What is the Assignment Manager?

This can actually be a little bit confusing at first. One of the content areas that you’ll probably have in your Blackboard class is called “Assignments;” but that’s just a content area that could have been named, and that you can rename, to anything we want. But also available in Blackboard is a specific content type, also called an “Assignment,” that you can add to any content area (not just the one that shares its name) and use in your classes.

The Assignment content type in Blackboard allows users to post an article or other document with instructions, retrieve the completed assignment from a student, and grade that assignment via the Gradebook. With Assignments, Blackboard provides enhanced item management options, including bulk downloading and cleanup of files. If you have previously used the Digital Drop Box, this basically takes the best of that function and combines it with the gradebook to make your life, your grading, and your management of student assignments easier.

Using the Assignment Manager

If you have edited the content buttons or created your own the Content areas box will look slightly different, reflecting whatever changes you have made. In the interest of keeping things simple, let's go ahead and create this assignment in the Content Area of that same name. To do so click on the link for the "Assignments" Content Area.

1. Add Assignment
   Click on the Add Item icon on the Content toolbar and enter the Name of the item by either typing it into the Name box. At this time, you should also assign a point value to the assignment, as a gradebook item will automatically be created for this assignment.

   

   The name you have chosen will appear in black type unless you click on the Pick Color icon choose a new tone from the chart:

   Now, having given the assignment a name, chosen a color for that label to appear in, and set a point value for the assignment, either type or copy-and-paste your assignment instructions into the text box labelled 'Instructions.' In so doing, please note that the text editor includes "what you see is what you get" web and equation editing to allow for easier formatting of your instructions.

   

   Remember, faculty should always keep original documents on their own computers. It is never a good idea to post one's only copy of a document solely on Bb (or any other online service). Rather, the best idea is to create and save a document on your own computer, then to upload that document as an attachment.

   The Text Box Editor includes three rows of buttons. The first row is required and may not be collapsed. Users have the options of collapsing the second and third rows with the arrows to the left of the row. Some Text Box Editors open with the second and third rows collapsed, users may choose to expand them. These options cannot be reorganized or rearranged by the user. The following table details the tools available in the Text Box Editor by row:
   

   First Row -- Basic Actions:

   

   Function	Description
   Font Style	Select the font for the text, these options correspond to standard
   HTML	Style types
   Font size	Select the size for the text.
   Font	Select the type of font for the text.
   Bold	Make selected text bold.
   Italics	Make selected text italics.
   Underline	Underline the selected text.
   Align left	Align text to the left of the text area.
   Align Center	Align text in the center of the text area.
   Align Right	Align text to the right of the text area.
   Ordered list	Create a numbered list or add a numbered list item.
   Unordered list	Create a bulleted list or add a bullet list item.
   Decrease Indent	Move text to the left.
   Increase Indent	Move text to the right.

   Second Row -- Basic Actions:

   

   Function	Description
   Find	Search for a word or phrase in the text area.
   Spell Check	Select the ABC checkmark to open the Spell Check pop-up window. Users use this to check spelling in the text area.
   Cut	Cut the selected items
   Copy	Copy the selected items
   Paste	Paste copied or cut content.
   Undo	Select the circular arrow pointing to the left to undo the previous action.
   Redo	Select the circular arrow pointing to the right to redo the previous action.
   Hyperlink	Add a hyperlink to a URL in the text area.
   Create Table	Add a table. Select the number of rows and cells in the table.
   Horizontal Line	Add a line to the text box.
   Background Color	Add a highlight color to the selected text.
   Text Color	Specify the color of the text.
   WebEQ Editor	Open the WebEQ Equation Editor icon (x2) to add an equation.
   MathML Editor	Open the MathML Equation Editor icon (vx ) to add an equation.
   HTML View	View the HTML code that is generated by the Text Box Editor. Users may also edit the HTML in this view.
   Preview	Preview the content as it will be seen by the end users.
   Help	Select the question mark to launch the Help page.

   Third Row -- File Attachment Actions:

   

   Function	Description
   Attach file	Add a file to the text area. When selected, the Insert Link to File page will appear.
   Attach image	Add an image to the text area. When selected, the Insert Image page will appear.
   Attach MPEG/AVI	Add MPEG/AVI media content to the text area. When selected, the Insert MPEG file page will appear.
   Add Quick	Time file Add Apple QuickTime media to the text area. When selected, the Insert QuickTime File page will appear.
   Add audio	Add an audio file, such as .mp3, .midi or .wav to the text area. When selected, the Insert Audio File page will appear.
   Add Flash/Shockwave	Add Macromedia Flash or Shockwave media to the text area. When selected, the Insert SWF File page will appear.

   
   
   

   Attaching Assignment files:

   Options in the third row allow users to attach different types of files to a text box. When an option to add a file, for example, Add File or Add Image, is selected from the third row in the Text Box Editor, the page that appears contains a Browse field and a Specify URL field. These options are available when adding or modifying the following items in a Content Area of the Blackboard Learning System:

   • Content Item
   • Content Folder
   • Course Link
   • External Link
   • Learning Unit
   • Assignment

Once you've attached any relevant files (if any), go on to section three and set its availability/visibility options.

And finally: always remember to click on the Submit button at the end of every operation!

That's all there is to creating assignments in the Assignment Manager. All that's left, now, is checking submissions and assigning grades.

2. Grading an Assignment

Back in the main control panel, locate the link for the Gradebook, listed in the Assessments section, and click on it.



Then, in the gradebook, click on the submission for one of your students, which will take you to the Grade Modify screen. On this screen, depicted below, click the View button:




And finally, in the Assignment Information page, give the student's Assignment submission a grade, make any comments you wish in the Instructor Notes section, and use the Attach Local File section to send any additional files you wish to accompany the grade and comments you are sending the student in question:



While the Assignment need only be created once for the entire class, the grading process must be completed for each individual student.

That's all there is to it!

 

 

Click this link to obtain further help: http://euphrates.wpunj.edu/bb/hd/

Page administrator: Robert Harris, harrisr@wpunj.edu

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