Blackboard
The following are web utilities that may be useful or needed for Blackboard courses at UAMS.
For Windows users:
- Download Mozilla Firefox (recommended, free)
- Download Google Chrome (free)
- Download Microsoft Edge (free)
For Mac users:
- Download Mozilla Firefox (recommended) (free)
- Download Safari (free)
Note of caution, the various browsers above will ‘fight’ for control of your web access. Decide which you want to be your default (usually the one you are most familiar with) and do not let the other make itself the default browser — you should be given a chance to make this choice. The Opera browser is not supported at this time.
Blackboard Mobile
In addition to the browser version of Blackboard, you can also get Blackboard Mobile Learn for your smart phones (fees may apply, so be sure to check the cost before downloading). Learn more about Blackboard Mobile Learn.
Productivity Tools
If you need to do Web searches, www.google.com is recommended, among others. Google is a very fast, good search engine.
Google also offers free versions of some of the most popular tools from the Microsoft Office Suite, including Document (like Microsoft Word), Spreadsheet (like Microsoft Excel), and Presentation (like Microsoft PowerPoint). Most Microsoft Office files are compatible with the Google versions. These tools can be found at http://drive.google.com
Media Programs
Adobe Acrobat Reader (free) — This program is used to open and read PDF files. PDF stands for Portable Document Format. Scroll down toward the bottom and click on “Adobe Reader” under the ‘Download’ category.
Windows Media Player (free) — This program plays many types of media files, including audio and video files. There are numerous plug-ins available around the web to expand this program’s capabilities, as well.