Reusing a Blackboard test (quiz)
This article covers the process of reusing an existing Blackboard test.
How can I reuse a Blackboard test?
A quiz that has already been created can be reused in current or future learning sites. There are two ways to do this:
- Copying over the quizzes when doing a "Site Copy" by ticking "Tests, Surveys and Pools" when selecting "Copy Options"
- Exporting a Blackboard test from the previous learning site, then importing it into the current learning site.
This article focuses on the process of exporting/importing Blackboard tests between learning sites. Exporting a quiz allows it to be used as a template which may be more efficient than starting from scratch. Always review and adjust the questions after the test has been imported. To help you to make good judgements about a test that has been used before, an item analysis can be run from the previous unit site. To learn more about accessing and interpreting an item analysis see: Analysing and improving Blackboard test (quiz) results
Review the test
When reusing a quiz from a previous unit be sure to review all the questions and answers, even if you wrote the quiz yourself. Where someone else from SCU wrote the quiz, it would be courteous to ask for permission to adapt or reuse their work (where possible).
Importing/exporting a Blackboard test (quiz)
Before importing an existing test, it is necessary to export it from a previous learning site. Both the importing and exporting process is accessed from the "Tests, Surveys and Pools" section of a learning site.
- In the learning site which contains the test you wish to export, Navigate to the bottom left menu Tests, Surveys and Pools, located under Site Management > Site Tools.
- Click on Tests to view the existing tests (you can follow the same process for exporting surveys and pools).
- Click on the chevron arrow next to the test you wish to export, then select Export to Local Computer and save the test as a zip file.
- Navigate to the learning site where you wish to import the test and open the "Tests, Surveys and Pools" section, click on Tests and then Import Test.
- Click Browse to select the zip file you saved earlier, and then click Submit to import the test.
Video walkthrough
The video below provides detailed instructions on how to import and export a Blackboard test.
Don't forget to deploy the test
After the test has been imported into the "Tests, Surveys and Pools" section of the current unit site, however, it will still need to be deployed. This will make it available to students in the "Assessment Tasks and Submission" content area of a learning site.
Deploying a Blackboard test to students after it has been imported
Deploying a test applies a test located in the "Tests, Surveys and Pools" area of a learning site, so that the test can be made available to students as an assessment item. Assessment items at SCU are located under the "Assessment Tasks and Submission" content area of the learning site.
- Navigate to the Assessment Tasks and Submission content area of the learning site.
- Click on Assessments Test to create the Test.
Select the Test you imported in the Add an Existing Test section and click Submit.
- Set the test options as appropriate, then Submit to save and create the test as an assessment for students.
What if I can't deploy a test?
If a test isn't listed in the Add an Existing Test section this is either because it doesn't exist in the learning site, or it has already been deployed. To check this navigate to the "Tests, Surveys and Pools" section.
Video walkthrough
Watch the video below for guidance on deploying an existing Blackboard test as an assessment item for students to complete. The video covers how to set up the test options and how to make the test available for students.
For a more detailed overview of different "Test Options", see the following article: Setting up a Blackboard test (quiz) for summative assessment
Note that when a deployed test is deleted from the "Assessment Tasks and Submission" section of your learning site, it will still exist in the "Tests, Surveys and Pools" section, so it can always be deployed again where deleted by mistake.