Getting Started in Blackboard.

We (that's you and me) need to do several things in order for you to get started in Blackboard. The first is you have to get a UAF email account which gives you a UAF email address, such as raperkins@alaska.edu. That process is discussed in the Overview under Access. If you are a returning student who had a UAF email account last semester, your account userid and password should be the same. HOWEVER, every six months or so UAF OIT wants you to change your password. If you don't get your email from UAF, you will not see the announcement notifying you to change your password, and one day you will not be able to log on. This can be fixed, just call the Helpdesk, 474 6564, or 1-800- 478-8226 or email them helpdesk@alaska.edu

After you are in the Blackboard system, you can then log on. Go to https://classes.alaska.edu/ and log on. You logon with your username, which is the same as your email name, initials and last name, and sometimes a number. If you are a new student, you had to get a password when you found out your email account name (user id, or username). Your password for Blackboard is the same as your password for email. If you were entered into Blackboard last semester, your password is the same as last semester. (If you have forgotten your password, click on the 'forgot my password' link on the login page. Blackboard will give you the choice of which course you want to go to (if you are taking more than one course that is using Blackboard), click on the course you want and you are in.

Once you are at the course you want, click on the different areas (tabs listed on the left hand side of the screen) and see what information the instructor has put into the course. There are several tools the students can use to contact the instructor and the other students and these are listed under the tab COMMUNICATION and also TOOLS. There is also user help information under TOOLS>Manual. I suggest you play around with Blackboard and get comfortable with it now, but usually the first time we use a feature, I will call your attention to it and give you some hints, if necessary.

Here is some information about taking quizzes in Blackboard.