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Creating a Test or Survey

When creating a test or survey in Blackboard, there are many steps and options to choose from. This will provide you with a helpful overview on how to create a test or survey and point you to more detailed tutorials for each Blackboard tool.

Getting Started: Tests and Surveys
Steps for Creating Tests and Surveys
Options for a Test or Survey

Getting Started: Tests and Surveys

There are many methods for creating Tests and Surveys. These are the recommended methods to help you and your students have a successful outcome.

Note: It is best to start within the Pool Manager. Questions can be imported into the Pool Manager as a TXT file. The TXT file is the best method for storing questions on your desktop to be reused for multiple quarters on multiple Blackboard systems (next upgrade to Bb 7 is scheduled for Fall 07). Some question Pools have not worked well when copied from an old Fall 05 Blackboard course (version 5.5) into a Fall 06 Blackboard course (version 6.2). By having the TXT file, questions can be uploaded into the new course without error.

Test (Test Manager)

A Test allows the students to answer a set of questions that the instructor can review their results within the Gradebook. Each student's response is stored and can be viewed by the instructor. Depending on the points assigned and the question type, Blackboard will automatically grade the test and provide this information to the instructor and student (if the instructor allows it).

Survey (Survey Manager)

A Survey allows the students to answer a set of questions that the instructor can review as an overall percent response within the Gradebook. The students' responses are anonymous and even instructors are unable to determine who answered what questions.

Note: Each question answer order is randomized so the instructor may not match question one (e.g., student major) with other questions. For example, if the instructor wanted to know what Freshman students answered, the instructor should create a survey just for the freshman in the class.

Steps for Creating Tests and Surveys

  1. Create the questions in Excel and save as a TXT file.
  2. No matter if the questions you are creating are for a Test or a Survey the questions should be stored in the Pool Manager. Questions from the Pool Manager can be added into a Test or Survey from the Test Manager or the Survey Manager.
  3. Create the order and number of questions for the Test or Survey.
  4. Create the Test or Survey link for the students to view and access within a Blackboard Content Area (Syllabus, Course Materials, Assignments, or External Links).

Options for a Test or Survey

Again there are many choices within the options section of the Test and Survey tool, but here are some recommendations of how to set your Test and Survey Options.

You may choose to set the Options one way for the duration of the test/survey and then change the Options after the test/survey has been taken. Here is a common setup that allows the students to take the test/survey with little or no help from you and then allows the students to learn from their errors for the future test or to review their survey answers.

  1. Test / Survey Information
      Survey Info Windwo

    • a) Choose the color (not necessary, can leave it black) for the Test/Survey name
    • b) Type in the Test/Survey Instructions within the Description box. Example below...

      Pre-Survey Instructions

      This survey will open in a new window and has one question per page. Although you are required to click the forward arrow and then the OK button for each question, this setup will allow you to return to the survey if you need to finish later or if your network access is dropped. This survey opens in a new window to provide the best accessibility for those who use screen reading technology.

      1. Click on the Pre Survey link above.
      2. Click on the OK button.
        Note: Do not click on the Save buttons.
      3. Answer each question, click on the forward arrow | -> | on the bottom right, to get to the next question.
      4. A popup window will appear, click on the OK button (this action will save your question).
        Note: The return / enter key on your keyboard will also work.
      5. After answering all the questions, click on the Submit button.
      6. Click the OK button.
        Note: You will see your answers displayed.
      7. Close the new window to access the course window behind.

      Q: What to do if I am kicked off Blackboard before finishing the survey?
      A:       You will be able to go back into Blackboard and continue the survey. Go ahead and continue the survey from there.

      Q: What to do if I am unable to complete the survey in Blackboard?
      A:       If Blackboard tells you that you have already submitted the survey and it will not allow you to access the survey again, please contact your instructor via email.

      Q: What to do if I am unable to access Blackboard?
      A:       Please call the Service Desk at 805-756-7000. They will assist you with your Blackboard access.

      Right click to download/save this HTML text


    • c) Choose YES to open the survey into a new window. This will make it easier for students who use adaptive technology.

  2. Test / Survey Availability

      3. Survey Availablility Window

    • Make the Link Available - YES
    • Add New Announcement for Test/Survey - YES (this will create an announcement about the test/survey to remind the students and a link to the item can be within the announcement) This is optional, but if not used make sure your students know where to find the Test/Survey.
    • Allow Multiple Attempts - NO. I do not set this unless the Test/Survey is just a tool for self assessment and the instructor doesn't want the results. Multiple Attempts only will keep the last attempt within the Gradebook. The instructor will now know how many times the Test/Survey was taken or what scores where given.
    • Force Completion - NO. This will only make it harder for you. The force completion setting will not allow the student to re-access a Test/Survey if they were kicked out. If you are concerned about cheating, then there are other settings to use to help reduce cheating, but with online Tests/Surveys there is no real way to prevent cheating without a proctored environment. If you use this option, for every student who has technical difficulties, you will need to manually clear their attempts (3 clicks each student).
    • Set Timer - YES. This will help to detour cheating. Set the time to allow those students who have studied the proper amount of time to complete the Test/Survey. If a student didn't study, they will not be able to finish the Test/Survey in the time you provide.
    • Display After/Until - YES. Make sure you set both dates by checking the boxes and choosing the dates and times. This will make the link for the Test/Survey available only during the time you posted.
    • Password -YES/NO. This can be helpful if you have a proctored lab. The proctor can tell the students the password in the lab so that students can't access the Test/Survey before the correct time/section.

  3. Test / Survey Feedback

      4. Test Feedback Window

      Survey Feedback Window

    • Before and During the Test / Survey

      Score Only / Status Only - YES
      Set this first. This will allow the student to see that they have completed the Test/Survey but not which test answers they got wrong or right.

    • After the Test / Survey
      Once everyone has taken the Test/Survey you can allow the students to have access to the information.

      Detailed Results: The users' answers, whether they are correct, and the final score are presented, but not the correct answers
      Show Correct Answers (Test Only): The users' answers, the correct answers, and the final score are presented, but not any question feedback.
      Detailed Results, Correct Answers, and Feedback (Test Only): The users' answers, the correct answers, feedback for the questions, and the final score are presented.

      •
      • To Modify the test options...
        1. Click on the Modify button on the right of the Test/Survey .
        2. Click on the Modify the Test options link.
        3. Scroll down to (3) Test Feedback, choose a button.
        4. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen and click on the Submit button.

  4. Test / Survey Presentation

      5. Survey Presentation Window

    • Presentation Mode

      • All at Once: displays the entire test / survey on one page.
      Note: This can be an issue if your students are taking the test/survey off campus. While a student is clicking on the answers on the page the network connection is not active. If the questions take some time to answer, the network connection can be lost to the Blackboard server, which will not allow the student to submit the test/survey. There is no way to know how long a network provider will keep an inactive connection. It is best to use the One at a Time setting below.
      One at a Time: displays one question per page.
      Note: This is more time consuming (more clicks) for the student, but in the long run will keep the network connection active, save each question in the Gradebook, and if you set the Test/Survey Availability correctly...allow the student to resume if they are disconnected.
      Prohibit Backtracking: Prevents the student from going back to review or change the question.
      We advise against using this option. Some students will move forward to answer all questions they know first and then return to the ones they need to think more about. If you choose to use this setting, make sure you warn the students in the instructions.
      Randomize Questions: Randomizes the questions from a Pool so each student receives different questions.
      This can help detour cheating (telling classmates the questions on the test), but you will need to use the Pool Manager and depending on the complexity, you may need to create a Pool for each question.

If you need assistance with any of these steps, please feel free to schedule a consultation with a Blackboard Support member.