Blackboard Learn Administration

Table of Contents

Blackboard Learn Administration

Credits

About the Author

About the Reviewers

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Why Subscribe?

Free Access for Packt account holders

Preface

What this book covers

What you need for this book

Who this book is for

Conventions

Reader feedback

Customer support

Downloading the example code

Errata

Piracy

Questions

1. Planning a Blackboard Learn Instance

What is Blackboard Learn?

How does Blackboard Learn work?

Blackboard Learn architecture

One server / Two server architecture

Multiple server architecture

Blackboard instance environments

How do I decide what architecture to build?

Summary

2. Installing Blackboard Learn

Operating systems

Space requirements

Installing the database

Installing an Oracle database for Blackboard Learn

Installing a Microsoft SQL Server database

Installing JDK

Preparing a Windows Server environment

Preparing a Red Hat or Solaris server for Blackboard Learn

Final preparations before installing

Installing the Blackboard Learn application

Upgrading our Blackboard Learn instance

Managing Blackboard Learn services

The Blackboard Learn Patch Utility tool

Getting Blackboard Learn Patch Utility

Getting Blackboard patches

Managing Blackboard patches with the Blackboard Learn Patch Utility tool

Summary

3. Setting Up and Customizing Blackboard Learn

Branding Blackboard Learn

Blackboard Learn themes

Blackboard Learn color palettes

Basic branding within Blackboard Learn

Advanced branding of our Blackboard Learn instance

Customizing the Blackboard login page

Summary

4. Creating Courses in Blackboard Learn

Courses in Blackboard Learn

Course names and course IDs

New shells versus recycling

Course settings in Blackboard

Default course properties

Course themes and icons

Course Tools

Quick Setup Guide

Custom images

Default course size limits

Grade Center settings

Course menu and structures

Default notification settings

Default grading schema

Creating a course catalog structure

Terms

Searching for courses in Blackboard

Creating single courses in Blackboard

Creating courses using the batch course creation tool

Importing content into a new course

Copying content into a new or existing course

Summary

5. Administrating Courses in Blackboard Learn

Enrolling users into Blackboard Learn courses

Creating a batch enrollment file

Enrolling users using the Batch Enrollment process

Possible issues with the batch enrollment process

Using Quick Enroll in Blackboard Learn

Exporting and archiving courses in Blackboard Learn

Exporting a course

Exporting a course using the Blackboard Learn format

Exporting a Blackboard course into Common Cartridge format

Archiving a Blackboard course

Batch exporting and archiving courses

Tips for batch exporting and archiving

Using the Bulk Delete function in Blackboard Learn

Removing a course from Blackboard Learn

Reusing recently-deleted course IDs

Summary

6. Creating Users in Blackboard Learn

User creation policy

Setting Up default user information in Blackboard Learn

Creating single users in Blackboard Learn

Creating multiple users in Blackboard Learn

Accessing users in Blackboard Learn

Summary

7. Managing Roles and Users in Blackboard Learn

Roles within Blackboard Learn

Managing course roles in Blackboard Learn

Editing a course role

Creating a new course role using the Copy function

Managing privileges for course roles

Managing system roles in Blackboard Learn

Creating system roles in Blackboard Learn

Creating custom institutional roles in Blackboard Learn

Managing role privileges in Blackboard Learn

Developing role privilege policies in Blackboard Learn

Disabling user access to Blackboard Learn

Removing users in Blackboard Learn

Summary

8. Using Tools and Utilities in Blackboard Learn

System announcements

Creating a system announcement

Editing or deleting a system announcement

Spell Check Dictionaries in Blackboard Learn

Creating a new spell check dictionary within Blackboard Learn

Adding a spell check dictionary in Blackboard Learn

Managing a spell check dictionary in Blackboard Learn

Language packs

Notifications

Setting up general notifications

Managing the default notifications settings

Course Messages

Calendar

E-mails

Enterprise surveys in Blackboard Learn

Goals

My Blackboard Settings

Math Editor Image Service

Tools

Chalk Titles

Summary

9. Security, Reporting, and Configuration in Blackboard Learn

Security in Blackboard Learn

Managing SSL certificates

Managing guest access

Managing session fingerprints

Input Validation Filter

Safe HTML Filters

Alternate Domain for Serving Content

System information in Blackboard Learn

System configuration

System reporting

Disk Usage

Refresh Report Data

Textbook Information

Optimizing our Blackboard Learn environment

Blackboard Tasks

Optimizing web services

Monitoring and optimizing Internet Information Services

Monitoring and optimizing Apache

Installing and configuring Apache 2.2 for Blackboard Learn

Tomcat configuration and optimization

Tomcat thread queuing

Summary

10. Authentication and Data Integration in Blackboard Learn

External authentication in Blackboard Learn

Planning authentication integration

LDAP

Central Authentication Service

Shibboleth authentication

Blackboard legacy authentication framework

Default

In case our external authentication options aren't working

External authentication provider planning

Adding external authentication providers

Creating an LDAP provider

Creating a Shibboleth provider

Creating a CAS provider

Setting up external authentication-provider order

Data integration with Blackboard Learn

The snapshot tool in Blackboard Learn

The SIS Framework

Integration options

Questions to ask when planning your data integration

Creating data sources

Building a flat file integration

Creating the flat file

Creating the integration within Blackboard Learn

Testing our flat file

Sending files to Blackboard Learn

Summary

11. Implementing Building Blocks in Blackboard Learn

Blackboard Learn building blocks

Installing a building block

Configuring and managing a building block

Removing a building block

Building block manager

Web services in Blackboard Learn

LTI Tool Providers

Recommended building blocks

Summary

12. Logs, Troubleshooting, and Disaster Recovery in Blackboard Learn

Troubleshooting issues in Blackboard Learn

Finding and searching log files

Locating and accessing log files

SIS Logs

Authentication Logs

System Logs

System Tasks Status

Course Cartridge Import Status

Log Rotation

Locating log files in Blackboard Learn

Apache

IIS

Tomcat

Blackboard application

Tips for troubleshooting issues with log files

Disaster recovery

Understanding expectations

Prioritizing Blackboard data

Example Blackboard Learn disaster recovery plan

Summary

A. Appendix

Index

Blackboard Learn Administration

Blackboard Learn Administration

Copyright © 2013 Packt Publishing

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embedded in critical articles or reviews.

Every effort has been made in the preparation of this book to ensure the accuracy of the information presented. However, the information contained in this book is sold without warranty, either express or implied. Neither the author, nor Packt Publishing, and its dealers and distributors will be held liable for any damages caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by this book.

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First published: May 2013

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Credits

Author

Terry Patterson

Reviewers

David Hopkins

Dr Malcolm Murray

Simon Roberts

Wayne Twitchell

Mike Zimmerman

Acquisition Editor

Joanne Fitzpatrick

Lead Technical Editor

Sweny M. Sukumaran

Technical Editors

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Project Coordinator

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Proofreaders

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Indexer

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Graphics

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Production Coordinator

Conidon Miranda

Cover Work

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About the Author

Terry Patterson has over ten years of experience administrating Blackboard LMS environments at various institutions. During that time, he has held numerous leadership roles in Blackboard feedback panels and customer-led user groups. In 2009, he received a Blackboard Catalyst Award for his work in the Blackboard Community. He has given presentations at state, national, and international conferences about emerging and advanced integrations with the Blackboard application. He holds certifications as a Blackboard Trainer and a Blackboard Server Administrator. When not busy in his position as LMS Application Administrator at the University of Missouri, he works to help answer questions from other system administrators and posts the issues he faces on his Blackboard Guru blog at http://www.blackboardguru.com/.

I would like to thank my friends and family who have been positive and encouraging throughout this process. Thanks to my colleagues at the University of Missouri, including Tanys, Guy, Michael, Ethan, and countless others who have offered their expertise and support.

I also want to thank the many Blackboard employees who always welcomed my questions no matter how long winded they were. Thanks to the Packt Publishing team for their help, as I have learned the book-writing process. Finally, thanks to you, the Blackboard administrators reading this book I hope you find this book to be a helpful resource in your duties.

About the Reviewers

David Hopkins is a respected and experienced Learning Technologist at the University of Leicester, U.K. Working closely with administrators, managers, and academic teams, David investigates and advises on the appropriate use of technology for both classroom and distance-learning students.

David writes on aspects of learning technology and the pedagogic use of technology in (and out of) the classroom on the Technology Enhanced Learning blog at www.dontwasteyourtime.co.uk, and has a growing professional network centered around his blog and Twitter handle, @hopkinsdavid.

Dr Malcolm Murray has used Blackboard since Version 5.5. He has over a decade's experience in using Blackboard Learn as a system administrator, as a developer, and also to support his teaching. Currently based at Durham University in the U.K., he leads the University's Learning Technologies Team and is an Honorary Fellow of the School of Education. He holds a Ph.D. in Geography and a Postgraduate Certificate in Learning, Teaching, and Research in Higher Education. He is a member of the U.K. Heads of e-Learning Forum, a fellow of the (UK) Higher Education Academy, a certified member of the Association for Learning Technology, and the Director of OSCELOT (the Open Source Community for Educational Learning Objects and Tools). He regularly attends Blackboard conferences in the U.S. and Europe, participates in Blackboard's BugSquad and Beta initiatives, and is a past winner of the Blackboard Greenhouse Award (2005), Blackboard Innovators Award (2008), and Blackboard Catalyst Award (2010).

Simon Roberts has 30 years of experience in the IT industry, as a programmer and instructor. He teaches a variety of topics, including programming and system administration for various platforms. He enjoys the travel opportunities that come his way thanks to his work, and also acts as an FAA-certified flight instructor in his spare time. Simon lives in the Denver metro area in Colorado.

Wayne Twitchell is a leader in online teaching-and-learning for over 15 years, despite being denied admission to the prestigious Mensa club. As Blackboard administrator at Grinnell College and in his current position at the University of Northern Iowa, he has managed and supported a range of Blackboard products including Learning Management, Community, and Content management in a vertically-integrated way while integrating individual products (such as Learn) into an existing campus infrastructure. Dr. Twitchell's approach engages the visionary potential of technology both in and out of the classroom without forgetting the nuts and bolts of teaching. He currently lives in Cedar Falls Iowa with his partner (who was admitted to Mensa) and their amazing bearded dragon, Gogo, as well as their puppet sheepdog, Winston.

Mike Zimmerman has been a Blackboard system administrator at the University of Nebraska in Omaha since 2001. He is an active contributor in the Blackboard user community and ListServ, and has been a part of the Blackboard Dr. C user support forums since 2006.

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Preface

Welcome to Blackboard Learn Administration. In this book, we will review the basic and advanced topics that make up Blackboard Learn administration. By the end of this book, we will have a better understanding of Blackboard Learn, and hopefully, have some tips and tricks to add to our administrator's toolbox. So let's get ready to challenge ourselves as we learn more about Blackboard Learn.

What this book covers

Chapter 1, Planning a Blackboard Learn Instance, reviews the information, issues, and concerns that administrators should address before installing Blackboard Learn.

Chapter 2, Installing Blackboard Learn, will show you how to prepare, install, upgrade, and maintain a Blackboard Learn environment.

Chapter 3, Setting Up and Customizing Blackboard Learn, reviews the customization options available within Blackboard Learn.

Chapter 4, Creating Courses in Blackboard Learn, will teach you how to prepare and create Blackboard Learn courses.

Chapter 5, Administrating Courses in Blackboard Learn, will show you the options to maintain, support, back up, and remove Blackboard Learn courses.

Chapter 6, Creating Users in Blackboard Learn, reviews how to create users within a Blackboard Learn environment.

Chapter 7, Managing Roles and Users in Blackboard Learn, will help you discover how to maintain, control, and remove roles and users within Blackboard Learn.

Chapter 8, Using Tools and Utilities in Blackboard Learn, will show you how to use administrator tools within Blackboard Learn.

Chapter 9, Security, Reporting, and Configuration in Blackboard Learn, reviews how to improve security, how to create reports, and performance tuning options within Blackboard Learn environments.

Chapter 10, Authentication and Data Integration in Blackboard Learn, will teach you how to connect a Blackboard Learn environment to external authentication providers and student information systems.

Chapter 11, Implementing Building Blocks in Blackboard Learn, will show you how to add building blocks and other third-party tools to a Blackboard Learn instance.

Chapter 12, Logs, Troubleshooting, and Disaster Recovery in Blackboard Learn, reviews what logs can help troubleshoot issues within a Blackboard Learn environment, and how to develop a disaster-recovery plan.

Appendix shows the default actions for eight major system roles.

What you need for this book

Access to a Blackboard Learn environment is essential to gaining experience and following along as we discuss the different parts of the application. This environment is preferably a test or development instance. If you plan to use this book to build that environment, then that will work as well. We will also need a text editor, an XML editor, and an optional HTML editor.

Who this book is for

Most novice and advanced Blackboard Learn administrators will find this book helpful. It covers many of the basic skills that will be used on a regular basis, along with advanced topics such as performance tuning, external authentication, and data integration.

Conventions

In this book, you will find a number of styles of text that distinguish between different kinds of information. Here are some examples of these styles, and an explanation of their meaning.

Code words in text are shown as follows: Once completed, check that the DB_BLOCK_SIZE value is set to 8192.

A block of code is set as follows:

TEST-COURSE-001,Test Course A

TEST-COURSE-002,Test Course B,This is the course description

TEST-COURSE-003,Test Course C,This is the course description,#CCCC00/#003300

TEST-COURSE-004,Test Course - Marketing,This is the course description,#CCCC00/#003300,Welcome to this course.,Course Welcome,

TEST-COURSE-005,Test Course - Marketing,This is the course description, #CCCC00/#003300,Welcome to this course.,Course Welcome,Marketing

Any command-line input or output is written as follows:

SELECT tablespace_name, block_size FROM dba_tablespaces;

New terms and important words are shown in bold. Words that you see on the screen, in menus or dialog boxes for example, appear in the text like this: We click on the Downloads link that is found under the Self Service heading on the Behind the Blackboard website.

Note

Warnings or important notes appear in a box like this.

Tip

Tips and tricks appear like this.

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Chapter 1. Planning a Blackboard Learn Instance

Blackboard can be an overwhelming environment for any user when they first login, and it can be the same for administrators. Many administrators find the Blackboard environment assigned to us with little training and lots of documents to read. When family and friends ask me what Blackboard is, I normally compare the software to a virtual community. We as administrators play dog catcher, city plumber, master planner, police officer, garbage collector, fire fighter, and even the mayor. With all these different hats that we wear, it's time that we spend time learning more about how we can improve the ways in which we serve our virtual community.

In this chapter we will work to become familiar and comfortable with what Blackboard is and how we are going to set up our new Blackboard Learn instance.

What is Blackboard Learn?

Blackboard Learn is an enterprise-level learning management system similar to other products such as Desire2Learn, Canvas, Moodle, and Sakai. The software uses web tools to create content-based web pages that allow for a secure online environment for users to complete training or courses via the internet. Many organizations use Blackboard Learn for government entities, private companies, along with K12 and higher educational institutions.

Over the past few years, Blackboard has acquired many competitors including WebCT and Angel Learning. While both these product lines may be used within some organizations, Blackboard plans to end these product lines. We will spend this book concentrating on the product line entitled Blackboard Learn which combines Blackboard's WebCT line and the Blackboard Academic Suite line.

How does Blackboard Learn work?

The heart of Blackboard Learn is made up of multiple components. When installed on the Windows operating system, Blackboard uses the IIS web server. While on Linux and Solaris, Blackboard uses the Apache web server. Apart from the web servers, Blackboard Learn runs its own version of Tomcat, a web container that uses Blackboard's servlets to dynamically create web pages (called JavaServer Pages or .JSP files) to deliver course content and complete tasks. Tomcat creates these pages by accessing information stored within a database.

Blackboard also includes a collaboration server. This server creates a text-based environment which allows interaction between users in a basic form. Most administrators will initially have the collaboration server run beside Tomcat, however it can be installed to run on a separate server.

Blackboard Learn's databases run within Microsoft SQL or Oracle depending on some internal factors, such as if our organization contains a majority of Windows, Linux, or Solaris servers, database administrator experience, or application cost and support. The specific versions required by our Blackboard instance can be found in the release notes that accompany the Blackboard Learn installer. Each Blackboard Learn version may change what operating system and database application it supports.

The following diagram suggests the structure of a Blackboard Learn instance:

Blackboard Learn architecture

Most Blackboard administrators would agree that they strive to develop and maintain a stable Blackboard Learn environment. One of the most important factors to achieve that goal is a good foundation.

Earlier we used the example of a community, having good streets along with enough power and water will allow a community to support many residents. In this case, we need to examine the hardware and software requirements along with the different architecture options for our Blackboard Learn instance or virtual community. After we review our options, we can create a decision diagram that can help us decide what architecture options are right for our plans.

One server / Two server architecture

A one server architecture is the simplest installation of Blackboard Learn for an organization. A one server instance means that your database, application, and collaboration servers all reside on the same server.

The following diagram shows the structure of a one server architecture: