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Introduction to Blackboard at Duke

Blackboard is a web-based system that can be used by Duke faculty to manage class activities and communications. The software is a commercial package widely used at many institutions; the installation at the university has been customized with templates and features specific to Duke's environment.

Course sites are automatically created for most Duke courses based on information from the Registrar's office. Students are automatically enrolled in the site. If the instructor chooses to use the site, he or she can add content, configure certain features and make the site visible to students in the course.

Some of the course activities that can be carried out using Blackboard course sites include:

  • Share documents such as handouts, lecture notes or the syllabus.
  • Post multimedia, such as audio, video or PowerPoint files and links to outside resources.
  • Access journal articles and other materials placed on reserve in the Library's E-Reserves system.
  • Set up online discussions that can include attached documents or files.
  • Send email to participants in the class or use announcements as reminders.
  • Collect and return assignments, such as papers, online.
  • Keep an online gradebook that students can check to track their progress.
  • Conduct online class surveys or graded quizzes and tests.
  • Provide shared workspaces for group projects and wikis for collaborative authoring.
  • Allow students to use online blogs (personal or group journals).
  • Access Library Subject Guides automatically created for your course discipline area or have one created especially for your course.

If you are using Blackboard for the first time, see our Getting Started page to see the major features of Blackboard and how to set up your course site. Faculty who have used Blackboard at another institution can get information on this page about features that are unique to Duke's installation of the system.

For more information on Blackboard administration, support overview, usage, policies and technical specifications, please see About Blackboard.