"Assignments allow Instructors to create coursework and manage the grades and feedback for each Student separately. Instructors may create an assignment that lists the name, point value and description of the assignment. Files may be attached to the Assignments. After an Assignment is added to a Content Area, Students may access the assignment, complete it in a separate file, and send it back to the Instructor. The Instructor may respond to each student separately, sending comments about their individual assignment and attaching files, if necessary."

BlackBoard INC.

Objectives - What you will learn over the next 90 minutes.

• The trainee will:
  • Comprehend adding the assignment tool.
  • Acquire knowledge to edit settings of an assignment.
  • Learn how to check student’s progress.
  • Understand how to download all assignments.
  • Comprehend grading an assignment.
  • Understand features of SafeAssign tools.
  • Understand how to add a SafeAssign assignment and make it available to students.
  • Learn how to view the SafeAssign report.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the assignment tools by adding them to their own course directly after this training session.

Helpful Link: This link will help you to become familiar with the BB 9.1 course environment. (CLICK HERE)

To add the assignment tool:

1. Go to the Homepage of your course.
2. At the top left corner of the course menu click on the "add menu item" button. (It looks like a plus sign.)
3. Click on "Create Content Area."
4. Name your page "Assignments."
5. Make it available to users.
6. Then click submit.
7. Now the assignment link has been added to your course menu.
8. Click on the assignment link you just created.
9. Mouse over the "Create Assessment" button.
10. Now click on assignment
11. Name your assignment.
12. Add instructions for students.
13. Attach instructions or a template file if desired.
14. You must enter a number for the points possible field.
15. Set the availability, Due Dates and Recipients.
16. Click submit.
17. The assignment has been added.

Helpful Link: Watch this tutorial on adding a blank page. (CLICK HERE)

To check students progress:

1. Go to the Assignment page you created above.
2. Click on the contextual menu to the right of the assignment you want to edit. (It looks like a box with downward facing arrows.)
3. Next click on user progress.
4. The visibility and review status of content items for a specific user are displayed in the table.
   

   Visibility: An open eye indicates that the item is visible to the user. A closed eye indicates that the item is not visible to the user.

   Review Status: A checkmark indicates that the item has been marked as Reviewed by the user. An open circle indicates that the item is waiting to be Reviewed by the user.

To download submitted assignment file/s:

1. On the "Control Panel" (the second panel from the top, below the course menu.)
2. Click on "Grade Center" to expand the menu.
3. Click on "Full Grade Center."
4. Locate the column associated with the assignment you want to grade.
5. Click on the contextual menu on the right of the column title .
6. Click on "Assignment File Download."
7. Select the students names you want to download by clicking on the box to the left of their name.
8. Click on the "Submit" button on the bottom of the page.
9. Click on the "download assignments now" link.
10. Click "ok" to save a .zip folder to your computers download folder.
11. All students files are contained within this folder.

Helpful Link: Watch this tutorial on downloading students assignments. (CLICK HERE)

To grade an assignment:

1. On the "Control Panel" (the second panel from the top, below the course menu).
2. Click on "Grade Center" to expand the menu.
3. Click on "Full Grade Center."
4. Locate the column associated with the assignment you want to grade.
5. Click on the contextual menu on the right of the column title .
6. Click on "Grade Attempts."
7. Enter the grade.
8. Enter feedback for the student.
9. Attach a file with comments if desired.
10. Now you can, "Save as a Draft", Save and Exit or Save and go to the next student.

To create a SafeAssign assignment:

1. Go to the Assignment page that you created in the tutorial, "To add the assignment tool" above.
2. Mouse over "Create Assessment."
3. Click on "Safe Assignment."
4. Type in a name for the SafeAssignment.
5. Make the assignment available to students.
6. Set the availability.
7. Choose between "Draft" and "Urgent Checking."
   1. Draft: allows students to submit papers without storing them in the system. Therefore they can submit multiple times without the system checking against the students own paper, but the system still checks the internet and other papers submitted.
   2. Urgent Checking: Checks the internet and all other papers submitted to the system for plagiarism unless draft is selected.
8. Create an announcement if you would like to.
9. Click on the "Submit" button.

To view the SafeAssign report:

1. On the "Control Panel" (the second panel from the top, below the course menu).
2. Click on "Course Tools."
3. Click on "SafeAssign."
4. Click on "SafeAssignments."
5. Click on the contextual menu next to the title of the assignment.
6. Click on "View Submissions."
7. In the "SA Report" column click on the SafeAssign Icon to display the report for that particular student.
8. The report shows you what percent matches to other papers submitted to the system and the internet.
9. You can select highlight all to have all matches highlighted on the paper.
10. The url's for the matches will be listed.
11. You can choose to print the report if you like.
12. The student also has access to the report in the assignment area.

Itis highly recommended that you apply what you have learned in this tutorial directly in your own BB 9.1 course environment.

• The assignment tool keeps students files well organized.
• Good organization leads to faster grading.
• Students should see graded projects in a timely manner.
• Grades are linked directly to the assignments.
• Email is not a good way to collect students files.
• Using SafeAssign helps you to identify plagiarism.

Using the assignment tools in BB 9.1 is the best way to collect student assignments. The assignment tool allows you to keep track of every student in your course. Which helps you to keep each student on track and in good academic standing. Using SafeAssign allows you to create a report that checks for plagiarism and alerts students to properly cite others work.