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Online Learning Student FAQs


General

Google Chrome: Menu > Settings > Scroll down to Privacy > Click Clear Browsing Data > Clear browsing data: Select "the beginning of time" from the "Obliterate the following items" drop-down menu, Select "Cached images and files" and click Clear browsing data.

Mozilla Firefox: Menu > History > Clear Recent History > Clear All History: Select "Everything" from the "Time range to clear" drop-down menu, Select "Cache" and click Clear Now.

Safari: Menu > Preferences > Click Privacy > Click "Remove Stored Cookies and Data" > Click "Remove All."

Internet Explorer: Menu > Internet Options > Click "Delete" under Browsing history > Check "Temporary Internet Files and Website Data" and click Delete.

Blackboard Learn

Blackboard supports four primary desktop browsers for Blackboard Learn. Chrome 63+, Edge 42+, Firefox 57+, and Safari 12+. It is recommended to use Google Chrome for the best experience. View Blackboard's Supported Browsers.

You can access Blackboard by logging into the myUTRGV Portal at my.utrgv.edu and click the Blackboard icon under Applications. If you have a guest or temporary account you can access Blackboard by visiting mycourses.utrgv.edu

Students will not have access to their Blackboard courses until the first day of the term. An instructor may choose to make the course available before the start date.

There are a number of reasons that could cause you to have an inaccurate course listing. Before contact Blackboard support, you should:

  • Check your official course enrollment via ASSIST.
  • Wait for the Blackboard enrollment update which takes place two times per day. If you recently added/dropped a course or made payment it could take up to 24 hours for the new information to be reflected in Blackboard.

Unfortunately, students do not have access to previous courses. If you need access to course material or grades from a previous semester, please contact the instructor of the course.

Students can access their grades by clicking on the “Student Gradebook” or “My Grades” link in the course menu. Students can also access their Grades via My Grades.

SafeAssign is a tool used to prevent plagiarism and to create opportunities to help students identify how to properly attribute sources rather than paraphrase. SafeAssign is effective as both a deterrent and an educational tool.

SafeAssign compares submitted assignments against a set of sources to identify areas of overlap between the submitted assignment and existing works. View instructions on how to submit a SafeAssignment.

If you experienced problems and are unable to continue the exam, contact your instructor immediately.

Some reasons why you were kicked out could include:

  • The internet connection dropped.
  • The browser was refreshed.
  • Your browser timed out due to inactivity. Blackboard has a security setting that logs you out if it doesn't receive any input for a period of time.

The following tips can help you avoid this issue in the future:

  • Use a wired connection, if possible, when taking a test. Some wireless internet connections are less reliable.
  • Do not refresh the browser page.
  • Do not close the browser window.
  • Do not click the browser's back button.
  • If possible, write out the text in an external application and then paste it into Blackboard Learn. Working offline first will ensure that your work will not be lost while it's in progress.
  • If you are working in assignments, save frequently. Saving often helps to avoid browser timeout issues.
Source: Blackboard Help, Student Course FAQs

To find new content you can check the Updates tab that’s located in myBlackboard. Click your name in the top right corner, then click on the clock icon.

If you have a smartphone or tablet, you can download the Blackboard app which is available for iOS and Android. By having the app you can enable push notifications for new content, announcements, due dates, and more.

Please review the minimum hardware and software requirements that are outlined in the Student Support section of our website. You can also complete the Blackboard Browser Checker.

Respondus Lockdown Browser & Monitor

Respondus LockDown Browser prevents digital cheating during online tests by locking down the testing environment in Blackboard. During a test, students cannot print, copy, go to another URL (such as Google), or view other areas of the online course. To download the Lockdown Browser visit the Student Support Tab located in Blackboard and click Download Respondus Lockdown Browser.

If you are not able to complete a quiz or exam because the lockdown browser is not responsive and will not allow you to continue to the next question, you must restart your computer. Do this by holding down the power button on your computer for five to ten seconds until the computer completely turns off. Restart your computer and try to complete your exam.

If you are not able to complete your exam, please contact your instructor to explain the issue.

We are not able to reset assessments without direct written permission from an instructor.