Tip #100: Best Practices for Student Test Taking in Blackboard

Tip: You can help students reduce the chances of technological mishaps while taking exams by encouraging them to follow a few best practices. Please share these tips with your students.

Tips for instructors setting up tests can be found here.

Best Practices for Students Preparing to Take a Test in Blackboard

• Allow adequate time to take the test. Last minute testing leads to frustration!
• Do not start a test until you are ready to complete it. If a test is timed, the clock will start counting down from the moment you enter the test. If you exit the test, it will continue to count down until the test is submitted.
• Take tests during hours that the IT Helpdesk is open. This will allow you to get help quickly if needed.
  

  IT HelpDesk Regular Hours (940-898-3971 or helpdesk@twu.edu)
  Monday - Thursday 7:30 am - 9:00 pm
  Friday - 7:30 am - 5:30 pm
  Saturday - 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
  Sunday - 3:00 pm - 9:00 pm

• Do not take a test on an iPad, iPhone or other smart phone device.
• Do not take tests at public schools, hospitals, or other places of work that have heavy firewalls.
• Use only Internet Explorer 8 or Firefox to take tests.
• Disable pop-up blockers on your browser.
• Clear your internet browser cache before beginning a test.

Best Practices for Students While Taking a Test in Blackboard

• If a Java or certificate popup appears asking for permission, grant permission by clicking Yes.
• Do not open any other browser window or application for the duration of your test session.
• Look at the Instruction box at the top of the test for test settings.
  • If Force Completion says “This Test can be saved and resumed later,” be sure to save answers regularly.
  • If Force Completion says, “This Test must be completed now,” do not click Save Answer or Save All Answers.
• Do not click outside of the test—including the navigation on the left side panel in Blackboard.
• Do not click on any browser navigation such as the Back, Forward, or Home buttons.
• Do not let test pages remain static for too long. If a question needs to be thought out, be sure to make some mouse movements to make sure the browser detects that you are still active in the test.
• Do not use the scroll wheel on your mouse as this may inadvertently change answers.
• Do not double click the Save button.
• When ready to submit, click the Submit button only once. Look at the page load progress bar to determine if the submission page is loading. Wait at least 2-5 minutes for a confirmation that your quiz was received. The quiz must be sent, scored, and the results returned to you.

Note: For test security, Instructors or Teaching Assistants are the only ones who can reset tests. If you are locked out of a test, follow their procedures to request a reset.

Tip #99: YouTube Mashups

Tip: Embed a video into your course shell by searching for Youtube videos using the Mashup tool.

1. Go to the Course Menu and select the content area where you would like to embed the video.


2. Click Build Content, and select YouTube Video on the right side under Mashups.


3. Enter your search terms in the Search bar, and click Go.


4. Click Preview to watch a video.


5. Click Select to choose a video.


6. Once a video has been selected, a screen will open with the following options for your video:
1. Add YouTube Content to Course
• Name – The name of the video will automatically be entered into this line and can be changed.
• Description – Any text entered will appear underneath the embedded video.
2. Mashup Options
• View – The video can be embedded in three ways:
1. Embed Video to allow students to view the video directly in Blackboard.
2. Thumbnail posts a small image of the video in Blackboard and opens the video in a popup.
3. Text Link with Player posts a link for students to click to open the video in a popup.
• Show YouTube URL – Select yes to create a link to the video’s YouTube page.
• Show YouTube Information – Select yes to display the length of video, name of creator, and date the video was added.


7. Complete items 3 (Attach or Link Content) and 4 (Options) as desired.


8. Click Submit to save and embed video.

Tip #98: How to Copy a Wiki

Tip: The copy wiki tool allows the instructor to retain the content and permissions from a previous wiki for use in a new wiki.

1. From the Course Menu, click Tools.


2. Click Campus Pack Collaboration Space.


3. On the right side under the Content section, click the Add Content button at the end of the box.


4. On the right, click Copy from Existing.


5. Select the course name from the list in the first column. A list of all Campus Pack wikis, blogs, journals, and podcasts will load in the second column. Select the wiki to be copied.


6. In the Title box, enter the title for the copied wiki. The title of the original will stay the same.


7. To retain the permissions from the original wiki, check the box under Copy sharing settings.


8. Select Copy to save. The copied wiki will open automatically.