BlackBoard Question of the Week

Q. Please advise me on the preferred method for archiving Blackboard course materials and gradebooks. I have exported the course, however that does not include the gradebook. I have exported the gradebook to an Excel file, however, that does not seem like an ideal solution for security reasons.

A. Archive in Blackboard is not an option for instructors because it preserves all student records associated with a course.

You are correct to use Export for course content and to export your Grade center. Once you have saved your Grade Center Excel file, you can password-protect it, for security. For a free Microsoft Office tutorial on password-protecting your spreadsheet, visit Set a Password in an Excel Spreadsheet .

Q. I am trying to listen to an audio clip my professor recorded, but I’m seeing this message: “Applet should be there but Wimba server is down.”

A. If you are using Internet Explorer and seeing a notice at the bottom of the screen that says “Only secure content is displayed” when you click on the audio link, click on “Show all content” at the bottom of the screen.

You will be sent back to the homepage of the course, but you can then go back to the content area where the item is posted and play the item.

This problem doesn’t happen in Firefox, so you could use Firefox as your browser when in Blackboard.

Q. My last name is different in Blackboard than in LOCUS.  It is correct in LOCUS, but still has my maiden name in Blackboard.  Who should I contact to have this corrected?

A. You can correct this quickly and easily yourself.

1. Log into Blackboard.
2. On the Login page under Tools, click on Personal Information.
3. Click on Edit Personal Information.
4. Change your name in the first section, under the “Personal Information” heading.
5. Click Submit.

Q. I would like to attend a one-on-one session on Blackboard and I have no previous experience with it. How can I get help?

A. To get one-on-one help with Blackboard, email blackboard@luc.edu and include your preferred dates and times (during regular working hours) for a session. If you have questions about particular areas of Blackboard, include those in your email.

For online Blackboard tutorials, visit our Faculty Blackboard Help Resources wepage.