Tabs | Tools | Course Screen | Customize the Portal and Course Page | Layout | Color Scheme

The Portal Screen

After logging into MyNOVA, select Blackboard 7 to access the Blackboard site. Below is a view of the Portal screen, which is the first page you will see once you select the Blackboard option. The portal is used to gain access to many different areas of the Blackboard learning environment, including any Blackboard course or courses in which you are enrolled. The Blackboard portal screen is also a gateway to NOVA's online community which includes links to NOVAConnect, the Schedule of Classes, the college website and local traffic and weather conditions.

Tabs

When logging into Blackboard, the navigation to the site appears across the top. Each tab represents a different content area and clicking on a tab will open a specific area, descriptions are listed below.

NOVA:  This tab contains information and announcements for everyone at NOVA, as well as Blackboard courses you are enrolled in and course announcements.

My Files: This tab takes you to the place where you can store your files, you can find the organizations you belong to, etc.

College Connect: This tab contains information and tools to help students connect with other people, including access to student email, chats with a reference librarian, student services announcements, tutoring information, links to Blackboard organizations you are enrolled in, and information about other organizations on campus.

Research: This tab contains library and other research resources.
Help: This tab contains help information on Blackboard, as well as ways to get more information and help if needed.

Tools

On the left hand side of the portal screen you will see a Tool Box with commonly used Blackboard functions. Descriptions of the functions are listed below.

Announcements: Provides you with current information about the Blackboard course or courses that you are enrolled.

Calendar: You can use the Calendar in Blackboard to determine when certain course events set by the instructor are to occur.
Tasks: Allows you to lists tasks associated with courses taking in blackboard i.e. assignments that are due.

View Grades: You can view your grades for a course.

Send Email: Allows you to send an email to anyone enrolled in your Blackboard course including the instructor. 

Address Book: Allows you to add and list contacts within Blackboard

Personal Information: Allows you to change and view your personal information in Blackboard

Course Screen

In Blackboard 7, you will see a list of the courses that you are taking under the NOVA tab.

To open a course, click on the title of the course. Opening the course will take you to the Announcements page of your Blackboard course.

The course screen can be modified with the buttons that are displayed and the colors used. 

Customize the Portal and Course Page

You can customize your portal screen using the Content and Layout buttons.

Expand and Collapse Boxes

You can expand and collapse the boxes in your portal screen by clicking the control buttons in the upper right corner of each box.

Contents

To choose which areas are displayed in your portal screen, click Modify Content button in the upper right hand corner of the portal screen.

Check off the areas that you would like to include. If you would like to remove a section, remove the checkmark next to it.

1. Click Submit.

Layout

1. To choose how the sections are displayed, click the Layout button. Use the arrows to move sections up and down or left and right.

2. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Submit.

Color Scheme

1. You can also choose a different color scheme for your Blackboard account. To choose a new color scheme, click the layout button, scroll to the bottom of the page and then click the radio button next to the name of the color scheme.

2. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Submit.