Modifying Instructor-Level Access to Blackboard Courses

Issue/Question

If we switch the instructor on Banner/TopNet will the course and content transfer over?

Resolution

Blackboard will always pick up the instructor from Banner/TopNet. Content is never harmed in this transition. Whoever is the instructor in Banner/TopNet will have access to the Blackboard site as the instructor.

Issue/Question

As a department head/supervisor, how can I gain access to all of the Blackboard course sites in my department?

Resolution

If you only want to be added to a few courses, you may request the instructors do so by following the steps in the related article Manually Adding Instructor, TA, or GA.

If you would like to be added to every course site within your department, contact the person who manages these courses in Banner/TopNet and request they add you to the course as an Instructor with 0% load. This gives departments full control over instructor enrollment.

Instructor changes for the course will automatically update in Blackboard at the top of the next hour, so you can access and manage the Blackboard course site same-day. You won't be able to see the course site in Faculty Tools, add or remove student rosters, add instructors or TAs, etc., until 6am the following day.

Issue/Question

A course in TopNet has the incorrect instructor listed.

Environment

• Banner/TopNet

Cause

Generally, a department's office associate or coordinator assigns the instructor role for courses in TopNet.

Resolution

Either the department's Office Associate/Coordinator or the Registrar's Office can update the instructor listing in TopNet. The Registrar's Office can be reached at 270-745-3351.

Issue/Question

How do I gain access to another instructor's Blackboard course? 

Environment

• WKU Blackboard Instructors
  • Blackboard

Resolution

It is preferable that the instructor adds other users to the course utilizing these steps if the additional instructor needs to only view the course for a short period of time. If the current instructor is no longer employed at WKU, cannot add additional instructors manually, or the additional instructor will need long-term access (such as with co-teaching) contact the person who manages the courses in question in Banner/TopNet and request they add you to the course as an Instructor with 0% load. This will give you access to the course from the instructor's level.

Instructor changes for the course will automatically update in Blackboard at the top of the next hour, so you can access and manage the Blackboard course site same-day. You won't be able to see the course site in Faculty Tools, add or remove student rosters, add instructors or TAs, etc., until 6am the following day.

Issue/Question

How do I remove an instructor from a Blackboard course?

Environment

• WKU Blackboard Instructors
  • Blackboard

Resolution

1. First try and remove the person that no longer needs instructor access by following these directions. 
2. If you are not able to remove the person who no longer needs access as an instructor because they are not available to select, this indicates that they have been added as some form of instructor of the course in TopNet / Banner. They will retain access to this course as an instructor until they are removed from record as having been an instructor of some kind. Please contact the person in your department (generally the office associate) who is responsible for assigning instructors to courses in TopNet and ask that the person be removed. Once this action has completed, they will be removed from the Blackboard site automatically at the top of the next hour, and Faculty Tools the following day at 6am.