Suggested First Assignment and Guidelines

You've developed your course in Blackboard and it looks great! You're ready! Now what?

Your students may be a little apprehensive about this new learning format. You need to be available to take calls and answer student email messages. Provide information about where to get help and what is expected. If possible, provide a Blackboard demonstration session. Knowing that help is available will make students feel less apprehensive and more likely to immediately get engaged.

Suggestions for helping students get started:

1. Provide students with a set of guidelines so they will know how Blackboard will be used in the course. Students need to know what to expect in terms of communication, how to submit assignments, how take quizzes and exams, etc.
2. Provide a Blackboard "assignment" so that students can become familiar with the online tools.

The Suggested First Assignment and Example Blackboard Guidelines (provided below) may be copied and modified for use in your course.

Suggested First Assignment

Objective: To become familiar with Blackboard and UMOnline.

1. Go to the UMOnline Student Information pages and familiarize yourself with the resources available there. Pay special attention to the Blackboard Student Manual.
2. Introduce yourself online: go to the Discussion Board and respond to the Introductions post.
3. Let us know how you feel about online education: Go to the Discussion Board and respond to the Online Education post. (optional)
4. Find and edit your personal settings. Be sure to change your password.
5. Figure out how to check your grades.
6. Read through each of the Introductory Lecture Materials.
7. Use the Discussion Board to post any questions or thoughts about the Introductory Materials and Syllabus.

Assessment: The instructor will assess the assignment by reading your introduction.

Example Blackboard Guidelines

Blackboard will be used as a supplement in this class. Assignments and Lecture notes will be posted on Blackboard. A variety of online activities, such as discussions, will be required throughout the semester.

Announcements:
Class announcements will be posted daily by the instructor. Blackboard system administrators will sometimes post announcements about the Blackboard system.

Communication:
Communication will take place using e-mail, discussion boards and the virtual classroom. E-mail should be used for 'private" communication with the instructor or other students. Any questions regarding grades or communication about more personal issues should be handled via email.

Discussion boards are appropriate for questions or discussions that would normally occur in the classroom. Remember that the discussion board is public and your classmates can read what you post there!

The virtual classroom includes a white board and chat facility and is used for synchronous (real-time) communication. Office hours are held in the virtual classroom Monday and Wednesday 2 - 3 p.m.

Course Materials:
Assignments, lecture notes and a variety of readings will be posted on Blackboard. Lecture notes will generally be posted after the lecture is delivered.

Submitting Assignments Electronically:
Some assignments will be submitted electronically using the Digital Dropbox. The student manual (available at umonline.umt.edu, before logging in) has fairly detailed instructions on using the Digital Dropbox. The Digital Dropbox may be accessed by clicking on Tools, Digital Dropbox. The Digital Dropbox allows you to store your own files (Add option), or send a file to the Instructor's Digital Dropbox for grading (Send option). The most common mistake that students make is to Add files to their own Dropboxes rather than sending them to the instructor for grading.

Remember the options:
ADD sends files to YOUR dropbox, and can only be accessed by you.
SEND puts files in MY dropbox where I can grade them.

Quizzes:
Quizzes will be given periodically with no prior notice. Quizzes will be posted for 24 hours. You must log in everyday Monday-Friday to check announcements and take quizzes. Class Anytime!

Logging In:
You are expected to log in every MWF to read current announcements and look for assignments that have been posted. You may do this at any time of day. The Instructor will generally answer e-mails, respond to discussions, etc. during traditional work hours (M-F 9:00 a.m. - 5 p.m.)