Ibrahim Gardner
Blackboard is a learning management system used by universities to deliver course content, facilitate discussions, and manage grades. Typically, only enrolled students and faculty members with valid university credentials can access Blackboard. However, there are instances where individuals outside the university system may be granted access as guests or observers. This could include guest speakers, experts invited to participate in course discussions, or external examiners. While guests can access specific content areas, they are restricted from accessing student information and interactive features. Observer access, on the other hand, allows individuals to follow specific users and view courses without interacting with the system. The process for granting access to non-university members varies depending on the institution's policies and procedures, with some universities prioritizing student privacy and data protection.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Typical Access | Enrolled students and faculty members with valid university credentials |
| Access for Non-University Members | Possible, but depends on the institution's policies and requirements |
| Guest Access | Limited access to specific content areas, such as lecture notes and course documents; no access to Control Panel or student information areas like discussion boards |
| Observer Access | Can view courses and track students without interacting with the system |
| University of Reading | Guest students permitted to attend lectures but not classes like laboratory sessions, seminars, or tutorials; given limited Blackboard access |
| Sheffield Hallam University | External examiners given access after induction; workplace mentors and employers cannot access |
| Northern Illinois University | Guest speakers must complete Volunteer Agreement and Mandated Reporter Acknowledgment forms; guest access to specific areas only |
| University of Southern California | Guests unaffiliated with the university cannot be enrolled to protect privacy |
| Cornell University | Guests can obtain Cornell Guest IDs for access |
| University of Rochester | No specific information found |
| Session Management | Sessions time out after 3-24 hours of inactivity; concurrent sessions on multiple devices may be restricted |
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Guest access
The process for granting guest access can vary depending on the university's policies and requirements. For example, at the University of Southern California, guests must be affiliated with the university to protect the privacy of students and professors. Similarly, Northern Illinois University requires guest speakers to complete a Volunteer Agreement form and a Mandated Reporter Acknowledgement form before granting access to Blackboard.
To facilitate guest access, universities may create guest accounts or provide guest links to specific courses. At the University of Reading, for instance, guest students can attend lectures but not classes like laboratory sessions or seminars. They are given limited access to the relevant Blackboard course content but cannot participate in interactive sessions.
It is important to note that the availability and extent of guest access can vary across different universities and their specific Blackboard implementations. Each university has its own procedures and requirements for granting guest access, ensuring a balance between knowledge-sharing and maintaining the privacy and security of their community.
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Observer access
Students outside the university can be given access to Blackboard as observers. Observers are typically assigned to follow specific users in Blackboard without interacting with the system. They can view courses and track students but cannot access student information or interact with the course.
The Observer role can be used to enroll parents, mentors, and guests who want to participate in a course but do not need to earn course credit. Observers have limited permissions that allow them to see what is going on in a course without interrupting daily course communication. Observers can view and read announcements, view the calendar, view the assignment index page, and join conferences and collaborations if invited. They can also send conversation messages to the instructor and student they are observing.
To enable Observer access, the course instructor must take the following steps: Go to the Control Panel, expand the Customization section, and select Guest and Observer Access. On the Guest and Observer Access page, select Yes for Allow Observers. Type the name and email of the attendee and select the Observer role.
It is important to note that Observer Access may vary depending on the specific Blackboard implementation and the policies of the educational institution using it. For example, at Sheffield Hallam University, external examiners can be given access to Blackboard after completing their induction, but other external users cannot be given access. Similarly, at Northern Illinois University, guest speakers can be given access to Blackboard, but they must complete specific forms.
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University policies
The process for granting access to non-university members depends on the institution's policies. For example, at the University of Reading, guest students are permitted to attend lectures but not classes like laboratory sessions, seminars, or tutorials. They are given restricted access to the relevant Blackboard course, where they can view core lecture content but cannot participate in interactive sessions. Similarly, at Northern Illinois University, guest speakers must complete a Volunteer Agreement form and a Mandated Reporter Acknowledgement form to request access. They are then provided with an affiliate account to access the course.
In contrast, the University of Southern California does not allow guests who are not affiliated with the university to enrol and access Blackboard to protect the privacy of students and professors. Sheffield Hallam University also restricts access to external examiners who have completed their induction, while other external users like workplace mentors and employers are not granted access.
It is important to note that Observer Access may also vary depending on the specific Blackboard implementation and the policies of the educational institution. Observers can view courses and track students without interacting with the system. At Northern Illinois University, for instance, Blackboard Communities can include individuals outside the university, but each person must request an affiliate account.
Additionally, university policies may dictate the login process for accessing Blackboard. In most cases, the web address provided by the institution directs users to the login page. If not, users can search for their institution's name plus "Blackboard" or contact their IT help desk. The login process may also involve multi-factor authentication, and institutions can restrict users from accessing Blackboard on multiple devices simultaneously. Session lengths may also vary, with the option to configure the session timeout between three and 24 hours.
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Student privacy
Blackboard is typically accessible only to enrolled students and faculty members with valid university credentials. However, students outside the university can be given access to Blackboard as guests or observers. Guest access is typically limited, and guests can only view specific content such as lecture notes and course documents. They are not allowed access to the Control Panel or other tools and features. Observers are usually assigned to follow specific users in Blackboard without interacting with the system and can view courses and track students. They cannot access areas that display student information, such as discussion boards.
The process for granting access to non-university members can vary depending on the institution's policies and requirements. For example, at the University of Southern California, guests cannot be enrolled if they are not affiliated with the university to protect the privacy of students and professors. Similarly, at Northern Illinois University, guest speakers must complete a Volunteer Agreement form and a Mandated Reporter Acknowledgement form to request access.
In the United States, the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99), also known as the Buckley Amendment, is a law that protects the privacy of student records. FERPA provides a minimum basis for the protection of student privacy regarding their education records. This law applies to all institutions that receive federal funding under applicable programs administered by the US Department of Education. FERPA provides a benchmark for educational privacy standards, and many institutions build on FERPA regulations when writing their own privacy policies.
Blackboard develops products that support FERPA and provides information, tools, and utilities that allow institutions to configure their systems to meet strict privacy standards. For Blackboard, personally identifiable information is student record data that identifies a specific student. This includes information such as a student's name, email address, and any other contact information. Students and participants can make their own privacy choices on the Personal Information page, accessible from any tab in the Tools panel or under Tools in any course or organization in Blackboard Learn. They can choose whether to be listed in the User Directory and whether to display their email address, address, work information, and any other additional contact information. These fields and the user's name are the only personal information that is ever displayed in the User Directory, and by default, they are not included unless the user deliberately opts in to disclose the information. Users can exercise this option at any time, not just during a period specified by the institution.
Email addresses of recipients are not displayed on the Send Email pages or in the email that the student or participant receives. All emails are sent as "blind carbon copy" (BCC), so recipients cannot see the names or email addresses of other recipients. The names of students or participants included in a group within a course or organization are listed on the group page, which is accessible to other users in that group. If the user has chosen to make their email address available, it is also listed on the group page.
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Enrolling as a guest
Students outside the university can be given access to Blackboard as guests or observers. Guest access is typically limited, and guests can only view specific content such as lecture notes and course documents. They are not allowed access to the Control Panel or other tools and features. Guest access in Blackboard is disabled for all courses by default, and the process for granting access to non-university members can vary depending on the institution's policies and requirements.
For example, at the University of Southern California, guests cannot be enrolled if they are not affiliated with the university to protect the privacy of students and professors. Similarly, at Northern Illinois University, access to Blackboard is restricted to protect the university and its students, and guest speakers must complete a Volunteer Agreement form and a Mandated Reporter Acknowledgement form to request access. At the University of Reading, guest students are permitted to attend lectures but not classes such as laboratory sessions, seminars, or tutorials. They are given limited access to the relevant Blackboard course, where they can view core lecture content and associated materials but cannot attend interactive sessions.
To enable guest access, the course instructor must allow guest access in the course by going to Control Panel > Customisation > Properties > Set Guest Access. The instructor can then provide the guest with a link to the course. Guests do not need a university computer account to access the course.
Observers are typically assigned to follow specific users in Blackboard without interacting with the system and can view courses and track students. They cannot access areas that display student information, such as discussion boards.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, students outside the university can be given access to Blackboard as guests or observers. Guest access is typically limited, and guests can only view specific content such as lecture notes and course documents. They are not allowed access to the Control Panel or other features.
The process for granting access to non-university members can vary depending on the institution's policies and requirements. Typically, guest access is disabled by default, and an instructor must enable it for their course. The instructor will then need to enrol the guest student by creating a guest account and providing them with login details.
Guest students can access any content areas allowed by the course instructor, but they cannot access areas that display student information, such as discussion boards. They also cannot access interactive features such as tutorials or seminars.
Observers are typically assigned to follow specific users in Blackboard without interacting with the system. They can view courses and track students but cannot access any content or features themselves. Observer access may also vary depending on the university's Blackboard implementation and its policies.
