Old Dominion University Blackboard Tips

Information Technology Services (ITS) for Students

Browser Compatibility
Not all web browsers are compatible with Blackboard. To find out if your favorite browser works well with Blackboard, see a list of
Blackboard-certified browsers.

File Naming
In order to avoid errors when uploading files in Blackboard, please these guidelines:
• Use only letters, numbers and underscores (_) in file names.
• Don’t use spaces, commas, pound signs (#), question marks, equal signs, dashes or any other special characters in
your file names.
• File names should be no more than 60 characters in length.
• If possible, keep to 8 characters or less.

Assessments - Test and Quizzes

Before you start your assessment
ˆˆ Most importantly, do not wait until the last minute to take your assessment; if you experience technical problems they may
not be resolved immediately.
ˆˆ Use only compatible browsers. To check if your browser is supported, please see link above.
ˆˆ Close all browser windows and launch a new window to login to Blackboard. Maximize the browser window before starting
the test.
ˆˆ Close all other applications before taking the assessment (especially chat programs). If your assessment includes essay
questions, you may leave Notepad or WordPad open.
ˆˆ Use a wired high-speed connection (not wireless).
ˆˆ Make sure your computer has the latest version of Java installed. (www.java.com)
ˆˆ Disable all pop‐up blockers.
These come installed in the latest versions of Internet Explorer and Firefox, in third‐party toolbars such as Google and Yahoo,
and they can come with utility software such the Norton products from Symantec.
ˆˆ Beware of software updates and virus scans.
If you have programs such as automatic software updates or virus scans set to run at particular times, do not take your test
during a time when those updates are scheduled to occur.
ˆˆ Find out about LockDown Browser.
Some professors give Blackboard tests through the LockDown Browser. If your professor uses LockDown Browser, you will
need to download and install the LockDown Browser program before you take the test. You will need to download the
program only once.

You’ve got questions? We have answers. How to get Technical Support...

If you experience any technical issues with Blackboard, please contact 1504 Webb Center
Mon - Fri: 8 a.m. — 9 p.m.
the ITS Help Desk. Sat: 8 a.m. — 4 p.m.
ITS provides technology support services for students, faculty, and staff (24 x 7) 757.683.3192
which includes 24-hour telephone and email problem reporting and a
Help Desk that is open 6 days a week for walk-up support. (24 x 7) itshelp@odu.edu

The Help Desk is the first point-of-contact for IT applications and services Knowledge Database: http://kb.odu.edu
and provides centralized technology support to Old Dominion University.
Online Requests: https://fp.odu.edu
 Blackboard Tips
for Students

Assessment Options/Instructions
The professor’s directions for the test will appear under the link to the test and again at the top of the screen once you click the
test link. Information about the timing and availability of the test will be listed below the professor’s directions. Any instructions
about back tracking, forced completion, and multiple attempts will be listed here.

All at Once: If all of the test questions appear on the page at once, the Save Answer button will appear next to each
question. Click “Save” after you complete each question. You can come back later and change the answer and re‐save it.
One at a Time: In this mode, you will have to click Save Answer after each question in order to move ahead with the test.
Make sure you check the directions to find out if you will be allowed to go back and review the questions once they have
been completed. Sometimes, a professor will give you one chance to answer a question without allowing you to go back
and change it.
Force Completion: Once you begin the test/quiz, you are required to complete it in one session. As soon as you leave the
test/quiz by clicking elsewhere, you will not be able to access it again. For test/quizzes that deliver all of the questions on
one page, if you did not save any answers or save the test/quiz, none of your answers will be recorded.
Allow Multiple Attempts: You may start and stop the test/quiz as many times as you wish (within the total time limit for
the test/quizzes if there is one). Once you finish the test/quiz you will need to click Save and Submit.
Time Limits: Most instructors set time limits on exams. The elapsed time appears above the questions in the browser
window, and you are notified when time expires. The remaining time appears on the assessment page. Click the chevron
next to the timer to collapse or expand it. Timer warnings will appear when half the time, five minutes, one minute, and
thirty seconds remain. When the remaining time reads 1 minute, 30 seconds, the status bar will turn yellow. At 1 minute,
the warning will be red, and at 30 seconds, both the status bar and the warning will be red. If the timer is collapsed, the
color changes will not be visible.
Auto Submit: If the instructor has set a time limit, they can also set the system to force submit your exam when that time
expires. Blackboard will send a message warning that time has expired and it will submit the exam for you.

While in your assessment...

• Do NOT navigate within Blackboard after you start your assessment or it will “lock”.

• Do NOT open any other browser windows or applications or resize the browser window while taking a
Blackboard assessment.

• Do NOT click any of the Blackboard navigation buttons or menus or click the Refresh or Reload buttons in
your browser while taking an assessment.

• Do not double-click any of the buttons in the test as it may cause the test to close/stop. Click once to
launch the assessment, once to navigate to the next question, once to save the assessment, etc.

• Do not hit the “Tab” or “Enter” key on the keyboard to move between questions or buttons.

• Write essay answers in a word processor and then copy and paste each answer into the text box of the
Blackboard essay test. Some formatting loss may occur, but you will have a backup of your answers.

• If you are only able to answer one question at a time (questions present themselves on separate pages),
make sure you only single-click the “Next” button to move forward.

• If all the questions are presented at once, click the Save button periodically while taking a test to keep your
browser window active as typing or clicking is not considered activity.

• Do not attempt to print an assessment.

• If at any time you get a pop-up Security Warning regarding the “hidden_webeq_applet” you should select
“Always trust content from this publisher” and click Run.
 Blackboard Tips
for Students

Submitting your Assessment

At the end of an assessment, be sure to click Submit (only once) to send the completed assessment to the instructor.

If you only have one attempt for the assessment, do not leave the assessment page without completing the assessment
and clicking the “Submit” button at the end (if it is a forced completion test). (Clicking the Save button will save your
answers, but does not submit the test.) If you do not submit the test, you will receive no credit for your answers. You
should see a confirmation message if the submission was successful.

Check the “My Grades” area to confirm test/quizzes submission. If you see a grade/score or a green exclamation point (!),
then the submission was successful, and you are done. If you see an Attempt in Progress icon, then you should contact
your instructor and ask for verification. If anything happened to your browser or Internet connection during the test/quiz,
or you received any error messages, include this information with your email to the instructor.

If you lose power, your browser quits, you lose Internet connectivity, or have any other technical issue, contact your
instructor immediately and explain in detail what happened. The instructor will decide how to handle your issues. If
you are locked out of an assessment, please contact your instructor immediately, or follow instructions given by your
instructor.

Causes for Locked Assessments

1. Blackboard Session timeout
The default timeout for a Blackboard session is 3 hours. It is not affected by activity. If a student has been in a Blackboard
session for 2 hours before the test and then begins the test is possible to get a timeout after one additional hour.

2. ISP timeout
Many Internet Service Provider (ISP) connections are setup to automatically disconnect when no activity is detected for a
particular length of time (15, 20 minutes or so).
When you are doing assessments in Blackboard, although you are clicking answers and likely typing responses, this activity
is not detected by the ISP. If it takes longer than the time-out period for you to take the test, the internet connection will
be down when you try to submit. Therefore, the assessment won’t submit, and you will be locked out.
You should remember to click the Save button at the bottom periodically while attempting an assessment. Although
this won’t necessarily save your answers in case there is some other problem, it will establish some connection with the
Blackboard server, so the ISP will detect activity and not time out. You will still need to click “Submit” at the end of the
test.

3. Clicking outside the test area

Once an assessment is open within Blackboard, you should NOT click anywhere outside of the test area or the test may
lock up. You will also need to be careful if you are working with a mouse that has extra features such as a scroll wheel or
buttons programmed for going back or forward on internet pages. If you inadvertently hit one of those buttons, it will
probably take you out of the assessment and cause it to lock up.

Information Technology Services – www.odu.edu/its

(757) 683-3192 1504 Webb Center
itshelp@odu.edu oduits odu_its