Tip #97: Using the Collaboration Space to Link Wikis and Blogs

Tip: By creating a link on the course menu you can provide students with quick access to all wikis and blogs in the course. Students will see the wikis and blogs that are available to them.

1. Hover over the plus sign (+) icon at the top of the Course Menu to show the drop down menu. Select Create Tool Link.


2. Enter the name of the link that will appear on the course menu.


3. Under Type, select Campus Pack Collaboration Space.


4. Check the box next to Available to Users.


5. Click Submit.


6. Once students enter the Campus Pack Collaboration Space through this link, they will see all wikis, blogs, journals, and podcasts that have been made available to them in the course. Students will also see a list of course members and recent activity in the blogs and wikis.

Many thanks to Christopher Johnson in Distance Education for sharing this tip with us!

Tip #96: Score Options for Multi-Attempt Exams

Tip: After deploying an exam with multiple attempts, you can specify which grade (or combination of grades) will be used by the Grade Center for scoring.

To specify the grade to be used for scoring multi-attempt exams:

1. In the Grade Center, click on the action link in the exam’s column header cell and select Edit Column Information.


2. In the dropdown box next to Score attempts using, select which grade you would like to use and then click Submit.

Your options are:

• Grade of Last Attempt
• Highest Grade
• Lowest Grade
• Grade of First Attempt
• Average of Attempt Grades

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Tip #95: Importing Tests

Tip: Tests can be imported from previous tests created in Blackboard.

Importing Tests from a Previous Course

Part 1: How to Export a Test

1. Under the Control Panel, click Course Tools and then Test, Surveys, and Pools.
2. Click Tests to retrieve a list of tests in your course.
3. Click the down arrows next to the test you want to export.
4. Click Export. A .zip file will download to your computer.

Part 2: How to Import a Test from a Previous Course
Note: The original test must be exported using the directions above.

1. Under the Control Panel, click Course Tools and then Test, Surveys, and Pools.
2. Click Tests and then Import Test.
3. On the Test Import page, click Browse My Computer to locate the .zip file.
4. Click Submit.
5. Once you receive a message that the test has been imported, click OK and you will be returned to your updated list of tests.

Note: If the test contains a random block from pools, then you will also need to export and import that pool.

Test questions may also be created in Word and uploaded using a Test Generator. Click the following link for directions: http://www.twu.edu/downloads/blackboard/BB9-1_Test_Generator.pdf.

Tip #94: Collecting Discussion Board Posts

Tip: A feature in Blackboard allows instructors and students to pull up a one-page view of all discussion board posts.

This feature can be used for printing posts or viewing all posts on one page.

Collecting Posts

1. From the course menu, click Discussion Board.
2. Click a discussion board forum.
3. Select all posts by clicking the box next to Date. Click Collect, next to Thread Actions.
4. All posts, including replies, will open on one page. Scroll down to read all posts.

Sorting and Marking Collected Posts

• Scroll over the box next to Sort by to view and select an option for sorting posts. Posts can be sorted by Author’s Last Name, Author’s First Name, Subject, Date of Last Post, and Thread Order.
  Note: When sorting by name you may receive an error messaging stating that not all names could be detected and some posts may appear out of order. This message usually occurs when an anonymous post is included.


• Posts can be marked as read or unread by clicking Mark, found underneath Sort by. To mark posts as read or unread, select posts by selecting individual boxes next to posts or by clicking All. Click Read or Unread from the Mark menu. Posts can also be marked by clicking the Mark as Unread or Mark as Read button in the bottom right corner of each post.