Blackboard Assignments for First-Years (Starter Pack Edition)
text Heading link
It’s your first year at UIC, and your professors keep saying incomprehensible things like “submit to Blackboard” and “post to the discussion board.” Submit where? Post what? None of it makes sense.
Well, we’re here to help. Here’s what you need to know.
The Varieties of Assessment Experience
Blackboard allows instructors to create two kinds of “assessments” (things you have to do for a grade, usually).
The first kind of assessment is made up of questions that you have to answer in Blackboard—this is your standard quiz or test with multiple choice, fill in the blank, short answer, and other kinds of question.
The second kind of assessment asks you to submit something you’ve written or created—an essay, video, powerpoint, or some other composition. When professors say “submit to Blackboard,” they are probably referring to this kind of assessment.
Original and Ultra Heading link
Original View
Blackboard comes with two different “views.” The older look is called “Original,” for obvious reasons. Blackboard Original has been around since 1997, and the interface has largely remained the same for the past 27 years. This is how it looks:
text 3 Heading link
Ultra View
The newer view is called “Ultra” because Blackboard wanted a new modern look with an updated name. The Blackboard Ultra Course View is a completely redesigned experience and was released in 2017. If you have an instructor who’s using Ultra, it will look like this:
text 4 Heading link
Uploading Files Versus In-App Writing
In many courses, professors may want you to submit a document for an assignment rather than typing your essay or response into the submission textbox. Take a look at this screenshot:
Notice that the textbox contains gray text informing you that you can either drag and drop a file or add text here. If professors want you to upload a document, then you should drag and drop it into this box.
But what if you’re using the mobile app? How are you supposed to drag and drop files on your phone?
Some smartphones may give you that ability. If yours does not, however, simply tap the textbox and notice the toolbar that appears at the top. Clicking the “+” icon (“Insert Content”) will provide you the option to attach a file.
text 5 Heading link
How Do I Check My Grades?
You can view your grades (as long as your instructor has posted them) by clicking “My Grades” on the Blackboard homepage. In the mobile app, you’ll find it by tapping the “More” icon at the bottom.
text 6 Heading link
What if Something’s Not Working?
Sometimes students experience problems submitting or completing assignments on Blackboard accessing course materials. In general, you should reach out to your instructor in this case and inform them of the problem.
Then, you should email LTS@uic.edu to open a ticket. In your email, include the details about your course (e.g. “BA 200 (18374)”) and a detailed description of the problem you’re experiencing. Screenshots are often helpful!
Now that you’ve got a handle on assignments in Blackboard, consider yourself a pro! Next time your instructor says to submit something in Blackboard, you’ll know exactly what to do.