Integrating with Blackboard

This repository contains short utility scripts that make it easy to connect codePost with Blackboard.

A typical lead instructor will usually do something like the following every week:

• Import student submissions into codePost from Blackboard
• Grade and review student submissions in codePost
• Export grades from codePost back to Blackboard in a csv

Import submissions into codePost from Blackboard

First, we’ll download assignment submissions from Blackboard to our local machine.

Next, we’ll run blackboard_to_codepost_manual script, which will create a folder called codepost_upload which you can drag-and-drop into codePost. Any errors will show up in the errors folder.

The process will only take a minute, start to finish.

Need help? Email us at team@codepost.io

0. Downloading Submissions from Blackboard

In your Blackboard Instance Original Course View, to Course -> Grade Center -> <Assignment Column> -> Assignment File Download

1. Create a roster

Since the Blackboard downloads are indexed by Student Blackboard ID, we need to map {Blackboard ID} to {Email} in order to upload to codePost.

Create a roster.csv with the following information:

blackboard_id,email
turingalan,turing@school.edu
liskovbarbara,liskov@school.edu
coopersheldon,cooper@school.edu

2. Setting up the script

Clone this repository or copy the python script blackboard_to_codepost_manual.py to your local machine.

Move the downloaded submissions into the same directory as the script and name the folder submissions.

Move the roster.csv file you created into the same directory as the script. Make sure this file is called roster.csv.

3. Run the script

Make sure that you have Python3 installed and run

python3 blackboard_to_codepost_manual.py submissions roster.csv

You should now see a folder called codepost_upload, whose subfolders correspond to students. Any problem files will show up in the errors folder.

Optional flag '--simulate' will run the script without copying any files python3 blackboard_to_codepost_manual.py submissions roster.csv --simulate

4. Upload to codePost

Navigate to codepost.io, log in, and click Assignments -> Actions -> Upload Submissions -> Multiple Submissions. Drag codepost_upload into codePost and voila.

If you prefer to have more control over the upload process, check out our Python SDK.

Special Case A: Partners

Many assignments will have students submit together in groups of 2 or more. Although Blackboard has the notion of "Groups", it doesn't have a way for students to independently decide to partner on an assignment and submit together.

If you want codePost to recognize group submissions, you can require your students to submit an extra file in their submission called partners.txt which contains the email address of each group member on a newline.

Like this:

partner1@school.edu
partner2@school.edu
partner3@school.edu

The blackboard_to_codepost_manual script will read this file from Blackboard and do the work necessary to make sure the students are recorded as partners on codePost.

Exporting grades from codePost to Blackboard

Once all submissions for an assignment are graded on codePost, go to codepost.io/admin -> Assignments -> Download Grades.

Format the csv as necessary and upload to Blackboard by going to your Blackboard Instance -> Grade Center -> Work Offline -> Upload.