Student Intro to Blackboard

Student Introduction to Blackboard 7.1

You've signed up for a class at Willamette, and your instructor has informed you that your class will be using Blackboard this semester. You're probably thinking, "What is Blackboard, and how do you use it?"

Blackboard is a web-based course management system that allows you to access course materials online. Your instructor may choose to use just one, a few, or many of Blackboard’s features.

Some of the things your instructor might include in your Blackboard course are multimedia components such as audio or video files, online quizzes and surveys, online (private) grade access, online discussion board and chat tools, easy access to your classmates via email, a “digital drop box” that allows you to send your assignments to your instructor online, online group work areas, and online resources in the form of documents, announcements, and/or web pages.

Logging in to Blackboard:

Point your browser to: http://blackboard.willamette.edu/
Once there, you’ll see this login screen:
Click on the “Login” button and at the next screen, enter your Willamette user name and password. If it is your first time logging into Blackboard, a few steps are necessary before you can log in. See Logging in for the First Time.

You’ll be sent to a screen that looks similar to this:

If you are already enrolled in a course such as "World Views", you’ll see it listed on the right side under the blue bar header, “My Courses”.

Logging in for the First Time:

The first time you log in to Blackboard, you will not be able to directly log in. Click the log-in button, and instead of entering your username and password, click on the "Reset Password" link.

The "Reset Password" link will open up a prompt asking for your username and password. Enter your Willamette login and password. This will bring you to a screen asking you to "reset" your password. Simply enter your login password twice, and press the "Reset" button. Once you have done this, a page saying "Your Password Has Been Successfully Updated" will open. Now, click the "Login to Blackboard" link, and you will be able to login.

This process only needs to be done once, but you have to do it the first time you use Blackboard.

To enroll in a new class:

If you are trying to enroll in an existing class, click on the “Courses” tab directly under the Willamette University banner and browse through the Course Catalog. This catalog only includes Willamette courses that utilize Blackboard. Once you find the course you want, click on “Enroll.” You’ll be asked to click on a “Submit” button to confirm, and that’s it! You will now be enrolled in the Blackboard portion of your course.

*Note that you are not formally enrolled in the course unless you are enrolled through the Registrar’s office.

To preview a class:

If an instructor has permitted guest access, you may choose to click on “Preview” instead of “Enroll.”

Note that not all of the features in Blackboard will be available to guest users.

For more information:
Contact your instructor or the WITS Help Desk at x6767.

*Don’t forget to log out when you are done, particularly if you are working in a public lab!