Faculty Services: Course Delivery Tech Notes

Access Blackboard by going to my.drake.edu and clicking the Blackboard button in the Commonly Used Apps section.

Important updates about Drake's Blackboard system, instructor webinars, and information about getting hands-on help setting up your course are all displayed on the landing page once you log into the system.

To use Blackboard to view lectures, you will need the following:

• Ability to access the class through the Blackboard app at the designated time for class.
• A computer with microphone and camera (headphones recommended.)
• Adequate internet speed/bandwidth. (Starbucks wifi will NOT be sufficient for full Blackboard participation.)
• Chrome and Firefox are the preferred browsers so if you are having trouble with video or audio quality, try a different browser. (Quality also may be better on a different device.)

Courses are not available to students until unlocked by the professor. Once they are unlocked, courses should appear automatically and the “room” for the class lecture will also be listed. 

Teams is a collaborative tool that can be used in a variety of ways for you to chat or video conference  in real time with faculty or staff. Teams can be accessed from the "My Teams" button in the Commonly Used Apps section of myDrake. There are also apps for iOS or Android devices available through the app stores.

Information on using Teams can be found at the following links:

• Logging into Microsoft Teams (How-to)
• Getting Started FAQ
• Using Chat Functions in Microsoft Teams (How-to)
• Meetings and calls in Teams

ITS recommends using Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge if you are using browser access.

You can also download the Microsoft Teams app on your phone and join on your phone as well. This is a good option if you don’t have a computer with a camera or if you aren’t sure if your computer will handle it well.

TWEN (The West Education Network) is an electronic extension of the classroom that integrates academic tools, Westlaw research, and other resources in an online environment. TWEN allows you to create and manage courses online by posting course materials, class announcements, calendars, online quizzes, and discussion forums. Please note that TWEN has scaled back its support in recent years and the law school encourages you to use Blackboard instead of TWEN.

Please contact David Hanson at ext. 2077 or david.hanson@drake.edu for assistance.

Accessing TWEN:

1. Open your Internet browser go to lawschool.westlaw.com.
2. Enter your OnePass username and password in the appropriate text boxes.
3. Choose TWEN from the Sign-On to: drop-down list and click Sign On.
4. The My Courses page is displayed.