Communicate with Students

Course Web space

• Blackboard. Blackboard course websites are automatically created for most courses and become available to students when the instructors decide to activate them. Please visit the Blackboard website for more information on locating your course site and making it available to students.
  
  
• Public web space. Additional web space and/or file storage space may be available on acpub or on your departmental server. To request space on acpub, contact the OIT Help Desk. For departmental web space, contact your departmental IT support group.
  
  
• Shared file space. It is generally possible to set up a shared file-saving space that you can use as a common workspace with your class. You can use this space as a place to store documents being used in class writing or development projects. Everyone in the class will be able to access these documents through the standard AFS login used in the OIT computer labs and ICC classroom.
  
  
  The professor teaching the class should write the Help Desk at help@duke.edu or call the Help Desk at 684-2200 to place an application for a class shared space. Provide the following information:
  
  
  • Your name and contact information (telephone number and email address).
  • The name of the class that will be using the space (e.g., WRITING 20.76, or CHEM 231).
  • The number of students in the class.
  • An estimate of the amount of space you will need. Space is not unlimited, so try to estimate conservatively.
  • Specify that read/write access is needed so that students can copy files to the shared space as well as read files from it.

The Course Syllabus serves as a mechanism to communicate key course and university information to your students. Consider including the links to the resources listed below on your course syllabus in Blackboard.

• Academic and exam schedules
• Academic Integrity Council
• Blackboard
• Duke Community Standard
  

Blackboard is an easy-to-use Web-based course management system featuring a point-and-click interface and requiring only a web browser to use. The features of Blackboard include tools for posting a class syllabus, assignments, documents and links; threaded discussions; email capabilities; electronic file exchange; chat room and whiteboard; group pages features for student team projects; online quizzes, surveys and grade book; calendar; statistical information on student activity; and much more.

The Office of the University Registrar also provides a class mailing list request form.