BlackboardMany courses at Babson are taught with an online component delivered through Blackboard, our course management system. Blackboard allows professors to post course materials online such as syllabi, announcements, assignments, and other course documents. Blackboard also facilitates communication by providing discussion boards and group pages.
Blackboard is available both on and off campus through any computer with an Internet connection. To access Blackboard, open a web browser such as Internet Explorer, and enter http://blackboard.babson.edu in the address field or just click on the above link. Click Login on the Welcome page, then enter your username and password.
See the FAQ's below for answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about Blackboard. More detailed information for faculty and staff such as quick start guides, manuals, online tutorials, and known issues can be found in the Blackboard Knowledge Center. Students can view a getting started tutorial here.
The Curriculum Innovation and Technology Group (CITG) also offers Blackboard training for faculty and staff.
Frequently Asked Questions
What browsers are supported by Blackboard and with what constraints?
Babson College has standardized on Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) version 6.0 on a PC platform for all Web-based applications. ITSD does not support Mozilla Firefox or the Macintosh platform. There may be display issues with a non-IE browser.
Blackboard requires the browser to support both JavaScript and Cookies. If you are unsure of the settings for your browser, please contact the IT Service Center at x4357 (HELP).
My students tell me they can't see my Blackboard course site on their My Babson page. What is wrong?
By default, all Blackboard course sites are set to "Unavailable" and will not appear on a student's My Babson tab. Students can not access "Unavailable" courses. However, the instructor may access an "Unavailable" course to develop the course content prior to making it "Available" to students.
To make a course "Available":
Click on the Control Panel link, then click Settings, then Course Availability.
Select "yes" to the question "Do you want to make this course available to users?"
Students who need their course made available should contact their professor.
How do I create an Organization in Blackboard?
Undergraduate Students should contact Christopher Kandus at x4500 for approval. You will need to give him the name of the organization, a brief description, and the name of the person who will manage the site. If approval is granted, he will send an e-mail to the IT Service Center with the above information to request that an organization be created.
Graduate Students should contact the Office of Program Management at x4474 for approval. You will need to give them the name of the organization, a brief description, and the name of the person who will manage the site. If approval is granted, they will send an e-mail to the IT Service Center with the above information to request that an organization be created.
Faculty and Staff should contact the IT Service Center directly. We will need the name of the organization, a brief description, and the name of the person who will manage the site.
When will my Blackboard course sites for next semester appear on the My Babson tab?
Blackboard course Web sites for the new semester will appear on the My Babson tab a few weeks before the start of the semester. If you would like to access them earlier than this date, go to the Courses tab, where all past, present, and future semester Blackboard course sites are listed.
Why does the Courses tab in Blackboard list all the courses I have ever taken at Babson?
Your current semester courses are listed on the My Babson tab. Your previous semester courses are listed on the Courses tab. Note that if a professor makes a course unavailable after the semester is over, the link to the course will be inactive and the word [unavailable] will appear to the right of the course name.
