Getting+Started-Blackboard


 * Getting Started with Blackboard**


 * Blackboard is a course management program that integrates course materials with communication tools**. In this activity, you will personalize Blackboard, take a tour of it, and communicate via email with your instructor.

1. Verify that your browser is Internet Explorer 4.0 (or higher). Just click on **Help/About. . .** in the menu at the top of the browser screen. (Other recent browsers will work, but some features of Blackboard may not work. I use Mozilla Firefox 4.0.1).

2. Using your browser to go to [|http://courses.ucmo.edu] note**: there is no www in the address.**

3. Click on “Login to Blackboard” box.


 * 1) **Username** = Your network ID is your three initials followed by the last four digits of your student number followed by a zero. (In rare cases the last digit will not be a zero. If you do not have a middle name, an X will be used in place of your middle initial). For example, if John Q. Public's student number were 123-45-6789, his network ID would be jqp67890.
 * 2) **Password** = initially set to six digit date of birth, formatted MMDDYY. For example, my cat’s birthday is June 1, 2005, so her PIN would be 060105. This can be changed to anything up to 14 characters, e.g. Abc12345! at


 * **Note:** If you are a **returning** student, your password should be the same as you left it. This user name and password are used for logging on to the network, logging on to Blackboard, and accessing MuleMail
 * If you have trouble with your user name or password, contact Extended Campus.

4. Click on __Login__

5. The first step is to personalize your Blackboard by providing your preferred name and making your email address visible to fellow students and your instructor.


 * 1) Click on **__Personal Settings__** Note: This is one of the navigation links on the far left of your screen. Click on **__Edit Personal Information__.** Scroll down the page and change the name to appear as you prefer it. For example, if you are Elizabeth Smith and go by Beth, you might want to change the entry to Beth Smith. You need not enter any other information here. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on __Submit__ and then __OK.__ Click on **__Set Privacy Options__.**
 * 2) Make your email address available by clicking in the check box next to Email Address. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on __Submit__ and then __OK.__ This is a good start!

6. Near the top of the screen, click on the “My Blackboard” tab. This will display the list of courses you are currently enrolled in (courses with Blackboard content). Click on the name of this course.

Online tutorials for Blackboard are available at [].
 * 1) Click on DISCUSSION BOARD and find the forum titled "Introductions" and create a new thread that introduces yourself to the rest of the class.
 * 2) Upload a digital photo of yourself. Scroll down and click on __Submit__ and then __OK__.
 * 3) I want you to create your own homepage within Blackboard. This will not be for credit, but it is a requirement. I want all of us to have the opportunity to get to know each other better.
 * 4) There is a student survey that I want you to use as a guide for filling out the information on the page. (See below). You can always add more information, but at least address those issues I have included in the survey.
 * 5) [[file:ALL-Student Profile.doc]]
 * 6) Be sure to read and comment on the introductions of the other members of the class.


 * //Thanks to Dr. Antrim for letting me modify her notes for this page. 12 May 2007//**

RESIZING YOUR PICTURE**

If you need to resize your picture for the home page, here are three suggestions:


 * A Web site for EASY resizing of pictures is [] which doesn’t require you to download any software.


 * PAINT – Open your picture in Paint > Image > Stretch/Skew > Stretch. Be sure to reduce the horizontal and vertical percentage by the same amount.


 * PICTURE MANAGER – Start> MICROSOFT OFFICE > Microsoft Office Tools > Microsoft Office Picture Manager. Open your picture file. In the menu bar, Picture > Resize. Use the pane on the right to resize the picture. (I recommend the fourth bullet, choosing a percent of the original picture size.


 * PICASA - And from Google there is this in-depth explanation “Editing Overview: Resizing Photos” []