Staff guide: Can’t see a Blackboard module? This guide explains how to request access depending on your role.
Do you want to enrol and edit users on a course you are involved with?
See the separate guides to managing course enrolments:
–Blackboard Ultra – managing staff enrolments.
–Blackboard Original – Manage users and course enrolment.
How are staff enrolled on Blackboard courses?
Auto-enrolment via Banner module enrolment
The Banner student record system holds data on staff and student enrolment in programmes and modules.
Blackboard courses connected to Banner modules have a module code and 5-digit CRN (course reference number) in their course ID, for example, SOES3058-1234-24-25.
The Module Lead (Primary Instructor in Banner) is automatically added as the Primary Instructor to Blackboard modules connected to Banner.
Instructors can also be added to modules via Banner, but this is not essential as Instructors (and other staff members) can be manually added directly to Blackboard courses.
Any changes in Banner will update the corresponding Blackboard course enrolments within an hour.
For help with Banner enrolments:
- See the sections below on how to request access depending on your role, but you can Contact your Faculty CQA office for questions about staff enrolment in Banner.
- Contact your School Administration and Assessment (A&A) team for help with Student enrolment in Banner modules.
Manual enrolment
If you don’t need access to Banner or you need immediate access, you can be added to Blackboard manually with an appropriate course role.
For help with manual/direct enrolment
Any member of staff can be manually added to a Blackboard course by the following people:
- The Module Lead.
- The Programme Lead.
- Course Instructors.
- Course Teaching Assistants.
- The Administration and Assessment Team BUT the A&A team are primarily responsible for student enrolments.
See the following guides:
- Blackboard Ultra – managing staff enrolments.
- Blackboard Original – Manage users and course enrolment.
Self Enrolment
Some staff roles such as Programme Leads and other leadership roles can self enrol onto Blackboard modules using our Staff Enroller tool.
How are users enrolled on Programme Courses and Custom courses?
These courses are not connected to Banner modules, but enrolment may still be linked to Banner enrolments or HR data.
- Programme Information courses (Blackboard course ID starts with PROG-) Contact the Programme Lead or school Administration and Assessment Team to request staff access to a programme course.
- Custom courses – These are used for staff and student training and department or faculty resources and communication. Contact the department responsible for the course for access information.
How do I request access to a Blackboard module?
You do not usually need to raise a ServiceLine ticket if you cannot see a Blackboard module you are involved with. See the guidance below for who to contact to request enrolment depending on your role.
Include the module code and 5-digit reference number with your request, for example, ECON1007-24689.
Module Lead
The Module Lead should be added to the module in Banner and CRUMS/Worktribe, but you can be added to Blackboard manually if you need instant access.
- Contact your Faculty CQA office who can organise to add you as the Primary Instructor in Banner, and the Module Co-Ordinator in Curriculum Manager (CRUMS). The CQA team will forward your request to Timetabling.
- For instant access to a module contact your Programme Lead, the previous Module Lead or your School Administration and Assessment (A&A) team who can add you directly to the Blackboard module as an Instructor (if you are not teaching the module and do not wish to appear to students on the instructors list you can be added as Teaching Assistant).
- If you are listed as the Module Lead in CRUMS/Worktribe, but you are not appearing on the Blackboard course then raise a ServiceLine ticket. It can take some time for CRUMS data to update Banner.
Instructor/Lecturer
Course Instructors are visible to students so this role should only be used for staff directly responsible for teaching the course.
- Contact your Module Lead who can add you directly to the module as an Instructor.
- Email timetabling@southampton.ac.uk to ensure you are on the timetable.
- Contact your Faculty CQA office if you also want to be enrolled on the module via Banner.
Teaching Assistant
Teaching Assistants have the same full editing permissions as Instructors but are not visible to students.
- Contact the Module Lead or any course Instructor and they can add you manually to the course with the role of Teaching Assistant or Course Builder (no access to student data).
- Any course Instructor can add you to a connected Team if you deliver online sessions.
- Email timetabling@southampton.ac.uk if you need to be included on the module timetable.
PGR Student Demonstrator
- You will need a staff IT account and username. This should be issued to you via UniWorkForce. If you do not have a staff account yet, please check your email or follow up with UniWorkForce to enquire.
- Don’t forget to subscribe to activate your staff computing account.
- If this is the first time you are requesting staff access to Blackboard, complete this online form to request access to University systems. This ensures new staff members are set up on all systems including Banner and timetabling.
- Contact the Module Lead or any course Instructor and they can add you manually to the course with the role of Teaching Assistant or Course Builder (no access to student data).
- Any course Instructor can add you to a connected Team if you deliver online sessions.
- Email timetabling@southampton.ac.uk if you need to be included on the module timetable.
- Follow the guidance on logging into Blackboard if you have more than one University account.
Programme Lead
The Programm Lead in Blackboard can edit course enrolments to add and remove users and change their role, but can only view content and the Gradebook.
- If you are teaching or leading a module, follow the guidance above to be added as a Module Lead or Instructor.
- Programme Leads can use the Staff Enroller tool to self-enrol onto any Blackboard module included inyour programme(s), with the course role of Programme Lead.
- You can also check recent announcements in courses using the Programme Lead Course Announcements tool.
Leadership roles and anyone requiring auditing access to courses
The Blackboard Auditing Instructor role gives view-only access to Blackboard content and Gradecentre. (the Ultra Gradebook is no currently available for this role so request to be added as a Teaching assistant if you require this access)
- Leadership roles can request access to Staff Enroller and can self-enrol on any module with the course role Auditing Instructor.
- The Module Lead, Programme Lead, or any course Instructor can add an Auditing Instructor to a single Blackboard course.
Examiner/moderator (University staff)
If you have been asked to moderate a Blackboard cmodule that you do not directly teach, and need only temporary view-only access.
- Contact the Module Lead, Programme Lead or School Administration and Assessment (A&A) team who can add you manually to the course with the role of External Examiner.
External Examiner
External Examiners are added to Blackboard manually and have view-only access to content and the Gradebook.
You should contact the School Administration and Assessment (A&A) or the person who has invited you to become an external examiner.
They will assist you in gaining access to Blackboard and the relevant assignment platforms.
Please see our guides:
Marker
A Blackboard marker can add feedback and marks to assessments and Blackboard Gradebook, but cannot edit course content.
- Contact the Module Lead or School Administration and Assessment (A&A) who can add you manually to a course as a Marker.
NHS staff
Starting from September 2024, all NHS accounts (both old and new) will use federated accounts to access Blackboard and other University applications.
Federated authentication accounts allow users to access University of Southampton applications using their credentials from a trusted organisation, such as nhs.net or uhs.nhs.uk, and support single sign-on.
- Follow this guide to for information and register for federated access to University systems using your NHS email.
- See this guide if you need help with logging into Blackboard with an NHS account.
- To request access to a Blackboard course, contact the Module Lead or administrator, or ask a colleague who is enrolled on the course to add you with an appropriate course role.
Administration and Assessment team members
- Fill out this form to request SES Banner Gradebook access to modules.
- SES users enrolled in Banner are auto-enrolled on Blackboard courses as Administrators. We are updating this process and you will shortly be able manage your Blackboard course enrolments.
Library staff
Library staff can self-enrol onto Blackboard modules with the role of Library Staff to support reading lists and course content.
- Contact your line manager about access to the Blackboard Staff Enroller tool
- See this guide for more information on the Staff Enroller Tool.
- Any course Instructor can add you to a connected Team if you deliver online sessions.
Learning support assistant
LSAs can view Blackboard courses (and connected Teams) to support individual students.
- Contact the Student Disability and Inclusion Team via studenthub@soton.ac.uk. The SDI team can add LSAs to the Staff Enroler tool and enrol you onto Blackboard courses with the role of Learning Support Assistant.
- See this guide on how to Self-Enrol in courses as an LSA using Staff Enroller.
New staff
- Complete this online form to request access to University systems. This ensures new staff are set up on all systems including Banner, Gradebook and timetabling.
- You will need your staff Username (e.g. abc1a22) and a list of the Blackboard modules/CRNs which you need access to. If you do not have a staff account yet, please await instructions via email, and ensure that you subscribe to activate your computing account.
Guests and Visitors
Users with visitor contracts will generally receive a Southampton account from HR and should access the relevant applications using this Southampton username and password.
New members of staff should wait for their computing account access to be activated once they have received their staff IT account. Staff cannot access Blackboard before they have an University IT account.
Visitors who work regularly with the Univesrity can apply for a visitor account. This can take up to 3 months and your application for visitor status should be supported by a host Faculty/nominiated contact.
Guest Lecturers can be invited to participate in online lectures and webinars without being given access to Blackboard courses:
If you are recording a guest lecturer, make sure you ask them to sign a Guest Lecturer Agreement Form and send this to legal services.
Related systems
Blackboard is the University of Southampton’s primary Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). When you request access to Blackboard, you may expect access to other closely related systems.
If you are enrolled on a module in Blackboard, you will automatically gain permissions for the associated platforms:
You may need to take additional actions for access to:
Getting Help
Contact details can be found on the iSolutions – Getting help webpage. You can raise a support ticket by telephone, email or self-service.
Try to include:
- Why you need access to the Blackboard course
- The course name, ID or module number
- What level of access you require (Instructor, Teaching Assistant, Student)
- How long you require access (temporary, year-on-year)