MSU has purchased from Blackboard unlimited telephone and e-mail support during regular business hours for all faculty members using the system. Departments and colleges pay nothing. All software costs, server space, and training are paid for by Libraries, Computing, and Technology. Departments and schools will authorize a faculty member for each course in which the faculty member wants to use Blackboard. This authorization will be similar to that provided by schools and departments in controlling access to course AFS space in the current system, and will allow the instructors to have the appropriate level of access to create and manage their course materials.
Blackboard provides a website for each course taught by an instructor.
The website can be populated by the instructor to include syllabi, readings, computer-based slideshows, spreadsheets, and links to other websites. Any digitized file can be made part of a course web site. In addition, Blackboard provides synchronous and asynchronous chat programs, a course calendar, secure document exchange, a grade book, and an on-line examination system. Faculty need only have basic computer keyboard and file management skills. Faculty who can use a word processor, an e-mail program such as Outlook or Eudora, and can manage the files on their own computers will have no trouble learning to use Blackboard.