Blackboard Student Help & Support

students on laptops
The University of Alaska Anchorage offers a wide variety of support services to every student. The information below can help you navigate technical support, accessibility resources, academic services, UAA policies and procedures, and more. Campus-specific resources are noted where useful.

 

Course Technologies

As a UAA student, you have access to many types of technology tools. Use this section to learn more about the technologies we support across our courses.

  • Blackboard

    Blackboard

    UA Blackboard Learn is UAA’s primary online space for courses. Most UAA courses use the Original course view, but a few are piloting Ultra this year. Your instructor will tell you if you are using Ultra, but if you aren’t sure:

    Learn more about Blackboard with Blackboard student help (Original), including Blackboard video tutorials. 

    For help with Ultra, try:

    The Learning Commons (in the Academic Support Services tab) can also help you with Blackboard basics.

    These are the most commonly used Blackboard tools:

    • Content: Your instructors will post readings, videos, web links, etc. in Blackboard
    • Discussions: The Discussion Board is a common way to interact with classmates
    • Assignments
    • Tests: Instructors may use this tool for quizzes, assignments with multiple questions, or ungraded practice activities, not just exams. Some courses use a remote proctoring service for exams, Honorlock. Check your syllabus and/or course orientation for more information
    • My Grades: In addition to scores or grades, make sure to check your work for instructor feedback

    Blackboard includes an accessibility tool, Ally. Blackboard Ally help shows how to convert files into alternative formats.

  • Blackboard-Integrated Tools

    Blackboard-Integrated Tools

    My Media (Kaltura)

    Kaltura is a video tool built into Blackboard. Instructors may use Kaltura to post videos for you to watch. If you have difficulty watching videos in Blackboard, contact IT Services for help. Visit our Creating Videos guide to learn how to use Kaltura to record, caption, store, and share videos in your courses. If you have trouble with Kaltura videos, you can contact the Instructional Media Studio at uaa_instructionalmedia@alaska.edu or at 907-786-4850.

    VoiceThread

    VoiceThread is a platform for asynchronous discussions on slides, images, or video presentations. Your instructor may use it to post mini-lectures, host discussions, or assign student presentations. You can only access it through Blackboard.

    Publisher content

    Many instructors link to textbooks and publisher learning platforms. For help with these, use the platform’s help portal.

  • Zoom

    Zoom

    UA has a pro account for Zoom. Follow the Getting Started with Zoom instructions to activate your account, download the app, and learn to use it. Some courses use Zoom for class meetings. If so, the instructor usually posts a link in Blackboard to access the class Zoom sessions.

  • eWolf ePortfolio

    eWolf ePortfolio

    Digication is UAA's ePortfolio tool. Instructors may require the use of eWolf ePortfolio for your course. The ePortfolio lets you capture your course projects and reflect on your assignments, and can be a place for you to showcase work throughout your degree program. ePortfolio support is available and resources can be found on the eWolf Folio 411 site.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Our courses adhere to all UAA Academic Policies and Processes as published in the most current version of the UAA Catalog. Please take time to review both the Catalog and UAA Student Handbook.

  • Notice of Non-Discrimination

    Notice of Non-Discrimination

    UA is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer, educational institution and provider and prohibits illegal discrimination against any individual: www.alaska.edu/nondiscrimination.

    Title IX Statement

    University of Alaska Anchorage policies prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, genetic information, disability and protected veteran status. Discrimination includes any form of unequal treatment such as denial of opportunities, harassment, and violence. Sex-based violence includes rape, sexual assault, unwanted touching, stalking, dating/interpersonal violence, and sexual exploitation.

    If you experience discrimination, you are encouraged (but not required) to report the incident to the UAA Office of Equity and Compliance. Learn more about your rights and options at its website or call 907-786-0818. You also may make an anonymous report online. The Office of Equity and Compliance website also includes a list of confidential resources for support and advocacy.

  • Disability Support Services

    Disability Support Services

    If you experience a disability or suspect you experience a disability, please contact Disability Support Services to arrange for disability-related accommodations. UAA is committed to providing equal access to learning opportunities for students with documented disabilities. To ensure access to your classes and program, please contact DSS to engage in a confidential conversation about the process for requesting accommodations. (Meetings can occur by telephone or Zoom.) Accommodations are not provided retroactively, so please start this process early. 

    You are also welcome to contact the Disability Support Services office at uaa_dss@alaska.edu or 907-786-4530. Please see the DSS website for contacts at the community campuses, UAF, and UAS.

    Learn more about Disability Support Services:

  • Academic Integrity

    Academic Integrity

    Academic integrity is a basic principle that requires students to take credit only for ideas and efforts that are their own. Cheating, plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty are defined in the Student Code of Conduct, which can be found in the UAA Student Handbook.

    Instances of cheating, plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty will first go through the student conduct process and then, if a violation of the Student Code of Conduct is found, academic sanctions may occur in addition to disciplinary sanctions. The Student Conduct Review Procedures are outlined in the UAA Student Handbook.

    To learn more about academic integrity, take the UAA tutorial. To access the tutorial, log in to Blackboard, go to UAA Academic Integrity Tutorial, then click Enroll. You can also read the UAA/APU Consortium Library academic integrity guide. 

  • Academic Disputes

    Academic Disputes

    The University has policies related to your rights as a student and the process for working through any disputes you may have. Those processes can be found in the section of the Catalog covering Academic Rights of Students and the Academic Dispute Resolution Procedure.

    Students are responsible for knowing deadlines related to registration including add/drop, withdrawal, and refund deadlines. Those are posted by the UAA Registrar. 

Academic Support Services

These services can help you excel in your courses and fulfill your academic goals. Reach out to them early for the best results.

  • Academic Advising

    Academic Advising

    Begin your university experience by meeting with an academic advisor to determine the best program for you and plan a degree route to graduate in a timely manner. Visit Academic Advising to find your advisor or or log in to Navigate to schedule an appointment with your advisor.

  • Faculty

    Faculty

    UAA faculty are the best resource for academic support. Regular communication with professors can help you stay on track with your course assignments. You can find your instructor’s contact information and office hours on the course syllabus.

  • Learning Support

    Learning Support

    Learning Commons

    The UAA Learning Commons offers student learning support resources for all UAA students, including a math lab, writing center, academic coaching center, tutoring in select subjects, and on-campus computer labs and study areas. Many of their services are available virtually. 

    Community Campus Resources

    Online Tutoring

    In addition to online tutoring through the Learning Commons, all Alaska residents can get tutoring through the Alaska Library Network’s program with tutor.com. This service provides help on K-12 and intro-level college subjects.

    Disability-Related Accommodations

    UAA is committed to providing equal access to learning opportunities for students with documented disabilities. Please contact Disability Support Services to arrange for disability-related accommodations. More information about DSS is available in the Student Rights & Responsibilities tab and on its website.

    TRIO

    TRIO provides academic mentoring and other student support services for first-generation, Pell grant-eligible, and/or students who experience disabilities. Please see the Representation and Engagement Resources section in the Student Services tab for more community-specific support options.

  • Libraries

    Libraries

    The UAA/APU Consortium Library resources include electronic books, databases, online periodicals, substantial on-campus collections, and interlibrary loan. Libraries also have quiet study areas and access to computers. All UAA students are welcome to use the Consortium library resources:

    The community campuses also have libraries for their students’ use:

  • Online Classes

    Online Classes

    Please review the IT Services technology expectations for online classes.

    Check with your academic advisor to be sure you understand how to participate in your online courses and keep up with activities. The Learning Commons academic coaches (under Learning Support above) can help you master Blackboard.

  • Test Proctoring

    Test Proctoring

     The UAA Testing Center provides Anchorage campus testing for exams through a UAA, UAF, or UAS online course. It also offers UAA placement testing, exam proctoring for outside universities, and many other placement exams for a fee.

    Some of our online courses use Honorlock, a remote proctoring service for exams. Check your syllabus and/or course orientation to learn whether your course uses Honorlock. If it does, instructions on how to schedule your proctored exam will be posted in the course before any exams. For more assistance with remote proctoring:

    If you are eligible for disability-related accommodations on tests, please contact Disability Support Services for more information and scheduling.

  • Textbooks and Course Materials

    Textbooks and Course Materials

    Students are responsible for accessing required course materials. Before courses start, you can see what materials are required by checking the UAA Online Bookstore (all campuses). Print orders take time to ship, so order materials early if possible. Once the course is available in Blackboard, check the syllabus or course introduction for information on required materials.

Student Services

Take advantage of the wide variety of services and resources available at UAA to help promote your academic and personal success and well-being.

Faculty Development & Instructional Support 
Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence, Academic Innovations & eLearning, and Center for Community Engagement and Learning 
Library 213 • 907-786-4496 • uaa_cafe@alaska.edu • Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.