About Blackboard

Student Privacy (FERPA) and Blackboard

As some students have chosen to protect their Directory Information (which includes name and email), it is important that instructors list in their syllabus and state on the first day of class that they are using Blackboard tools that will display students’ full names and email addresses. If a student has questions or concerns about the use of Blackboard and the display of name and email address to classmates, we ask that Instructors allow students to talk with them after class, during office hours, or via email.

To see if any students in a class have protected their Directory Information, use the Printable Class List, available on the Portal - Printable Course Info Channel.  Students who have protected their Directory Information will have a Y under the FERPA column.

How Do Blackboard Tools Display Student Names and Email?

• Discussion Board: Displays Student’s full name on each thread. Click on the name and it opens a email application with the email address filled in.
• Email: Displays the full name. Allows users to view...All Users, All Groups, TA’s. Instructor(s), Selected Users, and Selected Groups.  
• Groups: Displays the full name and email address
• Collaboration (Virtual Classroom / Chat): Displays the full name.
• Course Collaboration Space (WIKI): Displays the full name, username or given name.

Who Can Access a Blackboard Course?
Blackboard is a course system which allows instructors to provide course materials, assignments, collaboration tools and assessments for enrolled students. Only the instructor and those who are currently enrolled in the class will have access to the course and user information (name/email). Specific course and student information is not available to outside users.

What Are My Options for Supporting a Protected FERPA Student?
Unfortunately the Blackboard system will not allow instructors to hide the student's name and/or email address.  Depending on the tool and activity, instructors may provide options for the student; although offering an alternative to Blackboard is not required.  Below are a few suggestions instructors may choose to use if it allows them to provide equal assessment or activity for the FERPA student.

If instructors choose not to offer options for the FERPA student, they must make sure the student understands that if he/she chooses to remain in the class, his/her name and email address will be listed in the assignments and activities identified in the syllabus.

• Discussion Board
  • If you are not grading the discussion, you can allow all student posts to be anonymous.  However, if you are grading the Discussion Board entries, “anonymous” will prevent even the instructor from seeing who posted the information. 
  • If grading is desired, you may choose to allow the student to email the discussion information directly to you, but not reply to other posts.
    
    
• Collaboration Space (WIKI)
  • Allow one of the team members to enter WIKI information for the FERPA student. The student who entered the information can type a nick name for the FERPA student to display their contribution. However, in this case, the WIKI grader can not be used for the FERPA student. The instructor will need to manually review the information for the nick name and assess the contribution to add the grade in the Gradebook.

For more information about FERPA Policies, please visit http://www.ess.calpoly.edu/_records/stu_info/ferpa.htm