Blackboard Help for Students
On This Page:
- "How do I find my online course?"
- Spring 2017 Blackboard Open Houses
- Meet with a Technology Assisstant for Blackboard Instruction
- Video Tutorial
- Additional Blackboard Resources
- Technical Support
"How do I find my online course?"
USM’s online courses are located on a website called “Blackboard”.
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You will need the username and password of your UMS Account. This is the same username and password you may have already used to access your course schedule, financials, or student email. If you need assistance with your UMS account, you can consult the resources on the UMS Accounts page (accounts.maine.edu), or call the tech support center at 1-800-696-4357.
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Log into the USM Portal (my.usm.maine.edu) with your UMS Account.
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Select the Blackboard button in the Launch Pad at the left of the screen.
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You will be taken to the Blackboard main page. Any online courses you are registered for are listed in the “My Courses” block, as seen in the image below.
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Finally, click the name of your course to be taken to it.
You can also use this link to go directly to Blackboard (bb.courses.maine.edu). The advantage of going through the USM Portal first, is it gives you access to all of the other tools the university provides in one place.
Spring 2017 Blackboard Open Houses
Whether you want a full introduction to the features of Blackboard or just want to review a few functions, the Blackboard Open Houses offer USM students opportunities for high-touch, personal practice with Blackboard. This will include how to:
- Log into Blackboard via the USM portal
- Locate all of your Blackboard courses
- Find faculty contact information
- Participate in discussion boards
- Upload assignments
- Check grades
This link has the schedule of the Blackboard Open House sessions for the Portland and Gorham campuses. You can drop in at any time during these two-hour blocks. Bring a laptop or other device if you have one for some hands-on practice!
Meet with a Technology Assistant for Blackboard Instruction
At any point in the semester, USM students can find support for Blackboard. For a quick question, the best option is to call the USM Help Desk: (207)780-4029 or 1-800-696-4357 (HELP).
Feeling comfortable and confident with Blackboard is just as important as getting a quick question answered. Sometimes more in-depth instruction on how to use Blackboard is what a student needs, and the Technology Assistants at the Learning Commons can provide this personal instruction. All appointments can be either in the Learning Commons location or online.
To reserve a time with a Technology Assistant (in 50-minute blocks), students can use the self-scheduling system on the Learning Commons’ website. It allows students to see all the appointments in every subject area on all three campuses, with each campus having its own calendar for the semester. The Technology Assistants’ availability can be found by using the subject drop-down menu. Here is the the link to the website.
Appointments can also be scheduled by calling the Learning Commons at (207)780-4228, or visiting either of our locations:
- 2nd Floor, Glickman Library, Portland Campus
- 1st Floor, Gorham Campus Library, Bailey Hall
Video Tutorial
Here is a video from our friends at University College that demonstrates how to get to your Blackboard course. It is slightly different than what we showed you above, as it skips going to the Portal.
Additional Blackboard Resources
The following links will take you to various tutorials on how to use various tool Blackboard provides. These should cover most of the tasks you will use as an Online student.
- Discussion Boards
- Submitting Assignments
- Checking your Grades for a Course
- Tests and Quizzes
- Journals
Technical Support
If you are having technical issues with Blackboard, call the University Technical Support Center via 1-800-696-4357 (HELP). You can also e-mail them via techsupport@maine.edu.