Calculate as Running Total option

Taken from: http://howto.wikispaces.umb.edu/Total+Column+-+Calculate+as+Running+Total+option

Total Column - Calculate as Running Total option

This page explains how setting the option to Calculate as Running Total as Yes or No impacts your students' total grade.
All columns in the grade center can be edited to suit the needs of the course, including the Total column.

"Total" column default settings

The "Total" column is automatically in the grade center of every course. 

It is automatically set to allow students to view it in their My Grades menu item (in the student view), and to include "All Grade Columns" in the Total. 
The very next option in Section 3. is the option to Calculate [those column grades] as [a] Running Total.
Currently the default setting for Calculate as Running Total is Yes.

These should be changed if there are practice assignments/tests, extra credit, or other optional or excluded graded items.

What does "Calculate as Running Total" mean?

When this option is set to Yes, it will only calculate into the Total grade the columns for which attempts have been made, and grades have been entered.

If a student has not attempted an assignment or test for any reason, it will not calculate a late or unsubmitted assignment as a zero.

This can give a student false hope that they are in good standing if, in fact, they have not attempted assignments.


There are two ways to make sure a student's grades reflect unattempted assignments or tests.

How to Edit Column Information

1. Go to the Grade Center in the left hand menu and click “Full Grade Center.”



2. Go to the right of the title of the Total column, and click on the gray down arrow (the arrow for that column is to the right of the column name).



3. You will see this. Click “Edit Colum information.”




4. Section 3 in the Edit Column Information window allows the professor to include only those columns that should be included in the final grade.



5. If you change the radio button to Selected Columns and Categories, you will see this:



6. Select which graded items to include in the Final Grade (Total).

7. Then, if you want students to see their progress, rather than their expected grade based on attempted assignments and tests, select "No" for Calculate as Running Total.

The Other Way

If a professor prefers to have students view what their total grade would be if their grade was based on only their current submissions:

1. Leave Calculate as Running Total as Yes

2. Manually enter a 0 (zero) for unattempted assignments.

This is an easy solution, however may not be practical for professors with larger class sizes or multiple sections and or courses.

How to correct wrong answers in quizzes and/or exams in Blackboard

How to correct wrong answers in quizzes and/or exams in Blackboard

Setting up the Weighted Total Column in Blackboard Learn 9

Before you set up your weighted total column in the grade center, you must have all of the following completed:

1. All assignment columns exist in the grade center already (if you graded some assignments outside of blackboard, you will need to enter those grades manually into a new column - see how to create new column in grade center)

2. Your assignments are all categorized properly

• check what your assignments' categories are currently set as by going to Full Grade Center, then select MANAGE, then select COLUMN ORGANIZATION

Check your category column, and change your categories accordingly.  

For example: if you have 10 quizzes in your course and all 10 quizzes will account for 20% of the overall grade, then you must have all ten quizzes labeled in the same category (you can choose TEST or any another category). 

Also, make sure no other assignments are mistakenly labeled under the wrong category. You can also choose No Category if the assignment does not belong in a group of assignments.

3. Once you have all of your columns set up individually and your categories all labeled properly, then you can edit the existing weighted column in your grade center or create a new weighted column.

On the next screen, select the primary display (example: percentage), the columns and categories that will be considered for the final grades, allot the proper percentage to each assignment and/or category of assignments, check NO for Running Total, display the calculation to students, then press SUBMIT. 

Assigning Categories to Assignments in Blackboard

Are your assignments in blackboard categorized properly

• check what your assignments' categories are currently set as by going to Full Grade Center, then select MANAGE, then select COLUMN ORGANIZATION

Check your category column, and change your categories accordingly.  

For example: if you have 10 quizzes in your course and all 10 quizzes will account for 20% of the overall grade, then you must have all ten quizzes labeled in the same category (you can choose TEST or any another category). 

Also, make sure no other assignments are mistakenly labeled under the wrong category. You can also choose No Category if the assignment does not belong in a group of assignments.

Create a new column in the grade center Blackboard Learn 9

If you graded additional assignments outside of blackboard, you will need to enter those grades manually into a new column.

This is how you create a new column in the full grade center:

1. Go to grade center
2. Select Create Column

3. Provide the following info in the next screen:

• the column name, 
• primary display preference, 
• category (if applicable), 
• points possible (try to use a consistent point scale for all of your assignments), 
• due date (if applicable), 
• include column in grade center calculations, 
• and if you want the students to see this new column. 

4. Then, press SUBMIT. Do this for all the assignments that you received or graded outside of blackboard.

Uploading Zip Files to Blackboard and Streaming Flash Files

Uploading Zip Files to Blackboard and Streaming Flash Files

Click on Content Collection (or File Manager) under Course tools.

Click on upload, upload files and drop the zip folders in there. 

Then click Submit.

When linking you have to link to player.html (this file calls everything else on a webpage). 

To do this click on Build Content, then file.

Reminder for Copying Over Content from Old Blackboard Courses to New ones

When copying over a blackboard course from a previous semester into a blank blackboard shell:

• CHECK Starters
• UNCHECK Announcements

Otherwise, discussion posts and announcements from previous students will be imported into the new course.

Edit Test Instructions on Blackboard Learn 9

How to edit TEST Instructions for quizzes and exams:

Select "Edit the test"
Click pull-down menu next to "Test Canvas: <Test Name>" at the top of the screen. 
Select  "Edit" (the only option) from that menu
Edit the Instructions and Description Boxes
Press Submit when finished

Click image to enlarge