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SmartPhones and Mobile Communication with Online Classes

If you are looking for new ways to connect with your students, the answer might be in their back pocket or hanging on their belt.  The ECAR survey suggests that today’s students expect to be able to interact with everything on their mobile devices.  Blackboard Learn for the Apple iPhone is a new application that allows students to receive updates from their Blackboard course via the iPhone or iPod Touch..

It is a three step process to set up Blackboard Learn, where you and your students have to download the App, configure your Blackboard account, and configure the App.

• On your iPhone or iPod touch, go to the App Store and search for the term “Blackboard Learn”. The Bb Learn app is available for free installation.
• Log into your account on VCU’s Blackboard system and click the Blackboard Sync tool linked at the left of the screen in the “Tools” box. Then click the Add the Blackboard Sync application to your iPhone link. On the next screen will be a six-digit number, which you will need for the next step.
• On your iPhone, run the Bb Learn application. When asked for the URL of your institution’s Blackboard Server, enter “blackboard.vcu.edu”. On the next screen, when asked for your Blackboard PIN#, enter that six-digit number from step 2. There will be a brief delay while your content syncs up, and then you will be able to view the new content in Blackboard courses for which you have access.

This application is not just for students, but could be helpful to you as well.