Allow guest access to your course

Important! – Read this before adding guests to a module.

It’s important that you understand the limitations of the guest role. Simply adding a user as a guest does not allow them to see the module’s content. Here is a list of steps you have to complete, and below is the guidance on how to do them.

  • Modules have to have guest access enabled in the first instance otherwise no guest will be able to access even once enrolled.
  • Any content areas that you wish guests to see have to be individually made visible otherwise the module will load empty.
  • Guests cannot see assessments or the Grade Centre, no matter what settings you use.
  • The Aston Replay Recordings area cannot be enabled for guests, however, any Panopto content linked in content areas will be viewable.
  • The module will never appear in a guest user’s course list. You will need to send them a direct link to the module.

If students are missing from a Blackboard course, contact your school’s SITS administrator to rectify the problem.

Please also be mindful of any GDPR considerations that may apply.

You can enrol ‘guests’ onto your module to view the content.

  • You can control what they can and cannot see.
  • Your guests must have an Aston username and password.
  • Guests cannot see assessments or the Grade Centre.
Firstly, set your module to allow Guest access.
  1. Edit mode toggled onLog into Blackboard, navigate to your module and ensure your editing is switched on.
  2. Go to the Course Management menu, open the Customisation menu and click Guest and Observer access.
  3. On the Guest and Observer Access page ensure the Allow Guest Access box is set to Yes and click Submit.

Secondly, allow guest access to each content area of your module individually.
  1. Edit mode toggled onEnsure your editing is switched on.
  2. Click the drop down arrow to open the menu of the content area you wish to allow the guests to access. Click Permit Guests.

You cannot set guest access to Aston Replay (Panopto) from the Content menu.
  1. You can circulate the link to the Aston Replay area of your module to your guests.
  2. Or you can circulate the link to individual videos.