These instructions will demonstrate how to set up and change the test settings on a test that has already been deployed to a content area.
Accessing the Test Options
To access the test options, locate the exam you would like to edit the settings for. Hover over the name of the test, and click the chevron button that appears next to the test and select Edit the Test Options from the menu that appears.
Setting up the Test Information Settings
You will now see a screen labelled Test Options that allows you to set up how the test appears to students. The Test Information section allows you to edit the information that is shown to students in the link for the test.
- Name: The test can be renamed by entering a new name in this field.
- Choose Color of Name: The color selector will allow you to change the color of the test link.
- Content Link Description: You can type a description of the test in the space here.
- Test Description: The description that was created when setting up the test questions in Blackboard will appear here. If a test description was not created, this item will not appear. To make the description visible to students prior to starting the test, check the box for the option labeled Show Test Description to students before they begin the test.
- Test Instructions: Test instructions that were entered when setting up the test questions in Blackboard will appear here. If test instructions were not entered, this item will not appear. To make the instructions visible to students prior to starting the test, check the box for the option labeled Show Instructions to students before they begin the test.
- Open Test in New Window: Select Yes to open the test in a new window, or select No to open the test in the same window (optional)
Setting up the Test Availability and Timer
Test Availability allows you to modify the number of attempts students have to take the test, the test timer settings, and the test availability settings.
- Make the Link Available: Select Yes to make the test accessible to students. Note: If the test availability is set to No, students will not see the link to access the test, even if the test availability dates are specified, or if test availability exceptions or adaptive release rules are specified.
- Add a New Announcement: Select Yes to automatically generate a message that the test has been posted. (If you want a more detailed message, it is recommended to create your own announcement.)
- Multiple Attempts: Check the box to allow for multiple attempts, and select either to Allow Unlimited Attempts or select Number of Attempts and enter the number of attempts allowed. Leave this option unchecked for a single attempt.
- Score Attempts Using: If you have selected the option to allow multiple attempts, this dropdown menu will allow you to select how to grade multiple attempts (Last graded attempt, Highest grade, Lowest grade, First graded attempt, Average of graded attempts).
- Force Completion: Enabling this option will prevent students from reentering the test if they exit the test without submitting. If students encounter technical problems, then they would not be able to reenter the exam. This option is NOT RECOMMENDED. To ensure students complete the test within the test time limit, please enable the timer and turn Auto Submit on.
- Set Timer: Check the box to enable a time limit for the test, and enter the duration in minutes: The maximum duration is 420 minutes (seven hours).
- Auto-Submit: Select On to enable Auto Submit, in which the test will automatically submit after the timer ends. The timer will run continuously, regardless of whether or not the student is in the test at that moment. If you select Off, students can continue past the time limit, but the time is noted in the grade center.
- Display After: Check the box and use the date and time pickers to select the date in which the test would become available to students.
- Display Until: Check this box and use the date and time pickers to select the date in which the test is no longer available to students. After the specified date, the test is no longer visible to students, and students can no longer access the test.
- Password: To enforce requirements for students to take the exam in a classroom or proctored environment, check this box and enter the desired password that would be distributed to proctors and entered prior to the student starting the test.
Setting up the Test Availability Exceptions
Test Availability Exceptions allow users to specify students or groups to provide exceptions to the availability settings listed above. Options for Test Availability Exceptions include the following: Timer, Auto Submit, Number of Attempts, Availability, and Force Completion. To set up availability exceptions, click the Add User or Group button.
Due Date allows you to specify a due date for the assignment that will show up in the student’s calendar, as well as in the instructor’s Grade Center. The due date option does not restrict the student’s ability to submit after the due date has passed, and items submitted after the due date would be marked as Late
- Due Date: Use the time and date pickers to set up the due date for the item.
- Do not allow students to start the Test if the due date has passed: This option will prevent students from beginning the test after the due date has passed. If this option is checked, it will supersede any test availability exceptions set up for students completing the test options.
Setting up the Due Date
Due Date allows you to specify a due date for the assignment that will show up in the student’s calendar, as well as in the instructor’s Grade Center. The due date option does not restrict the student’s ability to submit after the due date has passed, and items submitted after the due date would be marked as Late
- Due Date: Use the time and date pickers to set up the due date for the item.
- Do not allow students to start the Test if the due date has passed: This option will prevent students from beginning the test after the due date has passed. If this option is checked, it will supersede any test availability exceptions set up for students completing the test options.
Setting up Grading Options
Self-assessment Options determine how Blackboard handles the scoring of the exam in relation to the Grade Center grade calculations.
- Include this Test in Grade Center Score Calculations: Check the first checkbox to include the test in Grade Center calculations.
- Hide Results for this Test Completely from Instructor and the Grade Center: DO NOT check the second option if you are using the test for grading. If you select this option, you will not be able to access the assessment results, and student attempts will be deleted if this option is reversed.
Setting up Test Feedback Options
Under the column: Show Test Results and Feedback to Students allows instructors to determine what type of feedback students are able to view. Instructors can set up to two rules for displaying feedback to students. A selection is required for the first rule, but the second rule is optional. Note: if you do not want students to see the assessment score at all, you would need to hide the column associated with the test in the Grade Center from students’ view.
- When: Use the dropdown menu to specify when students can view specific feedback for each rule: The options for the first rule include After Submission, One Time view, On Specific Date, After Due Date, After Availability End Date, and After All Attempts are Graded. The options for the second rule include On Specific Date, After Due Date, After Availability End Date, and After All Attempts are Graded. Note: The After All Attempts are Graded option is not recommended, as Blackboard will only release the feedback after every student listed in the course has taken the exam, including the instructor’s student account, students marked as unavailable, and students who have dropped the course.
- Score per Question: Checking this option will allow students to see the test questions and their score for each question. Note: To allow students to see only their overall score, selecting an option from the When dropdown menu is sufficient. To prevent students from seeing their score, hide the column from students in the Grade Center, and leave the When dropdown menu blank.
- Answers: Instructors can check whether students can see all answer choices, the correct answer choices, as well as the choices the students submitted.
- Feedback: Checking this option allows students to view question-specific feedback that was entered when creating questions in Blackboard. if the instructor is providing feedback for essay questions, this option must be checked in order for student to view the feedback the instructor has provided.
- Show Incorrect Questions: Checking this option will allow students to see which items were marked as incorrect.
Setting Up the Test Presentation
Test Presentation allows you to choose how the test is presented to students:
- All at Once: Choose this option to present the test all at once to students on one screen.
- One at a Time: Choose this option to present one question at a time to students.
- Prohibit Backtracking: Checking this option will prevent students from going back to previous questions they have answered.
- Randomize Questions: Checking this option will display the questions in random order for each attempt.
- When finished, click the Submit button at the bottom of the page to save the test settings and make the exam available to students.