New to Blackboard at Syracuse University

Self-Service Training and Documentation

New users of Blackboard at Syracuse University are encouraged to begin with a set of videos that introduces the system and some of the basics of our configuration. 

Our Blackboard support pages on Answers hold documentation of a number of commonly used features with configuration details and screenshots from our system. Blackboard also maintains help documentation for instructors using Original Course View and Ultra Course View.

System Overview

Blackboard at Syracuse University is cloud-hosted and available through links available in MySlice or by going directly to http://blackboard.syracuse.edu. The system is supported by the the ITS Service Center and Online Learning Services (OLS).

Syracuse University Blackboard uses the "Ultra Experience" or "Ultra Navigation". Within Ultra Navigation courses may either be in Original Course View or Ultra Course View. For now, a majority of classes remain as "original courses" in our system. Fall 2022 is the first semester with instructors using "ultra courses" at Syracuse University. Blackboard has not announced and end-of-life for original courses. Ultra courses will be made increasingly available in subsequent semesters in conversation with schools and colleges, departments, and individual instructors. Blackboard's documentation can  help you determine if you have original or ultra course view.

Courses and their enrollments in Blackboard are populated automatically based on data that comes from MySlice, where official registrar data is held.

• Courses are created in Blackboard 6-8 weeks before the start of each semester for all courses that appear in MySlice with an instructor of record. 
• Student rosters populate in Blackboard 4 weeks before the start of each semester.
• Courses receive automatic start and end dates.
  • The start date is set to four weeks before the start of main campus classes.
  • The end date is set to the end of the month that follows the semester.
  • The start and end date of a course can be changed by the instructor in Original Courses by going in the course to Customization>Properties.
  • The start and end date determine where in the list terms a course appears.
• Students can only enter classes that appear in the "Current Courses" area and which have been explicitly made available by the instructor
• Instructors can add other instructors and teaching assistants to their own courses. To remove or change a users, or to add a student that will not be enrolled by the registrar, please email help@syr.edu.
• Instructor can request that courses have their enrollments merged into a single course.

Content created in our Blackboard system can be copied from course-to-course by anyone enrolled with instructor or teaching assistant permissions.

Student preview mode is an excellent tool for understanding how your course appears to students. You can even complete assessments from the student perspective to see how they appear to the instructor and see how feedback from the instructor is displayed.

Integrations

Our Blackboard system is integrated with a number of supported third-party tools for teaching including:

• Blackboard Ally for usability and accessibility 
• Blackboard Collaborate Ultra and Zoom for web conferencing
• Kaltura for streaming video
• PlayPosit for creating interactive video content
• PointSolutions (formerly TurningPoint) classroom response tools
• Turnitin academic integrity tools 

The system hosts a number of other third-party integrations, such as methods for linking to text book providers. If you have any questions about whether or not a tool is configured for use in our system please call 315-443-2677 or email help@syr.edu. 

Additional Assistance

Once you've had a chance to review this document and the resources it links to, please follow-up with questions by calling 315-443-2677 or emailing help@syr.edu.

Online Learning Services is available to help you troubleshoot your Blackboard and supported tool settings and to consult with instructors on teaching with technology. Instructors may request a "sandbox" course for them to test or develop materials at any time. For more help or a sandbox, please email  help@syr.edu.