Online assessment FAQs and known issues for the commonly used online assessment tools are listed on this page. If you need to help or encounter an issue which is not listed please log a call on the University Support Portal.
View the student FAQs: FAQs: Online Submission
Blackboard Gradebook
What can students see in the Gradebook?
The Gradebook page in the student view will display all assessments which are visible to students. Students can see:
- Item name
- Due date for the assessment
- Status (unopened, submitted, marked)
- Mark, or a status displaying ‘not marked’
- Feedback icon (Weblearn assignments only)
Instructors do not need to hide the assignment links from student view to prevent students from viewing their marks and feedback prematurely. Students will only be able to view their marks and feedback if:
- Turnitin: Feedback Release date has past
- Weblearn assignments: marks have been ‘Posted’
- Tests: settings on the test have automatically released the results, or the results have been ‘Posted’
How to download grades into a spreadsheet
Data from the Grade Centre can be downloaded into a spreadsheet which can be useful for Mark Entry purposes.
Note: the Grade Centre information is considered personal data under GDPR and it must be stored in a secure location and then deleted once no longer needed.
View the instructions: Download grades into a spreadsheet
How do I submit a file on behalf of a student?
It is not currently possible to submit a file on behalf of a student to a Weblearn assignment. However, you are able to to attach the submission file ‘Feedback & Notes’ area for the assignment.
On the assignment Submissions page enter a Mark for the student in the field provided
Next, click on the three dots for the student and select ‘Feedback & Notes’
In the Feedback for student box click on the Insert content icon
Click on ‘Attachment’
Use the file explorer to locate and attach the student submission file to the feedback box
Optionally, enter any additional feedback and then click on ‘Save’.
Turnitin Assignments
Change the Due Date
To change the Due Date for a Turnitin Assignment:
- Click on the options menu next to the assignment name and then select Edit
- Under the Due Date section, select the date icon and change the date as required
- Click on ‘Submit‘ to save the new date
- When prompted, click ‘OK‘ in the browser dialogue to confirm Turnitin can open the assignment in a new window
Change Feedback Release Date
To access the assignment settings page, click directly onto the link to the assignment on the Gradebook page – it’s the same link that students use to submit.
Click on the ‘Settings’ icon at the top right of the screen
On the settings page you are able to update the ‘Feedback Release’ date and the optional settings.
Note: the anonymous marking setting cannot be edited after students have started submitted to the assignment.
Students cannot resubmit
The Similarity report setting must be set to ‘Generate reports immediately (students can resubmit until the due date)’ to allow students to have multiple submission attempts before the due date.
The setting can be updated on the assignment settings page.
To access the assignment settings page, click directly onto the link to the assignment on the Gradebook page – it’s the same link that students use to submit.
Click on the ‘Settings’ icon at the top right of the screen
Expand the ‘Option Settings’ area
Scroll down until you see the ‘Similarity Report’ section
Click on the dropdown menu and select ‘Generate reports immediately (students can resubmit until the due date)‘
Click on ‘Submit‘ to save the change
Student user guide: Make another submission attempt before the due date
Copy assignment(s) from previously created assignments
Turnitin have introduced a new ‘Copy Assignment’ feature. This feature does not work reliably and can create both broken assignments and assignments with incorrect settings.
Please avoid using the ‘Copy assignment(s) from previously created assignments’ feature.
If you have already used the feature, please check and amend the following:
- Check and update the assignment instructions
Click on the three dots for the assignment link and then select ‘Edit’
Update the description field and click on ‘Save’
Open the assignment link and then click on the ‘Settings’ icon at the top right of the screen
Expand the ‘Optional settings’ and check the settings have copied correctly, amend where required.
Turnitin Assignments: Optional Settings
- Delete any broken assignment links
If you have tried to copy multiple assignments, only the first assignment will be copied successfully. All additional assignments will be broken and cannot be fixed.
Broken assignment links can be identified by the ‘Approval required! – Hidden from students’ message which will appear underneath the assignment title
Delete any broken assignment links.