Test Development Tips and Tricks for Instructors on Blackboard – George Brown College

Assessments, Communication, Course Mgmt, Instructors

Campaign Description

With the increased use of digital classes, instructors are also moving more assessments to Blackboard. However, some instructors may struggle with adaption assessments to an online format and instructional designers can use EesySoft to put helpful information in front of instructors. This campaign provides helpful tips and tricks for making an effective, accessible test on Blackboard.

Success Criteria

Increased use of online assessments and decreased support tickets regarding assessment tools

This systray makes use of a third party tool, H5P, to link out several guides on how to make effective tests. The message links to a university-made walk through on building tests, a Blackboard video on how to use assessment tools, and the university support site where instructors can sign up for consultations.

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This systray acts as a walk through with testing content for instructors. Using a systray for this allows the user to keep the instructions up on the page while they simultaneously build the exam. Alternatively, this information could be made into support articles that are linked to in the message.

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Test options recommendations

Before deploying your test, please review the following recommendations:
Test Information
Content Link Description
As part of the description of your test, it is recommended to include:
– Content that the assessment covers.
– Types of questions and how many they will have.
– Time limit.
– Indicate if students have one or multiple attempts.
– Due date and the start and end dates and times.
Note: For a better system performance, it is recommended NOT opening the test in a new window.

Test availability
– Only make test available when the test is ready.
– It is recommended to add a new announcement for the test.
– Multiple attempts
– Choose multiple attempts if students need to reach a certain score or if you allow them to keep their highest score.
– If you enable multiple attempts, indicate how many attempts they have and which score that will be considered.
– If you choose one attempt (the typical selection), verify multiple attempts is disabled.
– Avoid force completion. This setting locks a student out if the connection breaks for any reason (e.g., close browser, leave test page, lose power, lose connection). Students must contact you to explain the issue and request a new attempt.
– Setting a test timer. Indicate the duration of a test and how many minutes they have to complete the test.
– Autosubmit. If you want student to continue after time expires, select off. Otherwise, select on.
– Test visibility to students. Choose when you want to make your test visible to your students.
– 11:59pm is the end of the day.
– 12:00am is the start of the day.
– Password protection. You might make the test accessible with a password if:
– You want to do a try the test using the student preview mode.
– As a second layer of protection.

Support
– How to Create an Online Test (Full Step by Step Guide) (*a university made resource)