Tests & Assignments

Improvements to creating assignments – 3900.98

Blackboard Learn SaaS 
Ultra Experience 
Ultra Course View 
Impact: Instructors, Students 
Related Topic: Create and Edit Assignments

Instructors need robust, easy to use tools when creating their assessments. 

To create a better experience, the new Assignment page includes these improvements: 

  • A new Instructions box where instructors can use the full content editor to craft assignment instructions.
  • There are no options to add questions to an assignment. 
  • The Settings panel now includes only options relevant to assignments. 
  • Blank attempts are no longer created when students view assignment instructions. The system only creates an attempt when students add content to the file drop zone / content editor. Note: Group or timed and proctored assignments continue to create attempts when students view the instructions.

Assignments created before this release will continue to create blank attempts when students view the instructions. We'll address this issue in a future release. 

The New Test page remains unchanged. Instructors can access all the same question types and settings options. Attempts are still automatically created when students view the test questions. 

Image 1. Instructor view of the New Assignment page with the new Instructions box

The New Assignment page

Image 2. Instructor view of adding instructions to an assignment

Add Instructions content box on the New Assignment page

Image 3. Students view of the new Assignment Information panel and the View Instructions option

Student view of assignment panel with instructions

Image 4. Student view of the assignment instructions

Student view of instructions in an assignment

For administrators: This feature is available for all Ultra courses. There are no configurations needed.

Return to August 2024 – 3900.98.0 Release description