How to create, upload, edit, deploy assessments in Blackboard Learn. Includes resources for Blackboard Learn Help.

1. THE DO’S AND DON’TS OF
TESTING IN BLACKBOARD:
CREATING AND PUBLISHING
YOUR ASSESSMENTS
LAMAR UNIVERSITY – CENTER FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION
PRESENTER:
BRANDI LIVINGSTON

2. CREATE AND PUBLISH AN ASSESSMENT
• Determine if you want to build a test or a pool
• Upload existing questions or create new questions on the
test canvas
• Set Question Settings
• Deploy test and set Test Options

3. TEST OR A POOL?
• Tests - Tests are sets of questions that are graded to
measure student performance. Test results are reviewed in
the Grade Center. Note that some question types are not
automatically graded.
• Pools - Pools are sets of questions that can be added to
any Test or Survey. Pools are useful for storing questions
and reusing them in more than one Test or Survey.

4. BUILD A TEST OR POOL
• Go to your Course.
• Click Course Tools in the Course Management Control
Panel
• Click Tests, Surveys, and Pools
• Click on Tests or Pools
• Click the Build Test (Build Pool) button
• On the Test/Pool Information page, enter a test/pool
name (required field) and click submit. Optional test
information such as a Description or Instructions can
be entered here.

5. TEST CANVAS
• The Test Canvas allows you to add and edit questions, add
question sets or random blocks, reorder questions, and
review the test.
• Click the Create Question button to choose from a variety
of question types and manually add them to the Test
Canvas.
• Click the Reuse Question button to insert a Random Block
or Random Set of questions from an existing Pool

6. USING A TEST GENERATOR
• You can write questions offline in a specially formatted text
or Word file and upload it into Blackboard.
• Once you have formatted your questions, you will select
all, copy and then paste into the Test Generator.
• We recommend using the Test Generator found here:
http://www2.byui.edu/ATS/testgen.htm
• You will be prompted with a pop-up box to save the file.
Save to the downloads folder or desktop in order to find it
easily. You will use this file to upload your questions into
the test or pool you built.

7. IMPORTING YOUR QUESTIONS TO THE
TEST CANVAS
• Click the Upload Questions button
• Click the Browse button, locate and select your file created
by the Test Generator
• Enter Points Per Question (This can always be updated or
changed in the Test Canvas)
• Here it is best to review test questions for possible errors
after they are uploaded and BEFORE you deploy them.
• You can edit and reorder questions as well as change their
point values.

8. DEPLOYING YOUR ASSESSMENT
• After you create a test or survey, the next step is to deploy
it—make it available—to users in your course.
• This is a two-step process –
• Add the test to a course area
• Make it available.
• Navigate to the course area where you want to add a test
or survey. On the action bar, point to Assessments and
click Test.
• Select a test from the Add Test list. Click Submit.
• The Test Options page appears.

9. DEPLOYING YOUR ASSESSMENT
• Unavailable and deleted tests differ in the following ways:
• Unavailable tests deployed in a content area do not
appear to students. When Edit Mode is ON, instructors
and course builders can see unavailable tests.
• If you delete a test from a content area in your course,
it is removed from that location. You can deploy it
again as needed. You can deploy each test in one
location only.
• If you delete a test from the Tests, Surveys, and Pools
areas, it is permanently deleted from your course. This
is irreversible.

10. TEST OPTIONS
• Test Information
• Enter a description. The description will give students
information about the test.
• The Test Instructions were set when the test was built.
This will explain any special instructions students need
to take the test
• The Open Test in new window is defaulted to no. It is
not necessary to change.

11. TEST OPTIONS
• Test Availability
• Make the link available – This must always be set to
YES!
• Choose whether you would like to make an
announcement for this test.
• Multiple Attempts –
• Unlimited or a specific number of attempts
• Score attempts using-> If you choose to offer multiple
attempts you must choose an option from the list.
• Last graded attempt, highest grade, lowest grade,
first graded attempt, or Average of graded attempts

12. TEST OPTIONS
• Force completion – DO NOT USE!
• Set Timer – Enter time and set Auto-Submit. Generally
we set this to ON.
• Display After/Until – Here you will set the availability of
the test link. This determines the time frame of the link
being visible to students. This is optional. You can limit
test availability to a specific time period with
the Display After and Display Until dates and times. If
the link to a test is available, but neither date is set, it is
immediately and always available.
• Password – Seldom used.

13. TEST OPTIONS
• Test Availability Exceptions – Add a user or group of users
that need special exceptions for the test
• Adjust number of attempts
• Adjust time allotted for the test
• Adjust availability of the test
• Due Date – Set the date the assessment is due. Optionally,
do not allow students to take a test once the due date has
passed.

14. TEST OPTIONS
• Self- Assessment Options – This is a feature that is seldom used.
Leave the default unless you are not using it for a grade.
• Show Test Results and Feedback to Students – Test results and
feedback are available to students after they complete a test.
• Set up two rules to show results and feedback. Each rule
specifies when and what to show to students; such as
scores, answers, and feedback.
• Test Presentation –
• All at Once vs. One at a time
• Prohibit Backtracking
• Randomize Questions

15. EXPORTING AND IMPORTING AN
EXISTING ASSESSMENTS
• It is possible to export a Test or Pool from one of your
courses and import it into another.
• This would be helpful if you have multiple sections of the
same course in which you might be using the same tests or
pools of questions.
• In the Test or Pool area, select Export to Local Computer
from the contextual menu of the test you want to
duplicate in other sections.
• Go to the next course and choose Import Test, then
Browse My Computer. Select the previously exported file.

16. DO’S AND DON’TS
• It’s a good idea to title each quiz or exam with a unique
identifying name. For example, instead of Test 1, try a topic
or chapter based name.
• It is recommended that your tests not last more than 45-
60 minutes because of connectivity issues.
• Be sure to make the link available!!!
• Your test instructions should clearly state all constraints
and options. For example, let them know if only one or
multiple attempts are allowed, if backtracking is permitted,
and if there is a time limit.

17. DO’S AND DON’TS
• We strongly recommend unselecting the Force Completion
checkbox for tests.
• If a student inadvertently exits or is timed out of a test
they cannot return to complete the test. This feature
does not serve as a good substitute for an enforced
timer.
• In addition, if checked, this option will clear the
students saved answers should they exit the test or
lose their internet connection. Leaving this option
unchecked will allow a student to reenter the exam;
reducing the chance their answers are lost if
disconnected during the test.

18. DO’S AND DON’TS
• It’s recommended that you select the One at a Time option
when choosing how test questions are displayed to
students.
• This option requires the student to save each answer
as they move from one question to the next.
• This can help a student avoid losing their work if their
test session is interrupted.
• Unless you need to have the students see their test in a
new, separate browser window, select the No radio button
for Open in New Window.

19. DO’S AND DON’TS
• Please check your questions before you deploy them!!!
• Warning - If students are in the process of taking a test or
have already taken a test, questions cannot be changed
except for minor text editing, for example to correct typos.
Attempting to change the number of points for a question,
adding or removing answers, adding or removing
feedback, or changing attached files could invalidate
existing test attempts and corrupt the entire assessment
and its Grade Center entries.

20. DO’S AND DON’TS
• Help your students identify and solve technical issues
before actual online tests begin.
• Encourage students to save answers frequently when
taking tests to help prevent time-outs, especially on
long exams or when you display the test all at once.
• Encourage students to use the latest version of Firefox
and make sure Java and Flash are always up to date.
• Make sure they don’t use their browser’s back, forward
and refresh buttons during a test. Users should only
use arrows within the test window.

21. RESOURCES
• Instructors, CELT. Iowa State University, Center for
Excellence in Learning and Teaching. Best Practices for On-
Line Testing in Blackboard Learn. Retrieved from
http://www.celt.iastate.edu/pdfs-
docs/Bb/Best_Practices_Online_Testing_BbLearn.pdf
• Other Test Generators can be found here:
http://www.cod.edu/it/blackboard/testgenerators.htm
• Blackboard, Inc. Blackboard Help. Retrieved from
https://help.blackboard.com/en-
us/Learn/9.1_2014_04/Instructor
• Blackboard, Inc. channel on YouTube!
https://www.youtube.com/user/BlackboardTV