Using and subscribing to the HYMS Blackboard calendar (timetable)

The Blackboard calendar is where certain course calendars / timetables can be accessed (currently Physician Associate and MB BS Gateway course calendars, as well as MB BS Year 5 distance learning block for academic year 2020/21).

This guide will explain how to;

• access course calendars
• subscribe to a calendar (sync Blackboard calendar to Outlook, Google or iPhone / iPad)
• create events in calendars (staff guide).

Access course calendars

1. Click on your name in the top right-hand corner of the HYMS Blackboard homepage.
2. Click on the calendar icon in the drop-down menu.
   
3. The bottom left-hand corner of the calendar view shows a list of all available calendars to view events for (colour-coded by course). These can be selected / deselected.
4. Click on an event in the calendar to display further details.

A link to a course calendar may also be found on the left-hand navigation menu for a course.

 

 

 

 

 

Subscribe to a calendar (sync Blackboard calendar to Outlook, Google or iPhone / iPad)

Blackboard calendar events can be pushed out to third party calendars through an iCalendar feed. This guide will use Outlook, Google and iPhone as examples.

Step 1: Locate and copy the external calendar link

1. Click on your name in the top right-hand corner of the Blackboard homepage.
2. Click on the calendar icon in the drop-down menu.
3. Below your listed calendars, click on  iCalendar / get external calendar link.
4. Right-click on the URL with the .ics extension link and select copy.

Step 2: Add the external calendar link to your chosen third party calendar

Microsoft Outlook

1. Open your HYMS email in your web browser.
2. From your calendar homepage, click on add calendar from the left-hand panel.
3. Choose subscribe from web.
4. Paste the iCalendar URL into the field provided and select import.
5. It will now be listed in the left-hand panel on the calendar homepage. Ensure the tick box is checked for it to be visible. Right-click on the calendar name to remove and import again if required.
6. You can additionally add the Outlook app to view your Office 365 calendar on your phone, or add your HYMS email account to your phone then choose to also add your HYMS email account calendar to your phone’s calendar; smartphone / tablet apps.
7. In the Outlook app / your phone’s calendar, you should now be able to view your HYMS Blackboard calendar. Go to your calendar menu and check the calendar is selected to be visible. For example, from the Outlook app calendar view, click on your profile image, check the Blackboard calendar is selected.

Google Calendar

1. Navigate to your Google Calendar online. From the calendar homepage, on the left-hand panel, click on the plus sign next to other calendars.
2.  Select add by URL from the drop-down menu.
3. Paste the iCalendar URL in the field provided.
4. Click the add calendar button. The calendar will then appear in the other calendars list in the left-hand panel of the calendar homepage. The calendar will be called University of York.
5. Make sure the check box is ticked next to the calendar name to display the calendar events in your calendar view. You can right-click to remove / unsubscribe and import again if required. If you wish, you can double click on the name to change it.
6.  You can additionally view the Blackboard calendar on your phone. Go to your Google calendar settings (calendar / main menu / settings). Ensure the calendar is checked. Click on it and check sync is on.
   You can also choose to ‘refresh’ your calendar from the top right-hand corner view of the calendar app.

iPhone/ iPad

Option 1

1. Add your HYMS email account to your phone; smartphone / tablet apps. If prompted, choose to also add your HYMS email account calendar to your phone.
2. Paste the iCalendar URL into an email and email the account.
3. Open the email on your phone and click the URL. The iPhone recognizes the .ics extension as a calendar and prompts you to subscribe. Choose yes.

Option 2

1. Select settings / mail, contacts, calendars.
2. Select add account under accounts.
3.  Select other at the bottom.
4.  Select add subscribed calendar.
5. Paste in the iCalendar URL. Select next.

Check your calendar app settings to ensure your HYMS Blackboard timetable is selected and is syncing regularly. You should now see your HYMS Blackboard timetable in your phone’s calendar app. If you are having issues syncing and are trying to subscribe again, first unsubscribe. Go to your phone settings and choose to unsubscribe / forget the calendar.

Further guidance

Timezone settings

If the timetable is showing but the timings are incorrect, please navigate to your email / calendar / phone settings and check the correct timezone is selected (Dublin Edinburgh Lisbon London). For example, in Outlook online go to view all Outlook settings / general / language and time. From a Gmail account, go to calendar settings to check the timezone.

Sync settings

As explained above, we cannot guarantee how often the calendar feed will sync to your third party calendar / device. Also allow a little while for content to appear when first adding the feed.

We suggest first searching for online support for your specific third party calendar / device. Please access the following links to further support. You can also try removing the calendar feed and again try the steps above.

Microsoft Office support

Google support

Apple support

If you still have issues please contact the HYMS Learning Enhancement & Support team at help@hyms.ac.uk.

Create an event (staff guide)

1. In the top right-hand corner of the calendar, click the plus sign to create a new event. You can also click on a specific date in the calendar to create an event.
2. Enter the event name.
3. Select a calendar to associate the event to, such as your personal calendar (only instructors and administrators can add events to non-personal calendars).
4. Select the start and end times and if the event is to be repeated.
5. Add a description if required.
6. Click save.