Blackboard 9.1 Support for Students

Welcome to the Blackboard Help & Support Site for Students at Jacksonville University. This site will help you use your Blackboard course sites and help answer some of your questions.

Blackboard 9.1, also called Blackboard Learn, has new features and capabilities that we are sure you will appreciate. Blackboard Learn uses a web 2.0 interface that allows users to drag-and-drop items that appear on the screen, select drop-down menus, and even access contextual help. You will enjoy using fewer clicks to navigate the system and complete tasks on your courses.

How to Login

Blackboard is configured to use your JU username and password. This is the password that students and instructors use to login to WebAdvisor, Jacksonville University computers, e-mail and many more systems on campus.

Accounts & Enrollment

Accounts are automatically created once a student registers for at least one class for the upcoming semester. If the student does not register for an upcoming semester, the account will automatically be disabled until the students registers.
Please allow at least one full day (24-hour period) after registering for Blackboard to add the courses to the course list.

If you don't see your course website on Blackboard don't panic. Not all courses have Blackboard Websites. The course instructor makes that decision. If neither you nor your classmates can see the course's Blackboard website, ask your instructor whether a Blackboard course website has been set up.  Also consider that sometimes the instructor may set the course to be unavailable to students, because he or she may be working on putting up the course content. Some faculty will make the course content available for students just days before or at the start of the semester.

Supported Web Browsers for Blackboard 9.1

In order for students to have the best experience using JU's Blackboard system, it is important to use one of the web browsers supported by Blackboard. See the currently Supported Web Browsers & Operating Systems.

If your computer does not have the proper hardware, Blackboard may run slowly or may not run at all. Compare your current system configuration with the Blackboard Learn 9.1 System Requirements (PDF)

Tutorial Links for Students 

Below are links to text and video resources for Blackboard 9.1.

Working in your course

• Login in + Hide/Unhide the Course Menu (Video)

• Did you forget your password? (PDF)

• Exploring the Course Environment (PDF)

• Taking a Test Online (Video)

• Testing Best Practices for Students in Blackboard Learn (PDF)

• Checking Your Grades (Video) - 

• Working in Groups (Video)

• Creating a Blog Entry (Video)

• Interacting with the Discussion Board (Video)  Viewing Discussion Board Grades (Video)

• Creating and Editing a Wiki Page (Video)

• Viewing My Contribution to a Wiki (Video)

• Linking Wiki Pages (Video)

• Using the Course Map  (Video)

• Submitting an Assignment (Video)

• Blackboard Extensions:

  • Pearson MyLab - Getting Started Guide for Students 

  • WileyPLUS - Getting Started Guide for Students 

Staying Organized and Communicating

• Sending Email From Your Course (Video)

• Using the Calendar (Video) 

• Stay Organized by Managing Your Course and Personal Tasks (Video)

Setting Your Preferences and Controlling your Blackboard Environment

• Editing Your Personal Information (Video)

• Setting Your Privacy Options (Video)

• Changing the Color Theme on the My Institution Page (Video)

• Adding and Removing Modules from Your Home Page (Video)

• Customizing Your Group Homepage (Video)

• Customizing the My Institution Page (Video)

• Customizing the "My Courses" Module (PDF)

• Hiding Courses from View on the Home Page (PDF)

Best Practices

• Optimizing Files for Blackboard on a PC (PDF)

• Optimizing Files for Blackboard on a Mac (PDF)

• Naming Your Files for Use on th​e Web (PDF)

• Testing Best Practices for Students in Blackboard Learn (PDF)

You can also browse the Online Blackboard Student Help.

FAQ - What if:

I got bumped out of my test and can't get back in. What do I do?

You must contact your instructor, who will need to "clear your attempt" so you can start the test again. When the instructor "clears your attempt", any and all of your previous answers will be erased.

I keep getting locked out of tests right when I start them.

If you have problems accessing a test or quiz, "double-clicking" may be the problem. When you click the link to begin a test, be sure to use a SINGLE mouse click. You should not double-click anywhere in Blackboard--especially when accessing a test!

I clicked on the link to a test but nothing happened.

Most likely, a pop-up blocker is preventing the test from opening. Try disabling your pop-up blocker, then click the test link again. (And remember to single-click the test link.)

Tips for avoiding problems with online tests

To begin taking a test:

• SINGLE-CLICK the link to the test. (NEVER double-click the link.)

While taking a test:

• Do not resize your window after entering a test. (Some browsers will refresh the screen when you resize the window, and this can bump you out of your test so that you can't get back in.)

• Do not refresh the screen or click your browser's BACK button while taking a test.

• Be careful when using the <Backspace> key to correct errors in text boxes. (In some cases, pressing the <Backspace> key is the same as clicking your browser's back button.) Be sure that your cursor is inside the text entry box before pressing <Backspace>.

• Depending on the settings your instructor chooses, students who attempt to view material on another web site or in another area of the Blackboard course may find themselves "locked out" and unable to return to complete the test.

• SAVE OFTEN! If all test questions are displayed on a single screen, use the SAVE button at the bottom of the test screen (to the left of the SUBMIT button). DO NOT use the SAVE button beside each question. Scroll down and click SAVE at the bottom every 15 minutes or so as you are working on your test. But do not click SUBMIT until you are completely finished!

• NOTE: Some instructors set their tests to display each question on a separate screen, and students use navigational buttons to move from one question screen to the next. In this case, your answer is saved automatically when you move to the next question (and there is no save button).

• Be sure to click SUBMIT, but only when you are completely finished with the test.

Be sure to read the Blackboard FAQ where you will find the answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about using Blackboard at Jacksonville University.

Who to Contact

Course Related Problems

You should contact your course instructor for any problems, which are course related - i.e., problems finding course material and resources in the Blackboard course web site. Instructors organize their Blackboard sites differently and choose different settings. It's a good idea to ask your instructors because often the answer is specific to the way they are doing things. It's also important for your instructors to know if you're having a technical problem that may affect your ability to do your assignments.

Platform Related Problems

If you are experiencing any trouble with Blackboard please contact the IT Helpdesk at 904-256-7200 or by sending an email to helpdesk@ju.edu. Please be sure to give or enter the following information in your issue ticket: Complete name, Email address, Student id, Operating System of your computer, Web Browser you are using (Name and version), Course id, Course Name and Area of problem. Be sure to give a full and detail description of your issue and include the steps to repeat it at our end. It's important to be as specific as possible so we can determine the problem.