UMBC offers a wide range of technologies to support assessment.
Blackboard assessment options:
- Tests, quizzes, and exams can be timed, standardized and leverage reusable questions.
- An assignment is a virtual dropbox for students to submit essays, homework, labs, etc.
- A discussion is a place where you and students can interact with each other on a common or open-ended topic.
Other assessment options:
- Panopto and VoiceThread are great alternatives to class presentations and group work, allowing students to narrate their slide decks and demonstrations. Post links to discussion forums where peers can provide feedback and ask questions.
- Google Assignments allow faculty to distribute assignment templates for graded activities and provide feedback during creation or after submission with reusable comment banks.
- Some third-party tools may also link to the Blackboard gradebook: These include VoiceThread, Panopto, CourseArc, and publisher integrations (e.g., Pearson, Cengage, McGraw-Hill, Wiley).
With all of these tools and their various settings, it is strongly suggested to review all relevant FAQ pages and, where applicable, practice with test assessments in your Blackboard course or a sandbox before deploying live with students. Please note that the need to walk through use of a tool in advance of actually launching it is particularly important with high-stakes testing.