Frequently Asked Questions for Faculty and Staff

Frequently asked questions (and answers) about the platforms we support at the University of Miami. Click on each question to view more information.

 

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  • What are some things I can do to prepare my course before the semester starts?

    Due to high volume requests at the beginning of the semester, there may be delay in troubleshooting your issues at the Learning Platforms helpdesk. To assist you in time, there are a few recommended resources:

  • Why am I unable to log into Blackboard?

    First access www.courses.miami.edu and use your University of Miami single-sign-on credentials when logging into Blackboard. These credentials would be your Cane ID and password. Common reasons for being unable to log into Blackboard are the following:

    Reason 1: Incorrect browser settings

    Clear your internet cache in your browser then restart your web browser. We recommend using either Google Chrome or Firefox to access Blackboard.

    Reason 2: No Blackboard Account

    • Blackboard accounts are typically created automatically when you enroll in a course. If you are not in a course in CaneLink, please verify with the registrar.
    • You need to have a valid Cane ID in order to be able to log into Blackboard.

    Reason 3: Incorrect Log-in Credentials

    Sometimes users may have more than one Cane ID. Please be sure to use the most up to date Cane ID and password. Please contacty the Learning Platforms Helpdesk if you do not have an account or the one you were given does not work.

    Cane ID information:

  • When are courses created for new semesters?

    Every semester, new courses are added to Blackboard on the following dates:
    • Fall courses will be created around June 1st.
    • Spring courses will be created around November 15th.
    • Summer courses will be created around April 1st.

    These dates may vary depending on events and changes at the University.

    Courses creation and enrollment are two different events. If you have not been assigned to a course in CaneLink, you will not see it in Blackboard. Contact your department's scheduler for more information.

  • Why is my course not available to students in the courses page?

    In the Ultra Experience, you can control when students can access their courses, and set their courses to the following states. To make your course available to your students, you need to change your course to 'open.'

    • Open: Instructors can open courses when they’re ready and available for students to participate.
    • Private: Instructors can make courses private while they add or experiment with content, and then open them to students when they’re ready. Private courses appear with a gray instructor image and a diagonal line. Students see private courses in their course lists, but they can’t access them. Instructors can’t make a course private during an active term. If a student needs access to a course, you can customize course availability.
    • Complete: Instructors can choose to set their courses to Complete when their courses have ended, but they may no longer make changes to them. Instructors can return their courses to Open or Private as they want. Students can access the content, but they can’t participate in the course any longer. Complete applies to the Ultra Course View only.
    • Hide: Users can choose to hide courses from their course lists to organize their views.

  • Why am I unable to access Zoom in my course?

    If you receive an issue when trying to access the Zoom integration in your course, it is likely you will need activate your account in Zoom. Log in to miami.zoom.us with their CaneID (SSO:Single Sign-On) to activate their Zoom account before using it in Blackboard.

  • I’m the instructor for a course. Where is my course?

    If your course is not present in the “My Courses ” module:

    • Be sure that your course enrollment is reflected on CaneLink. If you are not enrolled in CaneLink, the course will not show up in Blackboard.
    • If a course was switched or dropped, the change may not have taken effect in Blackboard.
    • If you see the course in CaneLink but not in Blackboard, then most likely it is that the information has not migrated yet from CaneLink to Blackboard.

  • I'm a teaching assistant for a course. How do I gain access to the course?

    If you are listed as the teaching assistant in a course, we will require written or verbal authorization from the course instructor. Contact us to provide you access to your course.

  • How do I turn on/off Blackboard notifications?

    In Blackboard you are able to choose which notifications you want to show for the Activity Stream, sent to you via email and push notifications on the mobile app. Note: Certain daily email notifications cannot be turned off. For example, Retention Center and Announcements email notifications.

    Option 1: Edit Global Notification Settings

    To change most Blackboard notifications settings follow the steps below:

    1. Click on your name in the top left of the Blackboard Homepage.
    2. In the bottom right of the page(Inside the red square of the picture) under “Global Notification Settings” you will see Stream, Email and Push notifications. Click on whichever one you would like to change.
    3. Uncheck or check which options you would like to turn off or on. Stream Notifications refer to the “Activity Stream,” while “Email Notifications” refer to daily or immediate notifications you may receive to your University email account, and “Push Notifications” refer to the notifications you receive if you have downloaded the Blackboard mobile apps.
    4. Once finished checking the options you want, Click on the save button.

    Option 2: Remove Student Preview User Data

    Notifications are sometimes added if you have used the 'Student Preview' feature, without removing data from the course. View the guidance to reset user information.

    Option 3: Move Emails to a Folder