From time to time, software that interacts with Blackboard will undergo changes that warrant attention from users. This Bbulletin area will highlight such changes and offer tips for both instructors and students.

 

Bbulletin: Working with Microsoft Office 2007

Bbulletin: Working with Windows Vista

Bbulletin: Working with Internet Explorer 7

Bbulletin: Working with Active X Controls

Microsoft has introduced Office 2007, a suite of applications including Word, PowerPoint and Excel.

Do NNU-managed computers have Office 2007?

Yes.

Is there anything I should know about how Office 2007 works?

Yes. Office 2007 introduces a new file format that is different from older versions of Office, such as XP and 2003.  For example, older versions of MS Office save Word documents as .doc files. Office 2007 saves Word documents as .docx files.  Older versions of Office cannot open .docx files (or .pptx PowerPoint files, or .xlsx Excel files) without a converter tool from Microsoft.

For example, let's say an instructor creates the syllabus using Word 2007 and uploads it to the course. Unless students have Word 2007 on their own computers (or are using lab computers or have the converter), they will not be able to read the syllabus.

However, Office 2007 is backward compatible. If a student writes a paper in an older version, say Word XP, and uploads or e-mails it for the instructor or other students to read, Office 2007 will be able to open that file even though it was created in an older format.

How shall I use Office 2007 with Blackboard?

If you will be uploading files to Blackboard or sending them via e-mail, Information Technology recommends that you choose older formats for saving files until more people upgrade to Office 2007 or download the converter tool. For MS Word documents, click Save As? and choose Word 97-2003 format.  Take similar steps for PowerPoint and Excel.

An alternative for files that will not require changes made by others is to save your documents as PDFs. Word 2007 allows you to save in PDF format, or those who do not have Word 2007 can search online for free PDF converters.

If you have questions on these suggestions, please contact the Technical Response Center at help(at)nnu.edu or (208) 467-8111.

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Microsoft introduced a new operating system, Windows Vista, that comes bundled with most new PC computers.

Will NNU upgrade managed computers to Vista?

NNU does not plan to upgrade campus computers to Vista until this operating system's features prove to be of benefit to the campus and any bugs (as many as are possible) are worked out.

Can I use Vista with Blackboard?

Yes, although Vista users who access Blackboard through Internet Explorer may experience difficulty with posting to the Discussion Board; the WYSIWYG textbox editor will not appear for typing in messages. (WYSIWYG means "What You See Is What You Get" and provides the bells and whistles such as B for boldface, I for italic, etc.). However, this editor may be disabled to allow for basic posting.

How do I make that change?

On the Welcome page after you log in, go to Personal Information > Click Set Textbox Editor Options > Set to unavailable > Click Submit.

As an alternative, download and use the Firefox browser, which automatically uses the basic textbox editor.

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Microsoft has launched Internet Explorer 7, the first upgrade to this browser in several years.

Can I use Internet Explorer 7 with Blackboard?

Blackboard Quality Assurance has tested IE 7 and says it is compatible with the Blackboard Academic Suite.

Do I need to do anything before I start using IE 7?

Users must add the NNU Blackboard server to their list of trusted sites in Internet Explorer 7. If Blackboard is not in the list of trusted sites, the Visual Text Box Editor, which is used in the Discussion Board and a few other areas, will not function correctly. The formatting and content controls will appear, but the text box itself will appear broken.

How do I make Blackboard a trusted site?

• In Blackboard, navigate to a page that uses the Visual Text Box Editor.
• Determine if the Blackboard server is in the list of Trusted Sites. When accessing Bb, a green checkmark will appear in the Status Bar with the label, Trusted Sites. If Restricted Sites (a red circle icon) or Internet (a globe icon) appears instead, the Blackboard server must be added to the list of Trusted Sites.
• Double-click the Status Bar where the Restricted Sites or the Internet icon appears. The Internet Security Properties box will open.
• Click on the Trusted Sites icon under the Select a zone to view or change security settings heading.
• Click Sites to open the Trusted Sites box.
• The URL for Blackboard, online.nnu.edu, should appear in the Add this website to the zone field. If not, enter the URL.
• Uncheck the Require Server Verification (https:) for all sites in this zone option.  
• Click Add.
• Click Close.
• Click OK on the Internet Security Properties box.
• Refresh the page.
• A message will appear in the Internet Explorer Information Bar: "This website wants to run the following add-on: 'Microsoft (R) Dynamic HTML Editing Control' from 'Microsoft Corporation'. If you trust the website and the add-on and want to allow it to run, click here..."
• Click the message and select Run ActiveX Control from the context menu.
• Click Run in the Security Warning box.

The Visual Text Box Editor is now configured to operate correctly within the IE 7 browser.

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In spring 2006, Microsoft released a critical update in response to a patent lawsuit between Microsoft and Eolas.

How do I know if this applies to my system?

• This update applies to Windows XP Service Pack 2 and to Internet Explorer version 6; later, Microsoft may push out this update for earlier versions.
• For non-managed NNU computers (e.g., off-campus users), you may have automatically received and installed the update MS-KB912945 through Windows Update.
• Those using Macintosh computers or using other Web browsers such as Firefox or Safari are not affected.

 

What does this mean for me if I do use Internet Explorer?

Within Blackboard and on other Web pages, you will need to activate certain elements that previously did not require you to do anything. These include:

• Multimedia content such as video, audio and Flash
• Java applets
• Other ActiveX controls

How do I activate something?

• Click an item or in an area using the mouse
• Press the space bar, or
• Press the enter key

How will I know if I must activate something?

In most cases, if you wave your mouse over the item, a tool tip box (shown below) will let you know you need to "Click to run an ActiveX control."

In what areas of Blackboard might I have to do this?

• In the WYSIWIG textbox editor (Discussion Board, posting items)
• With embedded content such as audio and video files
• In the Virtual Classroom (chatroom)
• With Web equations

For more details, visit support.microsoft.com/kb/912945.