Blackboard Surveys are created and distributed in the same way as Blackboard Tests (see the separate guide: Create a Test). However, there are two main differences between surveys and tests:

1. Surveys are ungraded. The Grade Center will show only whether the survey is Complete (a green checkmark) or Incomplete (no checkmark).
   
   
2. Surveys are always anonymous. You cannot view a student's specific answers to the survey. Survey answers are presented in aggregated form, so it is best to wait for all students to complete a survey before looking at the results.

For these reasons, a Blackboard Survey is not a good vehicle for assessing an individual student's understanding of course material. A survey can be more useful for gauging the entire class's grasp of course concepts or for taking a class poll. Because of their anonymous and aggregated nature, surveys may also be particularly handy for course evaluation.

NOTE: After being created, surveys must be deployed to a Content Area and made available in order for students to access and complete them.

• Creating a Survey
• Deploying a Survey
• Viewing Survey Results
• Copying a Survey
  

Creating a Survey   

1. From the Control Panel, click Course Tools > Tests, Surveys, and Pools.
   
   
   
   
2. Then click Surveys.
   
   
   
   
3. Click the Build Survey button.
   
   
   
   
4. Enter a name for the survey and a description (optional). Click Submit.
   
   
5. This will take you to the Survey Canvas page. Click the Create Question button to access a drop down menu of different question types that you can create with Blackboard. You can also Find Questions or Upload Questions that you have created in other Tests or Pools. View the Pool Manager tutorial to learn how to use the Find and Upload Questions buttons.
   
   
   
   Fill in the required information for creating your question; depending on which type of question you create, this information will vary. You can view Blackboard tutorials on the different types of questions and how to use them here.
   
   
6. Continue creating questions until your survey is complete. When you are finished, click OK.
   
   

Deploying a Survey to a Content Area   

Once a survey is created, it must be deployed to a Content Area in order for students to view, access, and complete it.

1. From your Course Menu, choose the Content Area where you would like to include a survey.
   
   
   
   
2. Click the Create Assessment button and choose Survey.
   
   
   
   
3. From here, you can either begin creating a new survey, or add a survey you have already created. This tutorial follows the latter option. From the "Add Survey" menu, select the survey you would like to add to the Content Area.
   
   
   
   
4. Click Submit.
   
   
5. This will open the Survey Options page. From here, you can change the name of the survey, add a description, make it available, set a due date, control how students view the survey, and otherwise customize your survey.
   
   
   
   
   It is recommended that you leave "Open Survey in a New Window" at the default setting of No, in order to avoid problems with pop-up blockers.
   
   
6. Under Survey Availability, make sure to "Make the Link Available" so that students can access the survey. You may also want to consider adding an announcement to the course to notify students to take the survey. (Click here to visit the Posting an Announcement tutorial).
   
   
   
   
7. Click Submit. Your survey is now deployed and will appear under the Content Area you selected. From the Content Area, you can click the survey's chevron to edit or delete it.
   
   

Viewing Survey Results   

When you create a survey, a column will automatically be set up in the Grade Center. As students complete the survey, the results will be collected for you.

1. From the Control Panel, click Grade Center > Full Grade Center.
   
   
2. In the Grade Center, locate the column for your survey. A green checkmark next to a student's name indicates they have completed the survey; a dash indicates the survey is incomplete.
   
   
   
   
3. Click the chevron next to the survey's name and select Attempts Statistics.
   
   
   
   
4. Blackboard will display the aggregate responses (for written answers) and the percent for each response selected (for multiple choice answers).
   
   

Copying a Survey into Another Course   

Once you have created a survey, you may wish to use it in multiple courses. You can use the Course Copy function or Export the survey and then Import it to another course.

To Use Course Copy:

1. From the Control Panel, select Packages and Utilities > Course Copy.
   
   
2. Click Browse to locate the Course you would like to copy the survey to (the Destination Course).
   
   
   
   
3. Make sure that Tests, Surveys, and Pools is checked on the list of Course Materials to copy. Click Submit.
   
   
4. Blackboard will send you an email when the Course Material has been copied. Visit the Destination Course to make sure that the survey was copied over. You can remove any unwanted tests, surveys, or pools that were also copied over.
   
   

To Export/Import:

1. From the Control Panel, click Course Tools > Tests, Surveys, and Pools > Surveys.
   
   
2. Click the chevron for the survey you would like to copy and select Export. Choose Save File.
   
   
   
   
3. Go to the course you would like to add the survey to. Access the Surveys page and select Import Survey.
   
   
   
   
4. Click Browse My Computer and locate the survey zip file. Click Open.
   
   
   
   
5. Click Submit. The survey still must be deployed to a Content Area and then made available through the Survey Options page in the new course.

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