Creating Retention Center Rules

The Retention Center allows instructors to monitor student performance, and to prevent students from falling behind.  In addition, instructors can create their own rules within the retention center to monitor student progress. This guide will demonstrate how to create new retention center rules.

Accessing the Retention Center

Image of the Blackboard Control Panel with the following annotations: 1.Click on Evaluation.2.Select Retention Center

Log into your Blackboard course, and locate the Control Panel:

  1. Click on Evaluation.
  2. Select Retention Center.

Viewing the Retention Center

Image of the Retention Center with an arrow pointing to the Customize button with instructions to click on Customize

You will now see a screen labeled Retention Center.  To edit or create Retention Center Rules, click on the Customize button in the upper right hand corner.

Creating a Retention Center Rule

Image of the Customize Retention Center screen with an arrow pointing to the Create Rule button with instructions to click on Create Rule.  Below the Create Rule button is a menu with the following options: Course Activity Rule, Grade Rule, Course Access Rule, Missed Deadline Rule

You will now be taken to the Customize Retention Center screen.  To create a rule, hover over the Create Rule button, and then select the desired rule to create:

  • Course Activity Rule
  • Grade Rule
  • Course Access Rule
  • Missed Deadline Rule

Information on each rule will appear in the steps below:

Creating a Course Activity Rule

Image of the Add Course Activity Rule with the following annotations: Rule Information allows instructors to enter a name for the rule:1.Rule Name: Enter a name for the rule here.2.Included in Risk Table: Select Yes to include the rule in the risk table, so student performance can be viewed at a glance. Rule Criteria allows instructors to define the rule criteria:3.Define Criteria: The criteria can be defined as User Activity in the last NN (Days, Weeks, Months) is NN% (Above/Below Average).4.When finished, click the Submit button at the bottom of the page to create the rule.

A Course Activity Rule allows instructors to monitor students based on their login activity. You will now see a screen labeled Add Course Activity Rule:

Rule Information allows instructors to enter a name for the rule:

  1. Rule Name: Enter a name for the rule here.
  2. Included in Risk Table: Select Yes to include the rule in the risk table, so student performance can be viewed at a glance.

Rule Criteria allows instructors to define the rule criteria:

  1. Define Criteria: The criteria can be defined as User Activity in the last NN (Days, Weeks, Months) is NN% (Above/Below Average).
  2. When finished, click the Submit button at the bottom of the page to create the rule.

Creating a Grade Rule

Image of the Add Grade Rule screen with the following annotations: 3.Select Grade: Monitor Final Grade: Select this option to monitor students based on their final course grade, as designate by the column that is set as an external grade.4.Select Grade: Monitor Specific Item: Select this option, and use the dropdown menu that appears below this option to select the desired grade column.5.Define Criteria: Set Grade Value: Select this option if you want to specify a threshold at which the system would generate a report based on a specified grade.  Enter the desired score or percentage in the space provided, and use the dropdown menus to select whether the report would be generated based on points or percentages, or whether to report higher or lower scores.6.Define Criteria: Use Average Grades: Select this option to base the report on average grades, and whether to generate reports for students performing above or below the average.7.When finished, click the Submit button to create the rule.

A Grade Rule allows instructors to monitor students based on their course grades.  After selecting the option to create a Grade Rule, you will see a screen labeled Add Grade Rule:

Rule Information allows instructors to edit the report's name:

  1. Rule Name: Enter a name for the rule here.
  2. Included in Risk Table: Select Yes to include the rule in the risk table.

Rule Criteria allows instructors to define the criteria for the rule:

  1. Select Grade: Monitor Final Grade: Select this option to monitor students based on their final course grade, as designate by the column that is set as an external grade.
  2. Select Grade: Monitor Specific Item: Select this option, and use the dropdown menu that appears below this option to select the desired grade column.
  3. Define Criteria: Set Grade Value: Select this option if you want to specify a threshold at which the system would generate a report based on a specified grade.  Enter the desired score or percentage in the space provided, and use the dropdown menus to select whether the report would be generated based on points or percentages, or whether to report higher or lower scores.
  4. Define Criteria: Use Average Grades: Select this option to base the report on average grades, and whether to generate reports for students performing above or below the average.
  5. When finished, click the Submit button to create the rule.

 

Creating a Course Access Rule

Image of the Add Course Access rule screen with the following annotations: Rule Information allows instructors to modify the rule name:1.Rule Name: Enter a Name for the Rule Here.2.Included in Risk Table: Select Yes to include the rule in the risk table.Rule Criteria allows instructors to modify the rule criteria:3.Days Since Last Course Access: Enter the number of days in the space provided to be alerted when students have not logged in after the number of days specified.4.When finished, click the Submit button to create the rule.

A Course Access Rule allows instructors to be alerted to students who have not logged into the course after a specified number of days.  After selecting the option to create a Course Access Rule, you will see a screen labeled Add Course Access Rule:

Rule Information allows instructors to modify the rule name:

  1. Rule Name: Enter a Name for the Rule Here.
  2. Included in Risk Table: Select Yes to include the rule in the risk table.

Rule Criteria allows instructors to modify the rule criteria:

  1. Days Since Last Course Access: Enter the number of days in the space provided to be alerted when students have not logged in after the number of days specified.
  2. When finished, click the Submit button to create the rule.

Creating a Missed Deadline Rule

Image of the Add Missed Deadline Rule screen with the following annotations: Rule information allows instructors to modify the name of the rule.1.Rule Name: Enter a name for the rule here.2.Includine in Risk Table: Select Yes to create a column in the Risk table to allow you to view. Rule Criteria allows instructors to modify the rule settings.3.Monitor all course activity deadlines: Select this option to monitor all due dates. Selecting this option will cause another option to appear, asking instructors to specify the number of days for assignments to be past due before showing the student as at risk.4.Monitor Specific Deadline: Select this option to select an individual graded item to identify students who have not submitted work for grading.  Use the dropdown menu labeled Select Course Item to select the desired item, and then enter the number of days after the deadline has been missed.5.When finished setting up the rule, click the Submit button to create the rule.

A Missed Deadline Rule allows instructors to identify students who have not submitted assignments.   After selecting the option to add a Missed Deadline Rule, a screen labeled Add Missed Deadline Rule will appear on screen:

Rule information allows instructors to modify the name of the rule.

  1. Rule Name: Enter a name for the rule here.
  2. Includine in Risk Table: Select Yes to create a column in the Risk table to allow you to view.

Rule Criteria allows instructors to modify the rule settings.

  1. Monitor all course activity deadlines: Select this option to monitor all due dates. Selecting this option will cause another option to appear, asking instructors to specify the number of days for assignments to be past due before showing the student as at risk.
  2. Monitor Specific Deadline: Select this option to select an individual graded item to identify students who have not submitted work for grading.  Use the dropdown menu labeled Select Course Item to select the desired item, and then enter the number of days after the deadline has been missed.
  3. When finished setting up the rule, click the Submit button to create the rule.