Important Updates!

About Blackboard

Important Updates

Blackboard Upgrade - 3/12/09

The Blackboard learning management system will be upgraded at the end of Winter Quarter and the NEW Blackboard 8 system will be in use for Spring 2009. Many of the additional tools you have been asking for are now available in the NEW Blackboard 8 system with the enhancements to the Discussion Board, Grade Center, HTML editor, spell checking, and Announcement emails. Courses from Spring 2008 to Spring 2009 will be migrated to the new system. Blackboard users will receive email updates and instructions to prepare for this transition.

The NEW Blackboard version 8 system was available Friday March 27, 2009 at 4:30PM.

Blackboard was scheduled to be unavailable between Tuesday 5pm March 24 through Sunday March 29.

Getting Ready for Spring 2009?

While Blackboard is down between Tuesday March 24 through Sunday March 29, you can prepare your content to upload into Blackboard 8 as soon as it is available. Please review the Getting Started page about organizing your electronic files, naming the files, and tips for using HTML. Even though you are unable to upload your content, you are able to get your files already and organized them. This will save you time for when the system is available after the upgrade.

You may also find the information within the Pedagogical Tips page and the Universal Design page helpful for creating an effective course in Blackboard.

Gradebooks

If you would like to export the Gradebook, please do so before Tuesday 4pm March 24, 2009.

Winter 2008 Courses Will Not Be Migrated to Blackboard 8

Cal Poly's policies are to retain five quarters of Blackboard courses. Winter 2008 courses will not be migrated to the New Blackboard 8 system.
If you would like to archive or export the course please do so before Tuesday 4pm March 24, 2009.

Migration Schedule (March 13-29)

Each quarter will be individually migrated from the Blackboard version 6 system to the NEW Blackboard version 8 system. Past quarter courses will be migrated within the week of March 13 – 29. During the migration to the NEW Blackboard 8 system, courses will be disabled on the Blackboard 6 system and will not be viewable by faculty or students. There will be no loss of content or information.

Past courses will be migrated first. These courses will be disabled on Friday March 13 and then migrated into the NEW Blackboard version 8 system.

Courses by Quarter Disabled on Bb 6 & Migrated to Bb 8

Spring 2008
(ex: ENGL-112-01-2084)

Friday March 13-29, 2009
Successfully Completed

Summer 2008
(ex: ENGL-112-01-2086)

Friday March 13-29, 2009
Successfully Completed

Fall 2008
(ex: ENGL-112-01-2088)

Friday March 13-29, 2009
Successfully Completed

Departmental, Club or Committee type (Extra) courses will be disabled and migrated into the NEW Blackboard 8 system. This applies to any course that has been created via your request and not those automatically created for the courses you're teaching.

Courses by Quarter Disabled on Bb 6 & Migrated to Bb 8

Extra Courses
(ex: General-Education or ABET-Committee)

Friday March 20-29, 2009
Successfully Completed

Current quarter and future courses [Winter 2009 (2092) & Spring 2009 (2094)] will be migrated into the NEW Blackboard 8 system during the Spring break between Tuesday 5pm 3/24 through Sunday 3/29. The Blackboard version 6 system will be unavailable during this migration period.

Courses by Quarter Disabled on Bb 6 & Migrated to Bb 8

Winter 2009
(ex: ENGL-112-01-2092)

Tuesday March 24, at 5PM
Successfully Completed

Spring 2009
(ex:ENGL-112-01-2094)

Tuesday March 24, at 5PM
Successfully Completed

Your Blackboard students will be able to access eReserves in your course site! - 9/18/07

eReserve librarians have been added to your courses as Course Builders so that they may, by your request only, add electronic files into the Library Resources > eReserve folder. The content in each course remains the property of the instructor and eReserve librarians will not modify the course except to add eReserve files requested by the instructor.

Place your Course Reserve requests using the new submission form.

If you are already using Blackboard for your course site, you will have the freedom to move electronic reserves or link to them from elsewhere in your course(s).

Email

eReserve librarians (Course Builders) will also receive Blackboard email. You have the following options:

You may choose to continue to use Blackboard email as usual. Librarians will receive your email and ignore your messages.

Use the email alias generated for your course. For example, if you are teaching ENGL-101-01-2078 the email address for your students would be "ENGL-101-01-2078@calpoly.edu". Although this is not within Blackboard, it will allow you to email just your students.

Use the "Single/Select Users" options. This will require you to click on check boxes next to each students' name. You can exclude the librarians in this tool option.

The librarians can be removed from your course. Later should you choose to use the eReserve service, you will need to re-add them and change their role.

If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to email blackboardsupport@calpoly.edu.

The Blackboard server will be unavailable from Saturday Oct. 6 at 11pm until Sunday Oct. 7 at noon.

The database server for multiple applications (Blackboard, Housing (RMS), Advancement, Student Pay and more) will be upgraded on this date.

We informed Sept. 13 and again today Oct. 1 so that you may adjust your deadlines for Blackboard projects if needed.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email blackboardsupport@calpoly.edu.

Access to Blackboard, Class Lists, Wait Lists and Permissions Have Changed - 9/12/06

With all the changes on the Cal Poly Portal (http://my.calpoly.edu) for Peoplesoft, the “My CourseInfo” channel is no longer available after Summer 2006.
View a Video Tutorial on the New Blackboard Access & Printable Courseinfo channels.

Access to…

Blackboard:

The link for your Fall 06 Blackboard courses is now under the Main tab of the Portal, in the NEW Blackboard Access channel located below “Single Click Access”.
View Video Tutorial on How to Access Blackboard

Printable Lists:

You can access PDF and Excel versions of your Class Lists, Wait Lists and Permissions on the Printable Course Info channel which is located directly below the “Faculty Course Info” channel on the Registration & Enrollment tab.

For information, you may also review the Portal Support Site (http://servicedesk.calpoly.edu/my_cp_support/index.html), Blackboard Support Site (http://blackboardsupport.calpoly.edu/), or the PeopleSoft Support Site (http://www.afd.calpoly.edu/cms/sadmin/index.html).

For additional information, please feel free to contact the Service Desk (756-7000 or <servicedesk@calpoly.edu>).

last modified 10/1/07

Courses by Quarter	Disabled on Bb 6 & Migrated to Bb 8
Spring 2008 (ex: ENGL-112-01-2084)	Friday March 13-29, 2009 Successfully Completed
Summer 2008 (ex: ENGL-112-01-2086)	Friday March 13-29, 2009 Successfully Completed
Fall 2008 (ex: ENGL-112-01-2088)	Friday March 13-29, 2009 Successfully Completed

Courses by Quarter	Disabled on Bb 6 & Migrated to Bb 8
Winter 2009 (ex: ENGL-112-01-2092)	Tuesday March 24, at 5PM Successfully Completed
Spring 2009 (ex:ENGL-112-01-2094)	Tuesday March 24, at 5PM Successfully Completed

Courses by Quarter	Disabled on Bb 6 & Migrated to Bb 8
Extra Courses (ex: General-Education or ABET-Committee)	Friday March 20-29, 2009 Successfully Completed

Blackboard:	The link for your Fall 06 Blackboard courses is now under the Main tab of the Portal, in the NEW Blackboard Access channel located below “Single Click Access”. View Video Tutorial on How to Access Blackboard
Printable Lists:	You can access PDF and Excel versions of your Class Lists, Wait Lists and Permissions on the Printable Course Info channel which is located directly below the “Faculty Course Info” channel on the Registration & Enrollment tab.