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Central State University Catalog, 2012-2014
Print-friendly versions: Central State University Catalog and Academic Calendar (PDF)
What is Blackboard?
Blackboard is a web-based Course Management System (CMS) designed to allow students and faculty to participate in classes delivered online or use online materials and activities to complement face-to-face teaching. Blackboard enables instructors to provide students with course materials, video and audio presentations, discussion board activities, online exams, and more. The degree to which Blackboard is used in a course varies. For example, instructors may supplement an on-campus class (Web-Enhanced Course) by putting their syllabus and handouts on their course sites. In contrast, other courses may be conducted entirely through Blackboard (Online Course), without any on-campus sessions. If you’re enrolled in a course that uses Blackboard, be sure to find out how Blackboard will be used in that course.
Course Designations and Definitions
Web-Enhanced Course:
A Web-Enhanced Course is a traditional face-to-face course offering that includes some online components: course syllabus; links to other course-related websites; media; synchronous or asynchronous discussion sessions; and assessments. The online course activities are offered through Central State University’s Course Management System (Blackboard).
Online Course “W”:
Online Course (designated by “W” in the class schedule) at Central State University are completely online and require no face-to-face or classroom attendance. Online courses are offered through CSU’s Course Management System (Blackboard). Online courses emphasize student learning communities, computer-mediated communication, and active student learning.
Hybrid Course “H”:
A Hybrid Course (designated by “H” in the class schedule) is any course offered by Central State University in which some portion of traditional face-to-face "seat time" has been replaced by online course activities. In a hybrid course, students still meet part of the course face-to-face. The rest of the course activities are offered through Central State University’s Course Management System (Blackboard). A hybrid course would meet on at least one regularly scheduled face-to-face class or through interactive video, with the remaining course activities occurring online through CSU’s Course Management System (Blackboard). For example, a traditional three credit hour course that meets two or three times per week face-to-face or two or three times per week through interactive video can be offered as a hybrid course that may meet only once per week face-to-face with the all other course activities occurring online.
The strategies behind hybrid courses are to increase access and convenience for students. Particularly for those students who do not want to take an online course, or those students who cannot take an online course. This hybrid approach utilizes “the best of both worlds,” optimizing the use of either classroom or interactive video environments with online learning.
Interactive Video Course “V”:
An interactive video course (designated by “V” in the class schedule) is any course offered by Central State University in which face-to-face interaction is provided through room-based video, desktop-based video, or other modes of interactive audio and video conferencing. An interactive video course is a form of video conferencing. Delivering a course through interactive video allows participants at two or more locations to see and hear each other in real time which makes an interactive video classroom more like a traditional classroom. Additionally, any media or presentations utilized in a face-to-face classroom can be delivered through interactive video.
Blackboard Technical Support
If you are having technical problems, there are several support options. First, you should check Blackboard's Knowledge Base for information regarding your problem. The knowledge base can be accessed at http://help.blackboard.com.
Accommodation for Students with Disabilities
Central State University is committed to including students with disabilities as full participants in its programs, services, and activities through compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. A student with a disability cannot be denied admission exclusively because of a disability. The mission of Disability Services is to ensure that qualified students with disabilities have equal access to educational opportunities at Central State University so they can participate in all aspects of university life.
In order to receive services, students must first be admitted to Central State University and then present documentation of their disability to the Coordinator of Disability Services. If a student has been diagnosed with a disability and received disability services while in high school, the student should be re-evaluated during their senior year because documentation must be current when transitioning to the college environment. Documentation must be completed by a physician, a psychiatrist, a licensed psychologist, or a rehabilitation specialist. Additionally, the documentation should describe functional limitations, and should include recommendations for academic adjustments appropriate to the disability.
Students with disabilities are expected to meet with the Coordinator of Disability Services and/or a Counselor from the Counseling Center Staff each semester as a part of their transition plan to determine the academic adjustments for the classes in which they are enrolled. To support student academic progress, students may be referred to:
- Student Support Services
- Tutorial support for classes
- Assigned to study groups
- Career Planning Workshops
- Counseling Services workshops
Contact the Disability Services at 937-376-6479 for more information.
Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
What is Plagiarism?
All students are encouraged to become familiar with Academic Misconduct section of the CSU Student Handbook. Please note that faculty take issues of academic misconduct very seriously and will pursue penalties against those guilty of such acts. If you are not sure what the University considers to be academic misconduct, please ask so you do not find out the hard way. All sources (including Internet sources) used in the preparation of any written work for this course must be fully cited. Full citation of sources is required whether direct passages are used or if you are just paraphrasing. Claiming credit for words or thoughts that are not your own is one type of academic misconduct. Examples of academic misconduct include having any name appear on a team project/paper when that individual did not fully participate in completion of the project/paper.
In the taking of examinations, any attempt to receive assistance from persons, papers, or printed materials without permission of the faculty member constitutes dishonesty.
Software and Plugins
Below is a list of multimedia or software packages and plugins that will be required for your study or to access multimedia applications on the web in relation to your studies. Also, there is a list of optional software that may be of interest to you but may not be required. Please check your course syllabus for needed software and plugins.
Getting Started
Your computer should have a sound and video card. However, to experience multimedia online, you may also need special software programs called plugins. Plugins allow your web browser to view or play certain types of files, such as some audio, video or chat functions.
Adobe Acrobat Reader, Flash Player and Shockwave Player. For support, visit http://www.adobe.com/support/.
Click on the Adobe Reader image or the link to start the download and install process. Google Toolbar is not required for any web site. The Google toolbar has a pop-up blocker that might cause issues while interacting with web sites.
Click on the Adobe Flash Player image or the link to start the download and install process. Google Toolbar is not required for any web site. The Google toolbar has a pop-up blocker that might cause issues while interacting with web sites.
Click on the image or the link to start the download and install process. Google Toolbar is not required for any web site. The Google toolbar has a pop-up blocker that might cause issues while interacting with web sites.
Java
Java is a programming language that is utilized by many applications and websites that will not work unless you have Java installed. To verify if you have Java installed on your PC click -here-. If Java is not installed on your PC, or if you have an older version, download instructions will be provided. Java is a free download.
Apple QuickTime (for Windows
Real Player
Windows Media Player
Windows Media Player lets you play many popular audio and video file formats on the web. Click on the Windows Media Player image or the link to open the download and install page.
Microsoft Office
Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Click on the link to open the download and install page. Adding this compatibility pack to earlier Office programs will allow you to open, edit, and save documents, workbooks, and presentations in the file formats utilized in Microsoft Office 2007.
To view Microsoft Word files (.doc or .docx), you need either Microsoft Word or the latest Word Viewer.
To view Microsoft Excel files (.xls or .xlsx), you need either Microsoft Excel or the latest Excel Viewer.
To view Microsoft PowerPoint files (.ppt or .pptx), you need either Microsoft PowerPoint or the latest PowerPoint Viewer.
Supported Internet Browsers
| Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 |
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Microsoft Internet Explorer 8
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| Mozilla Firefox 7 |
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Mozilla Firefox 6
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Mozilla Firefox 3.6.x
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Apple Safari 5.0
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Apple Safari 4.0
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