Navigating Blackboard Learn at Pima Community College: A Comprehensive Guide

Blackboard Learn is a vital online learning management system (LMS) utilized by Pima Community College (PCC) to deliver course content, facilitate communication, and assess student learning. This article provides a comprehensive guide to accessing and using Blackboard Learn at Pima Community College, covering various aspects from initial login to advanced features and troubleshooting common issues.

Accessing Blackboard Learn

Logging In

To access Blackboard Learn, you'll need the following:

The web address of Pima Community College's Blackboard site.
Your PCC username.
Your PCC password.

In most cases, the web address provided by PCC will direct you to the login page. If you're unsure, you can search the web for "Pima Community College Blackboard help" or "Pima Community College Blackboard support."

Single Sign-On (SSO)

Pima Community College may utilize single sign-on (SSO) for Blackboard Learn. With SSO, you can use one set of credentials (e.g., your PCC email account) to access multiple applications, including Blackboard. If you're already logged into your PCC account on your browser, Blackboard may log you in automatically.

When logging out of an SSO session, Blackboard may ask if you want to end all related sessions or continue. If you do nothing, the system will end all sessions after a brief period.

Read also: Learn about Blackboard Learn at UD

Initial Login and Profile Creation

New users will see a welcome page prompting them to create a profile. Before creating a profile, you must accept the Blackboard Profiles Terms of Service. If you don't agree to the terms, you may not be able to access certain tools. You can choose to create a profile later.

Account Lockout and Password Reset

For security purposes, the system may lock your account if you enter your username or password incorrectly too many times, or if the login process takes too long.

PCC may allow you to unlock your account by resetting your password. Select "Forgot Password?" and follow the instructions to reset your password and unlock your account. If PCC doesn't allow you to unlock your account, you'll need to wait until the lock period expires or contact the PCC IT Help Desk.

Understanding Session Control

Session Timeout

To protect your account, Blackboard Learn has a session timeout feature. If you are idle for over three hours, your session will end. This can happen if the browser is not sending data to Blackboard, for example, when you are:

Authoring a Discussion Board post
Authoring an Assignment submission in the text editor
Creating a Content Item

You'll see a warning six minutes before you are signed out. Close the warning to stay active. If you were away from the computer for an extended time you will not be able to extend your session. When you close the warning, you'll return to the current page instead of returning to the login page. This allows you to copy anything authored before it is lost. You will redirect to the login page when you select any link or button on the page.

Active Session Termination

Pima Community College may enable active session termination, requiring you to log in again during your session after a specified time (between 3 and 24 hours). This is regardless of your activity and is meant to enhance data security.

Shortly before the session ends, you’ll receive a warning that says “Your Blackboard session is about to end. Save your work and log back in.” You have the opportunity to save your work. Once you are logged out, you can log in again and continue your work.

Concurrent Session Control

Pima Community College may restrict users from accessing Blackboard on multiple devices simultaneously. If enabled, you'll be logged out of your earliest Blackboard session if you exceed the allowed number of concurrent sessions.

For example, if PCC allows two concurrent sessions, and you are logged onto your laptop and your phone, you are logged out of your earliest session if you log onto a third device. You will receive the message, “You are permitted to have only 2 active sessions and have been logged out from another device.”

Managing Your Password

Retrieving a Lost or Forgotten Password

If you forget your password, use the "Forgot Your Password?" link on the login page. You'll need to complete one of the options on that page to obtain a new password. Passwords are case sensitive, must not contain spaces, and must contain at least one special character.

Changing Your Password

After logging in, you can change your password from your Profile page in the base navigation. The base navigation is the list that has your name in it when you first log in to Blackboard. Go to your profile and select Change Password. On the Change Password panel, type your old password and your new password. Select Save when you're finished.

Course Content Migration

Importing and Exporting Course Components

Blackboard Learn allows instructors to import, export, and copy components from one course to another, which is often referred to as "cloning." This can save significant time and effort when creating new courses or updating existing ones.

Migrating Content from Other LMS Platforms

If you're teaching through Blackboard Learn at Pima Community College and using another LMS (e.g., Moodle) at another institution, resources are available to help you migrate your content between platforms.

Additional Resources

Pima Community College provides a variety of resources to support students and faculty using Blackboard Learn. These resources may include:

Online tutorials and guides
Training workshops
IT Help Desk support

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