Groups Assignments Manual 9

Course Delivery Release 1.
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© 2008 Blackboard Inc. Page 2 Groups and Assignments

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Workshop Overview .................................................................................................. 5

ROADMAP ............................................................................................................. 6
Student Experience................................................................................................... 7
About Assignments ................................................................................................ 8
Viewing and Submitting Assignments ................................................................... 9
Viewing Assignment Grades and Feedback...................................................... 11
Hands-on Activity ................................................................................................ 14
The Journals Tool.................................................................................................. 15
Best Practice: Benefits of Reflective Learning..................................................... 20
The Blogs Tool ...................................................................................................... 21
About Groups ...................................................................................................... 27
Self-Enroll Groups ................................................................................................. 30
Using Group Communication Tools .................................................................... 32
Collaboration ...................................................................................................... 34
File Exchange ...................................................................................................... 36
Email .................................................................................................................... 37
Group Discussion Board ...................................................................................... 39
Spotlight on Groups and Assignments ................................................................ 41
Assignments............................................................................................................. 42
The Big Picture ..................................................................................................... 43
Creating Assignments.......................................................................................... 44
Ask Dr. C .............................................................................................................. 47
Editing and Managing Assignments ................................................................... 49
Focus on Design: Presenting Assignments .......................................................... 51
Reviewing and Grading Assignments ................................................................. 54

Ask Dr. C .............................................................................................................. 61
Reviewing Assignments Offline............................................................................ 62
Grading Downloaded Assignments .................................................................... 64
The Journals Tool.................................................................................................. 66
Commenting on Journal Entries .......................................................................... 69
The Blogs Tool ...................................................................................................... 71
Commenting on Blog Entries ............................................................................... 75
Ask Dr. C .............................................................................................................. 78
Best Practice: To Grade or Not to Grade ........................................................... 79
Best Practice: Successful Assignments ................................................................ 82
Groups ..................................................................................................................... 83
The Big Picture ..................................................................................................... 84
Creating Single Groups ....................................................................................... 85
Self-Enroll Groups and Sign-up Sheets................................................................. 89
Creating Group Sets ............................................................................................ 91
Editing and Managing Groups............................................................................ 94
Adding Group Links to Content Areas ................................................................ 95
Ask Dr. C .............................................................................................................. 98
Focus on Design: Presenting Groups................................................................. 100
Best Practice: Provide Support .......................................................................... 102
Workshop Wrap Up ............................................................................................... 103

Spotlight on YOUR Course ................................................................................. 104
Resources .......................................................................................................... 105

workshop overview
Workshop Overview
This workshop provides a hands-on introduction to the Assignments tool and
Groups tool.
The Assignments tool enables you to create, manage, and distribute activities
that assess students in meaningful ways beyond traditional objective tests. The
Grade Center’s organization and management functionalities are incorporated
into Assignments, allowing you to provide feedback and grades to students
efficiently. In this workshop, you will experience the entire assignment process
and discover tips for creating successful online assignments. You will also be
introduced to the Journals and Blogs tools, which can help you provide more
meaningful assignment activities.
Next, you will learn to facilitate collaboration among students by setting up

Groups. In Blackboard Learn™, Groups can have their own Discussion Board,
Blog, Journals, and live chats. Group members can exchange documents, send
email to other group members, and distribute tasks to keep the group on track.

Workshop Overview 3. Groups
ROADMAP Create Groups: Create Groups, assign

members, and select appropriate
collaboration tools.
1. Student Experience:
Explore assignments: Learn to access, Edit Groups: Change Group membership
view, and submit assignments. and other properties.
View grades: Use My Grades to receive Add Group links: Provide access to
feedback and view grades for individual Groups in Content Areas and
assignments. folders.
Explore the Journals and Blogs tools: Group tips: Explore ways to make Group
Share information and observations collaboration successful.
with course members.
Explore Group pages: Sign up for a

Group and communicate and share
files with Group members.
2. Assignments
Create assignments: Create, edit, and
manage assignments.
Grade assignments: Review and grade

assignments, or return them ungraded
with feedback.
Review assignments offline: Download

assignments, review them offline, and
add grades to the Grade Center.
Best Practice: Identify key components

of successful online assignments.
Create Journals and Blogs: Use these

tools to promote reflective learning and
create meaningful assignments.

student experience
Student Experience
In this section, you will use both the Groups and Assignments tools as a student to
understand how they appear to your students. You will submit an assignment and
access My Grades. Next, you will experience Group assignments and collaboration
tools.
The student point of view helps you make choices about assignment types, group
organization, and how you will provide assignments and instructions to the Groups.
Learning Outcomes
After completing this section, you will be able to:
• Access, view, and submit assignments

• View My Grades
• Access the main Journals page
• Create a Journal entry
• Access the main Blogs page
• Create a Blog entry
• Self-enroll in a Group
• View a Group Homepage
• Communicate and share files with Group members

Student Experience
About Assignments
The Assignments tool is used to present a variety of learning activities to students,

allowing them to view and submit assignments from one location. Assignments can be
submitted as the following:
• Text entered on the Upload Assignment page

• Attached files
• A combination of both text and attached files
The Assignments tool provides several key benefits to students, including:
• Increased time-on-task with an efficient way to view and submit assignments

• Submissions returned with feedback only, allowing students to improve their work
before resubmitting for a grade
• Easier implementation of alternative assessment techniques, so instructors can
promote active learning

Student Experience
Viewing and Submitting Assignments
Students access assignments in a Content Area by clicking an assignment title. From the
Upload Assignment page, students can:
• View instructions and access files attached by the instructor

• Complete their submissions by entering text or attaching files
• Submit their work for feedback or grading
QUICK STEPS: submitting an assignment

1 From a Content Area, click an assignment’s title.
2 On the Upload Assignment page, review the Instructions and any attached files.
3 If instructed, enter text in the Submission text box.
4 If instructed, Browse to attach a file.
5 If desired, enter Comments for the instructor.
6 Click Submit.
Figure 1.1

Student Experience
Viewing and Submitting Assignments
Figure 1.2

Student Experience
Viewing Assignment Grades and Feedback
Students view assignment scores from My Grades, which displays a spreadsheet of their
grades for the course.
If the assignment has been submitted and graded, the points will be displayed.
Otherwise, a symbol will show in the grade column.
QUICK STEPS: viewing grades and feedback

1 On the Course Menu, click My Grades.
2 Click an item’s grade to see feedback.
3 Click an item’s exclamation mark to see if the submission has been returned,
ungraded with comments.
Figure 2.1

Student Experience
The table below describes the symbols displayed on the My Grades page.
SYMBOL DESCRIPTION
Submitted; waiting to be reviewed by the instructor
OR
Submitted; reviewed by the instructor and returned ungraded, with
comments
– (dash) No information
Not submitted; item is in progress because the student has saved it as

a draft

Student Experience
Student View of Submitted Assignment Results
Figure 2.2
Take Note
A The student attached a file to fulfill the assignment, which the instructor
downloaded to view and grade. In the example above, the student added his last
name to the file name before uploading.
B The instructor added a grade and feedback for the student.

Student Experience
Hands-on Activity
* For this activity, use your Student Course.

Submit an assignment
• Go to the Assignments Content Area and submit the Introductions assignment.
View My Grades
• In My Grades, view your ungraded assignment submission.

Student Experience
The Journals Tool
Journals are a personal space for students to communicate privately with the instructor.
The owner of each journal can create an entry and the instructor can add comments.
When used in the Group area, all members of a group can view each other’s entries,
but the Group Journal can only be viewed by the group and the instructor.
Journals are ideal for individual projects. For example, in a Creative Writing course, the
student can refine a section of a writing assignment over a period of time by using the
comments made by the instructor.
Journals can also be used as a self-reflective tool that allows students to post their
opinions, ideas, and concerns about the course, or discuss and analyze course related
materials. These assignments can be broad and student-directed as the students reflect
on the learning process and document changes in their perceptions and attitudes.
Students can describe problems faced and how they solved them. Instructor-directed
journal entries can be more formal in nature and can narrow the focus by listing topics
for discussion.
QUICK STEPS: accessing the Journals tool

1 On the Course Menu, click the Tools link.
2 On the Tools page, click the Journals link.
Figure 3.1

Student Experience
The Journals Tool
Only the instructor can create journal topics. The journal topics will display in
alphabetical order on the Journals page.
QUICK STEPS: creating a journal entry

1 On the Journals page, click the desired journal title.
2 On the journal’s main page, click Create Journal Entry on the Action Bar.
3 On the Create Journal Entry page, enter a Title for the journal entry.
4 Enter text in the Entry Message text box. If desired, use the Text Editor to format the
text.
5 Under Journal Entry Files, browse for a file to attach to the journal entry, if desired.
6 Click Post Entry to submit the journal entry or click Save Entry as Draft to post the
entry later.
Figure 3.2
Note: Instructors have the option to make journals public so all course members can
read entries. From the main Journals page, under each journal title, students can see if
their entries will be private (between the student and the instructor) or public.

Student Experience
The Journals Tool
Figure 3.3
• The instructions for the journal topic appear below the Action Bar.
• Information about the journal appears on the right side of the page.
• Any entries saved as drafts can be accessed by clicking View Drafts on the right
side of the Action Bar.

Student Experience
The Journals Tool
Figure 3.4
Images attached under the Journal Entry Files section will appear as a link in the
student’s journal. To display an image directly on the journal page, the image can be
added using the Attach Image function in the third row of the Text Editor.

Student Experience
The Journals Tool
Figure 3.5
Take Note
A The student’s journal entry appears below the instructor’s journal instructions. Below
the entry, the student can view if comments were made.
B The About this Journal area provides at a glance information about the journal.
C The Index section lists the titles of the selected user’s entries for either the week or the
month, determined by settings the instructor makes during journal creation.
D The student can make another journal entry for this topic at any time.
Note: In this example, the student cannot edit or delete his journal entry. The instructor
determines if students can edit or delete entries during journal creation.

Student Experience
Best Practice: Benefits of Reflective Learning
Students can use a learning journal to collect observations, thoughts, concerns, notes,
progress, and opinions that may not be shared otherwise. Journaling can build rapport
between instructors and students, which can contribute to a positive learning
experience.
As stated in an online article in Educause Quarterly, “Reflective learning can aid

learners in synthesizing new information, and it is often used to improve reading
comprehension, writing performance, and self-esteem via self-examination.”1
Learning journals need to be more than just a list of what the student did. The writing
experience can be used to communicate the thinking process: the how and why for
each activity, and what is thought about the activity at its conclusion.
The University of Worcester distributes a study skills advice sheet listing the benefits of
reflective learning, which states: “Reflective learners are more likely to develop a
deeper understanding of their subject and to achieve higher grades as a result.”2
Reflective learners tend to:
• Be motivated; know what they are trying to achieve and why

• Be proactive in extending their understanding of new topics and subjects
• Use their existing knowledge to help them to develop their understanding of new
ideas
• Understand new concepts by relating them to their previous experiences
• Understand that additional research and reading widely will improve their
understanding
• Develop their learning and thinking by building on the critical evaluation of their
previous learning experiences
• Be self-aware, able to identify, explain, and address their own strengths and
weaknesses2
1http://connect.educause.edu/Library/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly/EJournalingAchievingInter/39909
2http://www.worcester.ac.uk/studyskills/ > select the Learning Journals link

Student Experience
The Blogs Tool
A blog—a shorthand term that means Web log—is a personal online journal that is
frequently updated and intended for general public consumption. Each blog entry can
include any combination of text, images, and links. Blogs encourage people to clearly
express their ideas and addresses the need to expand various aspects of social
learning. Blogs are an effective means of gaining insight into students' activities and
provide a way to share the knowledge and materials collected.
In Blackboard Learn, only enrolled users can view and author blogs. The owner of the
blog creates multiple entries over a period of time and the instructor and course
members can add comments. In the Group area, all members of a group can create
entries for the same blog, building upon one another. Any course member can read
and comment on a Group Blog, but cannot make entries if not a member of the group.
Many blogs provide commentary on a particular subject. In a course setting, blogs

become the perfect arena for students to display their research, analytical, and writing
skills. For example, in a Horticulture course, students can track the crop production in
their weekly labs with each blog entry. In a Qualitative Research course, students can
speculate on and monitor the impact social networking has on marketing over a period
of time.
QUICK STEPS: accessing the Blogs tool

1 On the Course Menu, click the Tools link.
2 On the Tools page, click the Blogs link.
Figure 4.1

Student Experience
The Blogs Tool
Only the instructor can create blogs. The blog topics will display in alphabetical order
on the Blogs page.
QUICK STEPS: creating a blog entry

1 On the Blogs page, click the desired blog title.
2 On the blog’s main page, click Create Blog Entry on the Action Bar.
3 On the Create Blog Entry page, enter a Title for the blog entry.
4 Enter text in the Entry Message text box. If desired, use the Text Editor to format the
text.
5 Under Blog Entry Files, browse for a file to attach to the blog entry, if desired.
6 Click Post Entry to submit the blog entry or click Save Entry as Draft to post the entry
later.
Figure 4.2
From the main Blogs page, under each blog title, students can see if the blog belongs
to a group, the course, or to individual students. As stated earlier, Group Blogs can be
read by all course members, but to make an entry, you must be a group member.
The instructions for the blog appear below the Action Bar.

Student Experience
The Blogs Tool
Figure 4.3
Images attached under the Blog Entry Files section will appear as a link in the student’s
blog. To display an image directly on the blog page, the image can be added using
the Attach Image function in the third row of the Text Editor.

Student Experience
The Blogs Tool
A student’s blog entries appear in reverse-chronological order. Below the entry, the
student can view if comments were made and click the link to view them.
Figure 4.4

Student Experience
The Blogs Tool
Take Note
A The student can make another blog entry at any time.
B Students’ ability to edit or delete blog entries is based on settings made when the
instructor creates the blog. Click the entry’s Action Link to access the contextual
menu and select Edit or Delete.
C Any entries saved as drafts can be accessed by clicking View Drafts.
D The About this Blog area provides at a glance information about the currently
selected blog.
E The Index section lists the titles of the selected user’s entries for either the week or the
month, determined by settings the instructor makes during blog creation. The most
recent entry title appears first.

Student Experience
Hands-on Activity

Create a Journal entry
• Access the Journals tool and create an entry for the Journal topic Unit 1: Progress
and Perceptions.
• View how your addition appears.
Create a Blogs entry

• Access the Blogs tool and note the three types of blogs on the main Blogs page.
• Create an entry for the Course Blog topic Observations.
• View how your addition appears.
• If desired, add a comment to an existing entry.

Student Experience
About Groups
The Groups tool enables instructors to organize students into groups of any size.
Instructors can provide communication and collaboration tools that only Group
members can access, such as a private File Exchange area, a Group Discussion Board,
and a Group Journal.
Accessing Groups
Students access Groups in several ways:
• Groups Page link – appears on the Course Menu or in a Content Area, and lists all
available Groups and sign-up sheets for Self-Enroll Groups (if made available by
the instructor).
• My Groups – appears under the Course Menu, and each Group a student is
enrolled in appears automatically.
• A link to a single Group or sign-up sheet in a Content Area (if made available by
the instructor).

Student Experience
About Groups
Figure 5.1
Take Note
A The Groups Page lists all Groups a student is enrolled in and any available sign-up
sheets. A link to the Groups Page can appear on the Course Menu or in a Content
Area.
B Use the double arrow icon to expand or collapse the My Groups area found under
the Course Menu. The My Groups area will only appear if the instructor has added
Groups to the course.
C In the My Groups area, expand a Group and the Group tools will appear below the
Group title. Expand the Group to the right to view the Group Homepage.
D The Group Homepage is specifically tailored for each Group.

Student Experience
About Groups
A Group Homepage is the hub for group activity and can contain a description of the
group, a list of members, tools, and assignments. Students can customize the page by
adding Personal Modules, such as My Calendar or Report Card, which are visible only
to them.
Figure 5.2

Student Experience
Self-Enroll Groups
Instructors have the ability to populate Groups manually, randomly, or by allowing

students to join a Group of their choice.
Group Sign-Up Sheets

A Group sign-up sheet can appear on the Groups Page or in a Content Area. The
instructor chooses where students access sign-up sheets.
After students have joined a Group, they access it in My Groups or on the Groups Page.
Figure 6.1
Take Note
A The Groups Page is accessed on the Course Menu or in a Content Area. The Groups
Page is displayed in the content frame and lists all Groups a student is enrolled in
and any available sign-up sheets.
B Click Sign Up to access the sign-up sheet.
C Students access their groups on the Groups Page or on My Groups below the
Course Menu.
D Students can create Groups, if the instructor has enabled this function.

Student Experience
Self-Enroll Groups
On the Sign Up Sheet page, when students click Sign Up, they are automatically added
to the Group.
Figure 6.2

Student Experience
Using Group Communication Tools
The instructor can add any or all of the following tools to a Group Homepage:
• Blogs
• Collaboration (Chat or Virtual Classroom)
• Discussion Board
• Email
• File Exchange
• Journals
• Tasks
• My Scholar Home
• Scholar Course Home
We will look at some of these tools briefly, as they are covered in detail in other
workshops.

Student Experience
Using Group Communication Tools
Once students are members of a group, they can access Group tools to communicate
with other members, view group tasks, and fulfill group assignments.
Figure 7
Take Note
A Group tools can be accessed under My Groups when a Group is expanded below
the title.
B Group tools can be accessed on the Group Homepage when a Group is expanded
into the content frame.

Student Experience
Collaboration
Students can use the Virtual Classroom or Chat to collaborate with their Group
members in real-time. Any Group member can add collaboration sessions.
Students can meet in real-time for kickoff meetings, division of tasks, and progress
updates. They can post the session time on the Group Discussion Board or use the
Group Email tool to notify all Group members with one email.
QUICK STEPS: creating a collaboration session

1 From My Groups, expand the Group.
2 Click Collaboration.
3 On the Collaboration Sessions page, click Create Collaboration Session on the
Action Bar.
4 On the Create Collaboration Session page, enter a Session Name.
5 Select the session’s Dates of Availability, if desired. Ensure the check boxes are
selected if dates are entered.
6 Set availability to Yes to allow members to use it.
7 Select Chat or Virtual Classroom.
8 Click Submit.
Figure 8.1
Click a session’s Action Link to access the contextual menu. From the menu, all Group
members can edit, delete, or join available sessions.

Student Experience
Collaboration
Figure 8.2

Student Experience
File Exchange
The File Exchange is a space for Group members to share files. For example, it can be
used to distribute meeting notes, checklists, documents in progress, assignment drafts,
and images.
All members, as well as the instructor, can add files. They can also delete files,
regardless of who added them.
QUICK STEPS: adding files to the File Exchange area

2 Click File Exchange.
3 On the File Exchange page, click Add File.
4 On the Add File page, enter a Name that describes the file.
5 Click Browse to attach a file from your local computer or linked to from the Content
Collection.
6 Click Submit.
Figure 9
After selecting a file, it is displayed on the Add File page.

Student Experience
Email
The Group Email tool enables efficient communication. The recipient list is automatically
populated with Group members so you can quickly select all or some of them. Emails
are sent to members’ external email addresses.
QUICK STEPS: sending email to group members

2 Click Send Email.
3 On the Send Email page, select recipients in the Available to Select box.
4 Click the right-pointing arrow to add the selected names to the Selected list.
5 Enter a Subject and Message.
6 Optionally, click Attach a File and Browse to select it.
7 Click Submit.
Figure 10

Student Experience
Email
The Email tool will send a copy of the correspondence to the sender’s external email
address.
NOTE: If Groups prefer to keep communication within the course, they can use
Messages, the Blackboard Learn internal mail tool. Since the Messages tool is not
available as a Group tool, students need to select recipients from the list of all course
members. The Messages tool keeps a record of all messages sent.

Student Experience
Group Discussion Board
Instructors can create a special Group Discussion Board, available only to a Group’s
members. It is separate from the regular course Discussion Board, which is available to
all course members.
Students access their Group Discussion Board in My Groups or from the Group
Homepage. Students have the capability of creating new forums, just as the instructor
does.
Figure 11

Student Experience
Hands-on Activity

Sign up for a group
• Sign up for Group Project 1, 2, 3, or 4 on the Groups Page.
Access your Group Homepage and complete the following activities:
Use Group tools

• Add a document or image to the File Exchange area to share a resource.
• Create a collaboration session using Chat to set up a meeting to assign tasks.
Make it available all day today.
• Use the Group Discussion Board to invite your Group to the Chat.

Student Experience
Spotlight on Groups and Assignments
As a student, you have learned how to submit a basic assignment and complete group
activities. Now we will look at how the Groups and Assignments tools can be used
together to create collaborative learning experiences.
The Scenario
In a teacher education course, online students create lesson plans that incorporate a
unifying theme across different subject areas. The instructor divided students into
groups, each with a designated country as the theme. Each student develops a lesson
plan in one subject area. Finally, the group combines the lesson plans into one themed
unit of study as their final product.
The Group Work Process
In Blackboard Learn Student process
John receives an email from his instructor which directs

him to the Group Homepage.
John accesses the Group Homepage and sees the

names of other Group members and the Group
Assignment.
John posts to the Group Discussion Board to volunteer for

a project task. The Group members use weekly chats to
keep track of their progress.
The Group uses File Exchange to review each other’s

lesson plans before combining them into one
comprehensive unit.
They submit the final project for a grade by using the

Group Assignment link on the Group Homepage.

assignments
Assignments
Now that you have experienced the Assignments and Groups tools from the student
perspective, we will switch to the instructor functions. The Assignments tool enables
instructors to create, distribute, and collect assignment submissions. You can create
varied assignments for students, such as:
• Case studies
• Problem-based learning exercises
• Essays and research papers
• Group projects
Learning Outcomes
• Create assignments
• Edit and manage assignments
• Explain the options for presenting assignments in Content Areas
• Review and grade assignment submissions
• Download submissions to review offline
• Create successful online assignments
• Use the Journals and Blogs tools to present meaningful assignments

Assignments
The Big Picture

Assignments
Creating Assignments
Assignments are created in Content Areas, but can also be added to learning modules
and folders. Any instructions and file attachments that students need to complete the
assignment are added at the time of creation. Assignments can be assigned to each
student individually or as collaborative work for groups of students. Group assignments
will be discussed in detail later in this manual.
As assignments are created, you will work in Edit Mode. Edit Mode allows you to view all
of the instructor functions. In this workshop, the phrase “in Edit Mode” refers to Edit
Mode being ON.
QUICK STEPS: creating assignments in a Content Area

1 In Edit Mode, access the Content Area.
2 On the Content Area’s Action Bar, click Evaluate.
3 On the drop-down list, select Create Assignment.
4 On the Create Assignment page, enter a Name.
5 Add Instructions for the assignment, if desired. Format the text with the Text Editor, if
desired.
6 Optionally, Browse for a file from your local computer or to link to from the Content
Collection. Confirm your choice by clicking Attach File.
7 Enter Points Possible.
8 Select the check box to Make the Assignment Available. Select more options for
Availability, if desired.
9 Optionally, select a Due Date.
10 Select the radio node by the intended Recipients.
11 Click Submit.
Figure 1.1

Assignments
Figure 1.2
When attaching a file, you can name the link of the uploaded file. The link name
entered is displayed in the Content Area. If you do not enter a new link name, the file
name is used.
Under Availability, if you allow more than one attempt, Grade Center uses the most
recent attempt. A different attempt can be used for the score by editing the column in
the Grade Center.

Assignments
The interactive calendar interface allows you to select dates easily.
Figure 1.3
If Groups of Students are selected as the recipients, a link to the assignment will
automatically appear on the Group Homepage, and in the Content Area where it was
created. Only the intended Group members will be able to see it in the Content Area.

Assignments
Ask Dr. C
In the table below, our Blackboard Learn expert, Dr. C, offers solutions for helping
students understand the assignment process.
Your Question Dr. C’s Reply
My students seem to be confused at times Provide clear expectations and detailed

by their online assignments. How can I directions. Consider an ungraded warm-
clarify the assignment process for up activity to familiarize them with the tool.
students?
Include the following elements for each
assignment:
• Submission deadline
• Grading criteria, rubric, or model
• Accepted file formats, such as .doc,
.rtf, .txt, .ppt, .xls, .jpg, .gif, .pdf
• Required length or size of submission
• File naming conventions
• Suggested resources
• Preference for source citation, such
as MLA, APA, or CBE
• Relevance to the course goals and
objectives

Assignments
Ask Dr. C
In the table below, Dr. C discusses the advantages the Assignments tool has over the
Discussion Board for work submission.
I have been using the Discussion Board to The Discussion Board can be an easy way
collect weekly writing samples. What are to share files.
the advantages of using the Assignments
However, if the writing samples will be
tool instead?
graded, the Assignments tool will save you
significant time. When you create an
assignment using the Assignments tool, a
Grade Center column is automatically
created. Submissions can be viewed and
graded directly from the Grade Center, so
you can quickly check which students
have or have not submitted their work.
You can download all submissions at once
for offline viewing as well.
In addition, assignment grades and due
dates can be used in the Early Warning
System, if you would like students to be
notified if they miss a deadline or score
below a benchmark.

Assignments
Editing and Managing Assignments
After assignments are added to Content Areas, they can be reorganized, edited, and
managed as needed. Ensure Edit Mode is ON.
Figure 2
Take Note
A Add assignments to a Content Area in any the order and reorder using the drag-
and-drop function.
B Use an assignment’s contextual menu and perform the following actions:
• Select Edit to change its name and instructions, add or remove file attachments,
and adjust availability.
• Apply Adaptive Release, Tracking, Metadata, and Review Status. *
• Delete an assignment to permanently erase it and all of its submissions. The
assignment’s column and grades are not removed from the Grade Center.
*Metadata is explained in the Assessments Part 2: Beyond the Basics workshop.

Adaptive Release, Tracking, and Review Status are explained in the Keeping Students
on Track workshop.

Assignments
Hands-on Activity
* For this activity, use your Practice Course.

Warm up assignment
• Add an assignment to the Orientation Content Area to help you get to know your
students.
• View the assignment from the Content Area with Edit Mode OFF, so you can see it
from the student perspective.
Edit an assignment
• Limit the assignment’s availability to the first month of class. Allow unlimited
attempts so students, who are new to the tool, can resubmit if necessary.

Assignments
Focus on Design: Presenting Assignments
You have a number of options for presenting assignments. Review the options below
and consider which approach meets your needs, or create a new method to
accomplish your goals.
Option A: Add all assignments to one Content Area
What it looks like:

All assignments appear in one Content Area.
How it works:
Add an Assignments Content Area and create all of your assignments there.
Suggested use:
This option keeps the creation process simple and helps students to quickly access all
assignments for the course in a list.
Figure 3.1 – Student view of the Assignments Content Area
Tips:
• Use availability dates to control when assignments are visible to students.
• Naming conventions for assignments help students scan the list.
• Reorder assignments as necessary to keep the most current assignments at the top
of the list, if desired.

Assignments
Option B: Add assignments to different Content Areas
What it looks like:

Assignments appear in different Content Areas, in close proximity to related course
content.
How it works:
After setting up various Content Areas for your course, you can add assignments to
them. For example, you can create Content Areas for each week of your course where
students see the week’s overview, reading materials, lecture, and the assignment.
Suggested use:
For a fully online course, this method is an effective way to integrate assignments with
course content and provide everything students need for a unit of study on a single
page.
Figure 3.2
TIP: You can also add assignments to learning modules and folders.

Assignments
Option C: Add all assignments to a single Content Area, and in addition, add links to
assignments in other relevant areas
What it looks like:

All assignments are created in one location, such as the Assignments Content Area.
Course Links to assignments are also added in other Content Areas, folders, or learning
modules.
How it works:
The Assignments Content Area provides a single location for instructors to access and
update assignments, while the links in the other areas allow assignments to be
presented alongside course content.
Although this option does require an extra step, it accommodates different course-
usage styles and creates an integrated, cohesive learning experience.
Suggested use:
This option is most appropriate for instructors teaching robust, fully online courses. Editing
assignments is easy for instructors, and students still have convenient access to
assignments.
Figure 3.3 – Week 2 assignments appear in two Content Areas: Week 2 and Assignments

Assignments
Reviewing and Grading Assignments
Assignment submissions are reviewed and graded in the Grade Center. When an
assignment is created, a grade column is automatically created. Assignments that
have been submitted, but not graded, are indicated with an exclamation mark in the
Grade Center.
When reviewing assignment submissions, you can provide a grade and feedback. You
also have the option of returning the submission to the student with comments only, so
the assignment can be refined further and then resubmitted for a grade.
QUICK STEPS: grading an assignment

1 On the Control Panel, click Grade Center under Evaluation.
2 In Grade Center, locate the cell for the student’s assignment containing an
exclamation mark.
3 Move the mouse pointer over the cell to see the Action Link.
4 Click the Action Link to access the contextual menu.
5 Select View Grade Details.
6 On the Grade Details page, under Attempts, click the Action Link next to the
exclamation mark to access the contextual menu.
7 Select Open Attempt.
8 On the Grade Assignment page:
• Click the file name under Submission materials to view or download
attachments.
• Enter a numerical value in the Grade box.
• Optionally, enter feedback in the Comments area and attach files for the
student to review.
• Optionally, enter Instructor Notes and attach files that only you will be able to
access.
9 Click Submit to return to the Grade Details page. Next, click OK to return to Grade
Center.
To return an assignment attempt without a grade:

• To return an attempt to a student with comments only, follow the steps above,
but at step 9, click Save as Draft. The attempt remains ungraded and student
can access your feedback.

Assignments
Figure 4.1

Assignments
Figure 4.2
The Grade Details page has several important functions, which will be detailed
following the grading process.

Assignments
Figure 4.3
Instructor notes and files are for your eyes only.
When you Save as Draft instead of Submit, the assignment remains ungraded and an
exclamation mark is displayed in My Grades and the Grade Center. Students access
your comments through My Grades and can resubmit by accessing the assignment. If
you enter a score, Save as Draft will prevent the score from displaying in the Grade
Center and My Grades.

Assignments
Functions on the Grade Details Page

In the example below, the grade, feedback, and instructor comments you entered are
displayed on the Grade Details page. From this page, other actions can be performed.
Figure 4.4
Under Grade History, all notes and actions performed on the assignment are listed.

Assignments
Take Note
A Jump to a different user or column to change your view without returning to the
Grade Center.
B A grade Override supersedes all attempts, including attempts students have not yet
submitted. When a grade is overridden, future attempts do not display with
exclamation marks (needs grading) in the Grade Center.
C The contextual menu for the attempt’s Value allows the following:
• Open Attempt – view the student’s entire submission and have the Save as Draft
option.
• Edit Grade – quickly enter a score and feedback without opening the
submission. Grades entered here are not override grades. This option does not
allow you to use Save as Draft and return an assignment without a grade.
• Clear Attempt – allow the student to resubmit an assignment or use the previous
attempt as the grade for the assignment.
D Allow Additional Attempts – allow a student to submit another attempt, even if the
maximum number of attempts has been reached.

Assignments
Hands-on Activity

In the Grade Center, locate the Planet Paper assignment.
For Porter Durand‘s submission

• Review the attempt and assign a grade.
• Enter comments for the student.
• Enter private instructor notes for yourself.
For Henry Wagner‘s submission

• Review the submission and return it ungraded with comments.
View the changes to the Grade Center columns.

Assignments
Ask Dr. C
In the table below, Dr. C explains how to keep students on track when completing
large projects.
How can I use the Assignments tool to keep Students can submit their assignments for
students on track when completing larger review at any time. To encourage
projects? students to do so, add assignment
checkups to the Course Calendar or use
some of the Notification modules
available to add to the course Home
Page.
These additions can help students stay
on track, raise the quality of assignments,
and ultimately improve student success
and retention.
For example, you can provide feedback
throughout the research paper process.
In one assignment, students can submit
their outline, bibliography, rough draft,
and final paper as individual file
attachments. You can provide
feedback at each stage. A grade is not
assigned until the final paper is received.
Alternatively, if you want to provide
grades for each portion of the research
paper process, you can create separate
assignments for each.

Assignments
Reviewing Assignments Offline
Download assignment submissions to your computer to review offline instead of

reviewing them online from the Grade Center. You can download all or selected
submissions as a single zipped file. Unzip the file to view the contents, where each
submission is saved as a separate file.
QUICK STEPS: reviewing assignments offline

1 In Grade Center, locate the assignment column containing the assignment files you
want to download and click the Action Link to access the contextual menu.
2 Select Assignment File Download.
3 On the Download Assignment page, select the student submissions to download.
4 Click Submit.
5 On the next Download Assignments page, click Download assignments now.
6 Click OK to return to the Grade Center.
Figure 5.1
As shown by the arrow above, Assignment File Cleanup allows you to select users and
delete files associated with their submissions.

Assignments
Reviewing Assignments Offline
Figure 5.2
Within the downloaded zipped file, each submission’s file name includes the
assignment title, user name, and attachment file name. If students included comments
when they uploaded their files, you will also find a related .txt document.
TIP: When using the Assignment File Download function, the user names are
automatically included in the file names for easy identification. However, if you plan to
download files one by one from the Grade Assignment page, specify a root file name
for your students to use and ask them to append their last names or user names to it.

Assignments
Grading Downloaded Assignments
After reviewing submissions offline and determining grades, you enter grades and
comments in the Grade Center. Using the contextual menu for a cell, click View Grade
Details and then Edit Grade. If you need to attach files, use Open Attempt instead.
Figure 6.1
Alternatively, grades can be entered directly in the Grade Center cells. The grade
entered is designated as an Override. Since Override grades supersede all other
grades, only use this method if students will not be submitting any other attempts.
Click the assignment’s exclamation mark and enter the grade in the field. Click Enter to
save the grade.
Figure 6.2

Assignments
Hands-on Activity

Download assignment submissions
• Locate the Moon Viewing assignment column.
• Download three submissions to review offline.
• Enter grades for those submissions.

Assignments
The Journals Tool
Journal writing assignments can promote reflective thinking and learning. When
students make connections between their experiences, they create meaning and
internalize learning. Journal writing can be a meaningful assignment, and yet another
method instructors can use for assessing student work and progress.
Only the instructor can create journal topics for individual students to use. As stated
earlier, students can communicate privately with the instructor using this tool. The
instructor does have the capability of making all journal entries public when creating
the topic. The Group Journal tool functions differently as it allows all members of a
group to view all journal entries.
QUICK STEPS: creating journal topics

1 In the Control Panel, expand the Course Tools section and click Journals.
2 On the Journals page, click Create Journal on the Action Bar.
3 On the Create Journal page, enter a journal Name.
4 Add Instructions for the journal, if desired. Format the text with the Text Editor, if
desired.
5 Under Journal Availability, select the Yes radio node to make it available to users.
6 Use the Display After and Display Until date and time fields to limit availability of the
journal. Click both the Display After and Display Until check boxes in order to enable
the date and time selections.
7 Under Journal Settings, choose between Monthly and Weekly index entries. Select
check boxes for other settings, if desired.
8 Click Submit.
Figure 7.1

Assignments
The Journals Tool
Figure 7.2
The instructor determines if the index of entries—a listing of entry titles for the selected
user—is visible on the Journals page by week or by month.
The instructor determines if users can edit and delete entries or delete comments, and
whether a journal can be viewed by all course users.

Assignments
The Journals Tool
The Journal topics created by the instructor appear on the main Journals page in
alphabetical order.
Figure 7.3
Take Note
A On the main Journals page, click a journal title to access the journal, or click the
Action Link to access the contextual menu and select Open.
B The Visibility column lists whether the journal is private or public.
C The Entries column lists how many entries have been submitted.
D From the journal’s contextual menu, the instructor can edit the journal’s name,
instructions, and settings.
A journal can be deleted using the contextual menu or by selecting its check box and
clicking Delete on the Action Bar. When a journal is deleted, all users’ entries and
comments are deleted.

Assignments
Commenting on Journal Entries
Journaling can be essential for interaction between the student and the instructor,
especially in a Web-based course. Student entries and instructor comments can help
build rapport and can create a healthy intellectual exchange.
QUICK STEPS: commenting on journal entries

1 Access the Journal.
2 On the Journals page, under More Journals, select the journal to view by clicking
the user’s name. The journal entry will open below the instructor’s instructions.
3 Click Comment below the user’s entry. The Comment field appears.
4 Enter your comments in the Comment text box.
5 Click Add.
Figure 8.1
Note: New journal entries appear with a tack icon next to the user’s name in the More
Journals area and the Index area.

Assignments
Commenting on Journal Entries
Figure 8.2
The right panel displays the author of the journal being viewed. Under More Journals,
the instructor can click Show Empty Journals to view a list of the users who have not
submitted a journal entry. At a glance, the instructor can also use the icons to see who
has made a new entry and whose journal entry has received comments.
When a user’s name is clicked, the Index section will contain a list of titles. The titles will
be listed for the week or for the month, based on settings the instructor made.
Figure 8.3 – The Index titles are listed with the most current appearing first.

Assignments
The Blogs Tool
Blog writing assignments are another medium for reflective learning. With this type of
assignment, students are expected to display their research, analytical, and
communication skills through a series of commentaries meant for public consumption
and comment. In the course environment, blogs are only able to be viewed by enrolled
users.
In Blackboard Learn, blogs consist of two elements:
• Blog entries: Text, images, links, and attachments posted by course members
and open for comments.
• Comments: Remarks or responses to blog entries made by others.
An instructor can choose to allow students to participate in blogs in three ways:
• Course Blogs: Only the instructor can create a Course Blog. All course members
can post blog entries and post comments to blog entries.
• Individual Blogs: Only the instructor can create a blog for individual course
members to use. Only the owner of the blog is able to post blog entries. All other
course members can view and add comments.
• Group Blogs: If the instructor enables the Blog tool for the Group, all Group
members can post blog entries and make comments on blog entries. Any course
member can view Group Blogs, but can only add comments. A Group Blog is
different from a threaded discussion as each entry does not need to continue
the discussion of the previous post, but can be a complete thought on its own.
The instructor can edit and delete entries in any of the three blog types.

Assignments
The Blogs Tool
QUICK STEPS: creating blog topics

1 In the Control Panel, expand the Course Tools section and click Blogs.
2 On the Blogs page, click Create Blog on the Action Bar.
3 On the Create Blog page, enter a blog Name.
4 Add Instructions for the blog, if desired. Format the text with the Text Editor, if
desired.
5 Under Blog Availability, select the Yes radio node to make it available to users.
6 Use the Display After and Display Until date and time fields to limit availability of the
blog. Click both the Display After and Display Until check boxes in order to enable
the date and time selections.
7 Under Blog Participation, choose between Individual to All Students and Course
blog types. Select Allow Anonymous Comments, if desired.
8 Under Blog Settings, choose between Monthly and Weekly index entries. Select
check boxes for other settings, if desired.
9 Click Submit.
Figure 9.1

Assignments
The Blogs Tool
Figure 9.2
The instructor determines if the index of entries—a listing of entry titles for the selected
user—is visible on the Blogs page by week or by month.
The instructor determines if users can edit and delete entries or delete comments.

Assignments
The Blogs Tool
Figure 9.3
Take Note
A On the main Blogs page, click a blog title to access the blog.
B The Type column lists whether the blog is available to individuals, shared by all
course members, or a group.
C The Entries column lists how many entries have been submitted.
D From the blog’s contextual menu, the instructor can edit an individual or course
blog’s name, instructions, and settings. Group Blogs take on the title of the Group
name and cannot be edited or deleted from this page.
A blog can be deleted using the contextual menu or by selecting its check box and
clicking Delete on the Action Bar. When a blog is deleted, all users’ entries and
comments are deleted. Group Blogs are deleted by changing the settings for the group
on the main Groups Page.
Users removed from the course will not have access to any blogs and their Individual
blog entries and comments will be deleted. If users are removed after Course Blogs
have been created, all their posts and comments will be retained, but the name of the
poster or commenter will be changed to Anonymous.

Assignments
Commenting on Blog Entries
Reader comments can encourage students in creating blog entries. An instructor can
leave comments to guide research and encourage a student’s thought process. Peer
comments can also provide encouragement, aid in reflection, and are integral to
developing the interpersonal relationships that promote collective learning. Blog
comments help form a collaborative workspace for the exchange of information and
can gauge understanding. In an online academic article, the authors suggest that,
“revealing ideas advances our thoughts, confirms or rejects our ideas, helping us know
whether to continue to pursue them.”3
QUICK STEPS: commenting on blog entries

1 Access the Blogs tool.
2 On the Blogs page, select the blog to view by clicking the user’s name. The blog
entry will open below the instructor’s instructions.
3 Click Comment below the user’s entry. The Comment field appears.
4 Enter your comments in the Comment text box.
5 Click Add.
Figure 10.1
3http://lttf.ieee.org/learn_tech/issues/october2006/index.html - _Toc148658503 > select Realizing the

Potential of Collective Learning through Blogs

Assignments
Figure 10.2
When a user’s name is clicked, the Index section will contain a list of titles. The titles will
be listed for the week or for the month, based on settings the instructor made. All the
entries made by the user will appear in the display area as shown in the example, with
the newest appearing first.
Under More Blogs, the instructor can click Show Empty Blogs to view a list of the users
who have not submitted a blog entry. At a glance, the instructor can also use the icons
to see who has made a new entry and whose blog entry has received comments.
Note: New blog entries appear with a tack icon next to the user’s name in the More
Blogs area and the Index area.

Assignments
Figure 10.3

Assignments
Ask Dr. C
In the table below, Dr. C answers questions about using the Blogs tool in your course.
How can I help students to be Students are accustomed to receiving feedback

comfortable receiving and giving from the instructor in a private manner, usually as
blog comments? written comments on assignments. As students
transition to putting their thoughts in a blog for
everyone to read, they have every right to feel
hesitant. Students will be apprehensive posting
about material new to them. Instructor comments
will be instrumental by not only providing feedback,
but they can “also model feedback in a way that
directly informs the normative effect of the public
writing project. The instructor’s input into any blog
thus serves as a constant example of how to
engage not only with the primary source material,
but also with one’s fellow students.”4 As time-
consuming as it can be initially, do comment as
much as possible to set everyone at ease and
provide the example to follow. Most students are
not new to the social networking aspect of
responding to posts, so perhaps most will not be
overly apprehensive at the prospect of
commenting, especially by example.
Are there other ways besides Remind students that blog entries can contribute to
comment quotas to promote study time. When a topic or assignment is directly
student reading? connected to an exam or a paper, students can
“read each others’ posts as a way of studying the
material through exposure to different approaches
and observations.”4 The process of filtering the
material and determining what is useful and what
can be ignored contributes to refining critical
thinking skills.
4http://jolt.merlot.org/vol4no2/hurlburt0608.htm

Assignments
Best Practice: To Grade or Not to Grade
The decision to grade students’ reflective writing in journals and blogs can be a struggle
between giving the freedom to write and securing the willingness to write. Some
instructors choose to award credit for completion rather than in-depth grading, while
relying on commenting to encourage, suggest, and guide student responses. Journal
and blog areas can be pre-writing spaces where students can safely explore ideas and
discuss course materials. Students need to feel their writing is valued. This can be
achieved without grades, if students feel the instructor is providing worthwhile
feedback. When students are not worried about performing to a set standard, they
may be more likely to write about what is on their minds and add more personal
reflection.
Ideally, journaling and blogging is about presenting ideas, not just a diary of events. The
issue becomes whether an instructor should grade ideas. You must review your
intended outcomes for using journaling and blogging, and determine if grading is
appropriate.
If a grade is to be given, the evaluation’s emphasis must be on content. A rubric of

assessment will be a useful guide for students. Rubrics need to be distributed before any
writing is assigned and can be discussed in Chat or on the Discussion Board to verify
that students understand your expectations. Your rubric needs to include how many
entries will be required, the minimum length of entries, and the grading criteria.
Assessment and evaluation might include any of the criteria listed below.
In the entry, the student:
• Provided a descriptive record of his or her study

• Included personal observations and questions about course material
• Identified areas to review
• Evaluated his or her study by referencing his or her learning process
• Used reasoning and collected evidence
• Planned improvement or set goals based on reflection

Assignments
Best Practice: To Grade or Not to Grade
When you first assign writing in journals or blogs, start by requiring only a few entries
throughout the course. Initially, you will need to determine how long it will take to
respond adequately to all students to make the assignment worthwhile. If you are
grading entries, you will also need to allow time to provide comments and enter
grades.
When creating topics for journals and blogs, a grading setting is not one of the options.
If you choose to grade journal and blog entries or student comments, you must
manually add grading columns to the Grade Center using the Create Column function
on the Action Bar.
Opinions and Rubrics

The links below offer opinions on grading and example rubrics other instructors have
used. They may help you decide if you want to grade, and if so, how you can assess
your students based on your course goals.
A teacher’s views about grading reflective writing:

http://www.teachandlearn.ca/blog/2007/05/27/making-assessment-personally-relevant/
http://www.teachandlearn.ca/blog/2007/04/25/replacing-grading-with-conversations
Excellent site for assessing student blogs, includes several links to rubric examples:
http://blogagogy.wordpress.com/assessing-blogs/
An example of journal assignments, requirements, and a rubric presented to students:

http://www.thinkingshop.com/AIP/ethics/journal.htm

Assignments
Hands-on Activity

Explore the Journals tool
• Access the Journals tool and create a journal topic.
• On the main Journals page, click the Grading, Feedback, and Assignments topic
to view the journal entries.
• Comment on Alyssa Dubois’s journal entry.
• In the right panel, click Show Empty Journals to view how many students have not
yet responded.
Explore the Blogs tool

• Access the Blogs tool and create a Course Blog.
• On the main Blogs page, click the Lab Observations blog to view the blog entries.
• Comment on one of the blog entries.

Assignments
Best Practice: Successful Assignments
Use the worksheet below to determine if your assignment contains the components for
effective online learning. These points will help you ensure that students are able to
complete your assignments with minimal confusion.
Clear Objectives
• Did I state what I expect the students to learn from this assignment?
• Did I state which skills the student will gain after completing the assignment?
• Did I specify learning outcomes related to knowledge, skills, competencies,
behaviors, or attitudes?
Rationale
• Did I create an assignment reinforcing the material presented during class time?
• Did I show a relationship between the assignment and the course objectives?
Detailed Directions
• Did I provide clear and detailed instructions?
• Did I provide a list of required and recommended resources for completing the
assignment?
• Did I state what digital format should be used and how to submit the assignment?
• Did I provide due dates for completing this assignment?
• Did I allow time for unforeseen technical difficulties and communication response
time?
Clear Grading Criteria

• Did I list the assignment’s value and how much it will contribute to their grades?
• Did I supply a rubric?
• Did I provide examples of assignments meeting the criteria for students to review?
• Did I tell the students when to expect feedback?

groups
Groups
In this section, you will create Groups and provide collaboration tools for students. You
will also discover strategies for helping groups work together.
Group projects and collaborative assignments provide valuable instructional benefits.

They can improve critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills through
clarification and evaluation of others' ideas—all valuable skills in academic and work
environments. Group work also encourages active learning where students construct,
rather than acquire, knowledge.
Students’ satisfaction with online learning is related to the amount of interaction with
other learners. Groups allow students to establish a closer virtual relationship with
members of the class and promote a sense of online community.
Learning Outcomes
• Create single Groups, enroll students in them, and select the Groups’ collaboration
tools
• Create self-enrollment Groups
• Create Group Sets, with randomly enrolled students
• Add Group links to Content Areas and folders
• Explore ways to organize and use Groups in your course

Groups
The Big Picture

Groups
Creating Single Groups
Groups can be created one at a time or in sets. The instructor can manually select
Group members or allow students to self-enroll. We will explore single Group creation
with manual enrollment first.
Each Group has its own space, or homepage, in the course with links to tools to help
students collaborate. Only the instructor and the Group members can access the
Group tools. For instance, each Group can have a private Discussion Board that is only
accessible to a Group’s members.
QUICK STEPS: creating a single group

1 On the Control Panel, under Users and Groups, select Groups. Alternatively, you can
use the Groups Page link on the Course Menu, if you have made it available.
2 On the Groups page, click Create Single Group on the Action Bar to access the
drop-down list.
3 Select Manual Enroll.
4 On the Create Group page, enter a Name and optional Description.
5 To make the Group Available, select the Yes radio node.
6 Select the necessary tools.
7 Select the check box for Module Personalization Setting to allow students to add
personal modules to the Group Homepage.
8 Select members in the Available Members box and click the right-pointing arrow to
add the selected names to the Enrolled Members box.
9 Click Submit.

Groups
Figure 1.1
Figure 1.2

Groups
Figure 1.3
When Allow Personalization is selected, a student can add personal modules to the
Group Homepage, such as What’s New, My Calendar, and Needs Attention. Only the
person who added the modules can view them.
Select multiple members at one time by holding down the CTRL key while clicking the
names to enroll.

Groups
Tools for Group Collaboration

Students access the tools added to the Group Homepage under Group Tools. Only the
instructor and the Group members can access tools. The following tools can be made
available to a Group:
• The Blogs tool allows Group members to post entries and add comments in order
to share ideas.
• Collaboration enables users within the Group to create and attend real-time Chat
or Virtual Classroom sessions.
• Discussion Board allows members to communicate as a Group, as well as create
and manage their own forums.
• Email provides a list of Group members for quick selection of recipients.
• File Exchange enables resource and file sharing.
• The Group Journal tool allows Group members to share their thoughts with each
other and communicate with the instructor. *
• Tasks can be added by Group members and distributed to the entire Group to
keep them on track.
*Journal entries made in the Group Journal are visible by all Group members and the
instructor. The instructor can edit and delete any journal entry in a Group Journal and
users can edit and delete their own Group Journal entries. Once the Group Journal tool
is made available, the instructor does not need to create a journal topic—the Group
Journal is ready to be used by any Group member.

Groups
Self-Enroll Groups and Sign-up Sheets
Self-Enrollment Groups allow students to use a sign-up sheet in order to join a Group
themselves. You can make sign-up sheets available to students on the Groups Page or
by adding a link to a Content Area.
QUICK STEPS: creating a self-enroll group

1 On the Control Panel, under Users and Groups, select Groups.
2 On the Groups page, click Create Group Set on the Action Bar to access the drop-
down list.
3 Select Self-Enroll.
4 On the Create Self-Enrollment Group page, enter a Name and optional Description.
personal modules to the Group Homepage.
8 Select Sign-up options.
9 Click Submit.
Figure 2

Groups
Self-Enroll Groups and Sign-up Sheets
The table below explains the options for Self-Enrollment Groups and Sign-up Sheets.
Option Description
Group Availability Controls whether or not students can access the Group after
enrollment:
• No – sign-up sheet is unavailable; the Group is
unavailable.
• Yes – sign-up sheet is available; the Group is available
immediately after a student signs up.
• Sign-up Sheet Only – sign-up sheet is available; the

Group is unavailable even after a student signs up. To
make the Group available to students who have self-
enrolled, an instructor must edit the Group to change its
availability.
Name of Sign-up Sheet Use a descriptive name so users will understand the nature of
the Sign-up Sheet.
Instructions This field is optional, and can provide information in addition

to the Group description.
Maximum Number of Let students know how many are allowed to join. Once this
Members number has been reached, other users cannot join the
Group.
Show Members Allow users to see existing members before they sign up.
Allow Students to sign-up This option automatically adds the sign-up sheet to the
from the Groups Area Groups Page. If you use this option, be sure a Groups link is
available in the Course Menu or in a Content Area to provide
student access.
If this option is not selected, the sign-up sheet is unavailable to
students until the instructor adds a link to the sign-up sheet.

Groups
Creating Group Sets
You can generate several Groups at one time by using Group Sets.
In addition to Manual and Self-Enrollment, you can select Random Enrollment for Group
Sets. This option populates the Groups automatically—you simply choose the number of
Groups or members per Group.
QUICK STEPS: creating a group set

1 On the Control Panel, under Users and Groups, select Groups.
2 On the Groups page, click Create Group Set on the Action Bar to access the drop-
down list.
3 Select Self, Manual, or Random Enroll.
4 On the Create Enrollment Group Set page, enter a Name and optional Description.
personal modules to the Group space.
8 Depending on the type of enrollment, select sign-up sheet options, members, or
random enrollment options.
9 Click Submit.
Figure 3.1

Groups
Creating Group Sets
Figure 3.2 – Random Enrollment Membership Options
Random Groups can be created based on number of groups or group size. You also
select where any remaining students are enrolled.

Groups
Hands-on Activity

Create Groups
• Create a single Group with manual enrollment titled Extra Credit. Make the Group
available, add members, and select tools for the Group.
• Create a Group Set with random enrollment containing three Groups with three
members each. Use the base name Mars.
• Create a single Self-Enrollment Group. Make the Group available, set a maximum
number of members, and allow students to sign up from the Groups Page.
Self-Enroll
• Click Groups Page on the Course Menu and turn Edit Mode to OFF to view Groups
and sign-up sheets as students see them.
• Sign up for the Self-Enrollment Group you created. Notice that after you sign up,
the link to the Group is available and also appears in My Groups on the Course
Menu.

Groups
Editing and Managing Groups
The Groups page enables you to create Groups, as well as edit and manage them.
Each Group’s contextual menu provides quick access to the Group Homepage and
Email. It also allows you to edit Group properties and delete Groups.
Editing a Group allows you to add or remove members, as well as change its name,
availability, and tools. In addition, you can allow students to create their own Self-
Enrollment Groups.
Figure 4
Take Note
A Select the check boxes for Groups to delete.
B Use the Group’s contextual menu to edit properties.
C Toggle between the lists of All Groups and Group Sets.
D Group Settings allows students to create and edit their own Self-Enrollment Groups.

Groups
Adding Group Links to Content Areas
You can allow students to access Groups in several ways. My Groups automatically
provides a link to any Group in which a student is enrolled. You can also provide a link
to the Groups Page on the Course Menu, so students can view all available Groups and
sign-up sheets. In addition, you can manually add links to individual Groups and sign-up
sheets in Content Areas and folders.
QUICK STEPS: adding a group link

1 In Edit Mode, access the Content Area or folder where a Group link will be added.
2 On the Action Bar, click Collaborate to access the drop-down list.
3 Select Create Groups Link.
4 On the Add Link: Group page, select the type of link: Groups Page, single Group, or
Group Set. If linking to a Group or Group Set, select it from the list.
5 Click Next.
6 On the next Add Link: Group page, complete the Link Information to specify how it
will appear in the Content Area or folder.
7 Click Submit.
Figure 5.1 Group links shown on the Course Menu, under My Groups, and being linked to in a
Content Area

Groups
Adding Group Links to Content Areas
Figure 5.2
NOTE: On the Add Link: Group page, you can also create a new Group or Group Set.
Figure 5.3 Student view of a Groups Page added to a Content Area

Groups
Hands-on Activity

Edit Groups
• Add yourself to each Group so you will receive Group Email.
Delete a Group
• Delete one of the Mars Groups.
Add a Group Link

• In a Content Area, add a link to one of the Groups you created.

Groups
Ask Dr. C
In the table below, Dr. C discusses common issues in group collaboration.
What can I do to help group discussions stay In most cases, a default forum is
organized and on track? automatically created in a Group
Discussion Board. Instructors or students
can create additional discussion forums.
Let students know they should create
forums and utilize threads to organize
their conversations.
Instructors have full access to every

Group Discussion Board, so they can
manage the availability of forums and
threads, as well as delete or move them.
Students often complain only a few group Assign students different roles so they
members do all of the work. How can I have an expectation to fulfill in order for
encourage ALL members to participate? the Group to complete the assignment.
For example, assign the following:
• Team leader
• Recorder
• Editor or proofreader
• Researcher
Outline how much of the grade
depends on individual contributions
versus the Group's final product.
Ask for private peer critiques, submitted
only to the instructor, to gauge group
participation.

Groups
Ask Dr. C
In the table below, Dr. C discusses group assignments.
How do I provide group assignments? When creating a regular assignment, select

Groups as the recipients rather than all students
individually. The Group submits one
collaborative assignment and all members
receive the same grade.
You can create a single assignment you assign
to all groups, or create several unique
assignments you assign to individual groups.
Group assignments are listed on the Group
Homepage.
In the example above, the assignment is

created in a Content Area, and the
Oceanography Group #1 is selected to receive
the assignment. The assignment will show in the
Content Area where it was created and on the
Group Homepage, but only to the Group’s
members in both places.

Groups
Focus on Design: Presenting Groups
Here are some options for setting up Groups and Group assignments to achieve
different learning objectives.
Option A: Default setup
What it looks like:

Every student’s Groups appear by default in My Groups.
How it works:
After you create Groups and add users, the Groups are available to enrolled members
in My Groups where each Group name can be expanded for quick access to its tools.
Use the double arrows icon next to a name to view the Group Homepage. Since My
Groups is populated automatically, this option is the easiest to implement.
Option B: Provide link to the Groups Page on the Course Menu
What it looks like:

A Course Menu link to the Groups Page displays all Groups a student is enrolled in and
available sign-up sheets.
How it works:
Since My Groups does not list sign-up sheets, you need to provide a link to the Groups
Page if you use Self-Enroll Groups.
You can also create a link to the Groups Page in a Content Area.

Groups
Focus on Design: Presenting Groups
Option C: Provide links to individual Group Homepages or Sign-Up Sheets in a Content

Area
What it looks like:

A link to a Group Homepage or sign-up sheet appears in a Content Area or folder in
close proximity to related content.
How it works:
Create Groups using the Groups tool. Next, go to the Content Area or folder where you
wish to place a link. Add a link to the Groups Page, a specific Group Homepage, or a
Sign-Up Sheet.

Groups
Best Practice: Provide Support
The table below lists tips for using technology to facilitate group work.
Goal Use of technology
Prepare students for success • Have a real-time kickoff meeting in Chat to explain
how the group should function.
• Provide direction during initial group discussions.
• Handle technical difficulties promptly and provide
a list of frequently asked questions.
Create instructor presence • Provide feedback throughout the process in the

Group Discussion Board.
• Enroll yourself in groups to receive Group Email.
• Hold regular office hours.
Set timelines • Use Announcements, Calendar, and Group Email

to remind students of upcoming due dates.
Alternatively, the Notification modules on the
course Home Page can be used in place of
Announcements and the Calendar.
Provide objectives and • Provide an assignment overview, grading rubric,

instructions instructions, task checklists, and resources.
Promote sharing • Teach students the different ways to share ideas

and work, such as through Discussion Board, Blogs,
or File Exchange.
Keep it interesting • Assign unique case studies to each group.

• Have participants role-play and take on their
assigned persona in online interactions.
• Create groups randomly or pick a heterogeneous

mix of students to generate various viewpoints.

workshop wrap up
Workshop Wrap Up
The Workshop Wrap Up provides the opportunity to reflect on what has been learned
by focusing your attention on the key concepts presented in the workshop. Also, the
next page includes a worksheet for designing collaborative learning projects.
This workshop provided the skills to use the Groups and Assignments tools to enhance
your students’ learning. Often, the learning process is as valuable as the outcome, and
you discovered ways to make Assignments and Groups run smoothly for your students.
In this workshop, you learned how to do the following:
• Submit assignments, view grades, and participate in Groups as a student

• Create, edit, and manage assignments
• Review and grade assignment submissions, or return with feedback only
• Download submissions to review offline
• Create successful online assignments
• Use the Journals and Blogs tools to provide meaningful assignments
• Determine if grading reflective learning is right for your course
• Create Groups, add members, and provide them with collaboration tools
• Add Group links to Content Areas and folders
• Present Groups in your course
• Support group work in your course
As with any new tool or feature, you and your students may learn to use Groups and
Assignments together. Start with basic tasks and build upon them for more advanced
use of the tools.

Workshop Wrap Up
Spotlight on YOUR Course
Use this guide to document the phases for designing collaborative learning projects.
Forming the groups

• How many students will be in each group?
• Will you randomly assign students, form groups based on certain characteristics, or
allow students to volunteer for group membership?
Planning the project

• What is the final product of the project?
• What learning outcomes does this project accomplish?
• What specific instructions will you provide?
Exchanging work on the project

• Which communication tools will students use to collaborate? (Discussion Board,
Email, Chat, Group Journal, Group Blog)
• Will students meet face-to-face or synchronously via conference calls?
• What is your role, if any, in this step?
Submitting the project

• In what format will the group submit their work?
• Do you want all groups to be able to view the final projects?
Evaluating the project

• How will you evaluate the project? Will you provide a grading rubric?
• Will all students receive the same grade, or will grades be assigned based on
individual contribution?
• Will group members help determine the grades of others in their group?
Source:
Reid, J., Forrestal, P., & Cook, J. (1989). Small group learning in the classroom. Portsmouth, New Hampshire:
Heinemann.

Workshop Wrap Up
Resources
Faculty Support Page: http://behind.blackboard.com/s/faculty/
Training Page: http://www.blackboard.com/Services/Training/index.Bb
User Group Page: http://www.blackboard.com/communities/usergroups.aspx

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Course Delivery Release 1.

© 2008 Blackboard Inc. Page 2 Groups and Assignments

Workshop Overview .................................................................................................. 5

© 2008 Blackboard Inc. Page 3 Groups and Assignments

Workshop Wrap Up ............................................................................................... 103

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Next, you will learn to facilitate collaboration among students by setting up

© 2008 Blackboard Inc. Page 5 Groups and Assignments

ROADMAP Create Groups: Create Groups, assign

Explore Group pages: Sign up for a

Grade assignments: Review and grade

Review assignments offline: Download

Best Practice: Identify key components

Create Journals and Blogs: Use these

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• Access, view, and submit assignments

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The Assignments tool is used to present a variety of learning activities to students,

• Text entered on the Upload Assignment page

The Assignments tool provides several key benefits to students, including:

• Increased time-on-task with an efficient way to view and submit assignments

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• View instructions and access files attached by the instructor

QUICK STEPS: submitting an assignment

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QUICK STEPS: viewing grades and feedback

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Submitted; waiting to be reviewed by the instructor

Not submitted; item is in progress because the student has saved it as

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Student View of Submitted Assignment Results

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* For this activity, use your Student Course.

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QUICK STEPS: accessing the Journals tool

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QUICK STEPS: creating a journal entry

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As stated in an online article in Educause Quarterly, “Reflective learning can aid

• Be motivated; know what they are trying to achieve and why

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Many blogs provide commentary on a particular subject. In a course setting, blogs

QUICK STEPS: accessing the Blogs tool

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QUICK STEPS: creating a blog entry

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* For this activity, use your Student Course.

Create a Blogs entry

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Instructors have the ability to populate Groups manually, randomly, or by allowing

Group Sign-Up Sheets

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