Syracuse University Blackboard Help: A Comprehensive Guide

Syracuse University is committed to providing a robust online learning environment for its students, faculty, and staff. Online Learning Services (OLS) plays a crucial role in this endeavor by managing online tools and systems that support the university's academic mission. This article serves as a comprehensive guide to accessing Blackboard assistance and other online resources at Syracuse University.

Online Learning Services: Your Partner in Digital Education

Online Learning Services (OLS) at Syracuse University acts as the primary hub for training and technical support related to digital tools used in teaching and learning. These tools include Blackboard Ultra, Kaltura, Poll Everywhere, Zoom, and more. OLS supports faculty and instructional staff across various course formats - online, blended, and face-to-face - empowering them to enrich their teaching environments through the strategic adoption of technology.

OLS offers technical expertise and consultation in numerous areas, always focusing on enhancing teaching and learning experiences. The overarching goal of OLS is to meet the instructional technology needs of all members of the Syracuse University community, regardless of their location.

While OLS is prepared to consult on any of the online tools it supports, it's important to note that questions or support requests related to technology used for research or non-academic operations may be directed to other, more specialized offices within the university.

Getting the Help You Need: OLS Contacts and Support

When seeking assistance from Online Learning Services, there are several convenient ways to get in touch:

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Create a Help Ticket

For specific issues or requests, submitting a help ticket is an efficient method. To ensure your request is promptly addressed, be sure to include the name of the tool you need assistance with in the subject line.

Virtual Office Hours

For general questions about technology and online resources for teaching and learning, OLS hosts open office hours via Zoom every week. These sessions provide a great opportunity to get immediate answers to common questions. You can find the complete schedule of available meetings and Zoom links on the events & office hours schedule. Note that office hours may be limited or unavailable during weeks when campus offices are closed.

One-on-One Bookings

For more complex or multifaceted questions, OLS staff are available for individual consultations with faculty and staff via MS Teams. Instructors can schedule an appointment by visiting the bookings page. Appointments can be reserved up to two weeks in advance, and it's recommended to book only one slot at a time to allow fair access for everyone.

Location and Hours

Online Learning Services is physically located on the ground floor of the Women’s Building, accessible through the Comstock Ave entrance. Their regular hours of operation are:

8:30 am - 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday during the regular fall & spring semesters.
8:00 am - 4:00 pm, Monday - Friday during semester breaks and summer session.

OLS is closed on federal holidays and any other days when non-essential campus offices are closed.

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For support needed outside of these hours or on weekends, you can contact the ITS Service Center.

Navigating the Digital Landscape: OLS Systems and Services

Online Learning Services manages a variety of online teaching and learning tools licensed by Syracuse University. These tools are generally accessible to all current SU faculty, students, and instructional staff through their university NetID single sign-on. OLS also provides general consultation and support for instructional technology questions. However, help requests for tools not licensed campus-wide may be referred to another campus office or to the tool publisher.

OLS-Managed Teaching and Learning Tools

These tools are licensed by SU for all current faculty, instructional staff, and students. OLS is the primary point of contact for all user support requests regarding these tools.

Blackboard Ultra: The official Learning Management System (LMS) for all SU courses, supporting fully online courses and content sharing for hybrid or face-to-face courses.
Kaltura: A platform used for storing and streaming video and audio files, offering features like auto-captioning and basic media editing tools.
PlayPosit: Enables instructors to create interactive video quizzes that can be linked back to the Blackboard gradebook.
PointSolutions: Allows for creating live response questions or polls for synchronous courses. Note that students are required to purchase a paid subscription to use this tool.
Poll Everywhere: Another tool for creating live response questions and polls for synchronous courses. In some cases, students may need to download a free mobile app.
Qwickly: Facilitates attendance tracking and course communication management across multiple independent Blackboard sections simultaneously. Some features require students to download a free mobile app.
Respondus LockDown Browser: A proctoring software designed for online tests and exams.
Turnitin: Used to create assignments that are submitted through a plagiarism detection filter and can be linked to the Blackboard gradebook.
Zoom: A videoconferencing platform for synchronous online meetings and recorded webinars.

Campus Partner-Managed Tools

These tools are licensed by SU for all current faculty, staff, and students (with a few narrow exceptions). OLS provides general support and consultation for these tools for teaching and learning purposes in partnership with other offices on campus. Requests for user training, account management, advanced technical troubleshooting, or non-academic use cases may be referred to these campus partners as appropriate.

Google Assignments/Google Drive: Allows embedding files from an SU Google Drive account directly into a Blackboard course, including assignments based on a shared Google Doc or Google Sheet.
Gradescope (supported by Institutional Effectiveness): Facilitates the management of scanning, recording, and scoring of bubble sheets or other paper-based assessment materials through an online interface.
Library Resources (supported by Syracuse University Libraries): Provides access to electronic library resources, including research guides, course reserves, and digital subscriptions.
Microsoft Office 365: Enables the creation and sharing of files with students or colleagues using Microsoft 365 apps such as Outlook, OneDrive, Teams, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Orange Instant Access (supported by SU Bookstore): Automates the purchasing of required e-textbooks for all students in a course.
Orange SUccess (supported by Retention and Student Success): Used for advising and communicating with students.
SensusAccess (supported by Digital Accessibility Services): Offers self-service document remediation and file conversion for digital accessibility.

Vendor-Managed Tools

These tools are not licensed by Syracuse University but may be licensed by individual colleges, departments, or instructors. As such, they are available only to faculty and students enrolled in certain departments or classes and generally require an individual user account separate from the SU NetID single sign-on.

While OLS can provide basic information to vendors about linking/syncing these tools with Blackboard or other campus-wide systems, user training and technical support for these tools must be provided by the product vendor or the college IT help desk. Some frequently used tools (such as e-textbooks from Pearson, Sage, etc.) have dedicated link embedding through the Blackboard content market as a courtesy to the departments/units that request them.

Additional Resources for Student Success

Syracuse University offers several other online portals and platforms designed to support student success and well-being:

MySlice: Syracuse University’s online portal to critical information resources for the campus community.
Orange Success: A platform fostering personalized support and mentoring, contributing to the student experience, student success, and staying on track for degree completion.
The Patient Portal: Enhances communication between students and the health and wellness team.
The Wellness Portal: A free and convenient digital platform and mobile app that helps students and campus community members register for health and wellness activities, make reservations, and more.

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