Designing a test in Blackboard Ultra involves more than just clicking the right buttons. It calls for thoughtful planning and an understanding of how students engage with digital assessment. In this article, you’ll find seven practical suggestions to improve your practice when designing tests on Ultra, wherever you are in the design process.
1. Scaffold summative tests with formative and practice assessments
Formative assessments offer students a safe, lower-stakes environment to practice their skills and subject knowledge whilst building confidence with Blackboard Ultra as a testing platform. Practice tests that model the final give students an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the platform so they can focus on the assessment itself. They also give insight into technical issues or areas where your assessment design can be refined.
Pairing formative or practice assessments with check-in sessions (UWE login required) can be a particularly powerful way to reflect collaboratively with students on the assessment experience.
2. Plan to fail
Think proactively about which aspects of the test could be points of failure. This could mean identifying areas of technical risk (e.g., unfamiliar test settings) and trying them out in a test course and/or test student account (UWE login required). On a larger scale, decide with your module team on a plan of action in the event of a system failure, fire alarm, or other disruption once the test is underway. Preparing everyone better enables you to respond with confidence and consistency.
3. Try it yourself
As you design your test in Blackboard Ultra, make copies into a test course and go through the assessment yourself using a test student account. This is indispensable for identifying which aspects of your test work as expected or not, especially if you’re using a new format or settings for the first time. Designing and testing iteratively, then adjusting based on what you find, is a great way to refine your test and gives you a more direct perspective on the student experience. What you find can inform the instructions you give to students and keeps your design decisions student-centred.
4. Avoid large tests with too many questions
Large, complex tests may load more slowly on Blackboard Ultra, interfering with a smooth student experience, and can be more likely to overwhelm students. Splitting a big test into a few smaller-scale ones can be a more focused and targeted alternative that gives students more opportunities for success. Consider how to strike a balance between a few, very large-scale tests and too many smaller assessments – this is an essential principle of inclusive assessment (UWE login required) at UWE.
5. Present questions one at a time
This keeps the test running smoothly with faster and more reliable load times on Blackboard Ultra but it also has pedagogical benefits. Presenting one question at a time also diminishes students’ cognitive load and directs their focus on the question at hand.
To set up a test this way in Blackboard Ultra, open the test settings and look under Presentation Options. Tick the box labelled Display one question at a time.
6. For timed exams, consider auto-submissions
This setting automatically saves and submits students work when a timed test elapses. This can be a valuable tool for assessment integrity and consistency, ensuring that no one can continue after the allotted time. It also guarantees that student work is submitted, even when a student has forgotten or submitted incorrectly.
To enable auto-submissions on a test, open the test settings and, in the Additional Tools area, click Add Time Limit. Under Submission Rules, select Work is automatically saved and submitted when time expires.
7. Ensure students have timely access to assessment support
Make sure that module team members and IT support are available to answer students’ questions during a test and when marks are released. Scheduling for a time when staff support is on hand can diminish anxiety if something goes wrong and give students clarity on their assessments, marks and feedback. You can experiment with the test and mark release timing in your test course to proactively troubleshoot different options with a fuller picture of the student experience.
Conclusion & resources
Designing effective Ultra tests is ultimately about creating reliable and supportive experience for students, and that starts with thoughtful preparation. By testing in advance, running mock attempts, keeping structures simple, and planning for contingencies, we can ensure both staff and students feel confident when it matters most.
Keep an eye on our Blackboard Ultra SharePoint pages (UWE login required) for upcoming guidance on Ultra tests. You can also:
- Take a look at our current assessment guidance for Blackboard Ultra (UWE login required)
- Learn more about inclusive assessment at UWE (UWE login required)
- Contact your college’s Digital Learning Team to learn how we can support you in designing digital assessments
- Visit Blackboard’s Help Centre for guidance on Ultra tests.