Navigating Blackboard and Online Learning at Stevenson University

Stevenson University is committed to providing its students with the resources and support they need to succeed, both on campus and online. This article serves as a guide to navigating Stevenson's online learning environment, Blackboard, and other essential resources for students.

Accessing Blackboard

Direct access to Stevenson’s online learning system, Blackboard, can be found on the Stevenson University website. Blackboard Learn is a virtual learning environment and learning management system that is heavily utilized by Stevenson faculty and students. Instructors rely on a wide range of features offered within Blackboard due to the accessibility of built-in tools, resources, and flexibility. Students will use Blackboard features such as Blogs, Journals, Groups, and Discussion Boards.

Important Dates and Financial Information

Students should be aware of important dates related to course drops and withdrawals. In order to receive a 100% refund on a course, students must submit a Course Drop Form prior to the Drop Without Penalty Date. To receive a “W” on their transcript, students must submit a Course Withdrawal Form prior to the Last Day to Withdraw date.

Student accounts can be viewed on Student Finance. Students are required to settle their accounts in full by the Friday of the first week of class. Note that students in some programs may be subject to varied billing and payment due dates.

New Student Orientation

The New Student Orientation covers topics that include: online resources, Stevenson’s portal, online learning environment (Blackboard), campus information, and general tips for new student success.

Read also: Preserve Your Stevenson Diploma

Your suOne Card

Serving as your Stevenson University ID, you are required to carry your suOne card when on campus. Your suOne card is also used for access into buildings including the Fitness Centers, library resources, book voucher funds to purchase books, and debit card purchases at the dining facilities and vending machines. Showing your suOne card may also provide discounts at many restaurants, theaters, and other establishments.

Parking Permits

If you plan to regularly visit one of our campuses, please be sure to obtain a parking permit. All students are required to display their Stevenson parking permit within their vehicle when parking at any campus location. Security will issue tickets if parking permits are not properly displayed.

SU Alert

All Stevenson faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to sign up for SU Alert to receive important campus safety notifications.

Career Connection Center and Mentoring

Stevenson University’s Career Connection Center offers advisors who assist students in identifying and developing their career paths. These specialists guide students through the job search process by providing them with the resources and tools necessary to successfully obtain employment. New students are automatically enrolled in the Mustang Career Mentor Program.

Stevenson University Online: Succeeding in the Online Environment

Stevenson University Online welcomes students to one of the best online universities in Maryland. Recognizing that many adult students may feel overwhelmed or unprepared to take online courses, Stevenson University Online offers avenues to help students determine if they are ready to participate in online learning. In order to succeed in the online learning environment, students are required to be self-motivated and exhibit excellent time management skills.

Time Management in Online Learning

Students should plan on working at least 10-20 hours per week on course assignments. An example schedule might include:

Review the assignment(s) for the week and look at relevant articles if needed.
Post response to instructors question on the discussion board.
Complete research and rough draft of weekly paper.
Finalize paper and submit other assignments due for review.

Overcoming Initial Concerns

Adjusting to online learning can be overwhelming for students accustomed to face-to-face engagement with teachers and students. Olympiada Georgiou, a Crime Scene Investigation student, recalls her uncertainty when starting an online program: “When I first started taking online classes, I was concerned about how this is going to turn out because I have never taken online classes before. I was mostly worried about how the coursework was going to be done and how I would be able to contact my professor in case of an emergency. I was also worried if I had to be online at a specific time or not, which was really because I was not an experienced online student.”

Stevenson University Online (SUO), prioritizes providing students with a personalized experience with one-on-one support, making them feel connected to our staff, faculty, and other students while working in an online learning environment. This includes offering a variety of resources that help students to be successful in their program.

Key Resources for Online Students

SUO Student Success Coach, Fran Jackson encourages students to “use your resources above and beyond the instructor- ex. the library staff, Smarthinking tutoring, and reading the syllabus thoroughly so you understand what’s expected of you.”

BlueJeans: BlueJeans Network provides cloud-based video conferencing that connects participants across a wide range of devices. Students can expect to use BlueJeans quite often, as it will be Stevenson faculty and staffs’ primary means of meetings. From full lectures from instructors and course instruction to one-on-one meetings with support staff, BlueJeans makes it easy to connect one another. Features include screen sharing and live chatrooms, making this an essential tool for online learning.
Smartthinking: Smarthinking is an academic online tutoring service. The service provides on-demand support from tutors in over 25 subjects. Smarthinking is a great tool for students to receive online interactive tutoring from professional tutors on the spot. Smarthinking also offers writing revision services where students can submit a paper for review and receive quick feedback and insight from a professional.
Office 365 Suite: Office 365 is an integrated experience of apps and services, designed to help you work in a collaborative environment. Free access to Microsoft programs including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint help improve workflow.
VoiceThread: With VoiceThread, instructors and/or students can create, share, and comment on images, Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, videos, audio files, documents, and PDFs, using microphone, webcam, text, phone, and audio-file upload. VoiceThread is the perfect platform for both students and instructors to give virtual, in-class presentations with peer interaction.
Watch step-by-step tutorials to familiarize yourself with Stevenson’s online education system, Blackboard.

Faculty and Staff Support

Every Stevenson University Online student is assigned a Student Success Coach to provide them with one-on-one support from acceptance to graduation. A student can benefit from utilizing their success coach to help balance their school-work-home life, course schedule, time management, and more. When in doubt, students should reach out to their Success Coach for guidance.

Read also: Stevenson's Impact

Additionally, faculty is available to assist students with questions and concerns regarding their coursework. Fran Jackson, Student Success Coach, states that a key to student success is, “communicate with your professor and success coach consistently. Don’t think you’re bothering them, they’re there to support students. Student success reflects positively on their success as an instructor. Professors want students to be successful but can’t help if they don’t know there’s a concern.”

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