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Tech Support

Blackboard Tests

These instructions will tell you how to use the testing function in the Blackboard system.

  • Use the latest version of your Internet Browser. Make sure that your Internet Browser meets the minimum requirements. We recommend that you always have an up-to-date version installed in your computer. Click here to learn about the minimum requirements and installation instructions.


  • Blackboard Test Timer Not Appearing in FireFox and Internet Explorer 7.0 by default. Timer will show up by changing the settings.

FireFox 1.0

Go into Tools -> Options -> Web Features -> Advanced and check the box ON for "Change status bar text", the timer will then appear.

The one minute warning did not appear. This is again probably due to pop-up blockers being turned on. Simply disable the popup blockers for the duration of the test.

FireFox 1.5 and above

Go into Tools -> Options -> Content -> Advanced and check the box ON for "Change status bar text", the timer will then appear.

Internet Explorer

Go to Tools -> Internet Options -> Security tab -> Internet -> Custom Levels, scroll down (near the bottom) and enable "Allow status bar updates via script."

Note: You may need to restart your browser after you change its settings.

 

  • Disengage call waiting if you are on dial-up. If you use dial-up and somebody calls you while you take your test, then you could get disconnected and loose access to your test.

Avoid Being Disconnected from Quizzes

If you connect to your Blackboard course through a dial-up Internet connection, you can be disconnected while you are taking online quizzes because of "idle time limits" set by your operating system or by your Internet service provider.

If you are disconnected while taking a quiz, do NOT close the quiz window. Instead, reconnect to the Internet. In most situations, you should be able to continue with your quiz where you left off.

You can do two other things to avoid idle time disconnections:

  1. Before you begin your Blackboard quiz, disconnect from the Internet, then reconnect, and then enter your course and begin your quiz. In this way, your session time will be reset to zero.
  2. This page opened in a separate browser window. Keep this page open while you are taking your quiz. This page has been designed to refresh itself every minute. Switch over to this window occasionally while taking your quiz so your connection will be active. The way to switch to this connection is to click on the link to the page on the taskbar at the bottom of your screen.

 

  • Make sure your Internet Service Provider time-out settings are set to the maximum allowed time. To make sure that you keep connected to the Internet and can finish your test successfully, allow your ISP time-out setting to be on the maximum allowed connection time.
The following instructions are for the Windows systems:

  1. Click on Start, go up to settings, and click on Control Panel.
  2. Double-click on Internet Options.
  3. Click on the Connection tab near the top of the Internet window.
  4. Under Dial-up settings, choose the service you use to connect to the Internet.
  5. Click on the Settings button.
  6. Click on the Advanced button near the bottom. You should see a check box on the window that appears which says: Disconnect if idle for _____ minutes. You can set this higher than its current value, but you should not uncheck the option.

 

  • Never use the back button on your browser or resize the window. After entering the test area, never use the back button on your browser or resize the window. Blackboard will take these actions as a submission; please be careful.
  • You can only submit your test one time. Unless the instructor has set it differently, you will not be able to retake an assessment. If you submit your assessment by mistake, please contact your instructor immediately to work out what to do.
  • Click the submit button before the test time is up. If the test is a timed assessment, the total test time will be displayed on the top of the test page. The elapsed time will appear at the bottom of your browser. A 1-minute warning will be sounded. Be sure to click the Submit button before the time is up.
  • Save a copy of your test answers. We highly recommend that you keep a copy of your answers in case something goes wrong.

Test-saving Tips:

  • Essay questions: compose essay questions in Microsoft Word and SAVE THEM to your hard drive, then copy and paste your answers into the test screen. Have Miscrosoft Word (or your favorite text editor) open and MINIMIZED before you start the test. Then, you can go back and forth by accessing the test and the word processor from the task bar. However, do not resize the Blackboard window or use the back button.
  • Objective questions, such as multiple choice, true or false, or match: write down the answers quickly on a piece of paper.

 

  • Check your test score. Your test score may or may not show after the submission, depending on how your professor set up the test.
  • If the assessment is a "quiz," your answers will be assessed and a grade will be recorded in the grade book.
  • If the assessment requires manual grading (essay questions or fill-in-blank questions), the grade book will report that you completed the assessment, but the grade will not appear until your essays have been evaluated.

  • If the assessment is a drill and practice exercise (an instructor option), Blackboard will only record the grade of your last attempt.

 

  • Get help. If you should get either of the messages "you are kicked out of Blackboard" or "Sorry.you already took this assessment," please contact your instructor directly. He or She can reset your access to the assessment if that is his/her policy. Your professor may have other class-specific instructions for testing. Please be on the look-out in your announcements.