Students Using Blackboard at KCC

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The purpose of this handout is to communicate to the new Blackboard user the information necessary to successfully access the KCC Blackboard site for his or her course.

What is Blackboard?

Blackboard is computer software licensed to Kellogg Community College. This software provides access via the Internet to course materials and activities to those enrolled in the course.

What is required to be able to use Blackboard?

You need an account in the Blackboard system and a computer with Internet capabilities to access the course site. With rare exception, you can use any computer with Internet capability, whether from KCC, work, or home. Not all instructors use Blackboard, so you'll only have access to course sites of instructors who are using Blackboard and in whose course you are enrolled.

How do I access a Blackboard course site?

1.   You will need a computer that is connected to the Internet. Start the computer if it is not already on.

2.   Launch a Web browser program. A browser is computer software program that displays World Wide Web pages from the Internet. The method for starting a computer program will vary from computer to computer. Most computers equipped with the Microsoft Windows operating system will have an icon for the browser on the desktop (the desktop is the screen that is displayed when the computer has finished the process of turning-on). The recommended browser is Microsoft Internet Explorer. Netscape Navigator is another popular browser that will also work. Double-click on the icon to start the browser.

3.   Once the browser has finished its start-up, direct the browser to go to KCC's Blackboard location on the Internet. Near the top of the window in which Internet Explorer is displayed is a box labeled Address (Netscape Navigator labels the same function Location). Using the mouse, point to the box and click in it. Type into the box http://bb.kellogg.edu and press the Enter key on the keyboard.

4.    The first Blackboard login screen should appear. Using the mouse pointer, click on the Login button.

5.   The second Blackboard login screen should appear. Your username is your "last name first initial last four digits of your Student ID number" and your initial password is your birth date (mmddyy). Click in the box next to Username and enter your username.. Next click in the box associated with Password and enter your password. (Note: If you used Blackboard in a prior semester, rather than the password being your student number, the password will remain unchanged from the last time you used it.) Click on the Login button.

6.   You are now in Blackboard. The courses in which you are enrolled that are using Blackboard are listed under My Courses in the right column. Click on the course name to enter the course site.

When you are in Blackboard, please click on Personal Information in the Tools section and correct your email address if it is inaccurate. If you do not have an email account, KCC can provide you with one (see http://www.kellogg.edu/email/geninfo.html). Also be sure to change your password for Blackboard.

For an orientation to learning online and to the use of Blackboard, go to http://academic.kellogg.edu/online. For information on how the features in Blackboard work, within any course site, click on Student Tools then Manual.