Creating a Question Pool

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What can the Pool Manager do for you?

In simple terms, the Pool Manager is an area in Blackboard where you can create assessment questions, group or organize questions, and place them in assessments.  It is a holding place or repository where you can create questions and then use them again and again in a multiplicity of ways. The process of creating questions is no different than when you create questions in the Test Manager.  The only difference is that there are no assigned values for each question.  When you create a new quiz or modify an existing quiz you can select questions from the Pool Manager and they will be placed in a quiz.  To work with the Pool Manager you will need to log on to Blackboard, select your course and click on Tests, Surveys, and Pools in the Course Management area.

Click on the Pools link.

Once you are in the Pool Manager, click on the Build Pool link.

Each pool will need a unique name.  You can organize your questions in any way that makes sense to you.  This might take the form of key concepts, units, lesson, chapter, weeks, topics, or mastery categories.  There really isn't one way to organize questions.  A good organizational strategy is one where questions are grouped in a way that allows you to find and implement the questions in your assessment. The screen asks for a pool name and a short description.

The next section allows you to add instructions regarding the question types. For example, the following information can be included: amount of time given for the quiz, dates available and time zone on which you are basing the time (EST, CST etc.).

Now click on Submit to create a pool.

When you first open your pool there will not be any questions.  Click on Create Question, from the drop-down menu, you can select a variety of question types that you can use. Adding questions to a pool follows the same protocol as adding questions to Test Manager or any quiz.

If you are going to add feedback for individual answers or images, files and external links to your questions you will need to check Creation Settings. Click on the Creation Settings link located on the right side.

A new screen appears and you can check the checkbox so you can add feedback for individual answers. You can also check the checkbox to add images, files, and external links to questions and/or to answers.

Click Submit to save your settings.

You are now ready to create your questions as seen below in the example.  For more information, please return to the Blackboard Tutorials and view Assignments and Assessments, Creating Questions.

Once you have created all of your questions in the Pool Manager, click OK in the right lower corner.

You now see the initial Pool Manager screen where the name of your pool appears as well as the date it was created. You can click the drop-down arrow for more options such as export, modify or delete.

The following steps shows how to create a test by drawing questions from the Pool Manager. In the Course Management area, under Course Tools, click on Tests, Survey, and Pools.

Click on the Tests link.

Click Build Test link.

A new screen appears; add the name of the test.

Add test instructions.

Click Submit.

A new screen appears; before choosing your questions which you already created in the Pool Manager, follow the steps to set the creation settings. Clink on Creation Settings.

You can set the value for each of the questions. The default point value is 10.

If you wish to allow partial credit for questions for example when you create matching questions, click the check box to specify partial credit options for answers.

Click Submit.

Now you are returned to the screen in the Test Manager where you can now add your questions. Click on Reuse Question button, select Find from a Pool or Test.

When the Pool and Tests to Search dialog box opens you can select a specific assessment or pool. 

You can further determine the type of question you would like to view such as Multiple Choice or click on the checkbox for All.

Click Search to continue.

Your questions now appear. Select the checkbox for each of the questions that you would like to include in your test.

Click Add Selected.

Your questions are added to your test.

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