Blackboard tests and quizzes are convenient but please be aware that instructors and students have reported problems with online testing in Blackboard.  Please review this information before giving online tests in Blackboard. The recommendations and known issues were developed based on specific issues at DU, as well as best practices identified at other institutions that use Blackboard. Following these recommendations may avoid common problems associated with Blackboard tests.

This page includes important information about online tests and quizzes in Blackboard. Please report problems to blackboard@du.edu.

Recommendations/Tips for Online Testing

• It is critical that students are instructed to login directly to Blackboard at http://blackboard.du.edu and NOT via webCentral when they are taking an online test.(refer to known issues below).
• Do not select "Hide the score of this test from the Gradebook" under the self-assessments options unless you do not need to see your students' scores on a test or quiz.
• Consider using Blackboard tests and quizzes for self-assessment activities. If you do choose to give tests that count towards a grade, create a practice test first to uncover any problems which may be related to individual student computer settings, spyware issues, or problems with an ISP.
  
• Have a back-up plan in case students are unable to access or complete the test due to a network failure or a connection problem.
• Inform students about the Known Issues (see below).
  
• Do not select the option to “Open test in a new window.”
  
• Tell students to periodically click the SAVE button at the very bottom of the page when taking online tests. Ignore the Save button next to each question.
• Remind students to click on the Submit button when they are finished with an exam or test.
• Don’t create a test that takes more than 3 hours hour to complete; Blackboard has a 3 hour time limit.
• Tell students to type answers to essay questions in Notepad or another word processor before entering them into the exam.
  
• Spyware is notorious for causing problems with quiz submissions.  It is highly recommended that students use some type of program to check for and remove spyware from their computer before taking an online exam.  Contact the DU helpdesk (303.871.4700) for more information.

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Known Issues with Blackboard Tests

Issue:
Students who log into Blackboard through webCentral report problems submitting Blackboard tests or quizzes. Blackboard freezes when they press "submit,"or they are redirected to the Bb login page and their answers are lost.

Background:
When webCentral automatically “times out,” students are also logged out of Blackboard.

Work-around:
It is critical that students are instructed to login directly to Blackboard at http://blackboard.du.edu and NOT via webCentral when they are taking an online test. Students can also change their timeout in webCentral to a longer timeframe which may also prevent this problem.

Status:
This will continue to be an issue. Students should make sure to use one of the above workarounds when taking tests in Blackboard.

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Issue:
Students have problems when they click on the Save button next to individual questions while taking an online exam.

Background:
When students click on the submit button at the end of the test, they will receive a message that certain questions may be incomplete for the questions which they individually saved. They must click the OK button to submit the test. When the student checks their grade for the exam, they will see [none given] for those questions that were indivdually saved. The instructor will need to manually resubmit the test from within the Gradebook to correct the problem.

Work-around:
To avoid confusion, students should be told to ignore the Save button next to each question when taking an online test. However, for tests with more than 10 questions, students should be encouraged to periodically click the SAVE button at the very bottom of the page.

Status:
This is a known issue in the current version of Blackboard which will hopefully be resolved in a future release of Blackboard.

Issue:
Students from off-campus using an external ISP (Internet Service Provider) may get disconnected from the Internet after a perceived period of inactivity. Blackboard freezes when they press "submit," or they are redirected to the Bb login page, or they get a blank screen rather than a score report and their answers are not recorded.

Background:
Since tests consist of one page on the Internet and students are not visiting other pages while taking the test, the ISP may perceive this as a period of inactivity and may disconnect the student from Blackboard.  When this happens, students may be unable to submit their tests and/or their answers are not recorded.

Work-around:
Students should periodically click on the Save button at the very bottom of the page.  This will Save the answers as well as refresh the browser so that the student does not appear idle.  Students should not start their test and then leave their computer before completing the test.

Status:
This will continue to be an issue when students take online tests.

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Issue:
Students get disconnected from the Internet when using the DU Wireless network.

Background:
The DU Wireless network is not as reliable and stable as the wired network.

Work-around:
Students should not use the wireless network when taking online tests in Blackboard.

Status:
This is an ongoing issue with online exams.

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Issue:
If students have Pop-up Blockers enabled on their computer, they may experience problems taking tests in Blackboard. Students may not be able to click on the exam link or may have problems submitting exams when Pop-Up Blockers are enabled.

Background:
Problems are more likely to occur when the instructor selects the option to launch their Blackboard tests in an External Window.

Work-around:
Students should be advised to disable pop-up blockers or choose the options to “Always allow pop-ups from this site.” before taking an exam within Blackboard. Instructors should NOT select the option to “Launch test in external window” when selecting their test options.

Status:
Pop-up blocker software is bundled with many programs including Windows XP Service Pak 2, Google Toolbar, Yahoo Toolbar, and Norton Internet Security. Students should disable their pop-blockers when using Blackboard for taking exams or using the collaboration tools.

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