Blackboard Maintenance August 8 & August 15, 2014
**REVISED** Blackboard will be unavailable on both Friday, August 8 and Friday, August 15 from 2:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. due to maintenance to the system.
Blackboard Tools for Atlas Course Group Studio Users
As a result of a software upgrade by the vendor, after Summer Term B ends in July, Course Group Studio in Atlas will no longer be available. Course Group Studio tools are currently located on each of your Course Homepages in Atlas and include functions such as announcements, email and message boards.
If you currently use Course Group Studio for course activities such as file storage or sending email messages to your class roster, you will be able to access these functions through Tuesday, July 29, 2014. After that date, you will use the Blackboard Learning Management System for these tasks.
As a faculty member, you have access to the Blackboard Learning Management System, even if you are not currently using it for a class. Within Blackboard, you can store files, add Web links and resources, host discussions, email students and more. If you would like to try out these features, you may access Blackboard for your current courses in Atlas. Click here Emailing Your Students From Blackboard Learn for a step-by-step tutorial and an instructional video.
The Office of Information Technology (OIT) and Faculty Development partnered to offer a Blackboard Basics for Course Group Studio Users training to help with this transition over the summer. This optional training introduced key features in the Blackboard Learning Management System, including the following:
- Navigating within Blackboard
- Adding content within a content area
- Sending email messages to your students
Did you miss this training opportunity? Don’t worry, we recorded the webinar offered and have lots of additional resources available to assist you.
- Webinar Recording – Blackboard Basics for Atlas Course Studio Users
- Email in Blackboard
- Announcements in Blackboard
- Course Messages in Blackboard
- Add Files to Course Files in Blackboard
- Creating Content in Blackboard
- Best Practices Attaching Files in Blackboard
Looking for additional help or guidance?
- Blackboard Help Instructor Guide SP14
- Technical Support (407-582-5600)
- Email: onlinehelp@valenciacollege.edu
- Visit: Centers for Teaching/Learning Innovation
We anticipate this should be a fairly smooth transition to the latest updates. We appreciate any feedback or concerns as we move forward.
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