HCC Distance Learning Help Desk

Although I registered for classes, I am unable to access Blackboard.
Blackboard logins are not available until the first day of the semester. If you are unable to log in once the semester starts, send an e-mail to dl@haywood.edu. Be sure to include your full name, full birthday, and the classes for which you are registered.

I keep hearing students talk about the HOP Assignment. What is it?
The HOP Assignment is a brief assignment that is required for each online or hybrid course during the first week of each semester. Instructions for the assignment can be found in your Blackboard course. Remember, you will be marked as a "no show" by any instructor who does not receive a HOP Assignment by the posted deadline.

What do I do if I need help with the HOP Assignment?
You should start by viewing the short video demonstration found in the HOP Assignment folder within your course. If you still need help after viewing the video, contact your instructor.

How do I contact my instructor?
Your instructor's contact information can be found in several locations within your Blackboard course. The Instructor tab and the course syllabus should both list several ways that you can contact your instructor. When e-mailing your instructor, be sure to include your first and last name as well as the your course number.

How do I change my default email address in Blackboard?
Please note that your email username and password for accessing Haywired are both case sensitive!
You cannot change your default email address. All students automatically have an HCC email account that your instructors expect you to use. To access your student email account, use the Haywired tab at the top of the HCC home page (www.haywood.edu). Your email address will be the username you use for WebAdvisor, Blackboard and similar functions followed by @mail.haywood.edu. Your password will initially be your birthday as mmddyy, but you will be prompted to change it when you first login. Be sure to change the password to one that you won't forget! If you experience problems with your email account, you can call our IT department at 828.565.4006.

How do I change my Blackboard password?
Students are not able to change Blackboard passwords. They remain your 7-digig student ID (Colleague ID) number.

How do I register for online courses?
Students can register for courses by speaking to their advisor. If you don't know how to reach your advisor, please call Student Development Services at 828.627.4500. Students may pay for classes, view transcripts and complete similar tasks online through the Haywired online portal. To do this, use the Haywired tab at the top of the HCC home page (www.haywood.edu). Your username will be the same as for Blackboard and your password will initially be your birthday as mmddyy, but you will be prompted to change it when you first login. If you have previously used Campus Cruiser, your password will be your old Campus Cruiser password. If you experience problems with Haywired account, you can call our IT department at 828.565.4006.

How do I see my grades from an earlier semester (transcripts)?
Students can view transcripts, pay for classes, and complete similar tasks online through online through the Haywired online portal. To do this, use the Haywired tab at the top of the HCC home page (www.haywood.edu). Your username will be the same as for Blackboard and your password will initially be your birthday as mmddyy, but you will be prompted to change it when you first login. If you have previously used Campus Cruiser, your password will be your old Campus Cruiser password. If you experience problems with Haywired account, you can call our IT department at 828.565.4006.

What do I do if I registered for a course that is not showing up on Blackboard?
Send an e-mail to dl@haywood.edu. Be sure to include your full name and the classes for which you are registered.

Why is Blackboard asking me for my username/password two or three times?
Blackboard requires that you enter through the gateway page (http://hcc.blackboard.com). Please verify that your Favorites entry for Blackboard is set to http://hcc.blackboard.com and not to something else.

Why is there no text box for me to type into when I try to post to the discussion board?
This problem has been reported by a number of students who are using Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) and/or Windows Vista. Although a permanent solution has not been found, there is a work-around that seems to work for most. Click on Personal Information under the Tools menu item. Then, click Set Visual Text Box Editor Options, and change the setting to Unavailable. This will allow you to post to the discussion board by using a basic text box. If this solution does not work, you may have to find another computer to use for discussion boards posts.

What is SafeAssignment and How do I use it?
SafeAssignment is a plagiarism detection service. For step-by-step instructions, please click the SafeAssignment link at the left and download the attached PDF file.

What do I do if I am locked out of a test or an assignment?
Contact your instructor immediately by e-mail or telephone. Your instructor's contact information can be found under the Instructor tab and on the course syllabus.

What if I go over the time limit on a quiz or test?
Blackboard displays the quiz time on your screen for timed quizzes. You will get a warning message when one minute remains. Blackboard will not automatically submit the quiz when time is up. It is up to you to click the Submit button before time expires. Blackboard will accept a quiz submitted after time expires, but be aware that individual instructors may penalize you if you go over the time limit.

How do I access my student e-mail account?
Please note that your email username and password for accessing Haywired are both case sensitive!
All students automatically have an HCC email account that your instructors expect you to use. To access your student email account, use the Haywired tab at the top of the HCC home page (www.haywood.edu). Your email address will be the username you use for WebAdvisor, Blackboard and similar functions followed by @mail.haywood.edu. Your password will initially be your birthday as mmddyy, but you will be prompted to change it when you first login. Be sure to change the password to one that you won't forget! If you experience problems with your email account, you can call our IT department at 828.565.4006.

Why should I not use the AOL browser?
Blackboard is not fully supported by AOL's browser. If you are an AOL customer, you may connect to the Internet with AOL, but you should then open Internet Explorer, Firefox or Netscape and use it to access your online course. Click on Browsers to the left to download a free copy of Internet Explorer, Firefox or Netscape.

Why are courses from previous semesters still showing up when I log into Blackboard?
Courses remain available on Blackboard until your instructor turns them off. If these old courses bother you, click on the My Courses tab at the top of Blackboard. Then click on the little pencil icon that appears near the top of your course list. From here you can choose which courses you wish to have displayed.

Why are courses I dropped or withdrew from still showing up when I log into Blackboard?
Courses that you drop or withdraw from have to be manually removed from your Blackboard account. To have these courses removed, contact the Distance Learning office at dl@haywood.edu or speak to your instructor.

What do I do if I have been marked as a "no show" due to a misunderstanding?
Contact your instructor immediately by e-mail or telephone. Your instructor's contact information can be found under the Instructor tab and on the course syllabus.

How do I withdraw from a distance learning course?
Contact your instructor by e-mail or telephone. Your instructor's contact information can be found under the Instructor tab and on the course syllabus. You may also call Student Development Services at 828.627.4500.

Is there a "search" or "find" feature in Blackboard?
There is no "search" feature in Blackboard to help you locate information in your course. However, you can use your Web browser's "Find" feature to search for terms on a particular page. On your browser's toolbar, select the Edit dropdown menu. Select Find and type in the term that you are looking for. This will only search the page that you happen to be on, but it is a fast way to locate key ideas.

What do I do if I need academic help for a distance learning course?
Contact your instructor by e-mail or telephone. Your instructor will be able to point you in the direction of additional resources and will be willing to schedule time to speak with you. You may also contact the Teaching & Learning Center (TLC) at 828.627.4696. Your instructor's contact information can be found under the Instructor tab and on the course syllabus. You may also click on the Online Tutoring link at the left for additional help.