Download Java Runtime Environment v6 update 27 here to maintain compatibility with Vista Chat Tool.

Adding Content
Assessments
Assignments
Calendar
Communication Tools
Course Management
Course Settings
Selective Release
Gradebook
Troubleshooting
More Tutorials on Helpdesk Site

Adding Content to your Vista Shell

Getting Started – with your new Blackboard Vista shell.

Upload basics—how to create folders and upload files to your Vista homepage.

Upload your Syllabus - to Blackboard Vista .

Using Learning Modules - in Blackboard Vista . It's THE best way to organize your course content.

Putting Your Picture - into your Vista course.

Using Vista Assessments

Creating Test Questions—how to create test questions and add them to your question database.

Creating Assessments—creating assessments and adding questions to them.

Editing Assessments—editing assessment content and properties and deploying assessments.

Grading Assessments—taking and grading Vista assessments.

Moving Assessments—moving assessments from one course to another.

Releasing Assessment Results—releasing test results to students and controlling what they can see.

Uploading Test Banks - to a Blackboard Vista course.

Resetting a Test Attempt - when students are interrupted during a test session.

Previewing and Printing a Test - This can come in handy for course designers.

Why Isn't My Test Showing Up For Students? - A page to help you troubleshoot your assessment availability.

Exporting Test Banks from TestGen - Export test questions from this popular, publisher-supplied test generator directly to Vista.

Using Vista Assignments

Creating Assignments--how to create an assignment in Vista

Submitting Assignments—how to submit an assignment in Vista

Publishing Assignments—sharing selected assignment submissions with the entire class.

Assignment Due Date vs. Cutoff Date - A page to help explain the difference between these dates.

Grading Forms - How to create a rubric for grading assignments and discussions.

Using the Vista Gradebook

Gradebook Overview—a general introduction to the Vista gradebook.

Gradebook Tips Handout (.pdf) — a printable version of a few Blackboard Vista Gradebook Tips

Gradebook-at-a-Glance — text and audio instructions for common Grade book trouble spots.

Hiding and Showing Gradebook Columns—changing column visibility for the instructor.

Releasing Columns for Student View—controlling which grades show up under the student’s “My Grades” button.

Calculating Final Grades—setting up a “total points column in your gradebook.

Calculating Final Grades - using a weighted average.

Reordering Gradebook Columns—changing the order in which gradebook columns display to you and your students.

Sorting Dropped Students—how to sort dropped students temporarily to the bottom of the gradebook.

Backing up Your Gradebook - in Blackboard Vista

Using Vista Communications Tools

Discussion Boards—Using Discussion Topics for asynchronous communication.

Forwarding Vista E-mail - to an external e-mail account.

Effective Communication in the Online Course - by Julie Moss

Using Selective Release in Vista

Early Assessment—Releasing assessments early to selected students.

Accommodation—Allowing DSPS students more time on a test.

Late Assessment—Releasing assessments late to selected students.

Setup and Check Selective Release Criteria -  How to check that your late/early student has access to the link.

Remove Selective Release Criteria - If you want all students to see a link, you'll need to remove the Selective Release Criteria.

Using the Vista Calendar

Calendar Links—Linking to a file or content item from the calendar.

Vista Course Settings, Display, and Icons

Replacing Vista Icons—Finding replacement icons for items on Vista content pages.

Moving Items in a List - Reordering items in a Vista list.

Creating Hyperlinks - Making live links using Vista's HTML Creator.

Custom Links in Menu - Creating Custom links in the Vista Course Tools menu.

Vista Course Management

Section Backup—Backing up your Vista courses and saving the backup files to disk.

Managing Your Course List - on Blackboard Vista's My Blackboard page.

Adjusting Dates - in a Blackboard Vista course.

Controlling Student Access - after the end of the term.

Troubleshooting

Recover your Password - add your e-mail address to your user profile and set up your "secret question" to allow the system to send you a temporary password.

Download and Install Firefox - This excellent alternative web browser may perform better with Vista in some situations.

Allowing File Downloads - in Internet Explorer. Prevent IE from interfering with file downloads.

Multiple Logins - to Vista on the same computer using Internet Explorer make grading and course management easier.

Managing Your Java - runtime environment. Installing, updating and cleaning up your JRE.

Adjusting your Computer to Resolve Issues with System Errors and Slowness - three fixes that students and faculty can make to their local computers that will help to reduce the system errors and latency.

Bypassing a Web Proxy - when accessing Blackboard Vista from a lab or office computer. This is necessary to ensure reliable performance from a campus located computer.