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E-Learning at Boise State
a guide for students

What is E-Learning?

Though Boise State offers students a wide variety of ways to engage in distance learning--including courses broadcast over TV--the focus of this web site is on online learning that uses the Internet as the primary way of uniting teachers with students and distributing course content--what we've taken to calling e-learning. For the most part, faculty at Boise State use the Internet in instruction in one of the following ways:

• creating web sites that complement face-to-face teaching
• developing course sites in Blackboard software to complement face-to-face teaching
• developing course sites in Blackboard software to deliver courses entirely online, without any face-to-face teaching

Most Boise State faculty who are using the Internet in instruction are using Blackboard course-management software (described below). Therefore, this web site focuses primarily on the use of Blackboard. However, much of the information here will be useful to any student taking a course with an online component, whether that course uses Blackboard or not.

What is Blackboard?

Blackboard is a Web-based course-management system designed to allow students and faculty to participate in classes delivered online or to use online materials and activities to complement face-to-face teaching. Blackboard enables instructors to provide students with course materials, discussion boards, virtual chat, online quizzes, an academic resource center, and more. The degree to which Blackboard is used in a course varies. For example, instructors may supplement an on-campus class by putting their syllabus and handouts on their course sites. In contrast, other courses may be conducted entirely through Blackboard, without any on-campus sessions.

This site has been developed primarily to provide an orientation to e-learning for Boise State students enrolled in courses using Blackboard, whether in an online distance course or as an adjunct to face-to-face teaching. In addition, the site provides information for students considering enrolling in a Blackboard-enhanced course, as well as technical support for students currently enrolled in Blackboard-enhanced courses.

What's on this Web Site?

In the Prospective Students section, you'll find information for students considering enrolling in a Blackboard-enhanced course, including an overview of Blackboard, self-assessment tools to help you decide if e-learning is for you, and such technical details as system requirements and Frequently Asked Questions.

In Online Orientation, you can view screen shots of a demo Blackboard course, browse through tips and strategies for success in e-learning, and access a list of student services at Boise State.

Technical Support contains links to support services available to online learners, instructions for common tasks in Blackboard, self-help tools, and Frequently Asked Questions about Blackboard.

The Student Online Privacy Notice contains very important information about your rights and responsibilities while participating in a course with an online component. If you read nothing else on this site, read the Privacy Notice.

What ISN'T on this Web Site?

You can't enroll in an online course from this web site. You'll have to enroll through BroncoWeb. You won't find information here about prerequisites, fees, and supplemental texts for a particular class. The sort of information will either be on BroncoWeb or available from the staff at Extended Studies, which administers all online courses at Boise State. Please direct questions about enrollment, prerequisites, fees, etc. to Extended Studies.