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Assignment Tool

What it is.

A tool that allows one location to send assignment directions and information to students while providing students with a single location to upload assignments and comments. This tool automatically creates an item in the gradebook and has features to help instructors manage assignments.

Implications for Teaching and Learning.

Advantages for Students:

Provides a single location for directions, attachments, and submission
Provides a way for students to send comments to the instruction about the assignment
Uses a familiar Browse interface for attachments
Allows multiple files to be sent at one time Allows students to receive feedback from instructors in different ways

Advantages for Faculty:

Automatically creates gradebook entries for each assignment
Allows time-release options
Setting availability dates makes the assignment disappear, stopping students from turning in late assignments
Allows instructors to attach documents
Sets one gradebook item for the assignment, unlike the Digital Dropbox, where multiple files appear as multiple entries in the gradebook Instructors can access all student files and comments from the gradebook
Grades assigned to an assignment automatically appear in the gradebook
Instructors have the ability to download one, some, or all student submissions using the assignment tool from the gradebook
Submissions can be downloaded to the instructor’s desktop, feedback added, and the file uploaded to the student in the assignment tool

What will the Blackboard Assignment tool do and why should I use it?

Provide Instructions and Features in a Single Location - You have to create the instructions for the student assignment but these instructions are displayed in close proximity to any related assignment files, a comments text box, and the View/Complete button.
- Promising Practice Tips:
  - Provide clear and concise instructions on what to do to complete the assignment
  - Provide detailed instructions for submitting the assignment
Retrieve and Grade from a Single Location - This tool provides instructors a single location (gradebook) to retrieve and grade assignments.
- Promising Practice Tips:
  - After selecting a student from the gradebook, instructors have the option of entering a grade immediately or viewing the student’s work
  - If View is selected, you have the option of downloading the student’s file, adding feedback that will be seen by the student in their gradebook, and add private notes for the instructor that will not be seen by the student
Manage Multiple Student Submissions - The Assignments tool allows instructors to download a single submission, several students’ submissions, or all students’ submissions.
- Promising Practice Tips:
  - Select the submissions you want to download and Blackboard creates a .zip file for download (This allows you to have a copy of the student submissions that can be used for feedback, documentation, etc.)
Multiple Feedback Options - This tool allows the instructor to provide comments to the student (readable through the student’s gradebook) or the option to download submissions and provide feedback directly on the student’s submission.
- Promising Practice Tips:
  - Viewing a student’s assignment provides a text box for comments that are not seen by other students
  - Downloaded submissions allow instructors to use Microsoft Word’s Reviewing tools (Track Changes & Comments) to add feedback.
  - This tool has a location for the instructor to upload the submission with feedback and send it to the student

Setting it Up.

Option 1:

Go to the Control Panel

Click on the Content Area where you want the Assignment to appear
From the dropdown list on the right of the menu bar, select Assignment and click Go
- You must click Go
You will see a screen allowing you to insert directions for the assignment, include attachments for the assignment, and availability options.

Option 2:

From any Content Area, instructors have the option of selecting Assignments by choosing the dropdown menu on the right of the menu bar.

Creating an Assignment.

Go to your course in Blackboard
Open the Control Panel and locate the content area where you want the assignment to reside.
Once you are in your content area, locate the dropdown menu in the far right hand corner at the top of the page.
Select the Assignment option in the dropdown menu and click Go.

The following dialogue box will open where you will fill in the appropriate fields:

Once you have filled in the fields and attached any files, click Submit and then OK on the next page.
When you are done creating the assignment, your students will see the following:

Student Submission of an Assignment.

Assignments will be indicated by the following icon:

In order to submit their assignment, the student will need to click the View/Complete Assignment: link at the bottom of the Assignment.
When students click the View/Complete link for the first time, a new window will open. Instructions and any uploaded files will be visible. There is a comment window for students to use if necessary. They also have a field and browse button to use in order to upload documents/assignments to you.

If students need to log off before they complete the assignment they will need to click Save at the bottom of the window. They should NOT click Submit, or they will be unable to complete the assignment.
When students have read the instructions, downloaded your file (if included), added comments, and uploaded a file to the instructor, they can Cancel, Save and come back later, or Submit.
When the students Submit their assignment, it will appear as an exclamation mark in the Gradebook under the title you gave the assignment when it was created.
Once they have submitted their assignment, they cannot return to work on it unless the instructor clears their attempt. If students try to go back and work on the Assignment, they will receive the following message:

Instructor Accessing the Assignment in the Gradebook.

****NOTE: Instructors can access individual students' Assignments or download all of the students' work for an Assignment through the Gradebook in the Control Panel.

Accessing Individual Student Assignments

When a student submits an assignment, it automatically appears in the Gradebook under that student's name and the name of the assignment.

The dash after a student's name under the Assignment title indicates that the student has not done the Assignment.
An exclamation point means that the student has completed and submitted the Assignment.
In order to view the assignment and give points, the instructor needs to click on the exclamation point.
The window that opens will show the student's comments and other information. You will want to click the View link in the far right hand column in order to access the student's files. You can also enter the grade directly from this screen.

The top half of the screen will repeat the Assignment directions and provide the link to files that the instructor provided. Most importantly, this is also where you can clear a student attempt.

The lower half of the screen provides the student's comments, links to the students' files, an upload area for the instructor files as well as an area for instructor comments. This is also where the instructor will assign points.

Once you have finished evaluating the student's assignment, you will need to click the Submit button.
After clicking the submit button, a receipt will appear indicating that the submission was successful. Click OK.
Now the information in the Gradebook will be updated with the points assigned, instructor comments to the student, instructor notes, and any newly uploaded files.

Click Submit to update the Gradebook and to return to the spreadsheet.
To modify the assignment, click on the point value in the spreadsheet for that assignment, which will then return to the screen depicted above. Then click View to see the student's assignment.

Accessing and Downloading all Student Work for an Assignment.

Click on the title of the assignment in the Gradebook.

Select Item Download.

Select Check All, or individually select the students whose work you want to download.
Click Submit.

Select the Submission.
Click Download Item Now.
Save the Assignments to your computer.
Navigate to the saved folder. The assignments for each student will be saved in a zip file. You will need to unzip the file to see the student submissions.

Student Perspective.

Once the student submits the assignment and the instructor has evaluated it and updated the Gradebook, the student can see his/her points as well as the instructor comments and any uploaded files by accessing the My Grades link in the Tools area.

The student will see a screen similar to the following:

Students can click on their score to see instructor comments and any returned assignment files.

Links for More Ideas. Note: This may take you to another section in this set of resources or to other TWU resources created by Instructional Support Services.

Assignments interact with other areas of Blackboard including the Gradebook, Early Warning System, and Performance Dashboard. Learn more about these features and how to use them by clicking on the following links.

See Assessment

See Early Warning System

See Performance Dashboard

Click here for ideas and information about crafting assignments. assessments, and their instructions

Specific and Descriptive Criteria for Assessment of Student Work

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