This is the first in a series of four workshops on teaching with Blackboard. It will help you to begin creating your Blackboard course site. You will learn how to organize your course site and add the content you need to provide to your students. Topics covered in this workshop include: building a course menu; managing course appearance; creating announcements; creating course content (including files, folders and tool links); adding multimedia from YouTube, Flickr and SlideShare; editing content; and managing users.

• Download the QuickStart
• Register for the Workshop

Blackboard allows you to create tests, quizzes, assignments and surveys to facilitate high-stakes assessment or simply to provide students with guided practice. This workshop will teach you how to create these kinds of assessments and activities. Topics include creating and deploying tests, quizzes, surveys and assignments; making tests secure; and creating and grading with rubrics.

• Download the QuickStart
• Register for the Workshop

Whether you are using integrated Blackboard assignments or looking for a place to record grades on work submitted outside of Blackboard, the Grade Center gives you a secure online environment in which to manage student grades. This workshop will teach you how to create grade columns, weighted grades, organize your Grade Center, download grades to Excel and more.

• Download the QuickStart
• Register for the Workshop
  

Blackboard's integrated interactive tools give you the ability to facilitate interaction and communication with and amongst your students. Use these tools to create opportunities for self-reflection, conversation and collaboration. In this workshop, you will learn about the basics of creating and using discussion boards, journals, wikis and blogs.

• Download the QuickStart
• Register for the Workshop

Blackboard Voice Tools: Blackboard Collaborate Voice Authoring Tools is a suite of five applications that allow users to collaborate by recording and sharing voice content over the Internet. Voice tools include: Voice Board, Voice Presentation, Voice Podcaster, Voice Email, Voice Authoring.

• Click here for more information and tutorials on Voice Tools.

SafeAssign: This plagiarism prevention service, offered through Blackboard, can help prevent plagiarism by detecting unoriginal content in student papers. In addition to acting as a plagiarism deterrent, it also has features designed to aid in educating students about plagiarism and the importance of proper attribution of any borrowed content.

• Download the QuickStart

The availability setting of your course determines whether or not students will be able to access your course site. A course listed as (unavailable) will not appear in students' Course menu. The instructor, however, will still have full access to the course site.

1. Go to Control Panel > Customization > Properties.
2. In section 2, set Course Availability.
3. Click Submit.
4. Repeat these steps to make the course Available/ Unavailable to students.

1. In the Control Panel, click on Customization > Style.
2. Scroll down to section 5, "Select Banner."
3. Click Browse My Computer to locate the image you would like to appear in the Course Banner.
4. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

You can determine what page students will land on when they enter your Blackboard course site.

1. In the Control Panel, click on Customization > Style.
2. Scroll down to section 4, "Select Course Entry Point."
3. Open the dropdown menu and select the page you would like students to see when they first enter your course site.
4. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

If you are new to Blackboard, view this tour of the course environment to familiarize yourself with the system's layout and features.

Watch the demo

1. Locate the Edit Mode button in the top right corner.
2. Toggle Edit Mode On to view instructor controls and editing options.
3. Toggle Edit Mode Off to preview the student view of your course site.

You may see the following icons next to items in your Course Menu:

1. Indicates a Menu Item is hidden from students.
2. Indicates a Content Area contains no content. An empty Content Area will not appear for students.

1. In the Control Panel, click on Customization > Style.
2. Under Select Menu Style, choose Text or Buttons.
3. For Text, select your preferred background and text colors; for Buttons, use the Button Library to choose a style.
4. Click Submit.

1. Locate the double-headed arrows to the left of items in the course menu and in Content Areas.
2. Click on an arrow drag items up/down.
3. Release mouse key to drop the item in the new location.

1. Locate the Show/Hide Menu button between the course menu and the content area.
2. Click this button to hide the course menu.
3. Click again to show the course menu (the button will be all the way to the left on the edge of your screen).

1. Select a Content Area from your course menu and Create or Edit an item.
2. Use the controls in the Text Editor to format text as you would in a word processing program.
3. Hyperlinks, images and other multimedia can also be added using the Text Editor.

Watch the demo

1. In the Control Panel, go to Course Tools > Add Test Student.
2. A test student is created with "_s" appended to the end of your username.
   
3. Enter a password for your test student.
   
4. Make sure the box is checked to enroll the test student in the current course.
   
5. Click Submit. The test student is created and enrolled in the current course.
6. Now, when you go to Course Tools > Add Test Student, you have the option to unenroll/ enroll the test student or to change the password.
7. This test student is now also available to enroll in any other course you teach.

Manually enrolling users is not common, as student enrollments are loaded automatically. This process is most frequently used to add another instructor to a course.

1. Go to Control Panel > Users and Groups > Users.
   
2. Select "Find Users to Enroll."
   
3. On the next screen, you can only search for someone by username, which is the eID. If you have the person's eID, enter it on this screen and then skip to step 7. To search for a user to enroll using any other search parameter, go to step 4.
4. Click Browse, which opens a new searh window. Select a search parameter (e.g. last name, email) from the dropdown menu and type in search criteria.
5. Click Go.
6. From the search results, check the box next to the correct user and click Submit. You will be returned to the Add Enrollments screen.
   
7. Select a role for the user.
8. Click Submit.

1. Go to Control Panel > Grade Center > Full Grade Center.
2. Click Work Offline and select Download.
3. In section 1, select "User Information Only."
4. Click Submit, then click Download.
5. The course roster will download and open in Excel, where you can modify the columns as needed and print the roster.

1. Go to Control Panel > Users and Groups > Users.
2. Click the Show All button (bottom right corner) for a complete list of users.

Student enrollments are loaded in Blackboard one week prior to the first day of class. Records are then synched with Datatel twice a day to reflect the most current registration information.

Adaptive Release allows you to restrict a content item so it is not visible to students until specified criteria are met.

1. Go to the content item you would like to restrict.
   
2. Click the action button and select Adaptive Release.
   
3. For Date of Release, set Display After and or Display Until with the calendar or enter a date.
   
4. For Membership, set membership criteria for release of the content item.
   
5. For Grading, set grade criteria by selecting grade center column. Set the condition for the grade.
   
6. You can choose any or all of the above conditions.
   
7. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

Use Adaptive Release: Advanced to set multiple rules. Each criteria set in the adaptive release must be met for the rule to work.

1. Go to the content item you want to restrict.
   
2. Click the action button and select Adaptive Release Advanced.
   
3. Click Create Rule.
   
4. Enter a Name and click Submit to access the Manage Criteria page.
   
5. Click Create Criteria to establish criteria for date and/or grade and/or membership status. Each option will open in its own page.
   
6. Select criteria and click Submit to return to the Manage Criteria page.
   
7. Choose another option to set additional criteria for the rule.
   
8. Click OK when finished to return to the Adaptive Release: Advanced page where you can create another rule or click OK to return to the content page.

1. Go to the Control Panel > Course Tools > Contacts.
   
2. Click Create Content.
   
3. Enter your information and picture (optional).
   
4. Click Submit.
5. You will need to create a Tool Link to Contacts either in your Course Menu or in a Content Area for students to view the Contact (see entry for "Add Tool Link").

Watch the demo

1. Go the Content Area where you would like to add the Item.
2. Click Build Content > Item.
   
3. Enter a Name for the Item and enter content into the text box.
   
4. You can add hyperlinks, images, files and media using the Text Editor.
   
5. You can also attach files to the Item by clicking Browse and selecting the file from your computer or storage device.
   
6. Click Submit.

1. Go to the Control Panel > Packages and Utilities > Course Copy.
   
2. In section 1, select "Copy Course Materials into an Existing Course."
   
3. In section 2, click Browse to open a list of courses you are teaching. Select the course into which you want to copy the content.
   
4. In the Select Course Materials section, pick the items you want to copy to the chosen course.
   Note: If you are copying Tests, Surveys and Pools or any graded Assignments (including Blogs, Wikis, Journals, Discussion Boards) you must also copy Grade Center Columns and Settings. Otherwise, your tests/ surveys/ assignments will not work.
5. Do not copy enrollments in section 4.
6. Click Submit. Blackboard sends you an email when the course copy process is complete.

Note: If you have Respondus Lockdown Browser enabled for any tests, be sure to check your settings in the new course following a course copy by going to Control Panel > Course Tools > Respondus Lockdown Browser.

Add links on the Course Menu to items in the course. Items include: Content Areas that provide direct access to course content (e.g. text, files, tests, assignments); Tools (e.g. Email, My Grades); Course Links; External Links; and Subheaders and Dividers to help organize the menu.

1. Click the Add icon above the Course Menu.
2. Select the item type from the list.
3. Type a Name for the content item (this name will appear in your menu).
4. Check the box to make the link available to users.
5. Click Submit.

1. Click the action button next to the Name of the Content Item to open the contextual editing menu, which presents all of your options for managing the item.
2. Select Edit to edit the Name, text, attached files and/or settings for that item.
3. Select Delete to remove the Content Item.

1. Click the action button next to the Menu Item you want to edit.
2. Select Rename Link to edit the Name.
3. Select Hide or Show Link to hide or show the Menu Item to students.
4. Select Delete to delete a Menu Item.

If you want to use a Course Tool (such as Respondus LockDown Browser or SoftChalk) but do not see it in your list of Course Tools, follow these steps to enable the tool:

1. Go to Control Panel > Customization > Tool Availability.
2. Locate the Tool you want to enable and check the boxes for that row.
3. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

1. Go to Control Panel > Packages and Utilities > Export/Archive.
   
2. Click the Export button.
   
3. In section 3, pick the items you want to export/archive.
   
4. Click Submit. Blackboard will send you an email when the archive process is complete.
   
5. Once complete, got to Control Panel > Packages and Utilities > Export/Archive. The zip file containing exported course content is listed.
   
6. Click on the file and save it to your computer or storage device.
   

Watch the demo

You can create links to external web pages directly in your Course Menu:

1. Click the Add icon above the Course Menu.
2. Select Create External Link.
3. Type a Name for the External Link (this name will appear in your menu).
4. Enter the complete URL, such as http://www._____.com
5. Check the box to make the link available to users.
6. Click Submit.

To add a file (PDF, Word Doc, etc.), audio, image, or video, you must have the file available on your computer or storage device.

1. Go to the page where you want to add a multimedia file. Click Build Content > Select File, Audio, Image or Video.
   
2. Enter a Name for your the media you are adding.
   
3. Click Browse and attach the appropriate file.
   
4. Set Options as desired.
   
5. Submit.

Note: To be compliant with ADA, include a transcript or captioning for audio or video files.

Note: Video files may exceed file size restrictions in Blackboard. You may be able to upload your video to the ACC streaming server; click here for more information.

When you create a content folder, you are creating an area or page into which you can put the same type of content that is found under the "Build Content" tab.

1. Go the the page where you want to add a folder. Click Build Content > Content Folder.
   
2. Enter a Name for the Folder and any text you would like to display below the folder name.
   
3. Specify any options.
   
4. Click Submit.
   

If you have exported/archived a previous course, you can import the contents into a new course shell.

1. Go to Control Panel > Packages and Utilities > Import Package.
   
2. Click Import Package.
   
3. Click Browse and locate the exported course package on your computer or storage device.
   
4. Select the course materials you want to import.
   
5. Click Submit. Blackboard sends an email when the import is complete.
   
6. Once complete, imported materials appear in the course.

Watch the demo

A learning module is an organized collection of course material, including content and activities, presented with a table of contents.

1. Go to the Content Area where would like to add a Learning Module.
   
2. Click Build Content > Learning Module.
   
3. Enter a Name for the Learning Module and an optional description.
   
4. Set Options as desired.
   
5. Click Submit.
   
6. Click on the Name of the Learning Module to add content. Within a learning module, add/edit content and activities as you would in any other content area. As you add content, the Learning Module automatically builds a table of contents.
   

Watch the demo

Follow these steps to add a link to an external web page in a content area:

1. Go the Content Area where you would like to add the Link. Click Build Content > URL.
   
2. Enter a Name for the URL.
3. Enter the complete URL, such as http://www._____.com
4. You may also enter a description of the link and/or attach a related file.
5. Set Options as desired.
6. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

Mashups allow you to add multimedia content from the web directly into your Blackboard course site. Choose content from Flickr, Slideshare or YouTube.

1. Go the Content Area where you would like to add the Mashup. Click Build Content > under the Mashup column, select Flick Photo, SlideShare Presentation or YouTube Video.
2. Enter search criteria and click Go.
3. Review search results and click Select for the photo/ presentation/ video you would like to use.
4. The Name field is populated, but you may edit the Name if desired.
5. Enter a Description of the media to help students connect it to course material.
6. Set Options as desired.
7. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

Module Pages encompass a wide range of Blackboard applications such as calendars, tasks, dictionaries and alerts. These modules can help students stay organized.

1. Go the the Content Area where you want to add a Module.
   
2. Click Content > Module Page.
   
3. Enter a Name for the Module Page and add a Description if desired.
   
4. Set options as appropriate.
   
5. Click Submit.
   
6. Click on the Name of the Module Page to begin adding Modules.
   
7. Click Add Module. A list of available Modules appears. Click the name to preview and read more about each module. Click Add to add it to your Module Page.
   
8. When you have selected the Modules to appear on the page, click OK at the bottom.
   
9. You can rearrange how the modules appear on the page by clicking in the header of a module and dragging it to a new location.

When you paste content from Microsoft Word into a text box in Blackboard, you often see differences in formatting. Using Paste from Word will help preserve your original formatting.

1. In the text box editor, click the Add Mashup icon.
   
2. Select Paste from Word.
   
3. Paste the content you copied from Word into the text box that pops up.
   
4. Click Submit.
   
5. Your text will be pasted in the text box with original formatting preserved.

Click here for step-by-step instructions on posting SoftChalk lessons to Blackboard.

Statistics tracking compiles a record of how often an item is accessed and by whom.

1. Go to the item you want to track.
   
2. Click on the action button and select Statistics Tracking.
   
3. Select On and click Submit.
   
4. You will see "Enabled Statistic Tracking" written below the item you enabled.

Watch the demo

If you have enabled statistics tracking for an item, follow these steps to view the report:

1. Go to the item for which you would like to view the Statistics Tracking report.
   
2. Click the action button and select View Statistics Report.
   
3. Next to Content Usage Statistics, click the action button and select Run.
   
4. Select the format in which you would like to receive the report (PDF, HTML, Excel or Word).
   
5. Select date parameters for the report.
   
6. The report pulls data for all students by default. Use the Select Users menu only if you want to narrow the report to specific student(s). To select multiple students, hold down the Ctrl (PC) or Command (Mac) key as you click on multiple names.
   
7. Click Submit. The report opens in your chosen format in a new window.

In the Course Menu:

1. Click the Add icon above the Course Menu.
2. Select Create Tool Link.
3. Type a Name for the Tool Link (this name will appear in your menu) and select the Tool Type from the list.
4. Check the box to make the link available to users.
5. Click Submit.

You can also create a Tool Link in a Content Area:

1. Go to the Content Area where you want to add the Tool Link.
2. Click Build Content > Tools Area.
3. Select the Tool Type and click Next.
4. Enter a Name and Description and set the options for the link.
5. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

If you are not yet familiar with using discussion boards, this video will provide you with an introduction.

Watch the demo

You can Collect posts to show only selected posts from a thread on one page.

1. Open a forum and click on the Name of a thread.
   
2. Check the box next to posts you would like to collect.
   
3. Click Collect.
   
4. The Collection page will open. Collected posts can be marked, sorted, tagged or replied to.
   
5. To print collected posts, click Print Preview and print as normal.
   
6. Click OK when done.

Watch the demo

You must either deploy discussion boards to a Content Area or create a Tool Link to discussion boards for your students to access them.

1. Go to the Content Area where you want to deploy the discussion board.
   
2. Click Add Interactive Tool > Discussion Board.
   
3. Select "Link to Discussion Board Page" to create a link to all forums or "Select a Discussion Board Forum" to create a link to a specific forum (if you choose this option, select the desired forum from the list).
   
4. Click Next.
   
5. Enter a Name and optional Text for the link, and set options as appropriate.
   
6. Click Submit. A link to either the discussion boards page or a specific forum is created in the Content Area.
   

You can Flag posts to mark them for future reference.

1. To Flag a post, be in list or tree view.
   
2. Click on the Name of a post to open it.
   
3. Click Set Flag.
   
4. Click OK.

1. Click the action button next to the name of the forum and select Edit.
   
2. You can edit the Name and any text in the Description.
   
3. Adjust Forum settings as needed.
4. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

1. Access the discussion board via a tool link or by going to Control Panel > Course Tools > Discussion Board.
   
2. Click Create Forum.
   
3. Enter a Name and optional Description.
   
4. Set Availability and Forum Settings as desired.
   
5. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

If you enabled the "Grade Forum" option when creating the forum, follow these steps to grade posts:

1. Click the action button next to the Name of the forum you want to grade and select Grade.
   
2. A list of students appears. Click Grade for an individual student to access the Grade Discussion Forum page.
   
3. In the middle box on the right, click Edit Grade. The student's posts appear in the main content area in the middle of the page.
   
4. Enter a grade and add Feedback or Grading Notes as appropriate.
   
5. Click Save Grade. The grade will automatically be entered into the Blackboard Grade Center.
   
6. Look at the box below the grading box for a list of students; select an underlined name to grade another student.
   
7. Select OK when you are finished grading your students.

Watch the demo

If you selected "Force Moderation of Posts" when creating a Forum, follow these steps to moderate posts:

1. Click on the Name of the moderated forum and click Moderate Forum.
   
2. Click Moderate to the right of the user name to open the Moderate Post page.
   
3. Select Publish or Return.
   Note: Posts marked Return will not be available for users to view. If a posting is returned, enter the explanation in the text box. The original poster can access instructor feedback on a returned post in tree view.

Watch the demo

If you selected "Allow Members to Rate Posts" when creating a Forum, follow these steps to rate posts:

1. Open a forum and click on the Name of a post to view it.
   
2. Look for the Your Rating: stars.
3. Select the number of stars appropriate to the rating you want to give.
   
4. Click Submit.

1. Go to a forum or thread and click Search.
   
2. Enter search criteria and click Go.
   
3. The Search Results page displays all posts matching your criteria.

Watch the demo

Selecting this option enables a subscribe button in the forum or thread that allows users to choose whether or not they want email notifications of new postings.

1. Click the action button next to the name of the Forum or Thread for which you would like to enable subscriptions and select Edit.
2. Select "Allow members to subscribe to forum" to enable notifications for each new post in the forum; or select "Allow members to subscribe to threads" to enable notifications for each new post in a particular thread.
3. Click Submit.
4. A subscribe button now appears at the top the forum or thread. Click Subscribe to receive notifications when new posts are added.

Tagging can only occur if the "Allow Post Tagging" option is enabled.

1. Be sure you are in List View.
   Select thread or posting you want to tag.
   
2. Click Collect.
   
3. Enter the text you want to use into the Tag Text box.
   
4. Select post to assign tag name > click Add.
   
5. Click OK.
   
6. Add tags to individual posts by selecting individual or multiple posts.
   
7. To use the tag filter, make sure you are in list view. Click the action button next to the thread name and select a tag.

Watch the demo

1. Open a forum in the discussion board.
   
2. Click Create Thread.
   
3. Enter a Subject and type your post into the Message box (the Message box has the same features as a text box).
   
4. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

If you enabled the "Grade Threads" option when creating the forum, follow these steps to grade threads:

1. Go to the discussion board forum and click on the Name of the graded thread.
   
2. Be sure you are in List View.
   
3. Click Grade Thread.
   
4. A list of students appears. Click Grade for an individual student to access the Grade Discussion Thread page.
   
5. The student posts will appear in the main content area in the middle of the page.
   
6. In the middle box on the right, click Edit Grade.
   
7. Enter a grade and add Feedback or Grading Notes as appropriate.
   
8. Click Save Grade (the grade is automatically entered in the Blackboard Grade Center).
   
9. Look at the box below the grading box for a list of students. Select another student to continue grading.
   
10. Click OK when you are finished grading.

Watch the demo

1. Open forum and click on the Name of a thread.
   
2. Click Reply or Quote (Quote also opens the Reply window, with the text from the original message included).
   
3. Enter your reply and click Submit.

Watch the demo

1. Go to Control Panel > Users and Groups > Groups.
   
2. Click Create Single Group and select Self-Enroll (students sign up for the group) or Manual Enroll (instructor assigns students to the group).
   
3. On the Create Group page, enter a Name and optional Description.
   Set group Availability.
   
4. Under tool availability, check the boxes for course tools you want to make available to the group, and set up grading options if appropriate.
   
5. Self-Enroll: In Sign-up options, enter the Name of Sign-up Sheet and the Maximum Number of Members. Select any other Sign-up options you want to include.
   
6. Manual Enroll: For Membership, select student names from the Select box and click the right-pointing arrow to add them to the group.
   
7. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

1. Go to Control Panel > Users and Groups > Groups.
   
2. Click Create Group Set and select Self-Enroll, Manual Enroll or Random Enroll.
   
3. Enter a Name and optional Description.
   
4. Set group Availability.
   
5. Under tool availability, check the boxes for course tools you want to make available to the group set, and set up grading options if appropriate.
   
6. Self-Enroll: Enter a Name for the Sign-up Sheet. Set the Maximum Number of Members. For Group Set Options, enter the Number of Groups to create. Click Submit. Sign-up sheets will be created for students to enroll themselves in a group (see Self-Enroll entry).
   
7. Manual Enroll: For Group Set Options, enter the Number of Groups to create. Click Submit. Next, an enrollment box appears for each group. Select names from the Select box and click the right-pointing arrow to add students to a group.
   
8. Random Enroll: For Membership, enter the Number of Students per Group OR the Number of Groups. Select an option to Determine How to Enroll any Remaining Members. Click Submit. Blackboard randomly assigns students to groups based on your criteria.
   

Watch the demo

You must either deploy groups to a Content Area or create a Tool Link to groups for your students to access them.

1. Go to the Content Area where you want to deploy a group or group set.
   
2. Click Add Interactive Tool > Groups.
   
3. Select "Link to the Groups Page" to create a link to all groups or "Link to a Group or Group Set" to create a link to a specific group/group set (if you choose this option, select the desired group/group set from the list).
   
4. Click Next.
   
5. Enter a Name and optional Text for the link, and set options as appropriate.
   
6. Click Submit. A link to either the Groups page or a specific Group or Group Set is created in the Content Area through which students can access group pages and sign-up sheets.

If Self-Enroll groups have been created, follow these steps to enroll in a group:

1. Go to the groups page.
   
2. Click the Sign Up button to open the Sign Up Sheet page.
   
3. Click Sign Up.
   
4. When self enroll is successful, the group page will open for that group.
   

You can send an email to all or selected users in your course directly through Blackboard.

1. Go to Control Panel > Course Tools > Send Email.
   
2. Make a selection based on who should receive the email (e.g. All Student Users).
   
3. If your choice involves selecting users, click on a name in the Select box and click the right-pointing arrow to select each recipient.
   
4. Enter your Subject and a Message.
   
5. Optionally, select the Return Receipt box to send a copy of the message to the sender.
   
6. Click Attach a file to browse for file from your computer. You can attach multiple files. After you add one file, the option to attach another file appears.
   
7. Click Submit to send the email.

You can also send Messages to all or selected users. These Messages appear only in Blackboard and are contained within each course.

1. Go To Control Panel > Course Tools > Messages.
2. To create a new message, click Create Message.
   
3. Click To and a list of course members appears. Click on a name in the Select box and click the right-pointing arrow to select recipients. You can also select users to Cc or Bcc.
   
4. Enter a Subject and Message. You can use the Text Editor functions to format the text and include files, images, web links, multimedia, and Mashups.
   
5. Click Submit.
   
6. To read a message, open the Inbox or Sent folder by clicking on the appropriate link. Click on the title to open the message.
   
7. Reply and Forward as in an email application.

Blackboard Collaborate Voice Authoring Tools is a suite of five applications that allow users to collaborate by recording and sharing voice content over the Internet. Voice tools include: Voice Board, Voice Presentation, Voice Podcaster, Voice Email, Voice Authoring.

Click here for more information and tutorials on Voice Tools.

1. Go to the blog for which you want to post a comment.
   
2. Click the Comment button.
   
3. Enter text into the comment box in the window that opens.
   
4. Click Add.

Watch the demo

1. Go to Control Panel > Course Tools >Blogs.
   
2. Click Create Blog.
   
3. Enter a Name and add Instructions.
   
4. Set Availability and Date and Time Restrictions if needed.
   
5. Select Blog Participation:
• Individual for All Students - only an individual student can create or edit their own blog.
• OR Course - all students can post entries and comment.
6. Select Blog settings as appropriate.
   
7. Determine if blog is to be graded or not. If grading, enter the number of Points Possible; a column will be automatically created for it in the grade center.
   
8. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

1. Access the blog for which you want to create an entry.
   
2. Click Create Blog Entry.
   
3. Fill in the Title and Entry Message boxes. The Entry Message box has the same features as a text box.
   
4. Click Post Entry.
5. To edit, click the action button next to the blog entry title and select Edit. After making your changes, click Post Entry.

Watch the demo

You must either deploy blogs to a Content Area or create a Tool Link to blogs for your students to access them.

1. Go to the Content Area where you want to deploy the blog.
   
2. Click Add Interactive Tool > Blog.
   
3. Select "Link to the Blogs Page" to create a link to all blogs or "Link to a Blog" to create a link to a specific blog (if you choose this option, select the desired blog from the list).
   
4. Click Next.
   
5. Enter a Name and optional Text for the link, and set options as appropriate.
   
6. Click Submit. A link to either the Blogs page or a specific Blog is created in the Content Area.
   

If you chose to create a Graded Blog during set up, follow these steps to assign grades:

1. Open the blog you want to grade.
   
2. In the middle box on the right, click Edit Grade. The student blogs appear in the main content area in the middle of the page.
   
3. Enter a grade and add Feedback or Grading Notes as appropriate.
   
4. Click Save Grade.
   Note: All grades will automatically be entered into the Blackboard Grade Center.
   
5. Look below the grading box for a list of students; those with a green box next to their name have ungraded work. Click on a name to view and grade that student's blog.
   
6. Click OK when you are finished grading.

1. Go to the journal for which you want to post a comment.
   
2. Click Comment.
   
3. Enter text into the comment box in the window that opens.
   
4. Click Add.

Watch the demo

1. Go to Control Panel > Course Tools > Journals.
   
2. Click Create Journal.
   
3. Enter a Name and add Instructions.
   
4. Set Availability and Date and Time Restrictions if needed.
   
5. Select Journal Settings as appropriate.
   
6. Determine if journal is to be graded or not. If grading, enter the number of Points Possible; a column will be automatically created for it in the grade center.
   
7. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

1. Access the journal for which you want to create an entry.
   
2. Click Create Journal Entry.
   
3. Fill in the Title and Entry Message boxes. The Entry Message box has the same features as a text box.
   
4. Click Post Entry.
5. To edit, click the action button next to the journal entry title and select Edit. After making your changes, click Post Entry.

Watch the demo

You must either deploy journals to a Content Area or create a Tool Link to journals for your students to access them.

1. Go to the Content Area where you want to deploy the journal.
   
2. Click Add Interactive Tool > Journal.
   
3. Select "Link to the Journals Page" to create a link to all journals or "Link to a Journal" to create a link to a specific journal (if you choose this option, select the desired journal from the list).
   
4. Click Next.
   
5. Enter a Name and optional Text for the link, and set options as appropriate.
   
6. Click Submit. A link to either the Journals page or a specific Journal is created in the Content Area.

If you chose to create a Graded Journal during set up, follow these steps to assign grades.

1. Open the journal you want to grade.
   
2. In the middle box on the right, click Edit Grade. Journal entries appear in the main content area in the middle of the page.
   
3. Enter a grade and add Feedback or Grading Notes as appropriate.
   
4. Click Save Grade.
   Note: Grades are automatically entered in the Blackboard Grade Center.
5. Look below the grading box for a list of students; select a name to view and grade that student's journal.
   
6. Click OK when you are finished grading.

1. Access the Wiki.
2. Create the required Home Page if needed. (The instructor or anyone assigned to the wiki can create the home page.)
   
3. Add a Name (title) for the home page.
   
4. Add content. You can type directly in the text box, or use the Text Editor to add rich content such as hyperlinks or images.
   
5. Click Submit.
   
6. Create additional pages by clicking Create Wiki Page.

Watch the demo

1. Go to Control Panel > Course Tools > Wikis.
   
2. Click Create Wikis.
3. Enter a Name and add Instructions.
   
4. Set Availability and Date and Time Restrictions if needed.
   
5. Select if the wiki is Open to Editing or Closed to Editing.
   
6. Determine if the wiki is to be graded or not. If grading, enter the number of Points Possible; a column will be automatically created for it in the grade center.
   
7. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

You must either deploy wikis to a Content Area or create a Tool Link to wikis for your students to access them.

1. Go to the Content Area where you want to deploy the wiki.
   
2. Click Add Interactive Tool > Wiki.
   
3. Select "Link to the Wikis Page" to create a link to all wikis or "Link to a Wiki" to create a link to a specific wiki (if you choose this option, select the desired wiki from the list).
   
4. Click Next.
   
5. Enter a Name and optional Text for the link, and set options as appropriate.
   
6. Click Submit. A link to either the Wikis page or a specific Wiki is created in the Content Area.

1. Access the Wiki.
2. To edit the currently displayed page, click Edit Wiki Content.
3. To edit another wiki page, look in the sidebar on the right and click the action button next to the name of the Wiki page you would like to edit. Select Edit
4. Use the text box to add content (text, hyperlinks, images, etc.) to the page or to edit existing content.
5. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

If the Grade Wiki setting is enabled, follow these steps to grade each student's contributions:

1. Open the Wiki you want to grade.
   
2. Click Participation and Grading. The Participation Summary gives an overview of each student's contributions.
   
3. Click on a student's name to view their contributions in detail.
   
4. The student's contributions appear in the the middle of the page. Click on a row to view a contribution. The Page Comparison window opens highlighting changes the student made to the previous version. Click the Legend tab for an explanation of markups on the page comparison.
   
5. In the Grade box in the right sidebar, click Edit Grade.
   
6. Enter a grade for the student and enter in Feedback and Grading Notes as appropriate.
   
7. Click Save Grade.
   
8. Select another student from the View Contributions By list in the right sidebar to continue grading.
   
9. Click OK when grading is complete.

Watch the demo

If your wiki has multiple pages, you can create links from one wiki page to another.

1. Open the wiki page to which you want to add links to other wiki pages.
   
2. Click the Link to Wiki Page icon .
   
3. Select the page to be linked from the menu and enter a Name for your link.
   
4. Click Submit to return to the Edit Wiki page.
   
5. Click Submit when you are finished adding or editing content.

Watch the demo

1. Open the wiki you want to review.
   
2. In the right sidebar, click the action button next to the Name of the wiki page you want to review, and select History.
   
3. The Page History page contains links to each version of the page (a new version is created each time a users saves a change to the page).
   
4. Click on a version to view it.
   
5. To Compare versions, check the box next to any 2 versions and click Compare Versions. The Page Comparison window opens highlighting changes to the previous version. Click the Legend tab for an explanation of the markups on the page comparison.
   
6. Click OK when done.
   

Watch the demo

1. Go to Control Panel > Course Tools > Tests, Surveys and Pools > Tests.
   
2. Click Build Test.
   
3. Enter a Name and optional Description and Instructions.
   
4. Click Submit.
   
5. Click Question Settings to set a default point value for questions and/or set other options.
   Note: If your test includes images, check the appropriate options in section 2 to allow for image upload.
   
6. Click Create Question and select a question type.
   
7. Create the question (see the Question Types section of this page for details on creating different kinds of questions).
   
8. Click Submit.
   
9. Repeat steps 6-8 to add more questions.
   
10. Click OK. The test is added to the list on the Tests page and is ready to deploy in a Content Area.

Watch the demo

Click here for step-by-step instructions on creating tests in Respondus.

 

You must deploy a Test in a Content Area for students to access it.

1. Go to the Content Area where you want to deploy the test.
   
2. Click Create Assessment > Test.
   
3. Under Add Test, select the desired test from the list.
   
4. Click Submit.
   
5. Edit the Name and Description if desired.
6. Set test Availability and Options (see Test Options entry for more information on these choices).
   
7. Click Submit. A link to the test is created in the Content Area.

1. Go to Control Panel > Course Tools > Tests, Surveys, and Pools > Tests.
   
2. Click the action button next to the name of the test and select Edit.
3. Click the action button next to the name of the test at the top of the page and select Edit.
4. Edit the Test Name, Description and/or Instructions as needed.
5. Click Submit.

1. Go to Control Panel > Course Tools > Tests, Surveys, and Pools > Tests.
   
2. Click the action button next to the name of the test and select Edit.
   
3. Edit a question: Click the action button to the right of the question and select Edit.
4. Change point value: Click a question's current point value. In the pop-up window, edit the points and click Submit.
   
5. Rearrange questions: Click on the double-headed arrow to the left of a question and drag it to a new position.
   
6. Click OK when you are done editing questions.

If you are giving a secure test to be taken only in an ACC Testing Center or other approved testing location, you need to enable Respondus LockDown Browser for that test.

1. Go to Control Panel > Respondus Lockdown Browser.
   
2. Click to the left of the test name and click "Modify Settings."
3. Select "Require Respondus LockDown Browser for this test."
4. Do not enter your own password. Respondus will automatically generate a password that is populated when students access the test in an ACC Testing Center.
   Note: The password can be retrieved if you need to provide it to a proctor for distance testing.
   
5. Click Save and Close.
6. "Required" now displays under LockDown Browser Settings for that test.

To Export

1. Go to Control Panel > Course Tools > Tests, Surveys, and Pools > Tests.
   
2. Click on the action button next to the name of the test and select Export.
   
3. Click OK in the pop-up window to save the file.

To Import

1. Go to Control Panel > Course Tools > Tests, Surveys, and Pools > Tests.
   
2. Click Import Test.
   
3. Browse My Computer to locate and select the test file.
   
4. Click Submit. The imported test will appear in Tests, Surveys, and Pools > Tests.

Watch the demo

1. Go to Control Panel > Course Tools > Tests, Surveys and Pools > Tests.
   
2. Choose to edit an existing test or click Build Test.
   
3. If new test, enter a Name, optional Description and Instructions, then click Submit.
   
4. Click Question Settings
5. In Section 2, check the boxes to allow adding images, files, and external links to questions and/or answers.
6. Click Submit.
   

If you create Question Pools, you have the option to create random blocks of questions in a test.

1. Go to Control Panel > Course Tools > Tests, Surveys, and Pools > Pools.
   
2. Click Build Pool.
   
3. Complete the Pool Information page and click Submit.
   
4. You can Upload Questions, Create Questions, or Find Questions in other tests, surveys, and pools (see the Question Types section of this page for details on creating different kinds of questions).
   
5. Click OK to return to the Pools page.

Watch the demo

Adjust Test Options to determine the test-taking environment. These options appear when you deploy a test in a Content Area, or by clicking the action button next to a test that has already been deployed and selecting "Edit the Test Options."

1. Multiple Attempts: Specify the number of times students can attempt the test.
2. Force Completion: If enabled, the test must be completed in one sitting. Students cannot close and reopen the test.
3. Set Timer: Specify the amount of time students have to complete the test (optional). If you set a timer, turn Auto-Submit on or off. If enabled, the test automatically submits when time expires; if not, students can complete the test, and a note is added that the time limit was exceeded.
4. Set date/time restrictions if desired.
5. Do not set a Password. If you have enabled Respondus LockDown Browers, a password is automatically generated and should not be edited.
6. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

A Calculated Formula question contains a formula with variables that change for each user.

1. On the Test Canvas page, click Create Question > Calculated Formula.
2. Enter Question Text. The question must contain at least 1 variable. When students view it, the variable is replaced with a value randomly selected from a range you specify.
3. Enter the Answer Formula that determines if the student's answer is correct.
4. Enter the Answer Range. If it must be exact, enter zero (0).
5. Click Next.
6. For each variable, enter the Minimum and Maximum Value.
7. Set Answer Set Options.
8. Click Calculate to generate the Answer Sets. You can edit any of the values and recalculate the Answer Sets.
9. Enter Correct and Incorrect Response Feedback if desired.
   
10. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

A Calculated Numeric question is any question that requires a numeric answer (not necessarily a mathematical formula).

1. On the Test Canvas page, click Create Question > Calculated Numeric.
2. Enter Question Text.
3. Enter the Correct Answer (specific number, or enter a range of numbers).
4. Enter Correct and Incorrect Response Feedback if desired.
   
5. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

1. On the Test Canvas page, click Create Question > Essay.
2. Enter Question Text and assign a Point Value.
   
3. Enter a sample answer for users to view with the question (optional).
   
4. Associate a rubric by clicking Add Rubric (optional).
   
5. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

You can reuse questions that already exist in other Pools or Tests.

1. On the Test Canvas page, click Reuse Question > Find Questions.
   
2. Search for question(s) by keyword or by specifying criteria such as the Pool(s), Test(s) and/or question type(s).
   
3. Search results display in the middle of the page. Check the box next to any question(s) you would like to include in the current test.
   
4. Click Submit. The selected questions are added to the Test Canvas.

Watch the demo

1. On the Test Canvas page, click Create Question > Fill in the Blank.
2. Enter Question Text.
3. In the Answer 1 box, enter the correct answer. Blackboard will only consider an exact match correct. To include multiple correct answers (including an option for a common misspelling, for instance), open the Number of Answers menu and select the appropriate number.
4. Enter Correct and Incorrect Response Feedback if desired.
   
5. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

Hot Spot questions require students to identify a specified area in an image. If students click within this range, the answer is recorded as correct.

1. On the Test Canvas page, click Create Question > Hot Spot.
2. Enter Question Text, which should tell the student what area of the image to click on.
3. Click Browse My Computer to select an image file.
4. Click Next.
5. Click and drag the mouse over an area in the image to specify the hot spot area for the correct answer. Start with the upper left corner of the rectangle and drag down to the lower right. Click Clear start again.
6. Enter Correct and Incorrect Response Feedback if desired.
   
7. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

1. On the Test Canvas page, click Create Question > Matching.
2. Enter Question Text.
   
3. Select options for question layout and partial credit.
   
4. Select the Number of Questions and enter text for each question. The number of questions and answers may be different.
   
5. Select the Number of Answers and enter text for each answer.
   
6. Click Next.
   
7. Match each Question with the correct Answer.
   
8. Enter Correct and Incorrect Response Feedback if desired.
   
9. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

1. On the Test Canvas page, click Create Question > Multiple Answer.
   
2. Enter the Question Text.
   
3. The default number of choices is 4. For fewer choices, click Remove next to an Answer choice box. For more choices, open the Number of Answers menu and select the appropriate number (at least 2, no more than 20).
   
4. Enter an Answer choice in each box.
   
5. Click the button next to all correct Answer choices.
   
6. Enter Correct and Incorrect Response Feedback if desired.
   
7. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

1. On the Test Canvas page, click Create Question > Multiple Choice.
   
2. Enter the Question Text.
   
3. The default number of choices is 4. For fewer choices, click Remove next to an Answer choice box. For more choices, open the Number of Answers menu and select the appropriate number (at least 2, no more than 20).
   
4. Enter an Answer choice in each box.
   
5. Click the button next to the correct Answer choice (only one may be selected).
   
6. Enter Correct and Incorrect Response Feedback if desired.
   
7. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

1. On the Test Canvas page, click Create Question > Ordering.
   
2. Enter the Question Text.
3. Select the number of answer items and enter the answers in their correct order. The default number of choices is 4. For fewer choices, click Remove next to an Answer choice box. For more choices, open the Number of Answers menu and select the appropriate number (at least 2, no more than 20).
4. Click Next.
5. Click and drag answers to shuffle them and set the order in which answer items will display in the test.
6. Enter Correct and Incorrect Response Feedback if desired.
   
7. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

If you have Question Pools created, you can set up a test to pull random blocks of questions from the Pool(s).

1. On the Test Canvas page, click Reuse Question > Create Random Block.
   
2. Set search criteria, including which Pools and/or question types should be included in the random block.
   
3. Edit your criteria as needed to establish the desired pool of questions from which the random block should be drawn.
   
4. Click Submit.
   
5. Click the "Number of Questions to display" box to edit the number of questions in the random block.
   
6. Click the "Points per question" box to edit the point value for each question.

Watch the demo

1. On the Test Canvas page, click Create Question > Short Answer.
2. Enter Question Text.
   
3. Determine the Number of Rows to Display in the Answer Field by selecting a number from the drop-down list (the number of rows is meant as a guideline and does not impose an absolute limit on answer length).
   
4. Enter an example of a correct answer in the Answer Text field (optional).
   
5. Associate a rubric by clicking Add Rubric (optional).
   
6. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

1. On the Test Canvas page, click Create Question > True/False.
2. Enter Question Text (a statement that users will mark either true or false).
   
3. Select the correct answer.
   
4. Enter Correct and Incorrect Response Feedback if desired.
   
5. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

You have the option to associate Rubrics when you create a graded item (e.g. Assignment, Blog, Wiki). You can also associate a Rubric later by going to Full Grade Center > clicking the action button in the header of the column with which you want to associate the rubric and selecting Edit Column Information.

1. In the Associated Rubrics section, click Add Rubric and choose to select an existing Rubric or create a new one:
   
   • Select Rubric associates a rubric that has already been created.
     
   • Create New Rubric opens a pop-up window to create a new associated rubric.
     
   • Create From Existing uses a previously created rubric as a template for a new associated rubric.
     
2. When associating a points-based rubric, the option to use the rubric's points value as the Points Possible will be available after clicking Submit on the rubric creation or selection page.
   
3. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

1. Go to Course Tools > Rubrics > Create Rubric.
   
2. Enter a Name for the rubric.
   
3. Type a description of the rubric to make it easier to associate it to relevant assignments.
   
4. Edit the rubric column for category by clicking the action button and selecting Edit.
   
5. Alter the weight of the category by clicking in the text box to change the number.
   
6. Edit the criterion levels titles by clicking the action button and selecting Edit.
   
7. Click in the text box to enter details into each category or criteria.
   
8. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

If you have associated a Rubric with a graded item, follow these steps to grade with the Rubric:

1. Access the item to be graded through the Grade Center or the Needs Grading page.
   
2. To grade a student, locate the correct cell in column and select View Grade Detail from the context menu.
   
3. Select View Rubric.
   
4. In Grid View, click a cell to apply that point value to the grade. If a rubric with point ranges has been used, select the desired value from the drop-down list.
   
5. Optionally, type Feedback to the student in the text box that appears when a cell is selected.
   
6. If desired select List View, and select a radio button for each criterion to apply that point value to the grade. You can select options to give or show feedback and descriptions.
   
7. A running Raw Total score will be displayed as point selections are made (displays the score rounded to two decimal places).
   
8. You can type in a score to override the selected score, and enter overall Feedback.
   
9. When grading is complete, click Save to save the score and feedback and return to the attempt or Exit to leave the rubric without saving.
   
10. Click Save and Next to use another associated rubric for evaluation.

Watch the demo

1. Go to Control Panel > Course Tools > Tests, Surveys and Pools > Surveys.
   
2. Click Build Survey.
   
3. Enter a Name and optional Description and Instructions.
   
4. Click Submit.
   
5. Click Question Settings to set options.
   Note: If your survey includes images, check the appropriate options in section 1 to allow for image upload.
   
6. Click Create Question and select a question type.
   
7. Create the question (see Question Types on this page for entries on creating different kinds of test/survey questions).
   
8. Click Submit.
   
9. Repeat steps 6-8 to add more questions.
   
10. Click OK. The survey is added to the list on the Surveys page and is ready to deploy in a Content Area.

To Export

1. Go to Control Panel > Course Tools > Tests, Surveys, and Pools > Surveys.
   
2. Click on the action button next to the name of the survey and select Export.
   
3. Click OK in the pop-up window to save the file.

To Import

1. Go to Control Panel > Course Tools > Tests, Surveys, and Pools > Survey.
   
2. Click Import Survey.
   
3. Browse My Computer to locate and select the survey file.
   
4. Click Submit. The imported survey will appear in Tests, Surveys, and Pools > Surveys.

Watch the demo

1. On the Survey Canvas page, click Create Question > Opinion Scale/Likert.
   
2. Enter the Question Text.
   
3. The default number of answer choices is 6. For fewer choices, click Remove next to an Answer choice box. For more choices, open the Number of Answers menu and select the appropriate number.
   
4. To change the default answers, or to add answers to match the number of responses, type an Answer in each field.
   
5. Click Submit.
   

Watch the demo

1. Go to Control Panel > Full Grade Center.
   
2. Select survey column context menu to open Attempts Statistics.
   
3. Test Statistics window will open so statistics may be opened.

Watch the demo

1. Go to a Content Area > Create Assessment > Assignment.
   
2. Enter a name Name and Instructions for the assignment.
   
3. A file can be added via the Assignment Files section.
   
4. Enter Points Possible.
   
5. A Rubric can be associated by clicking Add Rubric and choosing to associate an existing rubric or create a new one.
   
6. Check the check box to Make the Assignment Available.
   
7. Set options for Number of Attempts, date/time restrictions and due date as appropriate.
   
8. In the Recipients section, select the All Students Individually. If assigning work to a specific group, then select Groups of Students and choose the group from the selection box (groups must already be created).
   
9. Click Submit.

After grading student work, you can clear their submitted files to save space in your course.

1. In the Grade Center, locate the column for the assignment you want to download.
   
2. Click the action button in the column header and select Assignment File Cleanup.
3. Select users to delete their files for that column. Click OK, and then OK in the confirmation pop- up box.
   
4. The Delete Assignment Files window that opens up should show no students. If student names are showing their work was not removed.

Watch the demo

1. In the Grade Center, locate the column for the assignment you want to download.
   
2. Click the action button in the column header and select Assignment File Download.
   
3. Select the student submissions to download, check the box in the header to choose all available submissions.
   
4. Click Submit.
   
5. Click the "Download assignments now" link to download a zip file containing student submissions.
   
6. In the pop-up window, choose to Open or Save File. You will need to extract the contents of the zip file to view student work.

Watch the demo

1. Go to a Content Area > Create Assessment > SafeAssignment.
   
2. Enter the Name, the Points Possible and Instructions.
   
3. Set the Assignment Availability.
   
4. Set options for tracking, available dates, draft status, and urgent checking.
   
5. Click Submit.
   
6. To review student submissions, go to Control Panel > Course Tools > SafeAssign.
   
7. Review student submissions in the View SafeAssignment page.
   
8. Select a student name to review a SafeAssign report.
   

For more detailed instructions, download the SafeAssign QuickStart

Watch the demo

You can color code your grade center to highlight grades with a certain status (e.g. pending grading) or grades that fall in a certain range (e.g. failing grades)

1. In the Grade Center, click Manage > Grading Color Codes.
   
2. Click Enable Grading Color Codes.
   
3. Select color options for Grading Status and/or Grade Ranges to open the Color Swatch window.
   
4. Select a swatch color and then click Enable
   
5. Click Submit.

Watch the demo

You only need to manually create columns for items submitted outside of Blackboard. Any time you create a graded item in Blackboard, a grade column is automatically created.

1. In the Grade Center, click Create Column.
2. Enter a Name and optional Description.
3. Select a Primary Display (e.g. score, letter grade).
4. Select a Secondary Display and/or Category if appropriate.
5. Enter Points Possible.
   Note: For Letter Grades you must still enter Points Possible. Enter 100 points.
6. Set remaining settings as needed.
7. Click Submit.

You can delete manually created grade columns.

1. In the Grade Center, locate the column for the test you want to grade.
   
2. Click the action button in the column header and select Delete Column.
   Note: If a column is tied to a graded Blackboard assignment, you will not see the option to Delete the column.

 

1. In the Grade Center, click Work Offline > Download.
   
2. Set to download the full grade center, or specify an individual column.
   
3. Leave the other default options and click Submit.
   
4. Click Download, then choose to Save or Open the Excel file.
   
5. If you receive a warning stating the file is in a different format than specified by the file extension, click Yes to open the file.

Watch the demo

1. In the Grade Center, click Manage > Column Organization.
   
2. To edit the category associated with a row, or to remove a category, check the box next to the row name. Select multiple check boxes to move multiple columns to a category in one action.
   
3. Click Change Category to and make a selection.
   
4. Click Submit.

1. In the Grade Center, locate the column for a graded assignment and click the action button in the cell for a specific student. Select View Grade Details.
   
2. To view the individual assignment/test, click View Attempt.
   
3. From the Grade Assignment page, you can download any attached files, enter feedback for student, leave instructor notes, attach a file, and enter a grade for the current attempt.
   
4. Submit to return to Grade Details.
   
5. Click the right/left pointing arrows next to Users at the top of the Grade Details screen to jump to the next/previous student's attempt.
   
6. Select Return to Grade Center when ready to go back to the main grade center.
   

Watch the demo

1. In the Grade Center, locate the column for the test you want to grade.
   
2. Click the action button in the column header and select Grade Questions.
   
3. Decide whether to grade anonymously or not.
   
4. Select the responses link specify a question to open the Grade Responses page.
   
5. Select Edit button to edit the student's grade for that item.
   
6. Click Submit.
   
7. Select Back to Questions.
   
8. Click OK when grading is complete.

Watch the demo

1. In the Grade Center, click Manage > Column Organization.
   
2. Columns can be sorted by ascending or descending order by clicking the action button in the column header.
   
3. Rows can be reorganized by clicking and dragging the arrows to the left of the row name, or by using the reorder button (double arrows) in the right-hand corner.
   
4. To Hide or Show rows in your view of the Grade center, check the box next to the row name(s) > click Show/Hide > select Show or Hide Selected Columns.
   Note: This only hides the column from the instructor's view of the grade center, not in the student's My Grades area.
   
5. Click Submit when changes are complete.

Watch the demo

1. Go to Grade Center > Reports > Create Report.
   
2. Enter information to be included in the Header.
   
3. Select the student(s) to include in the report and the User Information you want to display.
   
4. Select the Columns to include in the report and the column information you want to display (column name and current grade display automatically, and these fields cannot be deleted).
   
5. Select the footer information to include in the footer of the report.
   
6. Click Preview to open the report in a new window.
   
7. Click Submit. This will open a new browser window, and the Grade Center page will open.

Watch the demo

1. In the Grade Center, locate the column for the test/quiz and click the action button in the cell for a specific student. Select View Grade Details.
2. Click the "Clear Attempt" button to delete the initial attempt and allow the student to access the test/quiz again.

Create Smart Views

1. In the Grade Center, click Manage > Smart Views > Create Smart View.
2. Enter a Name and Description for the Smart View.
3. Select the type of Smart View and set appropriate criteria:
   • Course Group: View one or more Course Groups.
     
   • Performance: View specific users based on their performance on a single item.
     
   • User: View individual users.
     
   • Category and Status: View items by their category and status.
     
   • Custom: Build a query based on user criteria.
4. Click Submit.

Filter Grade Center Using a Smart View

1. In the Grade Center, click Filter > Current View.
   
2. Select a Smart View.
   
3. The Smart View's columns appear in the grade center.
   Note: Once you create a filtered view, you can lock it and use it as the default view.

Watch the demo

You can use the Early Warning System to communicate performance concerns or comment on exceptional performance.

1. Go to Control Panel > Evaluation > Early Warning System.
   
2. Click Create Rule and select Grade Rule, Due Date Rule or Last Access Rule.
   
3. Enter a Name and select Yes to make the rule active.
   
4. Under Rule Criteria, enter or select the information for the rule.
   
5. Click Submit.
6. Check the box next to the Rule and click Refresh to run status checks.
7. Click the action button next to the rule and select "Review Rule Status" to view students who meet the criteria.
8. Check the box next to student(s) you want to contact and click Notify.
9. Edit the Subject if desired and enter text for the notification.
10. Click Submit to send the notice.

Watch the demo

1. Go to Control Panel > Evaluation > Performance Dashboard.
   
2. Review the column headers. The columns display information about rules you have set, review status, early warning system notifications and student grades.
   

Watch the demo