Common Questions When Going Online

  • Q: Will I need to caption all of my online videos?
    • A: You almost always need captions on your online videos, whether you create the video yourself or get it from another source. The one exception to this rule comes into play if your class meets the following criteria: 1) Your class typically meets in-person and not online AND 2) You will never reuse the video AND 3) There is no one in your course currently receiving accommodations that require captions. 
  • Q: I will be holding "real time" (also known as "synchronous") events such as lecture and office hours.  Do these live events also require captioning?
    • A: You only need to caption real time/synchronous events if you have an undefined audience (for example, your streamed event is available to the public) or if someone in your course is receiving accommodations that require captions. Keep in mind that if you plan to save a version of your online event for use later, it will probably need to be captioned when you reuse the video.  
  • Q: Going online means I have to rely more on documents and PowerPoints than before. How do I learn more about using my Microsoft applications?
    • A: Wichita State's Information Technology Services (ITS) has great Microsoft Applications trainings. To find out more about their many services check out their Microsoft Office at WSU page.
  • Q: Do I have to use Blackboard? Or can I use other technologies such as my own personal website, social media sites, Dropbox, or Google Docs and Forms?
    • A: You have the academic freedom to choose the delivery method of your online material within the following parameters: 1) your material must be fully accessible, and you must be willing and able to assess that accessibility, 2) your material must be FERPA compliant. If you choose not to use Blackboard, it is likely that you will not be able to receive technical support from Instructional Design and Access or other University support offices.
  • Q: Can I upload video files directly to Blackboard?
    • A: Technically speaking you "can" but you should not. Loading video files into Blackboard classes makes your class much slower to load and more prone to technical problems. Instead, you should upload your MP4 or other video files to a video hosting service such as Panopto or YouTube.
  • Q: My students (or I) sometimes get timed out of Blackboard. This seems to be a particular problem during tests. How can I keep this from happening?
    • A: You should always login to Blackboard directly through the web address blackboard.wichita.edu.  Do not login to Blackboard through the MyWSU portal as that is a timed environment, and it will time you out after a short period of time. 
  • Q: I'd like to change the background colors of my Blackboard class.  Can I do that myself?
    • A: It is easy and fun to change your Blackboard theme and colors. Remember, though, that students find it disorienting if their class changes during a live term, so make all the changes you want before students arrive for the first day of class.
  • Q: How can I keep my students from cheating on tests in Blackboard?
    • A: If you would like to require proctored tests, you have the ability to do that when you put your syllabus together, but all proctoring fees must be divulged in the syllabus at the start of the term. If you are putting your class online in an emergency, it may not be possible to require proctoring services because of the lack of cost notification.  Regardless, it is easy to discourage cheating in an online test.  Instructional Design and Access suggests the following steps, and the Intermediate and Advanced Blackboard training videos with help with the necessary skills to follow them:
      • Create a test pool with more test questions than you will require on any given test. For example, if your test will have 20 questions on it, create a test pool with 40 questions in it. Then create your test so that it draws randomly from that pool.
      • For multiple choice questions, choose "randomize answers" for all questions.  NOTE: Instead of having the choice "all of the above are correct/wrong," write that kind of response as "none of these answers are correct" or "all of these answers are correct."
      • Set a timer for your test.  NOTE: do not choose the option "force completion" as it causes technical problems with tests. Instead you can choose the option "Auto-Submit ON" if you want the test to submit automatically at the end of the time whether students have completed or not. If you need to extend the amount of time or number of attempts for a particular student, you can do so easily.
  • Q: How can I get a "real person" to help me with my Blackboard problems/questions?
    • A: Yes! You can come to Instructional Design and Access's (IDA) lab times every Tuesday and Wednesday (all year! if the University is open, labs are open) from 1:00pm-3:00pm in the C-Space in the Ablah Library. The labs are come-and-go and provide individual attention.  IDA does not offer a drop-in service to their offices, but if you need to meet at a time other than labs, you can make an appointment by emailing IDA@wichita.edu. 
  • Q: What are those little colored dials in my class, and are some colors better than others?
    • A: Those dials are indicators that tell you if uploaded files are accessible.  Dials that are red and have the indicator pointing to the left indicate inaccessible documents. Dials that are green and have the indicator pointing to the right indicate accessible documents. Find out more about Ally from Blackboard.
  • Q: How do I login to Blackboard?
    • A: You should always login to Blackboard directly through the web address blackboard.wichita.edu.  Do not login to Blackboard through the MyWSU portal as that is a timed environment, and it will time you out after a short period of time. 
  • Q: What do I do if I have technical problems in Blackboard?
    • A: The first thing to try is to switch browsers! Often, technical problems can be resolved in this way. The next thing to try is to check that you are logged in to Blackboard correctly. If these quick fixes don't help, submit a OneStop ticket for technical help. 
  • Q: I want to develop an online class. Who do I contact?