CIRT, University of North Florida

Before beginning an Assessment:

Login to Blackboard using the Blackboard URL- Although you may access Blackboard from MyWings, the MyWings window times out after 45 minutes and will open in front of your Blackboard session. When this occurs, if the Blackboard link in MyWings is clicked, a new Blackboard session opens and replaces your session containing the assessment in progress. In order to prevent to possibility of losing your connection to your Blackboard assessment, please use the Blackboard URL: http://blackboard.unf.edu

Make sure that your browser is properly configured for Blackboard -You should disable your pop-up blocker or add *blackboard.unf.edu to the list of sites allowed to display popups.

Blackboard Maintenance Window - Keep in mind that Blackboard undergoes scheduled maintenance from 2 a.m. until 5 a.m. every morning with an additional maintenance window from 5 a.m. until 9 a.m. on Sunday morning, which can include temporary service interruptions. Please do not attempt an assessment during this time.

During an Assessment:

Back Button - Never click the Back button in the browser window during an assessment. This will lead to Blackboard submitting your assessment; whether or not you have completed it.

Double-clicking - Do not double click on the Save or Submit buttons during an assessment. Please be aware that sometimes it takes a while (up to several minutes) to Submit an assessment. Once you click Submit, DO NOT click Submit again. If you do so, you may lose all of the answers for your test. Click once on Submit and wait for the submission to occur. Do not navigate away from the page during this time.

Scroll Wheel on the Mouse - If your mouse has a scroll wheel, do not use the scroll to navigate the page as you may unknowingly change some of your answers.

Arrow and Tab Keys - Likewise, the arrow and tab keys on the keyboard will change your answers on assessment questions (in some web browsers).

Opening Other Applications, Browser Windows and Tabs - It is a good idea to close all other open applications and browser windows (including instant messenger windows, other web sites, email, etc.) before beginning an assessment on Blackboard in order to minimize the potential for losing your connection to Blackboard.

Save - While taking an assessment, click the Save button next to a question to save your answer for that question. Click the Save button at the bottom of the assessment to Save all answers on the Assessment. Saving is a good idea because if you get locked out of an assessment, your instructor will be able to see the questions you completed thus far on the assessment before clearing your attempt on the assessment or working out another solution for assessment completion.

Question Completion Status Indicator - The Questions Status Indicator is a tool to provide students with a quick look at their progress on an assessment. The status of which questions on an assessment have been answered is displayed at the top of the page. Use this tool to keep track of the question that you have completed during an assessment. More information: http://www.unf.edu/dept/cirt/bb/qstatus.html

Submitting the Assessment:

Check over your answers before submitting the assessment to make sure that none of your answers were accidentally changed by the scroll wheel, tab or arrow keys.

Click Submit one time and wait. Give Blackboard up to 5 minutes to Submit the assessment. You will receive a confirmation screen once the assessment has submitted. Do not click Refresh, Back, or Submit during this time or you will lose your assessment attempt and will see a padlock in the Gradebook.

If you receive an error message during the submission of your assessment, write it down exactly along with the time and date, the web browser used, exactly what you were doing when you received the error and any other applicable details.

After the Assessment:

Click on Tools>My Grades to make sure that your score was properly recorded. If your grade shows an "!," the instructor needs to grade a portion of your assessment manually before you will see your score listed. If your grade shows a padlock, your assessment shows as still in progress. If you receive a padlock, try to reopen the assessment to Submit it. If you receive a message that states "Assessment Already Completed," you should contact your instructor immediately with the time and date that you completed the assessment, the web browser used, and any other applicable details about the submission of your assessment.