This presentation demonstrates several options for using attendance in Blackboard.

1. Blackboard Attendance Options
• 15 week Blackboard Template
• 4 Column Blackboard Template
• Google Sheets
Andrea Gilbert
Instructional Designer

2. Introductions
• Name and department
• How do you keep track of attendance now?
• What do you hope learn from this training?

3. Overview
• Blackboard currently does not have a built in
option for keeping track of attendance.
• We have several options to keep track of
attendance within Blackboard.
• You can customize the options using the
templates we provide.

4. 15 Week Template
Highlights:
• Columns for 1, 2, 3 or 4 days per week for a 15
week semester.
• Keep track of attendance for single days of class
based on a points system (default is 1 point)
• You can use in your final grade calculations.

5. 15 Week Template
Enter any value between 0 and 1:
Add 1 (P), 0.9 (E) or exempt grade, 0.5 (T), or 0 (A)

6. 15 Week Template
Grading Schema: You can adjust the grading
schema to reflect your attendance grading system
by adding more criteria. Currently, the schema is
set to:
P=Present 100%
E=Excused Absence between 90%-99%
T=Tardy between 50-90%
A=Absent 0%-50%

7. 15 Week Template
Edit Column Information: You can edit the
column information on each column to change the
column name if desired. You can also adjust the
number of points possible.
(W1D1=Week 1 Day1)

8. 15 Week Template
Delete Column: You can delete extra columns as
needed, by clicking the chevron to the right of the
title and select “delete column”.
Display of Total Attendance Grade: You can
display a total attendance grade in percentage or
score to students and use this column to include
in your final grade calculations.

9. 15 Week Template
Exempt Status: You have the option to exempt a
day of attendance for excused absences or if a
student is added late to the class.
Smart View: A smart view called Attendance will
be automatically included in the Grade Center.
You can use the smart view to sort the attendance
columns

10. Demo 15 Week Template
• What it looks like for instructor vs. student
• How to edit
• Templates available in the Blackboard
Attendance Training (Option 1)

11. 4 Column Template
Highlights:
• Each time a student is present for class, just
increase the present column by one.
• For excused, tardy, absent just add 1 point to the
corresponding column.
• Present column will display the total points for
attendance.
• Add quick comments as needed

12. 4 Column Template
After each class, increase the present column by 1 point.

13. 4 Column Template
Running Total: You can keep a running total
points (or average) in the present column and set
the points possible to the total number of days of
class or total points.
Each day that a student is present, increase their
points in the present column.

14. 4 Column Template
Edit Column Information: It is very easy to
edit the “Present” Column to fit your class grading
structure.

15. 4 Column Template
Quick Comments: If students are excused,
tardy, absent, you can also keep track of these
values. Ultimately, you can add quick comments
in if students are absent on certain days.

16. Demo 4 Column Template
• What it looks like for instructor vs. student
• How to edit
• Templates available in the Blackboard
Attendance Training (Option 2)

17. Google Sheets
Highlights:
• Google Spreadsheet Template
• Attendance is recorded electronically and a
hidden web link can be stored on the Blackboard
Course Menu
• Access to your roster anywhere

18. Google Sheets Template
• Master Template September-December 2015

19. Google Sheets
Web Link in Blackboard: The template keeps
track of days present, absent, excused, and tardy
• Totals the absences, excused, tardy, and days
present.
• Add a web link on your course menu in
Blackboard and hide it from your students:

20. Google Sheets
Copy Template:
• Click on the template link to copy. Sign into
Google Drive or create a new account.
• Go to file
• Make copy
• Enter a new name

21. Google Sheets
• To share the link: In the top right corner,
click the button that says “share”.
• You should see the following screen. You will
need to click the icon that says “get shareable
link”.
• Copy the link

22. Google Sheets
To insert the link into your Blackboard
Course Menu:
• Click on the plus sign in the top upper left corner
of your menu and choose Web Link
• Give it a name and paste in the URL for your
spreadsheet from Google.
• Don’t make it available to users.

23. Demo Google Sheets
• What it looks like for instructor
• How to edit
• Template available in the Blackboard
Attendance Training (Option 3)

24. What option will work for you?
• After reviewing the three options, which option
will work best for you for your needs?
• Download the appropriate templates and Import
into your own class
• Take the Check out Survey on Blackboard to
complete this training.

25. For More Help
Andrea Gilbert
Instructional Designer
agilbert14@monroecc.edu
Brighton Campus
292-3429
Office: 3-151E