Quick Links

Top 10 Changes between WebCT Vista 3 and Blackboard Vista 4

This page outlines the changes between WebCT Vista 3 (previously MUSO) and Blackboard Vista 4. Click on the title of any of the tips for links to the quick guides for each tool.

1. My MUSO is now Blackboard Home

With the re-branding of MUSO to Blackboard, the link to go back to the course list is now called "Blackboard Home"

2. Course Toolbar

In WebCT Vista 3 course tools are enabled by adding to the Course Toolbar

In Blackboard Vista 4 Course tools are added from “Manage Course” under “Designer Tools” on the left hand side.

1. Click on the Build or Teach tab.
2. Click “Manage Course”
3. Click “Tools”
4. Select the tools you want to activate and click “Save”

Note: In Blackboard Vista 4 tools for students now appear on the left hand side of the page instead of across the top of the screen

3. Adding Files

Adding files in Blackboard Vista 4 has changed from WebCT Vista 3 and is now more intuitive.

1. Click on the Build tab.
2. Click “Add File”
3. Click “Browse for Files”
4. Select “My Computer” on the left hand side
5. Select the file(s) you want to upload and click “Open”. (Note you can now select more than 1 file at a time to upload)
6. You will receive a confirmation message (in the yellow bar) that the link has been added to the Home Page.

4. Headers and Footers

Headers and Footers are now changed from the “Page Options” button

1. Click on the Build tab.
2. Click “Page Options”
3. Click “Edit Header” or “Edit Footer”.
4. Once you have created / changed the header or footer and are happy with it, click “Save”

5. Organizer Pages are now called Folders

Organizer pages (Vista 3) are now called Folders in Vista 4. They are also now created differently to Vista 3.

1. Click on the Build tab.
2. Click “Create Folder”.
3. Make sure that you give the Folder a title (and a description if desired) and press “Save”.

6. Gradebook

1. Click on the Teach tab.
2. Click on Grade Book in the Instructor Tools menu.

Click on the link above for more detail on the gradebook.

7. Creating Assignments

1. Click on the Build tab.
2. Click “Assignments” (under course tools)
3. Click “Create Assignment”
4. Give the assignment a title and a description
5. Select the submission format (usually Text unless the student is submitting a web page)
6. Select the Assignment Recipients (usually All Students Individually)
7. Set the Due Date and Cut-off Date
7(a) If you want the due date to appear in the students calendar tick the box next to Create a corresponding event in the calendar tool
8. If you want the assignment to be graded, tick the box next to Allow the assignment to be graded
9(a). Note that the student will not receive their grade unless Release grade to Students in My Grades is ticked
9. Click More Options
10. If you want to allow your students to take back their assignment before the cut-off date, tick the box under Take back Submissions.
11. *NEW* If you want to receive an email notification when a student has submitted their assignment, select the radio button next to Notify Lecturer when a Student submits this assignment and enter your email address in the field.
12. Click Save

8. Grading Assignments

Click on the Teach tab.
Click on Assignment Dropbox in the Instructor Tools menu.
Click on the Submitted tab to view the assignments that have been submitted by students but not yet reviewed.
Click on the title of a submitted assignment to mark it.
Click on the Attachments link to view an attached assignment.
Type your comments in the Grader/Reviewer Comments box.
To send a marked assignment attachment or feedback sheet back to a student, click the Add Attachments button under the Grader/Reviewer Comments box. Then click on the My Computer icon to browse for the file and click Open.

Mac users: It is recommended that you use Safari as your browser when uploading files.

Select Return graded submission to student with the following grade: type a grade into the box provided. The student will receive the grade, comments and any extra files you have attached.
Click Save.

9. Creating Assessments

Create a new assessment

Click on the Build tab.
Go to the Home Page, folder or learning module where you would like the assessment to sit.
Click on the Add Content Link button at the top of the main window.
Click on Assessments .
Click on Create Assessment.
In the Create Assessment window, type a title in the Title field. If required, type a description in the Description field.
Select the Type of assessment by clicking on the circle next to Quiz, Survey or Self Test.
Click Save.

Note: The assessment will appear as a hidden item as it must contain at least one question before it can be shown to students. See Show (release) a hidden assessment in this guide.

Create and add new questions to an assessment

Click on the Build tab.
Go to the Home Page, folder or learning module where the assessment sits.
Click on the ActionLinks icon next to the assessment title.
Click on Go to Assessment .
Click on the Create Questions button.
From the drop-down list, click on a question type. For example, click on Multiple Choice.
Type a title in the Title field.
Type a question in the Question text field. If you wish to format the question, click on the Enable HTML Creator button if this is not already activated. The HTML Creator will also let you insert an image wherever you wish within the question text.
To insert an image at the bottom of the question text, click on the Browse button, then click on the box next to the required image and click OK. Remember to type a title for the image in the Image Title field.
Under Answers, select the answer mode and type the possible answer data. Remember to select the box next to the Correct response. If required, you may also type feedback on the answer in the Feedback field for some or all of the possible answers.
Under Settings, click on the circle next to the desired options.
Click on More Options to type any general feedback on the question. You may also type notes and place the question in a new or existing category within the Question Database for organisational purposes.
Click on the Preview button to preview the question. The assessment will open in a new window. When you have finished previewing, click on Close.
Click Save. The question will now appear in the assessment.
If required, continue creating more questions (see step 5).
To adjust the points value for any question, type a new value in the appropriate Points field and click Update Total.

10. Grading Assessments

Manage student submissions

Click on the Teach tab.
Click on Assessment Manager in the Instructor Tools menu.
From here you can:

Review submissions that have been fully marked under the Graded tab
Grade submitted assessments under the Not Graded tab
View a list of students who are still to submit an assessment under the Not Submitted tab
View overall details under the All tab.

To access individual student attempts at an assessment:
1. Click on the Expand/Collapse button next to the name of the assessment.
2. Click on the link under the Attempt column for the individual student.
Clicking on the ActionLinks icon next to the assessment will give you options to View Submissions , Grade All Attempts of a Single Question and View Reports .

View an access log and force submission of an assessment

You may need to force the submission of an assessment if a student has forgotten to click the 'Finish' button. You should first view their access log to check their progress.

Click on the Teach tab.
Click on Assessment Manager in the Instructor Tools menu.
Click on the Not Submitted or All tab.
Click on the Expand/Collapse button next to the name of the assessment.
Click on the link under the Time column for the individual student to view the access log.
Click on the link under the Attempt column for the individual student.
Click on Force Submission, then OK.

Note: The student will receive an error message when he/she attempts to save any further answers.

Grade submissions containing paragraph questions

Click on the Teach tab.
Click on Assessment Manager in the Instructor Tools menu.
Click on the Not Graded tab.
Under Title, click on the submission you wish to grade.
Click on the ActionLinks icon next to the title of the question to be graded.
Click on Grade all attempts of this question .
If required, click on Hide Names.
Click on any one Attempt to grade paragraph questions. A View Question Attempt window opens.
Type a result in the Score field.
Type any comments in the Comments for Student field.
Click Save and View Next Attempt. Repeat steps 7-10 for each individual attempt.
Click on Done when grading for all attempts has been completed.
Click OK.
If required, repeat steps 5-13 to grade other questions.

View reports on assessments

Click on the Teach tab.
Click on Assessment Manager in the Instructor Tools menu.
Click on the ActionLinks icon next to the title of the assessment for which you wish to run a report.
Click on View Reports .
Select the relevant assessment by clicking on its title in the Assessment Title Select drop-down list.
Select a report type by clicking on the circle next to the desired report options - Performance, Item Statistics, Summary Statistics or Class Statistics.
Click on the Run Report button.
Various options are then available to you, such as Manage Columns, Download Records and Query.
Click on the Back buttonto return to the Assessment Reports window to run another report.