Navigating NEIU Blackboard 417 – 418a Step by step and tips for users Click Mouse or Page up to go forward – page down back Created by Gino Pesce and Dr. Sharon McNeely – NEIU professors

Table of Contents - This PowerPoint moves slide by slide on a mouse click or any slide can be accessed through a mouse click on the bullet point – you can return to the table of contents on any slide - The HOME key will always return you to the first page. If you press escape by accident just press F5, it continues the slide presentation. Accessing the Site Neiuport Main Page Login Slide NEIUport – once you are logged in Login through NEIU main page Login pages through Blackboard Main Page Blackboard intro tip Home Page Blackboard Initial Course Menu Page with Tabs Announcements Course Documents Course Information Discussion Boards Posting to a Discussion Board Adding a THREAD (new item in discussion board) Creating and Submitting a discussion Composing a reply to a discussion (screen 1) Composing a reply to a discussion (screen 2) Composing a reply to a discussion (screen 3) Your Individual / Group boards (screen 1) Your Individual / Group boards (screen 2) Your Individual / Group boards (screen 3) Your Individual / Group boards (screen 4) More tips for posting Sample Discussion Sample Reply Accessing NEIU email Setting up forwarding emails (screen 1) Forwarding email (screen 2) Forwarding email (screen 3) Other Tabs – Communication, Tools, External Links, NEIU Library, Faculty Info How to Copy Paste (Slide One) Copy / Paste Slide Two Final Tips Don’t Forget to Logout

Return to Table of Contents Accessing the Site You must have a valid neiu id and password. (this SAME username and password you registered with allows you to access the neiuport, Blackboard and NEIU web mail.) Logging in through NEIU port: Open the website – URL is: http://neiuport.neiu.edu/cp/home/loginf Or http://www.neiu.edu/Home/ go to the drop down box click NEIU port – the next two slides shows a graphic of these two links. Return to Table of Contents

NEIU Port Main Page - http://neiuport.neiu.edu/cp/home/loginf Log in here Return to Table of Contents

Once you are logged in you will see this page and option to login to Blackboard Click on: Return to Table of Contents

Logging in through NEIU Main page - www.neiu.edu Drop down click on Blackboard Return to Table of Contents

When using the neiu dropdown you will see 2 screens Enter username password here User Login Return to Table of Contents

Ok if you’re logged into Blackboard class you will see something like the next slide – Be aware announcements, colors may differ but the site is navigated using tabs on the left side – The next slide will show you what I mean. Return to Table of Contents

Now you are in now in Black Board: Your classes are listed – the example shows my classes you will only see your registered classes. Your name will be here Note 417 AND 418a are in ONE Hyperlink Your classes will be listed to the right Click on the class you need to work in. Return to Table of Contents

These are the tabs you will click on

Let’s explain where the tabs take you - Announcements – See announcements posted by profs. You can see new and go back to older info Return to Table of Contents

Course Documents Information is organized in headings for both 417 and 418a Click on underlined links for course documents Return to Table of Contents

Course Information – Syllabi for both courses Course Information – Syllabi for both courses. FAQ’s – Permissions slips for interviews and more Click on underlined links for course information Return to Table of Contents

Discussion Boards This is where ALL discussion work is posted for 417 and 418 – These boards are public for ALL classmates to see and interact. Return to Table of Contents

Posting to a discussion board explained Click on the board you want to access Return to Table of Contents

Adding a new discussion (defined as adding a thread) Click on THREAD Return to Table of Contents

Here’s how to post your discussion Type in a subject Spell Check Here Type your discussion here. After you are done – Scroll down and you will see a submit button. Return to Table of Contents

Replying to a post – to receive full credit you must reply to at least one post in each discussion – here’s how. After reading the discussion simple click reply Return to Table of Contents

Here you compose your reply Note your subject is already set Return to Table of Contents

A replied discussion looks like this. Note replies are indented. Return to Table of Contents

Individual / Group Discussion Boards – Sometimes this can confuse students – These discussion boards are for PRIVATE communication between individuals and/or groups and the instructors. Only those individuals can see these comments and work. When you click on this tab you, are now in a place where ONLY you and the instructors interact. Since we also set up GROUP boards groups can share / post and interact with each other and instructors here also. The next slide shows this process. Return to Table of Contents

Individual / Group Discussion Boards Here are PRIVATE areas only you the professors and/or your group members can see. Assignments are posted here for professors. They will also give feedback / grades privately here. The posting and reply function is the same format as the general public boards. Click on your name (only yours is available.) Post here as you would any discussion. You may also post on your group page to post group work and share with your group. New threads are added just as in any other discussion. Return to Table of Contents

Posting in your Individual Group Now that you are in your individual group you need a couple more clicks to actually post your assignments. First click on Group Discussion Board Return to Table of Contents

Posting in your Individual Group (continued) Next Click on Your Name Finally you’ll have a new discussion board add a thread to start posting. See the next slide Return to Table of Contents

Posting in your Individual Group (continued) Click on add a new thread and you will have a place to post your work – Add a subject and post. Note you should copy and paste any work done from an outside word processing program. The next slide explains that somewhat. Return to Table of Contents

Saving your work We highly encourage that posts / work is done in a word processing program, saved and copy / pasted (click for help with this) to the boards. This allows for review and edit before posting and keeps a copy for your records. You can not delete or edit a post once submitted. Only the instructors can. While file exchange is available in group boards it can be quirky and it is not recommended. Emailing through Blackboard can also be risky. You should use your standard email program. We will only email your NEIU email address. If you want those emails forwarded to another email address see the next slide, forwarding an email. Return to Table of Contents

FAQ How long should a discussion be FAQ How long should a discussion be? See sample below – Note clarity, brevity, may be longer but watch excessive copy/paste. Return to Table of Contents

Sample Reply – Short to the point Return to Table of Contents

Email can be accessed through NEIU port and the NEIU main page just like Blackboard. First Log into Neiu Port then see the graphic below Click here for Neiu Email Return to Table of Contents

Web mail through NEIU main page Click here for Neiu Email Return to Table of Contents

Forwarding NEIU mail to another email address – you will receive emails at BOTH addresses – Follow these next slides Click on options above Return to Table of Contents

Next screen has some other options (signatures, etc) Now click on settings, make sure you save any changes here. Scroll down to see save option. Return to Table of Contents

Here you enable forwarding you will receive emails at the neiu and forwarded address Two steps, first check the enable forwarding box, second add email address or addresses. Separate more than one with a comma, then save. Return to Table of Contents

Other tabs on Blackboard Used for sending email through blackboard Rarely used – has a user manual. Useful links – SEICUS website needed for 417 discussion #7. Return to Table of Contents

FAQ How do I copy paste in BB? First off, you'll be glad to learn copying and pasting is easy. You can copy and paste just about anything your little heart desires: text, web pages, files, pictures, you name it. The idea behind the process is to take information from one place and deposit it into another. For an example, let's pretend you're working in a word processor and need to copy and paste a section of your document into an Black Board post. Here's how: 1. First, you'll need to select the text you wish to copy. You do this by putting your mouse cursor at the first character you want to copy and, holding down the left mouse button, drag the cursor to the last character you need copied. As you drag, you'll notice everything gets highlighted (selected). 2. Next, right-click the selected area. Choose Copy from the menu that pops up (or you can use CTRL-C if you like keyboard shortcuts). 3. Finally, right-click the area in your Blackboard post where you would like to insert the word processor text. Click Paste from the menu that pops up (For this, CTRL-V is your keyboard shortcut). That's it. The steps are basically the same for any copy & paste procedure you need to do. The next slide has a graphic example. Return to Table of Contents

Copy / Paste part 2 In Blackboard use Right Click – copy or Right Click Paste OR CTRL-C to copy and CTRL-V to paste Copy / Paste Here Return to Table of Contents

Some Final Tips Return to Table of Contents ALWAYS let us know here when you post something in your individual / group board. Post private questions here Need a group post here Post any and all questions, anyone can reply Note all 417 boards are in green text ALL 418a are in red text Return to Table of Contents

And Finally – Don’t Forget to LOGOUT when you are done with the session – especially at a public computer. Anyone can access your Blackboard if you are still logged in! Return to Table of Contents