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Home > Help & Support > Knowledge Base > Teaching & Learning > Blackboard > Blackboard for Faculty & Staff > Blackboard Top Questions (Faculty & Staff) > Get Blackboard Ready

Get Blackboard Ready

Recorded Training & Information

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Blackboard Basics recording
Blackboard basics details

For those completely new to Blackboard, learn how to upload files, communicate with students, collect assignments, use discussion boards, and the basics of grading.

More: Self-Paced Training Course | Start of Semester Checklist

Setting Up Blackboard Grade Center recording
Blackboard Grade Center details

Grade tests, assignments, etc. Manually create grade columns. Use total and weighted total columns to maintain a running final score.

More: Weighted Total Column | Comment on Assignment Submissions

Blackboard Grade Center Advanced recording
Blackboard Grade Center Advanced details

  • Grading various types of assessments: tests, assignment submissions, discussion boards
  • Extra Credit
  • Reviewing issues with student assignments and test submissions
  • Questions from participants

Blackboard Groups & Collaboration recording
Blackboard Groups details

Create groups for students to work together, group assignments, adaptive release. Also, see an introduction to using Microsoft Teams along with Blackboard courses.

Kaltura Capture recording
Kaltura Capture details

A desktop Mac and PC application to record audio, video, PowerPoint, and screen capture. Capture is a great way to create high-quality lectures and post to Blackboard.

More: Step by Step Guide | Additional Kaltura Help

Building Blackboard Tests & Using LockDown Browser and Monitor recording
Blackboard Tests details

Learn how to create tests and set options. LockDown Browser is an optional tool to help ensure test integrity.

More: Lockdown Browser Guide | Convert a paper test

Providing Feedback to Students recording
Providing Feedback details

Inline, assignment markup, audio and video feedback, rubrics, etc.

Collaborate recording
Collaborate details

Learn how to use the live virtual classroom environment designed for teaching and learning and real-time collaboration. Use audio and video, share your screen, upload files. You can record everything in Collaborate. Also great for virtual office hours.

More: Breakout Groups Overview | Breakout Groups Creation | Security & Guest Access | What's New in Collaborate | Instructor FAQs

Monitoring Student Activity recording
Student Activity details

Learn about different methods to view student activity and performance and how to contact specific students.

More: Tracking Student Participation and Performance in Blackboard

Blackboard Ally recording
Blackboard Ally details

Ally suggests improvements to make your course content more accessible. It also automatically creates alternate versions (OCR, audio, etc.) of the content for students to access.

More: Blackboard Ally for Faculty & Staff

OneNote Class Notebook recording
OneNote details

OneNote Class Notebooks create a collaborative space with a personal workspace for every student, a content library for handouts, and a shared space for lessons and creative activities. Learn how to create class notebooks within Blackboard so course rosters are automatically imported, as well as some OneNote basics.

Poll Everywhere recording
Poll Everywhere details

Poll Everywhere is a dynamic web-based polling system that allows participants to engage within the classroom or online through web browsers, mobile applications, and SMS text messages.

More: Getting Started with Poll Everywhere

Synchronous Tools for Hybrid, Hyflex, and Online Learning recording
Synchronous Tools details

This training examines the differences between several online tools and highlight best practices to help you decide which one is best for you and your learners: featured tools include Class for Zoom, Zoom, Blackboard Collaborate Ultra, and Teams.

Additional Videos & Training

  • Stearns Center Consultations, Webinars, and other Training
  • Blackboard Free Training webinars (from Blackboard, Inc.)

Help Documents and Tips

Browse the full ITS Blackboard Knowledge Base.

  • Start with our 5-minute Just in Time videos
  • Using Blackboard Collaborate Ultra for online teaching
  • Using Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor to secure your online tests
  • Recording lectures using Kaltura Capture
  • Communicating with students via Blackboard announcements
  • Collecting student assignments and grading assignments in Blackboard.
  • Blackboard Assignment FAQs.
  • Creating and grading tests in Blackboard (video series: login required)
  • Best Practices for providing students offline course access

Support

Contact the ITS Support Center or email courses@gmu.edu

Join Mason's Blackboard support team for online office hours (live online support) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET on weekdays. Log in and look for the link on the Blackboard homepage.

Last modified: March 22, 2023

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Related Articles

  • Beginning of the Semester Blackboard Checklist
  • End of the Semester Blackboard Checklist
  • Blackboard Instructional Technology Support for Faculty
  • Blackboard Instructional Technology Support for Students
  • Emergency Proof Your Course

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