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Frequently Asked Questions About
Blackboard Vista
What is Blackboard Vista?
Blackboard Vista is a course management system that
facilitates the creation of web-based educational environments.
Blackboard Vista
provides a standardized interface that includes a set of online
educational tools to facilitate learning, communication and
collaboration. Since 2003, every credit course offered in our system
automatically has a course shell created for it, using information
transmitted through an integration with our system's Student Academic Information
System, Sungard SCT Banner.Blackboard Vista can help our colleges to efficiently deliver the highest quality
educational experiences to our students, help make course
preparation and management more efficient for instructors, and provide
powerful data export and reporting options that can aid institutions in
assessing the impact e-learning is having on their institution.
Is Blackboard Vista used exclusively in courses that are being
taught fully online?
No. In fact, the majority of instructors in our system who use
Blackboard
Vista are teaching "on-ground" classroom-based courses. Vista's online
instructional tools enable any instructor to enhance the learning in
their courses by providing a variety of ways to encourage reflection,
promote interaction and collaboration, and augment communication
between, and among, students and instructors.
How can Blackboard Vista improve the learning and teaching
experience of students and faculty in our system?
Blackboard Vista provides both students and faculty with online
access to course tools and content—anywhere, anytime. Both faculty and
students interact with the system via a graphical interface using a
standard web browser. No specialized programming or HTML knowledge is
required to access course content or to make use of the Blackboard Vista
instructional tool set.
Instructors can pick and choose the tools they wish to
use, based on the aspects of their teaching that they feel would best be
enhanced by the use of technology. Course syllabi, assignments,
assessments, and course content can all be delivered via Blackboard Vista, and
communication and collaboration between faculty and student, and among students, can be enhanced using online discussions,
publishing presentations,
email, chat, and whiteboard tools. Feedback to students is enhanced
through the use of the online gradebook, self-tests, and reporting and
tracking functions.
The system can be used productively for
classroom-delivered courses, fully online courses, or those using of a
mix of these two delivery methods (sometimes referred to as
"hybrid" courses).
Blackboard Vista FAQ's and Troubleshooting
What other software do I need?
To create your course content you can use a variety of software
programs, which might include Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, HTML
editors (Dreamweaver, FrontPage), graphics programs (Illustrator,
Photoshop), or multimedia programs (Macromedia Flash, Camtasia). Any content that
can be displayed using a Web browser (such as PDF files, audio and
video, animation, etc.) can be incorporated into your course.
If you use material in your course that requires students to use a
browser plug-in or special software for viewing, remember to provide the
necessary information on how/where to acquire and install the programs.
Questions about Blackboard Vista or how to obtain training that aren't answered on this
website?
Contact Tobi
Krutt, Manager of Technological Tools & Training at the System
Office.
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