Downloading and uploading graded papers to Blackboard

The new Blackboard really, really wants you to use its inline tools to grade and comment on student papers. But what if you have a system in place already, including autotext comments you’ve prepared (which won’t work inline) and don’t want to follow Blackboard’s master plan?

This is largely a bookmarking post so I won’t forget how, so please feel free to click away if you already know how to do this.

To download papers (pretty straightforward):

1. Go to Full Grade Center.
2. Go to the column where the assignment is.
3. Click on the drop-down arrow and scroll down to Assignment File Download.
4. Check “Select All Users” or “Select Ungraded” or whatever.
5. Download these as a zip file.

Once you’ve graded them, how do you get them back on Blackboard? There is probably an easier way, but this one works.

1. Go to Full Grade Center.
2. Go to the Assignment Column. In the gradebox where the student attempt is, click the little drop-down arrow.
3. Go to Attempt.
4. In the right-hand box, where it says Feedback to Learner, click on the drop-down arrow.
5. Underneath the Notes box, there’s your old friend the paper clip, which means that you can attach the graded file.

Here’s another way, no less obscure:

1. Go to Full Grade Center. In the Assignment column, under the arrow, click on View Grade Details.
2. It will take you to the Grade Details Page. (If you click Attempts at this point, you’ll be back in the “Attempt” menu, as above.)
3. Click on Edit Grade. Now, you won’t see the attachment icon here, because it’s hidden in the extended menu.
   

   Figure 1. Nothing to see here, right?

4. Click on the down arrows, though, and you’ll see the paper clip attachment icon.
   

   There it is!