blackboard ?
If you can't see your courses on Blackboard after the semester begin, then probably your courses are not yet added into the Banner registration system. Please check with your college secretary or college registrar to make sure that your courses are updated in the registration system.
Courses are automatically updated on Blackboard shortly after they are added to the Banner registration system.
If you still can't see your courses, please email Blackboard Support at servicedesk@sharjah.ac.ae to check your issue. Don't forget to mention the missing courses, sections and your ID.
How can I enroll any Teaching Assistant or another Instructor to my course?
Faculty members can nominate other staff and/or students to be additional instructors or teaching assistants on a Blackboard course. The faculty member must remain a course instructor and retain responsibility for the Blackboard course.
To request such access please email Blackboard Support at servicedesk@sharjah.ac.ae . Don't forget to mention Teaching Assistant or Instructor name, ID ,Course Name and Course ID.
How do I add a syllabus?
- Access your course from the Courses
- Click on Course Information
- Point to "Build Content"
- Select "Syllabus"
- Enter the Syllabus Name in the text box
- To upload the Syllabus document:
- Select "Use Existing File"
- Click "Browse My Computer", and select the Syllabus file from your computer
- Click Submit
OR
To create a new Syllabus:
- Click "Create New Syllabus"
- Click on Submit
- Enter the Syllabus headings and descriptions
- Click Submit
How do I add a course document (ex. lecture file)?
- Access your course from the Courses
- Click on content
- Point to "Build Content"
- Select "Item"
- Type a Name for the item to be added (ex. lecture#1)
- Under Attachments, Click "Browse My Computer" and select the file from your computer
- Under Standard Options, select Yes to Permit Users to View this Content
Click Submit - To add or edit a content on your Blackboard course, make sure to set the edit mode to ON. Edit mode is located at the top right of the course.
How can I create a list of external links (sites) to be included in the course?
- List Module found in the "My Courses" Tab
- Click on External Links
- Point to "Build Content"
- Select "Web Link"
- Enter the name for the website
- Enter the URL of the website
- Click Submit
How do I post information about me?
To edit your profile Information:-
- Open Blackboard
- On the left side of your landing page you can click on " your name" its the second tab on the left
- Edit your profile picture and add some useful information about your self
To add information about your self within the course:-
- Access your course from the Courses
- Click on "Contacts"
- Click "Create Contact"
- Fill your information
- Click Submit
How do I change course Language?
-
Access your course from the Courses
- Under Control panel > Customization > Properties > Go to option number 6: Set Language Pack > change it to the other language and make sure to select Enforce Language Pack
- You may find few links in the course menu that are still not changed. To change them, Point the mouse over the link > Click on the arrow to the right of the name > Select Rename Link > Type the name > Click on the green mark to save
Can I add an image to the course website's opening page? What are the specs of the image?
-
Access your course from the Courses
- Under Control panel > Customization > Teaching Style > Go to option number 6: Select Banner > Click Browse My Computer and select the Image you want to add
OR
Once you click on courses, you can add a course image by clicking on the 3 dots beside the the course name ,select a course image and upload it
A recommended size for banners is approximately 1200 x 300 pixels OR larger
What is the Discussions Board?
Click here to know how to add a discussion board
How to set a collaborate session in my courses?
Click here for short Guide
How do I Archive and Export my course?
Click here to view the answer.
How do I Import my course?
Click here to view the answer.
How to view students' list?
- Access your course from the Courses
- On the Left-Hand Pane Click on Users and Groups
- Click on Users
- To list all students, Select Not Blank from the drop down menu then click Go
How can I monitor students' performance?
- Access your course from the Course List Module found in the "My Courses" Tab
- In the Control Panel, Click on Evaluation
- Click on Performance Dashboard
- You can now see each students' Name, surname, Username, date/time of last login, days since last login, and links to their Review Status (how many items with Review Status enabled that they have marked as "Reviewed"), Adaptive Release and Grade information
Click here to view details steps on how to monitor your students
Can I check how often the students visit the Blackboard site?
- Access your course from the Course List Module found in the "My Courses" Tab
- Click on Grade Center >> Click on Full Grade Center
- "Last Access" Column will show you the last time the student access the course
How to generate course reports?
- Access your course from the Courses
- In the Control Panel, Click on Evaluation
- Click Course Reports
- Select the type of report you wish to view
- Click the down arrow next to the report name and select run
- Select the "Time Period", and select the "Users"
- Click Submit to run the report and view it
What is the Assignment tool?
The Assignment tool allows you to post an assignment, and then have students view this assignment and submit completed assignments as text and/or file attachments. Each assignment submission will be appended individually to the Grade Center. Optionally, You can also check the assignments submitted for plagiarism using SafeAssign. If the option is enabled, the submitted assignment will be checked against a large number of "plagiarism databases" and gives as a result a SafeAssign report that highlights the content parts which appear as plagiarized and the matching % of plagiarism. For more information, visit the Assignment guide
How to add an Assignment for Students?
Assignments tool:-
Access your course >> Click on Assignment >> point to Assessments >> Select Assignment >> Enter the Assignment Detail
To enable plagiarism detection:-
Click on Submission Details >> under Plagiarism Tools, Click on Check submissions for plagiarism using SafeAssign >> Submit
For more information, visit the Assignment guide
How to download Students' Assignment submissions?
Assignment tool:-
- In the Control Panel, Click on Grade Center
- Click on Full Grade Center
- Locate the column for the assignment you want to download
- Click on the down arrow next to the Assignment name
- Click on Assignment File Download
- Select the files to download. Click on the selection box to the left of Name column to select all files or click on the selection boxes to the left of specified student names to select them only
- Click Submit
- Click on download assignments now link to save the files to your personal computer
- Click Save and choose the location you want to save your files
How can I enter all students' grades for a specific grade center item (exam, Homework ..) ?
You can either add students' grades one by one, by Selecting the required cell in the grade center, entering the grade and then pressing ENTER or using the up and down arrows in the Keyboard to switch to the next grades
OR you can enter all students grades once by downloading the Grade Center file, entering the students grades and then uploading the Grade Center file again to reflect changes online
To download the grade center:
- On the action bar, point to Work Offline and select Download
- Select Full Grade Center
- For the Delimiter Type, select Tab
- Click Submit
- Click Download
- Select Save to save the file locally on your computer
- Click Close and click OK
To upload the updated excel file to the grade center:
- On the action bar, point to Work Offline and select Upload
- Click Browse My Computer to add the file located on your computer
- For the Delimiter Type, Select Auto
- Click Submit
- From the list of data, check only the boxes to be uploaded then Click Submit
- For more information, visit the Grade Center Guide.
How do I view survey results?
- In the Control Panel, Click on Grade Center >> Full Grade Center
- Locate the column which contains the name of the survey.
- Click the arrow at the right of the name
- Choose Attempts Statistics
How do I make a test available so that students can begin taking it?
- After you create the test, you need to deploy it in a course content area for your student to see it.
- Access your course from the Course List Module found in the "My Courses" Tab
- Browse to the content area where you'd like students to see the quiz link (ex. Assignments)
- Point to Assessments
- Select Test
- Select the test that you'd like to add and then click submit
- The Test Options page will open
- Under Test Availability, select Yes for make the link available
- Click Submit