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NYU Blackboard FAQs & How-To's

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Where is my course?

  1. Have you requested a Blackboard course for the current semester?
    • Use the online Course Request Form to activate an NYU Blackboard course site. [Help]
      IMPORTANT: The Course Request Form is not for student use. It is restricted to Faculty, Staff, and their designees.]
    • A new NYU Blackboard course must be activated each semester and for each course in which it is being used.
    • Use Course Copy after activating the new course site to re-use content from a previous semester. [Help]

    If you did that but still don't see the course, go to #2...

  2. Have you clicked the "Update Blackboard Classes Information" link?
    • In the Blackboard Classes channel in NYUHome, click Update Blackboard Classes Information and see if the course now appears, or is now available.
    • Note: The class list is updated automatically several times a day, but clicking the update link creates an immediate, fresh list.

    If you did that but still don't see the course, go to #3...

  3. Has the course been archived?

    If you did that but still don't see the course, go to #4...

  4. Do you see a course listed but it says "not available to students"?
    • Make the course available to enable student access in the course Control Panel. [Help]

    If you did that but still don't see the course, go to #5...

  5. Did you contact NYU Blackboard Support?
    • Use the Blackboard Help Request Form to request help accessing your course.
    • For faster assistance, select Accessing or Activating a Course in "Type of Help Required," and indicate in the "Your Question or Problem" description box that you have already completed this "Where is my course?" troubleshooter.
    • If you contacted NYU Blackboard Support and it's been more than 24 hours (between Monday - Friday), try sending a follow-up help request. Your request may require more time to resolve.

Where are my students?

  1. Has it been at least four hours since you activated the Blackboard course site?
    • Students are enrolled automatically in Blackboard courses based on student registration with the registrar. Enrollments usually appear within four hours of activating the course.
    • Student enrollment is updated automatically every four hours (Monday to Friday, between 9:00am and 9:00pm). If you activated the course late Friday, you may need to wait until Monday morning to see the student enrollments appear.

    If you did that but still don't see the students, go to #2...

  2. Did you make a cross-list or course-combination request?
    • Cross-list and course-combination requests require special manual processes. These requests are usually handled within 24 hours, but, depending on the volume and complexity of requests, could take longer.
    • Check back each day to see if the student enrollment has been updated. If it is still missing after 48 hours of the original request, you may want to send follow-up email through the Blackboard Help Request Form.

    If you did that but still don't see the students, go to #3...

  3. Have you checked for your students using the "List Modify Users" function in the Control Panel?

    Follow the steps below [or see the Getting Started Assistant for more detailed instructions]

    • Go to the Control Panel of the course.
    • Click List/Modify Users under the User Management heading in the Control Panel.
    • To view all students, leave the text field blank and click Search. To search for a specific student, type in the student's last name and click Search.

    If you did that but still don't see the students, go to #4...

  4. Do you see some students listed but not all?
    • This most likely means the student's registration for the course is not valid and/or up-to-date with the university registrar.
    • Have the student confirm valid and up-to-date registration for the course with the Registrar or through Albert via NYUHome.
    • Note: It may take 24 to 48 hours before students with recently resolved registration issues begin to appear in the Blackboard course.

    If you did that but still don't see the students, go to #5...

  5. Do you see NO students listed?
    • Contact NYU Blackboard Support using the Blackboard Help Request Form to request help locating your students.
    • For faster assistance, select Adding Students, Enrollment in "Type of Help Required," and indicate in the "Your Question or Problem" description box that you have already completed this "Where are my students?" troubleshooter.
    • If you contacted NYU Blackboard Support and it's been more than 24 hours (between Monday - Friday), try sending a follow-up help request. Your request may require more time to resolve.

How do I create a new NYU Blackboard course site for this semester?

Use the online Course Request Form to activate an NYU Blackboard course site. [Help]

* To make the site available to students, see How do I make my Course Site visible...?

* To reuse content, see How do I reuse content...?

Please Note:

  • The Course Request Form requires logging in with a valid and active NYU NetID and Password.
  • A new NYU Blackboard course must be activated each semester and for each course in which it is being used.
  • The course site will be created in a single shell within 15 minutes. Cross-list requests will be fulfilled within 24 hours.
  • Student enrollment is updated automatically every four 4 hours, Monday to Friday, between 9:00 am and 9:00 pm.
  • Use Course Copy after activating the new course site if you are interested in re-using content from a previous semester. [Help]
    • IMPORTANT: The Course Request Form is not for student use. It is restricted to faculty, staff, and their designees.

How do I reuse content from a previous NYU Blackboard Course Site?

The Course Copy tool enables you to copy content from one course into another you are currently teaching. You can select single or multiple course areas to copy, such as Announcements, Staff Information, Tests/Surveys or Content. Copying content will add content to a course but will not remove existing content.

Follow these steps:

  1. Open the course from which you want to copy content.
  2. Click Control Panel.
  3. Under Course Options, click Course Copy.
  4. Click Copy Course Materials into an Existing Course.
  5. Type in the destination course ID (e.g., XXX.XXX.001.FA05) or click Browse, then Search, and select the proper course.
  6. Click to place a check mark next to the materials you would like to copy. To copy a previous site design or configuration, click Settings. (NOTE: DO NOT CHECK ENROLLMENTS.)
  7. Click Submit.

When will the new course site appear with students enrolled?

  • Course sites are created and should appear in the Blackboard Class list in NYUHome within 15 minutes.
  • Student enrollment usually appears within four hours.
  • Cross-list requests are usually fulfilled within 24 hours.

Please Note:

  • Click Update Classes Information if a link to the course site does not initially appear. The class list is updated automatically several times a day, but clicking the update link creates an immediate, fresh list.
  • See Where is my course? [Faculty], above, if the course site still does not appear.
  • See Where is my course? [Students] (on the Student FAQ page) if students report trouble accessing your course.
  • Students are enrolled into Blackboard courses automatically based on registration through the registrar.
  • Student enrollment is updated automatically every 4 hours, Monday to Friday, between 9:00 am and 9:00 pm.
  • See Where are my students?, above, if a student that is enrolled in a course is not appearing within the Blackboard course site.

How do I login and access Blackboard?

All faculty and students can access NYU Blackboard Course sites through NYUHome.

To do so:

  1. Log in to NYUHome at http://home.nyu.edu with a valid NYU NetID and password.
  2. Click the Academics tab and look under the Classes channel for the course name. (Remember to click the Update Classes Information link at the bottom of the channel after requesting a new course site.)
  3. Click the course name to enter the NYU Blackboard course site.
  4. All users will access your course site through NYUHome. If they do not yet have NetIDs, they can activate their NYUHome service by accessing http://start.nyu.edu, then proceeding to http://home.nyu.edu.

How do I make my Course Site visible to students?

Setting Course Site availability makes the site either visible or invisible to students in the NYU Blackboard channel of NYUHome.

Follow these steps:

  1. Access the Course Site through NYUHome (see above).
  2. Click the Control Panel link located at the bottom left, under the main menu.
  3. Under Course Options, click Settings and then click Course Availability.
  4. Select Yes next to Make Course Available then click Submit.
  5. Back in NYUHome, remember to click the "Update Classes Information" link at the bottom of the Blackboard Classes channel for the change to appear [see step #2 in the Where is my course? section].

How do I cross-list or combine NYU Blackboard Course sections?

For recitation, multi-section, or cross-listed courses use either the Course Request form or the Help Request form to request a course combination or cross-list. Below is a description of each alternative:

IMPORTANT: Be sure to coordinate with all instructors and TA's before making the request and decide whether the course should be set up as separate sections, a single course site, or a combination. Requests usually take between 24 and 48 hours to process, but mistakes and duplicate requests can lead to significant delays.

Cross-listing or Combination Options

  1. Combination for Recitation course:
    • Creates one large course site with the combined enrollment from all sections but allows separate sites for each sub-section as needed.
    • SPECIAL NOTE: For recitation courses, be sure to request the large combined site first.

    See Activate a combination site for a recitation course (below).

  2. Separate course sites for each section:
    • Multiple sites to maintain
    • Common course information and documents must be posted on multiple sites
    • Can post section-specific information in separate section site
    • Roster and Gradebook contain only students in that section
    • TA's have access to site, Roster, and Gradebook only for their section

    See Activate separate Course Sites for each course or section (below).

  3. One Course Site shared by all sections:
    • Only one site to maintain
    • Information will be visible to all sections
    • Roster and Gradebook contain all students intermixed, regardless of section
    • TA's have access to entire site, Roster, and Gradebook, regardless of section
    • Can use groups to divide students based on section but group structure is not reflected in site Roster or Gradebook

    See Activate one Course Site shared by all sections (below).

  4. Standard Cross-list:
    • Creates one site for a course with multiple course ID numbers.

    See Cross-list a course that is offered under multiple course IDs (below).

Instructions by Option

  1. Activate a combination site for a recitation course:
    Follow these steps...

    1. Request the large, combined site first. Complete the first page of the online Course Request Form as usual with the NetID of the primary instructor, the course ID number, and the semester for the course in question.
    2. On the next page ("Please Select a Section"), select all the sections by clicking each of the section boxes.
    3. On the next page ("Please Confirm Your Course Request"), select choice #2, Create a single course shell.
    4. Click Create Course.
    5. To activate the separate recitation course sites, complete a Blackboard Help Request Form. Be sure to include the full course ID numbers for the separate recitation sections and select Cross-list and Course Combination Request in the "Type of Help Required" field.

    This will create one Blackboard course site for multiple sections and allow separate Blackboard sites for individual recitation sections.

  2. Activate separate Course Sites for each course or section:
    Follow these steps...
    1. Complete the first page of the online Course Request Form as usual with the NetID of the primary instructor, the course ID number, and the semester for the course in question.
    2. On the next page ("Please Select a Section"), select all the sections for which you wish to create Blackboard sites by clicking the appropriate section boxes.
    3. On the next page ("Please Confirm Your Course Request"), select choice #1, "Create multiple course shells."
    4. Click Create Course.

    This will create separate Course Sites for multiple sections.

  3. Activate one Course Site shared by all sections:
    Follow these steps...
    1. Complete the first page of the online Course Request Form as usual with the NetID of the primary instructor, the course ID number, and the semester for the course in question.
    2. On the next page ("Please Select a Section"), select all the sections you want combined by clicking the appropriate boxes.
    3. On the next page ("Please Confirm Your Course Request"), select choice #2, Create a single course shell.
    4. Click Create Course.

    This will create one Blackboard course site for multiple sections.

  4. Cross-list a course that is offered under multiple course IDs:
    Follow these steps...
    1. Complete the first page of the online Course Request Form as usual with the NetID of the primary instructor, the course ID number, and the semester for the course in question.
    2. Add the additional course ID in the cross-list box in the Course Request Form ("If you wish to cross-list this course with another course, please indicate the course number of the course to be cross-listed").
    3. Click Create Course after completing the form. This will create a single Blackboard course site with enrollments from both course ID numbers.

    This will create one Blackboard course site with enrollments from both course ID numbers.

How do I add an additional instructor or teaching assistant?

There are two ways to add additional Instructors and/or TA's to a course site. Use Method #1 to add an additional Instructor only at the time of the initial course request. Use Method #2 to add Instructors and/or TA's after the course site is activated.

Method #1:

  1. Put NYU NetID's [in format "abc12"] in the boxes provided in the Course Request Form under 2nd Instructor, 3rd Instructor, etc.
  2. Click Create Course after completing the form.

The additional Instructors will be added automatically to the course site with the Instructor role when the course site is activated.

Method #2:

The Add User by Role tool allows Instructors to add multiple users to a course, AND directly assign them all a role such as Teaching Assistant or Instructor, without having to modify each users' role individually in Blackboard.

  1. Go to the Control Panel of the course.
  2. Under Course Tools, click on Add Users by Role.
  3. Type the NetID(s) in the Select User or click the Browse button to search for a user.
  4. Choose the desired Role.
  5. Click Submit.

How do I set up a non-academic, organizational course site in Blackboard?

You can set up Blackboard sites for non-course related activities. These sites, called "organizational sites," utilize Blackboard's content delivery and communication features for groups within the NYU community that do not have an associated course ID number assigned by the registrar (e.g., departmental faculty sites, specific majors, etc.).

ITS Blackboard Support creates these sites using a manual process, therefore, adding and maintaining the user enrollment is the responsibility of the site owner.*

To complete the request, complete a ITS Blackboard Support Help Request form.

On the form, be sure to select "Accessing or Activating a Course" and include "Organizational Course" in the problem description box along with the following information:

  1. School and Department
  2. Group name or description
  3. The NYU NetID of the person who will be primarily responsible for managing the organizational site

* Note: For very large user enrollments (typically 100 or more) special arrangements may be possible through ITS to enhance this process.

Also see the FAQ about how to manually add users to a Blackboard site.

How do I:

These topics are covered in more detail and with helpful images in the Getting Started Assistant or click a link above to follow the steps below:

To Review your Class Roster: [see this section in the Getting Started Assistant]
Note: It can take up to 24 hours after first requesting your course before the Roster will be updated to list your students' names.

Follow these steps:

  1. Go to the Control Panel of the course.
  2. Click List/Modify Users under the User Management heading in the Control Panel.
  3. To view all students, leave the text field blank and click Search. To search for a specific student, type in the student's last name and click Search.

To Send Email: [see this section in the Getting Started Assistant]
Note: It can take up to 24 hours after first requesting your course for student enrollments to be updated and available via email.

Follow these steps:

  1. Go to the Control Panel of the course.
  2. Click Send Email under the Course Tools heading in the Control Panel.
  3. Choose a recipient category
  4. For "Single Select/Users," check the boxes next to the name of the individual(s) to whom you want to send an email.
  5. Enter a subject and the message in the Message box.
  6. Optional step: Click Add and navigate to a file on your computer that you want to attach to the email.
  7. Click Submit when you have completed the email. You should see a screen indicating that the message was sent successfully.
  8. Click OK twice to return to the Control Panel. (Note: You will receive a copy of the sent message in your personal email account.)

To Post a Syllabus: [see this section in the Getting Started Assistant]

  1. Go to the Control Panel of the course.
  2. Click Course Documents under the Content Areas heading in the Control Panel.
  3. Click Add Item at the top of the page.
  4. In the field following "...or specify your own name," enter a title for the Syllabus.
  5. In the Text field, enter a brief description of the syllabus.
  6. Click Browse and use the window that opens to navigate to your Syllabus, located on your computer.
  7. Optional step: Make any desired changes to the Options section. With the exception of date restrictions, we recommend leaving these options at their default settings.
  8. Click Submit when you have completed adding your Syllabus. You should see a screen with a Content Added message.
  9. Click OK twice to return to the Control Panel.

To Add an Announcement: [see this section in the Getting Started Assistant]

  1. Go to the Control Panel of the course.
  2. Click Announcements under the Course Tools heading in the Control Panel.
  3. Click Add Announcement at the top of the page.
  4. Fill out the Announcement Information area; the Subject is a brief title and the Message is the announcement.
  5. Optional step: in the Options area, set the dates when the Announcement will be displayed.
  6. Optional step: by clicking Browse in the Course Link area you can create a link to a section of your Blackboard course.
  7. Click Submit when you have completed creating your Announcement. You should see a screen with an "Announcement Added" message.
  8. Click OK twice to return to the Control Panel.

To Modify the Course Menu: [see this section in the Getting Started Assistant]

  1. Go to the Control Panel of the course.
  2. Click Manage Course Menu under the Course Options heading in the Control Panel.
  3. Click Modify, at the right of Assignments (see image for detail).
  4. Uncheck the box next to "Make available for Student/Participant users."
  5. Click Submit. You should see a screen with a "Receipt: Success" message.
  6. Click OK twice to return to the Control Panel.

Where is the Blackboard Instructor Tutorial?

The Blackboard Instructor Tutorial is located at www.nyu.edu/its/ftc/blackboard/tutorial/.

Where can faculty get help with and training in Blackboard?

Training and support for faculty, staff, and their GA's and TA's is available online, by phone, email, and in person through the ITS Faculty Technology Services Center.

Online

  • See the NYU Blackboard Training Videos for access to a variety of instructional videos about Blackboard, including specific How To's (e.g., how to make a course available, how to post a syllabus, etc.).
  • Click the "Question Mark" icon at the top of any NYU Blackboard page or visit www.nyu.edu/its/faq/blackboard/ to browse an extensive list of Frequently Asked Questions and How To's about NYU Blackboard.
  • Visit the ITS Faculty Technology Services Blackboard page at www.nyu.edu/its/ftc/blackboard/ for a complete listing of the FTS Center's help resources, including self-paced tutorials, guides and assistants.

Email

  • For help in NYU Blackboard, click the "Email the Blackboard Support Team" link in the Blackboard channel of NYUHome or go directly to the help form at http://www.nyu.edu/blackboard/help/. Be sure to include your contact information and Course ID, and select your "Type of Help Required" from the pull-down list.

Phone

  • If you are experiencing a problem with NYU Blackboard and require immediate assistance, call ITS Client Services at 1-212-998-3333 (available 8:00 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Friday, and noon to midnight, Saturday and Sunday).

In Person

  • ITS Faculty Technology Services offers one-on-one training in Blackboard at the Digital Studio (Bobst Library, 2nd Floor). To schedule a one-on-one training session, click the "Email the Blackboard Support Team" link in the Blackboard channel of NYUHome or go directly to the help form at www.nyu.edu/blackboard/help/. Be sure to select "Request Training" and specify three dates and times that are convenient.

Page last reviewed: August 19, 2008