USING BLACKBOARD
Using a web browser of your choice, key the
web address: http://blackboard.carteret.edu
As described on the opening screen, your
username is your last name followed by your
month of birth and then your date of birth.
Example: If my last name was smith and I
was born on January 25, my email address
would be smith0125@mail2.carteret.edu
When you first log on to Blackboard, your
username and password are the same.
Click the tab labeled
“Courses.” This gives you a full
screen displaying every course
that you are enrolled in during
the current semester.
Click the desired course.
OPTIONS ON LEFT SIDE OF WINDOW:
You will see various buttons or text on the left side of the screen. Some
instructors use text as buttons (left example) while other instructors use
buttons (right example). The text or buttons will be different colors
depending on how the instructor has it set up.
Each instructor uses different buttons or text on Blackboard. Shown here
are all the buttons or texts that are there by default. Your instructor may
also add additional customized buttons or delete some of these.
BUTTONS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE SHOWING FOR YOUR CLASS WEB SITE
Announcements - Users can view important messages from instructors on the Announcements
page. Announcements are organized and displayed by: current date, last seven days, last thirty
days, or view all course announcements. When accessed through the Announcements tab, all
announcements of interest to the user appear. Click on the tabs to view Announcements for a
specific period of time. The default is “View Last 7 Days.”
Course Information - This is where most instructors will put course content such as the course
syllabus, assignment due dates, course outline, etc. Also located here is where the “how to’s” for
the course will be located. Specific instructions from your instructor will be located here as to how
the course works, what is expected from you, etc. This area is worth taking your time and going
through to familiarize yourself with the course itself.
Staff Information - This is where your instructor will give you important contact information such as
their office location, phone number, email address, office hours, picture, etc.
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Course Documents - This is where some instructor put their handouts, lectures, PowerPoint
presentations, etc. for the course. Other instructors put all of this information under the
“Assignments” button and may choose to delete this button. Again, each instructor does it
somewhat different.
Assignments - This is where your actual instructions/assignments are located for the class. If you
do not see a “Course Documents” button/text, then you will probably see additional course
documents here.
If you see this symbol on the left side of the screen, it is a folder. If you click the underlined
link for the folder, additional information will appear which may be in the form of additional
folders, actual text on a page, or links that will take you to other locations either on the CCC
server or on the Internet.
If you see this symbol on the left side of the screen, it is a document. That document may
contain an additional link to click to view the document, or it may actually display the
information there. Instructors use this both ways.
If there is a link, you can do one of two things: (1) select “Open” and view it within the Blackboard
window; or, (2) select “Save” and save it to your disk and then open the file directly from your disk.
NOTE: It is easier to simply right-click the link and select “Open in New Window.” This opens the link
in a window that doesn’t have all the Blackboard areas around it. It is much easier to view in a
separate window.
If you see this symbol on the left side of the screen, it is a quiz, test, or exam. This will be
discussed in another section of this handout.
Communication - Depending on your course and what you instructor has selected, you will see
various options located here. Some of the options you may see are: Announcements,
Collaboration, Discussion Board, Group Pages, Messages, and Send Email.
Discussion Board - Clicking this button/text will take you to the same location as if you selected the
Communication option from above and then selected Discussion Board. Some instructors allow
you to access the Discussion Board from either location, and others will give you the option of
accessing only one way. There is a more detailed section on discussion boards later in the
handout.
External Links - Click this button/text will take you to a section displaying links to other Internet sites.
Some instructors use this to give you web pages to visit. You may or may not see this button for
you specific class.
Tools - Clicking this button/text will take you to a menu that will display various options. Each
instructor may or may not utilize these tools in their particular course. Some of the options you
may see are:
 Address Book – lists all the email addresses for students in the class.
 Calendar – gives you the option of displaying a calendar by day, week, month, or year. You may
add items to this calendar just as you would if you physically were adding them.
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Glossary – this is where some instructors may put important terms and definitions for course.
Homepage – allows a student to create a personal home page.
My Grades – allows students to see what their grades are in the class.
Personal Information – allows student to change password and add additional information.
Tasks – this organizes projects or activities (referred to as tasks) by defining task priority.
User Manual – this will take you to a section that describes Blackboard in detail.
Note: Your instructor may have also added additional buttons with different names.
HOW TO USE THE DISCUSSION BOARD
The Discussion Board is a way of posting and responding to messages. Conversations are grouped
by “threads” that contain a main heading and all related postings. A reply to a thread is called
“posting”. The act of adding a reply is called “post”. In instructions from your instructor, you will see
that they say something like, “You are required to post a reply to this question within three days.”
Here is an example where you are to add to
an existing discussion. The instructor has
posted a discussion labeled, “Chapter 2
Discussion Board Question.” You would
click on this linked text.
Once you click the link, the
second screen may or may not
have other students’ postings
showing at that time. Eventually,
all students’ postings will be
displayed, as shown here.
Click the “Add New Thread” link
to post your response to the
discussion question.
Your instructor may or may not
also tell you to reply back to a
student’s posting. All you would have to do is click the linked text in the first column for the student
you want to reply back to, and then click the REPLY button. You would then key in your text for your
reply.
TAKING A TEST OR QUIZ ONLINE IN BLACKBOARD
When you are taking a test or quiz online, it may or may not be graded automatically.
 Test with true/false questions and multiple choice questions will probably be graded
automatically. A grade will be assigned and possibly what you missed will be displayed,
depending on how the instructor has it set up.
 Test with short answer questions will probably have to be hand-graded by your instructor. They
will then insert your grade once they have graded your work. You will see a (!) symbol until
then.
To start, click the link for the online test or quiz. Note the icon displaying here.
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Once you have clicked the link, this is what will
display. Click OK to begin the test.
A screen similar to this one will appear. It will give you
instructions and tell you the details of the test. Take
the time to read these instructions. Usually, instructors
will also have these instructions located where you
can read them before you start to take the test.
***IMPORTANT***
If you experience any problems while taking a quiz or
text online, you need to contact your instructor
immediately.
TEST/QUIZ VARIATIONS:
When the instructor creates the test or quiz, there are several options they can turn on or off. Each
instructor again does things a little different. This is why you need to take the time and read the
instructions so that you will know the specifics before taking the test or quiz.
1. Is the test or quiz timed?
It may either timed so that you only have a specific number of minutes to complete it, or you
may take the amount of time you need to complete it.
2. How will the questions on the test or quiz appear on my screen?
You may see all the questions at one time or you may see only one question at a time.
3. Will I be forced to complete the test or quiz?
You may or may not be forced to complete the test before exiting the test or quiz. Depending
on the type of quiz or test, you may have to take it all at one time, or you may be able to take
part of it and then return to it at a later time.
4. Once a question is answered, can you backtrack to a question you previously answered?
Again, some instructors give you one shot to complete the question. Once you have answered
it, you can’t go back and change your answer. Others will give you multiple opportunities; it just
depends on the type and purpose of the test or quiz.
It would be a good habit to get into, to click the SAVE
button after answering each question.
By doing this, should the electricity go out, you get
bumped off your computer for whatever reason, or the
quiz/test is locked, you may resume the test.
Your previous answers will be saved if you have clicked
the SAVE button for each question on the quiz or test.
When you contact your instructor that something happened while you were taking your quiz or test,
let them know that you clicked the SAVE button after each question. They may be able to go in and
capture those answers so that you don’t have to take the entire test or quiz again.
Communication with your instructor is very, very important when you experience problems taking a
quiz or test. They can’t help you if they don’t know that you need help!
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UPLOADING A FILE(S) TO YOUR INSTRUCTOR USING A LINK
You will be sending your work to your instructor in one of two ways: (1) You may be asked to attach
the file(s) to an email; or, (2) you may be asked to use a link.
The link will appear as shown below. The text, “View/Complete Assignment: Upload…..” will always
be the same text. After that, the actual content of the link is displayed. For example, in the screen
below it says “Chapter 2 QUESTIONS”, and the one below that says “Chapter 2 PROJECT”. Be sure
you add the right file to the right link.
Once you have clicked the text that starts with the “>> View/Compete….” , this is the screen you will
see:
You may or may not need to type any comments
for you instructor, depending on the instructor.
Some instructors will read them and some will not.
Therefore, anything you specifically want your
instructor to know, you should email them.
Click the BROWSE button to locate the file
containing your answers to the assignment.
Note: You may add multiple files by clicking the
“Add Another File.”
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Some instructors will give you one link, and then tell you to add all the files to that one link.
Other instructors will give you one link per file. You will click each link to add one file.
Again, read the instructions that have been given to by your instructor before uploading files.
Communicate any problems you encounter to instructor immediately.
Once you have clicked the SUBMIT button to submit the file(s), you will be able see a list of the files
that you have uploaded.
To do this, go back to the original link with the “View/Compete….” and
click it again.
You will see the text, “This assignment is complete. Click OK to review
the result.” If you click OK, you can see the actual uploaded file(s) listed
there.
Once you have submitted a file(s) to your instructor, you should go to the Electronic Gradebook
(Tools Button) to double-check to see that the file(s) has been uploaded correctly. To do this, click the
TOOLS button and select the “My Grades” option.
 If the file(s) has been uploaded correctly, you will see an exclamation mark.
 If the file was NOT uploaded correctly, you will see a double. You will need to upload it again.
 If you see a numerical grade, it means that the grade has been assigned.
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