Blackboard Base Navigation

Transition to Blackboard Base Navigation

On Saturday, May 11, 2024, starting at 9:00 PM EST, the Villanova Blackboard system will transition to Base Navigation:

• This impacts the landing page/navigation you see when you first log into Blackboard (i.e. My Courses list, Organizations, Course Surveys, and other links).
• When you log in, you will notice that the tabs are no longer across the top of Blackboard. Instead, the information on these tabs will be located on a new navigation menu on the left side of the page.
• Important: Your courses will not change - the course content, layout, and tools within your courses will not change. You might notice slight color and interface changes in your courses - Learn More

For the complete details and what is changing, please visit the links below:

What is Blackboard Base Navigation?
What is changing?
What is not changing?
How will I access my Blackboard courses?
Will I be able to access Blackboard during this change (on Saturday, May 11, 2024)?
What do faculty and students need to do?
Will I need to update web browser bookmarks or favorites?
Where can I learn more about this change?

What is Blackboard Base Navigation?

• Blackboard Base Navigation will be the landing page/navigation you see first when you log into Blackboard (your Courses list, Organizations, Course Surveys, and other links).
    
• We currently use Blackboard Original Navigation and will change to Blackboard Base Navigation because Blackboard will no longer support Original Navigation after August 1, 2024.
  
  See the two pictures below to see the visual differences between Original and Base Navigation.
   
• Change will occur on Saturday, May 11, 2024, starting at 9:00PM EST - This date was selected in consultation with Office of the Provost to minimize disruption to faculty and students in Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 courses. 

Blackboard Original Navigation (Current)
  (click image to make larger)

Blackboard Base Navigation (May 11, 2024)
  (click image to make larger)

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What is changing?
        (Visit the "Learn More" links below for complete explanation of that change)

• The layout and navigation when you log into Blackboard (i.e. landing page): You will still access your courses as soon as you log into Blackboard, on the "Courses" page - but the layout and navigation of the landing page is changing.

• New Navigation Menu: The new navigation menu on the left side will allow you to access your Courses, Organizations, Institution Page, Tools (Course Surveys, Follett), Profile, and more. Learn More.

• How your Course opens in your browser & how you return to your Courses list : Your course will now slide over from the right.  Click on the "X" button to get back to your course list.  Learn More.

• Location of commonly used links/information: such as Course Surveys, Course Reports, Organizations, Follett Discover, Profile Picture, Respondus Lockdown Browser, Portfolios, Respondus 4.0, and more.  Learn More.
   
• Note: If your web browser "Bookmarks" or "Favorites" links to https://elearning.villanova.edu/webapps/portal/execute/tabs/tabAction?tab_tab_group_id=_132_1, after the transition, please update your Bookmarks/Favorites to https://elearning.villanova.edu

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What is NOT changing?

• As stated above, your courses will not change: the course content, layout, and tools within your courses will not change. You might notice slight color and interface changes.  Learn More

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How will I access my Blackboard Courses?

• When you log into Blackboard, you will be taken the "Courses" page, which lists all of your courses.  Click on the course name to enter your course.   Your course will now slide over from the right.
   
• All of your courses will be listed in "Current Courses". 
  Learn More about how to search and organize your "Courses" page..

(Note for Faculty/Students in fully online programs: Future courses will appear via the "Upcoming Courses" link until the specific date that particular Blackboard course becomes available to students).

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Will I be able to access Blackboard during this change (Saturday, May 11, 2024)?

• While we anticipate no downtime during this change, there might be temporary outages as the changes propagate through the system.
• Also, you might notice changes to the layout while this change takes place.

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What do faculty and students need to do?

• Nothing!  The transition will occur on Saturday, May 11, 2024, starting at 9:00PM EST.  When you log in after that time, the Blackboard navigation will look different, but your courses will look and function the same as they do now.
• Note: If your web browser "Bookmarks" or "Favorites" links to https://elearning.villanova.edu/webapps/portal/execute/tabs/tabAction?tab_tab_group_id=_132_1, after the transition, please update your Bookmarks/Favorites to https://elearning.villanova.edu

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Will I need to update web browser bookmarks/favorites?

• If your web browser "Bookmarks" or "Favorites" links to https://elearning.villanova.edu/webapps/portal/execute/tabs/tabAction?tab_tab_group_id=_132_1, after the transition, please update your Bookmarks/Favorites to https://elearning.villanova.edu

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Where can I learn more?

• Review the articles linked on this page.
• Attend "Learn about Blackboard Base Navigation" workshops via Zoom.  
  • Date: April 26, 11AM-12PM - Zoom Link
  • Date: April 30, 2PM-3PM - Zoom Link
  • Date: May 6, 10AM-11AM - Zoom Link
  • Date: May 13, 12PM-1PM - Zoom Link
  • Date: May 22, 10AM-11AM - Zoom Link
  • Date: May 28, 1PM-2PM - Zoom Link
• Contact support@villanova.edu

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