About Tests

This guide provides practical information and best practices related to using tests and surveys in Blackboard. Tests in Blackboard can be used to deliver any assessment ranging from short practice quizzes to midterm or final exams. Surveys offer similar functionality to tests, but are ungraded and instructors can only view the results in aggregate.

Benefits for Faculty

  • Objective tests are automatically scored, providing instant feedback for students and removing a substantial amount of grading overhead for the instructors.
  • Subjective tests are easily gradable, with ample feedback options for almost any testing scenario.
  • Testing results can easily be compiled by student, question, or course to view performance trends and gauge exam reliable.
  • Blackboard test results remain on the system for the life of the course shell in which the exam resides.
  • Grading data can easily be downloaded to comply with any applicable records retention policy.
  • Testing best practices promote a secure testing environment and limit the potential for academic dishonesty; Random Blocks and Question Sets can be used to facilitate the delivery of multiple test versions. Respondus LockDown Browser can be used to ensure that students are unable to access external digital resources during a test. Test passwords, date/time settings and other test options can be configured to add additional security by limiting test access.
  • Content from publishers can generally be imported into Blackboard and used for testing purposes.

Benefits for Students

  • Blackboard tests are paperless, eliminating the need to make photocopies.
  • Tests can be configured to provide instant feedback; allowing students to review and practice course concepts.

When and How

Instructors need to create meaningful assessments that emphasize active learning and learner-learner interaction (QM 5.2 and 6.2), as well as timely and constructive feedback. The use of different forms of testing, such as multiple choice tests, fill-in-the-blanks, true or false, or essay questions can also be used to assess the progress of students with different learning styles (QM 3.4).