FAQ

Problem:  I don’t know my Username and Password.

• Highlands provides computer and email accounts to all students.  In order to access Blackboard/WebCT you will need a username and password.  These are assigned automatically.
• To obtain your Username and to learn your temporary Password, or reset your password:  (temporary Password is your birthday, mmddyy.)  (You will need to change your password before logging into Blackboard/WebCT.  Password must contain at least six characters – no recognizable words/names, consisting of upper and lower case letters and/or numbers.)
• On campus:  Using any university computer, login with a username of HELP (case is not important) and leave the password blank.
• Off campus:  Start an internet browser and go to http://its.nmhu.edu/help
• Follow the menus to get your Username and Password or to obtain more help.

Problem:  How do I access Blackboard/WebCT?

• To go directly to Blackboard/WebCT, click on https://bb.nmhu.edu or from the Highlands homepage, click on Quick Links, and then select Blackboard.  Click on the hyperlink titled Login to Blackboard. 
• If this is your first time using Blackboard/WebCT, click on check browser, on the top, right hand corner of the page.  Everything should have a green check mark next to it.  If it doesn’t, follow the steps under problem.  (I get a check browser pop-up window when I log into Blackboard/WebCT for the first time.)

Problem:  I get a Check Browser pop up window when I log into Blackboard/WebCT for the first time.

• When the Browser Check Results window opens.  Check to see that every item has a check mark next to it.

• If there is an X next to any item the computer is not configured properly.
• Click on the Browser Tune-up Page link to properly configure your browser.

Problem:  I have a red X next to Pop-Up Blocker Check and Java Check.  (These are the two items that generally have the X.)

Pop-Up Blocker Check:

• Click on Start, Control Panel, Internet Options.  Click on the Privacy tab, click in the box next to Turn on Pop-Up Blocker (there should not be a check mark in this box).
• You may have other Pop-Up Blockers enable in the internet browser you use.  You will need to turn all Pop-Up Blockers off.

Java Check:

• You need to have J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 12 installed on your computer.
• To verify which version of Java is installed click on Start, Control Panel, and Add or Remove Programs. Look for the version listed above. If you have other version installed click on them one at a time and remove them.

Problem:  My course is using Elluminate Live and I can’t get it to open.

• To configure you computer go to http://elluminate.com/support and follow the directions.  After checking configuration go through the following steps.
• Click on Start.
• Click on Control Panel.
• Double click Internet Options.
• Select the General tab, under the section titled Browsing History; select the command button titled Settings.  Select the radio dial next to Every Time I visit the webpage, then click OK.
• Select the Privacy tab, select the Advanced command button.  Select the checkbox to the left of Override automatic cookie handling; make sure the radio dial Accept is selected under both the First and Third party Cookies; and select the checkbox to the left of Always allow session cookies.  Click OK.
• Select the Content tab, under the section titled Certificates, click on Clear SSL State to clear the cache.  Click OK to accept the cleared cache notification, and a second time to accept the changes.  This will also close the Internet Options box.
• You will now be able to access Elluminate Live.

Tips for Blackboard/WebCT Tools

SYLLABUS: To access the syllabus, go to the course homepage and click on the icon.  Read the syllabus carefully.  Also, you will need to print a hard copy and save it in your files.  Information on class policies, requirements, textbooks, grading scale, etc. are all found on the syllabus.

CHAT ROOMS:  To access, under course tools (on the left hand side of your course), click on chat. There may also be a link on the homepage; you can click the link as well to enter chat.  Click on common room unless otherwise instructed to go to a different room.  The instructor may create more than one chat room.  Please be on time – it is a good idea to try to arrive about five minutes before the chat is scheduled to begin.  To chat (make a comment, send a response), type your message into the small white box at the bottom of the Chat Room screen.  When you finish, hit the enter key and it will show up on the screen.  When you are ready to leave the chat session, click on the X on the top right corner of the window.  Be patient! Some people do not type as fast as others!

EMAIL:  To access, under course tools (on the left hand side of your course), click on email (there may also be a link on the homepage; you can click the link as well to enter email).  This is an in-class email system only! That is, it only allows you to send emails to the instructor or to your classmates enrolled in this class.  You cannot use it to send emails outside of class; for that you must use either your Highlands email or your private email.  New mail messages will appear in your inbox.  To access them, click on inbox and then click on the message you want to read.  To send an email message, click on create message.  Click on browse for recipients to find the person(s) you want to send the email message to.  When the selected message recipients window opens, place a check mark next to the person(s) to whom you want to send the message and click save.  Type a subject in subject line and then the message.  You can send attachments as well, just as you would with any other email system.  When you are finished composing email message click on send at the bottom of the page.

ASSIGNMENT: To access, under course tools (on the left hand side of your course), click on assignment (there may also be a link on the homepage; you can click the link as well to enter assignment).  When you go into assignment, it will show all your assignments for that course.  Click on the assignment on which you are going to work.  A window will open asking if you want to open, save, or cancel.  You can open the document and then save it to you computer; you can also save (make sure you note where you save it) the document to your computer in order to work, or if you opened the wrong assignment, click on cancel.  To find the instructions for each specific assignment, click on that assignment. 

To submit an assignment, you will need to open your email (in Blackboard/WebCT) and create a message to the instructor.  You can add your assignment as an attachment.  Most assignments are submitted through email unless otherwise instructed by the instructor.

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