Department of Online Learning
Blackboard CE
Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Hardware/Software Requirements and Browser Settings

Login Problems

Technical Problems

Help with Using Blackboard CE Tools

Strategies & Tips for Using Blackboard CE

Additional Help

 

What is Blackboard CE?

Blackboard CE (formerly WebCT CE) is the learning management system currently used by New Jersey City University for the delivery of online, web-enhanced, and blended courses. This system is designed to provide faculty and students with a full range of educational tools for communication, collaboration and assessment to enhance teaching and learning in the online environment. Blackboard CE is an upgrade of the WebCT learning management system used prior to the Fall 2009 semester.

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How can I learn how to use Blackboard CE?

If you have not used Blackboard CE before, it is recommended that you complete the CyberPrimer, NJCU's online tutorial. The CyberPrimer will be available from your My Web Courses page two weeks prior to the start of the semester. To access it, follow the instructions for logging into Blackboard CE.

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When can I login to my course for the first time?

Access to your online course will be available after 12:00 noon on the first official day of the semester. Although it is not necessary for all student to log in simultaneously at 12:00, we do recommend that you access your online course at some time on the first day of the semester so that you may consult the syllabus and assignments that have been posted by your professor.

If you are taking a blended or web-enhanced course, your professor will provide you with information as to when your course will be available in Blackboard

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How long will my Blackboard CE course remain available?

You will have access to your course only during the official stated semester/session as indicated by the University's academic calendar. It is, therefore, your responsibility to retain copies any work or correspondence posted to Blackboard CE for any future reference. All Blackboard CE course sites, including content, are routinely removed from the Blackboard CE server at the conclusion of each semester/session.

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What equipment and/or software will I need to use Blackboard CE?

The following are the minimum hardware and software requirements for using Blackboard CE.

  • Computer with one of the following operating systems
    • Windows XP or Vista
    • Macintosh OS10.3-10.5
  • Internet Connection
    • Although a dial-up connection may permit course access, a broadband connection is strongly recommended to participate fully in courses and complete course requirements
  • A Blackboard CE certified or compatible browser and correct version of the Java plug-in. Please see the Blackboard browser tune-up page for further information: http://www.webct.com/tuneup
  • Anti-virus software updated on a regular basis

Please Note: The above are minimum requirements for all courses. Your professor may require you to download and/or purchase other software for your course(s).

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Do I need to install any special software on my computer to use Blackboard CE?

You do not need to install any special software on your computer to use Blackboard CE since both faculty and students can access the Blackboard CE platform through a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Firefox.

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Can I use any browser to access my Blackboard CE course?

It is recommended that you use a browser that Blackboard has determined to be certified or compatible for use with Blackboard CE. Please consult the Blackboard Browser Tune-up page for a list of supported browsers.

If you are unsure of which browser version you are using, open your browser and click “Help” from the menu. Scroll down to select “About.” This will provide you with the browser name and version.

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How can I check my browser to see it it has everything it needs to access Blackboard CE and all of its features?

You can use the browser checker to test whether your browser is properly configured for Blackboard CE. To access the browser checker, click on the "Check Browser" link on the right hand side of the Blackboard CE log in page available at: http://online.njcu.edu

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Do I need Java and how do I know if it is working on my computer?

Yes, you need to have Java version 6, update 7 or later to ensure full operation of many components in Blackboard CE. Go to http://www.java.com/en/download/help/testvm.xml to see if you have Java installed and if it is the correct version.

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How can I troubleshoot Java if it doesn't appear to be working on my machine?

  1. Uninstall any older versions of Java by going to your control panel and "add/remove programs" (or read more on how to uninstall Java at http://www.java.com/en/download/help/uninstall_java.xml)
  2. Download Java 6, update 7 Runtime Environment from http://www.java.com
  3. Make sure that Java is enabled as instructed in the browser tune-up.
  4. Clear your Internet cache.
  5. Restart your computer.

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My Computer was recently updated with Java 6 Update 19 or Update 20 and now I keep getting a Java security warning. How do I fix this?

  1. Uninstall Java 6 Update 19/20 by going to your control panel and "add/remove programs" (or read more on how to uninstall Java at http://www.java.com/en/download/help/uninstall_java.xml)
  2. Download and install Java 6, update 7 Runtime Environment from http://www.java.com/
  3. After the download, visit the Java Control Panel in your computer's Control Panel and click on the Update tab. Uncheck the option to "Check for Updates Automatically".

-OR-

  1. Change how Java 6 Update 19/Update 20 handles mixed code by visiting the Java Control Panel inside the Control Panel from your computer's Start menu.
  2. Click on the Advanced tab inside the Java Control Panel.
  3. Click the plus sign next to "Security" to expand it.
  4. Click the plus sign next to "Mixed Code" to expand it.
  5. Select "Enable - hide warning and run with protections".
  6. Click the "OK" button.
  7. Restart your Web browser.

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  1. Click "No" each time the warning dialog is displayed with Java 6 update 19/update 20. You will receive a warning each time you attempt to login to Blackboard CE, upload a file or add an attachment to an assignment, access the Chat Tool, or use the HTML Creator. Each time you see the Java security warning, click the "No" button.

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I am getting an error message that Java has discovered application components that could indicate a security concern. What do I do?

If you receive this error message while logged into Blackboard, select No. You do not want to block Blackboard. See FAQ regarding Java 6 Update 19/20.

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I tried accessing a Chat room, but I'm received an error that the "session has expired" and that I need to close the program and log in again.

If your computer was recently updated to Java 6 Update 29, you may experience problems with Blackboard's Chat Tool. Click here for step-by-step instructions on how to check your Java version, how to uninstall Java 6 Update 29, and how to re-install Java 6 Update 27 on your Windows machine.

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How do I login to Blackboard CE?

  • Use your Web browser* (ex. Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, etc.) to locate the following URL: http://online.njcu.edu. You will see the Blackboard Learning System login page.
  • Enter your user name and password. Please Note: Your user name is your GothicNet ID and your password is the same password you use to sign into the GothicNet Portal
  • Click "OK."
  • You will now be at your personal My Web Courses page. You will see listed any courses you are taking as well as the CyberPrimer online tutorial and the Library Information Literacy Tutorial.
  • You may go directly to a course simply by clicking on the course name.

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I do not know my GothicNet ID, What should I do?

You may retrieve your GothicNet ID by filling out the form at the following location: https://www.njcu.edu/activedirectory/findmyid.asp

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My course is not listed in MyBlackboard CE account, what should I do?

There could be a number of reasons for this:

  • Are you trying to access your course prior to the first day of the semester? Access to your online course(s) will be available after 12:00 noon on the first official day of the semester.
  • Are you trying to access your course on the day of registration? If you just registered, you may wish to check back later in the day. Since there is no automatic integration between the student information system and Blackboard CE, your course will appear only after the staff of the Department of Online Learning uploads student data to Blackboard CE. This is generally done twice a day during the Add/Drop period.

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My course requires an access code. What does this mean and do I need to follow a different procedure to log into my course?

An access code will be required if your instructor is using a Blackboard CE e-Learning Resource Pack (e-pack). If this is the case, you will need to purchase a textbook containing an access code for this course. (The access code can typically be found in the front of the textbook or CD-ROM). The textbook is generally available in the NJCU Barnes & Noble Bookstore. Since the bookstore may have several versions of the text, please make sure you purchase the one that contains the access code. If you have a used book or if you purchased a book without an access code, you must purchase the access code online with a debit or credit card. Please consult the Blackboard Website for further information about purchasing access codes online.

To access your course for the first time, please follow the instructions described for logging in to Blackboard CE with your ID and password. Then click on your course number listed in the MyBlackboard CE area. You will then be prompted to enter your access code.

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Why am I getting a message saying "You entered an incorrect username or password"?

This could happen for several reasons.

  • You are entering the wrong account information or are entering it incorrectly.You should log-in with the same information that you would use to log into your GothicNet account. If you reset your GothicNet password, you will use your new GothicNet password to log-in to Blackboard CE.
  • You are at the wrong address. Please be sure you type the address in your browser's Address Bar. You should not type the address in a search engine (such as Google).

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What do I do if I get an error saying "You are not authorized to view this page" when I try to login?

First, make sure your browser has been configured correctly for use with Blackboard CE. To do that, follow the instructions at this website: http://www.webct.com/tuneup.

After ensuring that your browser has been configured correctly for use with Blackboard CE, make sure that you do not have any parasite software on your computer that might have been accidentally downloaded. In the event that you do, this is not a Blackboard CE problem but rather a problem with the computer you are using to connect to Blackboard CE. The computer has some software installed on it which intercepts URLs entered by you, and redirects them. Such software is often bundled with 'free' versions of 'ad-supported' software available for download from the internet and you may not have downloaded it to your computer without realizing it.

For more information about parasites and how to remove them, visit the following website: http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite.

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I am being redirected to a search engine screen when I attempt to login. What should I do?

First, make sure your browser has been configured correctly for use with Blackboard CE. To do that, follow the instructions at this website: http://www.webct.com/tuneup.

After ensuring that your browser has been configured correctly for use with Blackboard CE, make sure that you do not have any parasite software on your computer that might have been accidentally downloaded. In the event that you do, this is not a Blackboard CE problem but rather a problem with the computer you are using to connect to Blackboard CE. The computer has some software installed on it which intercepts URLs entered by you, and redirects them. Such software is often bundled with 'free' versions of 'ad-supported' software available for download from the internet and you may not have downloaded it to your computer without realizing it.

For more information about parasites and how to remove them, visit the following website: http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite.

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How do I change my GothicNet password ?

You may reset your GothicNet password by filling out the web-based form which can be accessed at: https://www.njcu.edu/activedir/change_pass2.asp

For additional information on your GothicNet password please visit "Need help Signing In" at https://www.njcu.edu/activedir/gothicnet_troublesigningon.asp

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I keep getting "Session Already Running" when I try to log in, but I'm not logged in anywhere else. How do I fix this?

If you are using Firefox: click the Tools menu --> 'Clear Private Data' clear 'Cache' only. (Close and restart Firefox and try to log in again.)

If you are using Internet Explorer: click the Tools menu --> Internet Options. On the default 'general tab', in the 'browser history' section, choose 'delete'. Choose 'delete' beside the top option -- temporary internet files. (Close and restart Internet Explorer and try to log in again.)

If the above options do not help, try uninstalling any additional browser toolbars you may have installed, such as the Google toolbar, Yahoo toolbar, MSN toolbar, etc. You can uninstall toolbars from your computer's start menu --> Control Panel --> Add/Remove programs (or in Programs and Features).

If that doesn't help and you're using Internet Explorer,
1. From the Tools menu, select Internet Options.
2. Click the Advanced tab.
3. Under Browsing, clear the checkbox for Show friendly HTTP error messages.
4. Click OK.
5. Restart Internet Explorer

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NEW! I am using a Mac, and recently I discovered that I cannot attach documents to a mail message, to an assignment, or to a discussion posting. What happened and how do I fix this?

If your Mac was recently updated, it is possible that the Java plug-in has been disabled. Make sure you enable Java, restart your browser, and try to attach again.

To enable Java in Safari:

  • Open the Safari menu and select Preferences.
  • Click "Security".
  • Check (select) "Enable Java" if there is no check mark there.
  • Close the Safari preferences window.

To enable Java in Firefox:

  • At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Firefox button (Tools menu in Windows XP), and then click Add-ons. The Add-ons Manager tab will open.
  • In the Add-ons Manager tab, select the Plugins panel.
  • Click on the Java (TM) Platform plugin to select it.
  • Click on the Enable button.

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I am using Firefox, and recently I discovered that I cannot attach documents to a mail message, to an assignment, or to a discussion posting. What happened and how do I fix this?

Firefox recently added older versions of the Java plugin to its blocklist causing it to be disabled. Unblock your Java plug-in by uninstalling your older version of Java and updating your Java plug-in to the latest version. Visit Firefox Help for instructions on updating your Java plug-in.

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My professor cannot read files that I have created in Microsoft Office 2007 on my computer with a Vista operating system. What do I do?

To avoid compatibility issues, students who own a Vista system should save and submit their work in the Office 97-2003 format. This can be done directly from Microsoft Office 2007 by selecting “Save as Word 97-2003” when saving a Word document or “Save as 97-2003 Workbook” when saving an Excel document. Further information about saving files in this format may be found on the Microsoft Web site.

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When I attach a file to an assignment, my Word document’s “.doc” extension is replaced by a “.lnk” extension. Why can’t my professor open it?

The .lnk extension refers to a file with a shortcut link on your computer, not the actual file. This occurs when you upload the document while the file is still open or if you load the file from the Recent Files folder instead of My Documents, My Computer, or the Desktop. To avoid this from happening, be sure to close out of the file before attempting to upload the document into your Blackboard course and never upload files from the Recent Files folder; the files stored in that folder are all shortcut links to the actual files on your computer.

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I am getting a security warning about the application's digital signature. Do I want to run the application?

Yes, after logging into Blackboard CE, you will be prompted to accept a Java Security Certificate. You must click "yes" or "Always" to ensure that Learning System functionality using Java will work properly in your browser.

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When I click on Begin Quiz, nothing happens. What could the problem be?

It is possible that you have pop-up blockers installed on your computer. Pop-up killer applications work in the background while you browse the internet. When they detect a pop-up window that may be an unwanted advertisement, they automatically close the window. This can prevent Blackboard CE from performing properly. If you have pop-up killers enabled, you may be unable to view Discussion or email postings, Quiz windows, and download links.

To disable pop-up killers or ad-blockers:
a) Search your hard drive for any software with "pop-up" in the name and disable it. Examples of popular pop-up killer applications include Pop-Up Stopper, Pop-Up Defender, and Pop-Up Zapper.

b) Pop-up killing or ad-blocking functions are included in downloaded toolbars (e.g., Google, Yahoo, etc.) and in some anti-virus, internet security, personal firewall, and browser programs. You will need to disable the relevant setting in each application.

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When I click on a content link in my course, I get a blank screen. Others are able to view it. What's happening?

A problem that sometimes occurs is that the browser has blocked downloading of files that may cause harm to your computer (some Powerpoint and Word files may contain viruses, make sure your virus checker is up to date). Check for the presence of a yellow Information Bar at the top of your browser window (just below the Address Bar) that might display "To help protect your security, Internet Explorer blocked this site from downloading files to your computer. Click here for options."

Click on the bar, it will turn blue, and then select "Download File..." from the menu that pops up. You will have to navigate back to the page you were on, but you should now be able to download the file.


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Where is the “My Computer” icon when I’m trying to upload a document to attach to my assignment, mail message, or discussion posting?

The most common reason you see a white box with a red X (or a white box with the word Error in it) in the Get Files window when you are trying to upload a document to attach to an assignment, mail message, or discussion posting is because your Java is not the correct version. Do a ”Browser Check” by clicking the link on the top-right before/after you log into Blackboard CE. Make sure you see green check marks in the Browser Check window. If you see a red "X" in the Java section of the browser checker, follow the instructions in the window.

Another method you might want to try to attempt to upload a document to attach to my assignment, mail message, or discussion posting: Inside the Get Files window, move your mouse pointer directly below the white box with the red X. Your mouse cursor should change appearance (from a pointer to a hand). When your mouse pointer changes appearance, click your left mouse button once. The right side of the Get Files window should change and there should be a link to allow you to upload files individually.

Click here to view screen-shots of this work-around.

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I am not very computer literate. Is there a course I can take to help me to brush up on my computer skills?

New Jersey City University's free online tutorial, the CyberPrimer is designed to help you to acquire the skills you need for your first online course experience. You may access it by logging into Blackboard CE with the information provided to you in your welcome letter.

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What is the best way to prepare lengthy text for submission through Blackboard CE e-mail or the discussion forum?

You should prepare lengthy text for submission in a word processing application, save it to your local machine, and copy and paste it to Blackboard CE. If you do not know how to perform any of this operations, please consult the NJCU CyberPrimer module regarding Communication Tools for further information.

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I have read through all of the Frequently Asked Questions and cannot find the solution to my problem. Where can I get help?

Send a support request to our online learning DL Support Team. A response will be made within twenty-four hours. You may also send an e-mail message to dlsupport@njcu.edu.

Please describe your problem as completely as possible and include the follow information:

  • Your full name
  • Your e-mail address
  • Your GothicNet ID
  • Name of course(s) in which you are experiencing the problem
  • The computer operating system you are using (e.g. Apple Macintosh or Windows 9x or NT/2000)
  • Your web browser (e.g., Internet Explorer or Netscape) - please indicate version

During business hours, you may also call the Department of Online Learning at (201) 200-3449 for assistance.

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