ONLINE@UT aka BLACKBOARD

At UT Knoxville, many instructors take advantage of the university internet capabilities in the classes they teach.

Online@UT is the website where many of the online course materials are managed and made available to students.

Blackboard is the name of the underlying software used on this site. You will often hear these two names used interchangeably.

Like email, Blackboard is required for some classes. If your instructor is using this site for class materials, you will need to use your NetID and password to log in.

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WHAT IS BLACKBOARD?

Blackboard is an online learning environment that your instructor customizes to make materials for your class available on the web. Your instructor may use Blackboard to post online quizzes, give assignments, make lecture notes available, record your grades online, post links to related websites, maintain a course calendar, distribute announcements, and much more. Blackboard has a number of communication tools for interacting with your instructor and classmates, including a discussion board and a live-chat feature, as well as email and file exchange.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO USE BLACKBOARD?

You need a computer with an Internet connection and a web browser, preferably Internet Explorer 7.0 or later, that supports frames and Java. The computers in the campus labs are pre-configured with the proper software, and you can install the required software on your home computer. You should be familiar with basic web browsing, including navigating frames and filling in online forms.

GETTING STARTED

Online@UT is the starting point for Blackboard information at UT. From this site, you can look at a tutorial, log into your account, and view help for first-time users. Once logged into your account, you will have access to course content for all courses in which you are currently enrolled, as well as to many organizations. You may preview and register for additional courses or organization memberships. You may also set privacy options and customize your main content page.

BLACKBOARD HELP

Help files for students are available at Online@UT for information on how to access your Blackboard course, view and download course content, and complete online assessments and tasks. The Blackboard Student Manual can be accessed from Blackboard after you enroll in a class by clicking on "Course Tools", then selecting "User Manual".

TALK TO SOMEONE

OIT Service Center, located in the Commons South, second floor, Hodges Library, provides free consultation and help installing, configuring, or using web browsers, You can also call the HelpDesk at 974-9900 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

If you are having problems accessing the wireless network or just have some questions on how to get started, contact

OIT HelpDesk at 974-9900

or visit the OIT Service Center, located in the Commons South, second floor, Hodges Library.

Join our OIT Technology Training Group on Facebook and find out about all the great free computer training classes that are offered to help you in your academic classes!