Introductory User Guide GIBS Blackboard LMS
WELCOME Welcome to Aspire, the GIBS Blackboard Learning Management System, and to what we hope will be a productive, dynamic and interactive learning experience. Please read this quick guide to get a feel for how Blackboard is navigated and used. What is Aspire? Aspire is the online Learning Management System (LMS) used by the Gordon Institute of Business Science which provides students with the opportunity to connect with the lecturers, programme managers and fellow students while progressing through the academic learning process. Aspire is based on an online software application called Blackboard which is used across multiple learning institutions globally to deliver learning, content and results to users as well as facilitating engagement and collaboration with other students within your courses and institution Supported Web Browsers The following web browsers are supported when accessing Aspire: Internet Explorer (version 9 or above), Safari, Chrome & Firefox For the best experience using Blackboard GIBS highly recommends installing one of the following browsers: Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome USEFUL TIP: Make use of the Browser Compatibility Test on the Aspire login page to access the suitability of your browser. How to do I access Aspire? You must be connected to the internet to use Aspire. The URL or web address is as follows: https://gibs.blackboard.com Once at the login screen you should enter your username and password provided to you by the GIBS programme manager. 1
My Institution page The My Institution page is the first page you will see after logging in. From here you can view and navigate to several areas including 'My Courses', 'My Tasks' and 'My Announcements'. My Tasks - a list of your upcoming course requirements i.e. assignments, tests or submissions My Courses - the list of courses you are enrolled for My Announcements - recent messages and announcements posted by other users in your course such as the lecturer or programme manager Notifications Dashboard The Notifications dashboard is a useful tool in Blackboard that provides you with a quick overview of the latest changes and new information in all your courses since the last time you logged in. You can access this section by clicking on the Notifications Dashboard link: Accessing your Courses You can access the courses you are enrolled in from the Courses tab or from the list in My Courses on your My Institution page. Clicking on the title of the course will take you to the course home page for that course. 2
Courses: Course Structure & Menus A course is where you will carry out most of your online learning activities that relate to specific subjects. Content and resource links are sorted and categorised into customized areas in the left hand course menu within each course. Use these links to access different parts of the course. My Announcements Announcements are messages about upcoming tests, assignments or simply reminders sent by the programme manager. They provide an effective way to keep track of activities set by the programme manager or faculty. You should check for new announcements every time you log in. The most recent announcements concerning the courses you are enrolled in will also be displayed on the My Institution page USEFUL TIP: The Blackboard Mobile Learn app for your smartphone and tablet is an excellent way to stay informed about activity within your course. Download the Blackboard Mobile Learn app free from itunes or the Google Play store. Be sure to enter Gordon Institute of Business Science as your institution when registering for the first time 3
Accessing content and other sections within a course The programme manager or lecturer will make various forms of media and resources including the course outlines, discussion board links, articles, videos, web links etc. available on Aspire before and during the course you are engaged in. You are encouraged to access all sections and course material as soon as it is made available so that you can stay up-to-date on relevant class preparation tasks, required readings, examination guidance or similar. All content is made available through the Course menu on the left hand side of each course screen. Other important sections to take note of within a course : Groups: Groups are created within a course to enable collaborative work between syndicates members and for the submission of group based assignments. Depending on the requirements, each group can be allocated a discussion board, an email list or a chat room etc. Discussion Board: This space is used to interact, ask questions and share ideas with your peers as well as your lecturer. Forum like conversations are organized in threads, which you can follow and reply to. As a student you can view threads in the different forums, create new threads, reply to existing threads, flag or subscribe to threads etc. Many discussions are an important part of the learning process while others even carry marks for participation. Assignments or Assessments This section contains the assignments that a Lecturer may require students to complete and submit as part of the course academic achievable s. Aspire enables paperless digital submission of student assignments to the lecturer. Assignments list the name, description, and attachments required for student submissions. Students must upload the assignment into Aspire as a separate file which the lecturer will mark. Final results for submitted work will then be made available in the My Grades section of the course. 4
My Grades The My Grades page lists each student s courses where results have been released. Students should select a course to access a grade report. Students can check their grades within a course by accessing the View Grades page through the Course Menu. NEED HELP? Once your programme has commenced please submit all LMS technical help requests to the following email address: lms-support@gibs.co.za Online Help Resources? Students are encouraged to consult the comprehensive online Aspire support pages on the GIBS website: http://www.gibs.co.za/lmsstudents I forgot my password The Aspire login page has a password reset function which you can use to reset your password yourself should you forget it or wish to change it at any time. Please use this function as necessary and follow the on screen prompts. 5