Blackboard uses pop-up windows as an essential part of its operation such as quiz or test windows, discussion board postings, download links, and more. Therefore, it is important that pop-up windows be allowed for Blackboard to function correctly.
You can manage this by turning off the pop-up blocker in your browser and all pop-up blockers on any additional Yahoo, Google, or other third party toolbars that you may have added. However, if you find pop-up ads too annoying to allow, you might choose instead to make an exception for Clark’s Blackboard site. Directions for the certified Blackboard browsers are below. Select your browser from the list and either turn off the pop-up blocker or allow an exception for Blackboard. View Full Article »
Getting the right browser set-up and running is very critical to your success with Blackboard. If you’re using AOL or NetZero as your ISP, you’ll find that Blackboard does not support their web browsers. When trying to view various pages or content, you may get error messages such as “Navigation Cancelled” or “Page Not Found,” due to this incompatibility. Quest also has a specialized version of Internet Explorer which can cause certain items or tables to not display. To remedy the situation, you’ll need to download and install Firefox (for PC or Mac). After you’ve installed the new browser, you’ll need to connect to your ISP using the AOL or NetZero browser as you normally would, then minimize that browser and open Firefox to access Blackboard and your courses.
IE 8 users continue to experience sporadic compatibility issues with Blackboard. It should be noted that Blackboard specifies IE 8 as “compatible”, but not “certified” – meaning it should work in key areas, but not all. If IE 8 is your browser of choice, please make use of the Compatibility button in the upper right hand corner (near the Refresh button) whenever you are viewing your courses within Blackboard and especially prior to taking an online test. This compatibility mode rolls IE 8 back to IE 7 viewing capability, which ensures you’re seeing all of the content provided. Those using IE 7, which is Blackboard certified, should not experience issues… However, older versions of Internet Explorer such as IE 6 or even earlier, are certainly not recommended and can actually be unsafe for all users for internet security reasons.
Alternatively, you may prefer to download and install Firefox 3.5, which is a Blackboard certified browser. Most users do report superior reliability using Firefox in Blackboard. You may download the lastest version here:
www.mozilla.com
When taking a timed test in Blackboard and using Internet Explorer 8, it has been discovered that the test timer expands to the full length of the test page and hides the Save and/or Submit button(s). This issue will be addressed in a future update to Blackboard. Until then, it is recommended that you use the “Compatibility” mode with your IE 8 browser or download and install the Firefox 3.5 browser and use it for your Blackboard sessions. Be sure to put your IE 8 browser in compatibilty mode prior to taking an online test. Also, be sure to check out our Browser Issues category for more information about configuration for use with Blackboard to help you avoid other potential trouble.
