Blackboard System Troubleshooting Guide

Administrator's Guide to Blackboard System Issues

Answer

Definitions

  • Blackboard System - composed of Learn, Community and Content.

  • Blackboard Learn - Learning management system to control semester/term based courses.

  • Blackboard Community - management system to control long duration organizations.

  • Blackboard Content - advanced storage component for the rest of the Blackboard system.

  • PeopleSoft - the student data system, the “system of record”

  • Institutional Hierarchy - Course are divided into different nodes based on their 3 big buckets: Academic, CTED & Talent Development.  The Academic node is further divided by divisional owner; BIT, CRLS, General Studies, Health, Trades, & Public Safety.  

 

Source of Problem

  • Is it a Blackboard issue?

  • Is it a PeopleSoft issue?

Usually, the feed files will tell.

 

Kind of Problem

  • Is this a “how do I” question? then contact the Technology Training Consultant inside of Talent Development with any additional questions 920-498-6266 or talentdevelopment@nwtc.edu.
  • Is this a “is this broken” or does Blackboard do xyz? then involve Learning Solutions

 

Feed Files

Location

   -  \gbfs01b\bbintegration$

Times Files Run

   - With the transition to Managed Hosting, all files runs at 1 am, 7 am, 10 am, 1 pm, 4 pm, 7 pm & 10 pm

Files Include

(they only effect Blackboard Learn):

Course files (based on term and delivery mode)-

  • CRS_FAL (includes 01, 02, 21, 24, AC, FS, IA, IS, MT, NS, P, PD, SC, VC, SP, VA)

  • CRS_FAL_MSTR (includes 04, B)

  • CRS_SPR

  • CRS_SPR_MSTR

  • CRS_SUM

  • CRS_SUM_MSTR

 

Enrollment files  (based on term and even/odd year)-

  • ENR_FAL_E

  • ENR_FAL_O

  • ENR_SPR_O

  • ENR_SUM_O

 

Faculty Assignment files  (based on term and even/odd year)-

  • FACASSIGN_FAL_E

  • FACASSIGN_FAL_O

  • FACASSIGN_SPR_O

  • FACASSIGN_SUM_O

 

User/membership file -

  • USR

 

Example of data in Files:

Course file -

  • EXTERNAL_COURSE_KEY|COURSE_ID|COURSE_NAME|AVAILABLE_IND|DESCRIPTION|DURATION|INSTITUTION_NAME|TEMPLATE_COURSE_KEY|TERM_KEY|DIVISION

  • 2158_81002|P_42531431AUG15_81002|#81002 - August 24 - CPR Heartsaver AED|N| |Continuous|Northeast Wisconsin Technical College|Bb_Template_New|2158|6

 

Enrollment file -

  • EXTERNAL_PERSON_KEY|EXTERNAL_COURSE_KEY|ROLE|ROW_STATUS

  • 21676548|2158_81004|Student|enabled

 

Faculty Assignment file -

  • EXTERNAL_PERSON_KEY|EXTERNAL_COURSE_KEY|ROLE|ROW_STATUS

  • 00008000|2158_81002|Instructor|enabled

 

User/membership file -

  • SYSTEM_ROLE|INSTITUTION_ROLE|EXTERNAL_PERSON_KEY|USER_ID|PASSWD|FIRSTNAME|MIDDLENAME|LASTNAME|EMAIL|M_PHONE|ROW_STATUS

  • None|Student|00000227|00000227||Susan||Urbancic|susan.urbancic@mymail.nwtc.edu|920/360-6994|enabled

 

In general, if it is not in PeopleSoft, then it is not in the feed files, then it is not in Blackboard. Integrations run to process the feed files and bring the PeopleSoft data into Blackboard.  Integration run at 1 am, 7 am, 10 am, 1 pm, 4 pm, 7 pm and 10 pm.

 

Blackboard Issues

“I do not have access (can not log in)”

  • They are not in Blackboard

  • They are in Blackboard, but disabled.

    • 3 statuses

      • normal

      • unavailable - very rare, can be controlled by the Blackboard GUI

      • disable - uncommon, can only be controlled by integrations

user status.png

 

“I can not see my course”

  • similar to above

  • They are not enroll in the course

    • PeopleSoft? Feed file?

  • The course is unavailable

    • Online/blended is tied to course start date.

    • In person is Instructor controlled.

  • The course is hidden by the “Manage Gear”

 

“... course copy ...”

 

“... Blackboard (insert knowledge base topic) is not working...”

  • knowledge base search, known issue?

 

“My (insert item) is missing from my shell.  It was there before the Managed Hosted transition.”

  • Search in our current Managed Hosted system, if it is missing then search for course in self-host environment

  • https://oldblackboard.nwtc.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp

  • If course is in the self-host environment, then it is most likely disabled.  Ask Nate to re-enable it.

  • Search newly enable course, if it is there then export course to zip file. (Archiving includes the roster.)

  • Import course with ID+”SH” (can not have 2 courses with the same ID)

  • Grant instructor access to recovered course.

 

“Can I get access to a Template?”

 

SEMESTER START

“Can I get several sections of my combined into one?”

  • yes, Merging courses requires knowing which course should be the parent and which one(s) will be the child(children).

  • This is also related to VA/VC courses

  • Sometimes called stacking

  • knowledge base: https://nwtech.libanswers.com/a.php?qid=465260

 

“The student can’t see any material beyond Learning Plan 1.”

  • Adaptive release is in use connected to the “Share Your Personal Plan”.

  • The personal plan comes from the Begin Here Section



“A video conference parent needs to be changed.”

  • Maybe.  Yes, before the term starts.  No, after term has begun.  

  • If yes, separate child from parent the re-merge.

 

“Credit by Exam.”

  • student not enrolled - enroll they if they have paperwork.

  • test is hung - delete student’s attempt



MID - SEMESTER

“Tests.”

  • test is hung - delete student’s attempt








  • Last Updated Jan 14, 2019
  • Views 336
  • Answered By Help Desk Help Desk

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Comments (2)

  1. this one was confusing to me
    by barb on Jul 18, 2017
  2. This is designed just for Blackboard Learn Administrative staff.
    by Steve Sinclair on Aug 21, 2017