Create Tests in Blackboard

You are viewing instructions for Original view in Blackboard (the current UAS default).

If you have elected to use Ultra, go to our Ultra course view page instead.

Overview of Tests in Blackboard

Note: If you are writing a long test, we recommend using Respondus rather than the Blackboard test feature.

Tests are created or imported to the "Test Manager" which is located in the Control Panel under Course Tools — Tests, Surveys and Pools. For students to have access, they must be "deployed" in a content area or folder. When they are deployed, a column is automatically created in the Grade Center. Test options may be set to limit availability, add passwords, set time limits, determine level of feedback, etc.

Creating and Deploying Tests

To create a new test online:

• Go to the "Control Panel", click on "Course Tools", then on "Tests, Surveys and Pools"
• Click on "Tests" and then "Build Test"
• After adding a title, description and instructions, the next page will be the Test Canvas, where you can add questions
• A test created this way will be located in the Test Manager but will not be deployed (posted) for students

OR

• Go to a Content Area or Folder and from the "Assessment" menu, choose "Test". 

• Here you'll have the option to either create a new Test or choose an existing (but not yet deployed) test from the manager.
• This will attach the test to a specific content area or folder and deploy it for students to access.

Set Test Options

1. You can write a description for students to see when they see the link to
   the test.
2. Tests are unavailable by default - at the very least you must change "Make available to students" to “Yes” before your students can see the test. Once you've chosen “Yes”, you can also set a time window for availability, but if you leave it at "No" it will NEVER be available.
3. You can select options for number of attempts by choosing “Multiple Attempts”.

The act of deploying the test creates a column in the gradebook.

Importing Tests

• Many publishers provide test banks or test creation tools. Contact your publisher's rep for information and support.
• UAS has a site license for a Windows test creation program called "Respondus" (Windows only)
  • More about Respondus
• An alternative way to generate a file for importing tests is to use this Online Blackboard Test Generator from University of Arkansas.

Importing a Single Test from a UAS Blackboard Course

It is possible to export a single test (rather than all tests or the whole class).

In Blackboard, tests are located in the “Test Manager” but are deployed in particular content areas and also have associated columns in the Grade Center. To use Course Copy or Export/Import from “Packages and Utilities” to move a single test is not possible. However, there is an alternative.

Note – This does not work for tests which are drawing from Pools or other Tests as Random Blocks, Question Sets, etc.

In the OLD course that you want to copy from, go to "Tests, Surveys, and Pools". Click on the link and then choose "Tests". This will take you to a list of your created tests in the Test Manager.

• Find your test in the list.
• Move your mouse over the test name and a drop-down menu that looks like a circle with arrow will appear (1)
• Using the drop-down menu choose Export (2)
• A zip file of your test will be downloaded to your computer. You can find it in your downloads on your computer.

Import into another course

In your NEW course, go to Control Panel > Course Tools > Tests Surveys and Pools > Tests as you did in the old course. Once you reach the page that displays your list of created tests, choose “Import Test”. Browse your computer (look in Downloads) and choose the zip file you just downloaded. Click submit.

Your test is now located in the list of tests in your NEW course. It must be deployed for your students to access it.

Importing Multiple Tests from a UAS Blackboard Course

The only option to import multiple tests at once is to Course Copy all of the tests from one course to another and delete the ones you don't need. See our page on Course Copy for more information.