Recommendations for Incompletes and In Progress Grades for Spring 21 Courses in Blackboard

(Preparing for the end of Blackboard access)

Prior to the end of the term (SGPP – April 25, 2021; College – May 6, 2021), for any students in a blackboard course who will need additional time to complete coursework that would normally be done in Blackboard, please consider the following: 

Communications 

If at all possible, communicate with your students to help them complete their Blackboard work before May 31:

  • Identify students in this situation so you can reach out to them to ensure they will be able to turn in work. 
    • Consider establishing an agreement of time so that these are completed in a timely manner. 
  • Inform students that after May 31st 2021 they will no longer be able to access Blackboard so it is in their best interest to complete any work and submit it to you in time for you to assess the work in Blackboard. 
    • Consider setting a last date for them to submit in Blackboard so that you have time to review it before submitting them a final grade. 

Course Work Completion Options

If it is not possible for your students to complete their Blackboard-involved work before May 31, you will need to take additional steps before May 31:

Completed and submitted prior to May 31st, 2021:

  • No change in how you would review their submitted work
  • No change in how you will grade it and give feedback
  • No change in how you will enter in final grades via CAMS

Completed and submitted after May 31st, 2021: 

  • Gradebook: 
    • You need to download the gradebook prior to May 31st. This will be downloaded as an excel document. 
  • Assignments: 
    • Recommend that your students email or share via Google Drive the completed assignment(s) to you. 
      • If the assignment is a Flipgrid, Padlet, or third party tool the student will need to send the link of their submission to you via email or a shared Google Doc. 
    • You review the assignment(s) and send any feedback (if applicable) to the student via email or Google Drive. 
    • You will need to update the downloaded gradebook, and then submit final grades via CAMS (the Faculty Portal).
  • Discussion Board: 
    • Your student(s) will need to copy and paste the discussion board prompt and any necessary information into a Word document or Google Doc. 
    • Your student(s) will then email or share via Google Drive the completed aspects of the discussion prompts. 
    • You  will review the submitted reply(ies) and send any feedback (if applicable) to the student via email or Google Drive. 
    • You will need to update the downloaded gradebook, and then submit final grades via CAMS (the Faculty Portal).
  • Quizzes/Tests:
    • This is the hardest aspect to do once access to Blackboard is gone. 
    • If there is a student who has to take a test after June 1st, please work with the helpdesk to export the test to a pdf.
    • You will need to share the PDF with the student — likely via Google Drive or email — keeping in mind that the PDF could be shared with other/future students.
    • Your student will need to submit a document with his or her answers to the quiz/test.
    • You will need to review the submitted document, provide feedback (if applicable) to your student via email or Google Drive.
    • You will need to update the downloaded gradebook and submit the final grade CAMS (the Faculty Portal).

Support

If you have any questions or need assistance not covered in this document, please contact the Helpdesk (helpdesk@smumn.edu). They will help coordinate a consultation with the Registrar’s Office or Instructional Technology.