Blackboard Information | BeADisciple.com

Blackboard Basics

What is Blackboard?

Blackboard is a popular learning management system (LMS) used in colleges and universities across the globe. It provides the core development, hosting, and delivery functions of all BeADisciple.com courses and is the main software used by BeADisciple learners to engage their courses, instructors and peers.

Blackboard is generally easy to navigate when the basics are understood. If you’re new to BeADisciple, this is a great place to start. “Blackboard Basics” will explain some of those skills, and if you’re needing further help our Blackboard help tool should get you back on track.

Supported browsers

As an online learning suite, you will need a good internet browser to access Blackboard unless you are using the Blackboard mobile app (see below). We have found the best performance with Google Chrome, Firefox and Safari. Which browser to use is mostly a matter of preference, style, and security and any of these listed below should have little problem running Blackboard, with some exception to Edge. Do note, some high-security browsers (like Brave) have been known to run into resource problems with Blackboard, breaking the user experience.

System requirements

Blackboard is a web-based software and does not require any extra programs, devices, or apps to work.

Simply a good browser and a working computer.

So if you are currently using one of the browsers above without problem you will very likely not need to consider any further requirements. In any case, we suggest these system requirements as a minimum for a good BeADisciple experience.

Windows 10 or newer or Mac OS 10.14 Mojave or newer
Processor: 1 GHz or faster
RAM: 4 GB or higher
20 GB of available hard-drive space
Screen resolution: 1280×1024 or higher
Stable Internet: At least 1.5 Mbps download speed
Working speakers plus webcam/microphone for courses featuring Zoom

Mobile devices

You can access Blackboard on mobile through your device’s browser or the Blackboard Learn mobile app by Anthology (available at Google Play or the Apple store). This option is not recommended however, as some features are unavailable in the app making it likely that some part of your course will not work properly. Thereby, this app is unsupported by BeADisciple staff.

The Blackboard mobile app should not be confused with the BeADisciple Study App, which does not host courses listed at BeADisciple.com.

Blackboard Login Page

The image to the left shows the login screen, which you will find by clicking on “Go To Blackboard” at the top right of the page, or by clicking this link. We recommend bookmarking this login page in your browser for faster access.

Username

Your Blackboard username will be the email address used in your course enrollment form. Be sure to use the full email address, with accurate capitalization, etc. or else Blackboard will not recognize your username.

Password

If you are a new learner, or simply haven’t changed your password, your password will be the default password provided in your course launch email. Otherwise, it will be whatever you have chosen as your new password. Problems with passwords are addressed in the help section of this page.

Login Problems

If you are having trouble with logging in, please look at the help tool immediately below. If you do not find your answer there, you can contact us through the contact form in our FAQ page.

On a successful login, you will see this screen – your Blackboard home screen. This page provides helpful tools and sub-pages, including a user page and a calendar. Your courses will be the default page, which means that when you log in you will see your active enrolled courses first. It’s important to not confuse your home screen with your course (see the next tab).

A primer on Blackboard navigation can be found here.

Clicking on your course title will take you to your course screen. Welcome!

On the left is a grey menu – the Navigation Panel – which is one of the most important parts of Blackboard for the BeADisciple learner. A few of the important links here include:

Announcements: Where your instructor will provide crucial information about the class.
Instructor Info
Email options: Including the option to email your instructor directly.
Assignments: Where daily or weekly content is posted.
Discussion Board: Where you will engage your peers in an online forum.
Learner FAQs: Click here if you’re needing some direction in your class.

The Discussion Board is the heart of many BeADisciple courses, where you will answer questions, debate issues, connect with others and begin building your own BeADisciple community.

Clicking a discussion’s title will bring you into the forum, which will allow you to post your own threads, read other’s posts, and respond.

If you need more help with the discussion board, look at “Confused about the Discussion Board” in the Help section below, or in the Learner FAQs section of your course.

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What is Blackboard?

Blackboard is generally easy to navigate when the basics are understood. That is where this page comes in. If you’re new to BeADisciple, give this section a look. “Using Blackboard” will explain some of those basic skills, and if you’re needing further help our Blackboard help tool should get you back on track.

Supported browsers

Recommended system specs

Blackboard is a web-based software and does not require any extra programs, devices, or apps to work.

Simply a good browser and a working computer.

Windows 10 or newer or Mac OS 10.14 Mojave or newer
Processor: 1 GHz or faster
RAM: 4 GB or higher
20 GB of available hard-drive space
Screen resolution: 1280×1024 or higher
Stable Internet: At least 1.5 Mbps download speed
Working speakers plus webcam/microphone for courses featuring Zoom

Mobile devices

The Blackboard mobile app should not be confused with the BeADisciple Study App, which does not host courses listed at BeADisciple.com.

Logging In to Blackboard