Blackboard 3.0 Instruction Manual

From Question Pool

The question pool allows the instructor to add previously created questions to an assessment.

Creating an Assessment

To create a quiz/exam or a survey:
 
 

Step 1: From the Control Panel, click Assessment Manager within Assessments. Step 2: Click the Create New Assessment button.
Step 3: Select either Quiz/Exam or Survey.

Step 4: Click Submit to continue creating the assessment. Click Cancel to return to the Assessment Manager start page from any point in the assessment section.

 Step 5: Enter the name and description of the assessment. Note: Description items can include a sentence about the type of assessment, an indication of what kind of questions are located in the assessment, and the approximate time it should take students to complete the assessment. Step 6: Click the Submit button. Step 7: Enter the instructions for the assessment and click the Submit button.
 
 


 
 
 
 

Step 8: Select a question type from the drop down menu and click the Submit button.

Example of a Multiple Answer Question in Normal View:
 
 


 


Step 9: Fill out the initial question fields:

Note: The answer options will be different for each question type. Essay questions do not require answers. However, sample answers may be provided in the answer field to guide students and graders. Step 10: Submit the question by clicking the Add Question button. This button will save the current question and take you back to the Select Question Type screen. Note 1: Click View Assessment to see the arrangement of your assessment questions.

Note 2: You can modify or remove the Name, Description, Instructions, or Questions by clicking the Modify or Remove buttons. Clicking the Remove button will delete the question.

 Step 11: To continue adding questions, repeat Steps 2-10 until the assessment is complete. Normal and Advanced Question Creation

There are two types of question creation methods: Normal and Advanced. The Normal option (as described in Error! Reference source not found.) allows you to enter question text, question answers, and Correct/Incorrect replies. The Advanced option allows you to upload multimedia (Images, Audio, Files, etc.).

To utilize the advanced options:

Step 1: From the Create Assessment page, click the Advanced button (grayed out on the Question Text banner).


 


Step 2: To upload multimedia in the Question Text section, click the Add Image/File button.
 
  Step 3: Click the Browse button to locate the file in your directories. You can also upload a URL to be linked to this question. Enter the Question Link Name and the Question Link URL in the text boxes.
Step 4: Select a format to display the image/link. Note: There are two ways to display an image/link on an assessment.

Create a Link to This File: This option will create a link that will appear on the assessment. (Example: ) Click the link to view the image/file.

Display on Page (gif, jpeg, jpg only): This option will upload the image/file to the assessment. (See example below).

 Step 5: Click the Submit button.
Step 6: You will be returned to the Advanced options screen.  
Example of the Display on Page (gif, jpeg, jpg only):
 
 




 


Step 7: Optionally upload images/files to the answer selections by repeating steps 2-6.
 



Step 8: Optionally, you can specify a question category. This option is useful when searching for a question in the question pool. To specify a question category, click the Add Category button.

Note: Pools and Categories are course-specific.
 
 
 
  Step 9: To define, modify, or remove a category, click the Category Manager button. Step 10: Enter the name of the new category and click the Add Category button. Click Return to restart to categorizing process.
Step 11: The new category will be listed. You can modify or remove the category by clicking the Modify or Remove buttons. You can create another category by repeating Step 9.
 



 


Step 12: Click the Return button to assign the category to a question.

Step 13: Select the desired category from the List of Categories drop down menu.

Note: Multiple categories can be assigned to one question.

Step 14: Click the Assign button.

Step 15: The question has been assigned a category. Click the Unassign button to delete the category assignment. Click the Submit button to access the Advanced options screen.


 

Step 16: You will be returned to the Advanced options screen. The question will be assigned a category.

Note: Click the Modify button to change the assigned category or assign additional categories.




Step 17: You can continue creating your assessment by clicking the Add Question button. The current question will be saved.
 
 



Creating an Assessment using the Question Pool

An assessment can be created utilizing previously used questions by accessing the Question Pool. When an assessment is created, the Instructor has the option of assigning a category to the question and inputting the question in a pool that is housed in CourseInfo. Each Instructor has their own pool/categories of questions to choose from, making major exam creating a recyclable process. Pools and Categories are course-specific.
 
 

Note 1: The Pool function is used for logging subject matter-specific questions together. For example: If you are creating a course on African-American Diaspora, you can generate questions and group them together accordingly. If those questions are to be used at a later date, a pool has been created housing questions that pertain to the subject matter.
 
  Note 2: The Category function is used to search for specific questions. For example: If you are creating a course on Poetry Appreciation, you can search for previously created questions on poetry (within your own categories). Within the category, you can select the questions you would like to add to your assessment. To create an assessment using the question pool:

Step 1: Repeat steps 1-6 of Creating an Assessment or Survey.

Step 2: From the Question Type drop down menu, select From Question Pool.
 
 

                                                                                Step 3: Click the Submit button.

Step 4: Determine your method of gathering pool question from the drop down menu and click the Submit button.
 
  Note: If you choose Select Specific Questions from Pool, you will access the categories while building assessments, as well as other previously created assessments. If you choose Select Random Block of Questions from Pool, you will access a pool that you have created to house random questions in a specific subject matter. This can only be accomplished when a pool has been created (see the Pool Manager section of this manual). Example of Select Specific Block of Questions:

Step 5: Select the assessment from which you would like to select a question.
  Note: You can preview the questions available within an assessment. To preview available questions click the Preview button of the desired assessment. Click the Return button to select a category/pool.
 
 
  Step 6: Select the appropriate search criteria.

Note: You can enter Keywords to condense your search.

Step 7: Click the Submit button.

Step 8: The questions available will appear according to the search criteria. Click the check boxes of the questions that you would like to use in the new assessment.

Step 9: Click the Submit button to add the selected questions to the new assessment. The Cancel button will return to the pool selection page, deleting all previous entries.
Step 10: The pool questions will be added. You can either add more questions to the assessment by clicking the Add Question button, or save the assessment by clicking either the Save button (future modification) or the Save and Make Available button. Note: When making the Quiz/Exam available, remember to add a point value to each question. Previewing Assessments

Once an assessment has been created, the Instructor has the ability to preview the exam before making it available to the users.

To preview an assessment:

Step 1: From the Assessment Manager start page, click the Preview button.

Step 2: The assessment will appear. Take the assessment and click the Submit Answers button.
 
 


 






Step 3: The answers are displayed according to the criteria set when the assessment was created.
 
 



 



 
 
 
 
 

The points are shown as well.

Step 4: Click the Back button to return to the Assessment Manager start page. Saving Assessments

Once you have created an assessment you can either save it and store it for future modification or save it and make it available to users. This is useful when creating a long exam that requires more than one sitting to develop.
 

Note: Saving and making an assessment available immediately after creation and saving an assessment after modification are completed in the same manner. To save an assessment for future modification:

Step 1: From the Create Assessment page, click the View

Assessment Button. Step 2: Review the assessment for grammatical errors, order, and point value.
 
 
 

Step 3: Click the Save button.
Step 4: The assessment has been saved and can be accessed at any time for modifications. It is not available to users.

 To make an assessment available (immediately or after modification):
                    Step 1: From the Assessment Manager start click the Update button of the desired assessment.  

Step 2: In the Availability section click the Yes radio button to make the assessment available.
 



 


Step 3: Determine whether you would like to post announcement about the new assessment (recommended). Click the appropriate radio button and select the location of the announcement from the drop down menu.

Note: An announcement will automatically be placed in the Main Course Window. An additional announcement can be placed in either:
Step 4: Make the appropriate selection in the assessment options by clicking the checkbox. The options are as follows:
Option
Answering Yes
Answering No
Show Detailed Result Displays each question and whether or not the student answered the question right or wrong. Displays a general, total result for the assessment (example, you got 70 out of 100 points).
Reveal Correct Answer Displays the correct answer to the student (only when Show Detailed Result is selected). Does not display the correct answer to the student 
Feedback Enabled Shows the feedback associated with a question (only if Reveal Correct Answer is selected). Does not show the feedback associated with a question.
Allow Multiple Attempts Permits students to take an assessment multiple times (practice exercise). Does not enter the attempts in the gradebook. This is the only option available when creating a Survey. Student name will be associated with a grade. Entry will be recorded in gradebook.
Timed Quiz Displays a running clock, timing test completion.  The assessment will not be timed.
Password Protected Allows only students with the appropriate password to take the assessment. The assessment does not require a password.

 
 
  Note: When creating surveys the only option available in the Options section is Allow Multiple Attempts.
Step 5: Click the Submit button.
                  Step 6: The assessment has been made available.

Modifying Assessments

The instructor can modify an assessment question.

To modify an assessment:
 
 

Step 1: From the Assessment Manager start page, click the Modify button of the assessment you would like to change.

Step 2: Make the necessary changes to the question text and/or point value and click the View Assessments button.

 Removing Assessments

The instructor can remove an assessment from a CourseSite. There are two ways to remove an assessment:

Removing an assessment from a CourseSite will delete it an all associations with it, such as gradebook entries and announcements. This should only be used if the assessment has been posted in error - this action is irreversible. Making an assessment unavailable allows the instructor to make changes to the assessment before the users have taken it. You will only have limited access to an assessment once it has been made available to users.

To remove an assessment:
Step 1: From the Assessment Manager start page, click the Remove button of the assessment you would like to delete from the course.
Step 2: Click OK in the confirmation box.

Note: Removing an assessment will permanently delete it and all associations with it from the CourseSite (i.e. announcements, gradebook entries, etc.). This action is irreversible.

Step 3: Click OK to confirm the deletion.

To make an assessment unavailable:

Step 1: From the Assessment Manager start page, click the Update button.
Step 2: Click the Yes radio button to make the assessment unavailable.
 
 




 




Step 3: Click OK in the confirmation box.

Step 4: Click the Submit button.

Step 5: Click OK in the second confirmation box.

Step 6: The assessment will become unavailable to the users.
 
 





Blackboard 3.0 Instruction Manual