UMKC Department of Mathematics and Statistics Mathematics Entrance Tests Blackboard Tips

UMKC Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Valuable Blackboard Tips
for Mathematics Entrance Tests

[This page last updated: 12 June 2009]

If you have difficulty accessing or taking the Entrance Tests:

Do NOT(!) contact the Blackboard technicians at the UMKC Information Services Call Center.
Do NOT contact your academic advisor about technical matters.
The Technicians and Advisors will just refer you to THIS PAGE.
So, (please) READ this page!

As a last resort, if your Entrance Test questions are NOT answered by the TIPS on this page, or,
you wish to report an error on one of the Tests, then contact the
Entrance Tests Coordinator: Dr. Richard Delaware, delawarer@umkc.edu

RETURN TO the Mathematics Entrance Tests Home Page.

BLACKBOARD TIPS

GENERAL NOTE - "TRY AGAIN": Most problems are loading problems, and can be solved by just trying again. For example, you can logout of Blackboard, then log back in to start fresh. [To logout of Blackboard, click on the "logout" icon at the top of your "My UMKC" page, or the "Courses" page.] Try several times. Or, try again at a different time of day, or on a different day, or on a different computer. We have no control over the Internet, your online connection, or your computer, any of which could cause your loading problem. As a final resort, you can always take the Entrance Test on a UMKC computer on campus in one of the several UMKC Student Computing Labs.
12 June 2009
PROBLEM: The "elapsed time" box is covering the "submit" button which makes it impossible to submit answers or complete the test.
ANSWER: This seems to be a browser-related issue that occurs with Internet Explorer 8. If you can try another browser like Firefox or revert to Internet Explorer 7, that should fix the issue. Alternatively, there is a workaround that involves setting Internet Explorer 8 to use the "Compatibility View" for the Blackboard site. [See Compatibility View for information on this.] Other possible causes include too-low screen resolution (especially a problem for laptops) or a too-large default text display setting, both of which "crowd" the Blackboard window.
The time limit for each Test is 35 minutes. Blackboard provides a timing bar at the bottom-left of your screen to keep track of the time. Also, a 1 minute warning will appear in a little window. But, YOU should measure the time yourself to stay on target. Use all the time you can and check your answers carefully before submitting them. Remember, when you finish a Test you must hit "Submit" for a score to be recorded.
The annoying message "Error. Assessment contains no questions; it cannot be taken.":
This is just a loading error. One of the tips on this page will probably solve your problem. [By the way, the "Assessment" ALWAYS contains questions, and can ALWAYS be taken.]
Click Blackboard buttons only ONCE, don't "double-click". Click slowly and deliberately, not too fast.
To move around in Blackboard, always use the buttons Blackboard provides (such as "OK", "Cancel", "Submit", and at the bottom-right of each Test question or , and so on.) Don't use the "Back" button on your browser. [Be careful with your "backspace" key too.]
Don't use the "Refresh" button on your browser during an Entrance Test. You will be ejected from the Test.
Don't "re-size" your screen during a Test. (Some browsers "refresh" when you re-size.)
If mathematical symbols or pictures are corrupted, or missing from your screen (gray boxes, white boxes with red Xs, etc.), then try the following:
- Move forward to the next question or backward to a previous question, or just continue on through the Test, and then later return to the original question of interest. The screen will often finish loading the mathematical image and repair itself. Be patient. (If this does not work, logout and log back in as suggested above.)
- You might have a slow connection because you use a dial-up service, or possibly due to the time of day, etc. Just be patient.
- Check (perhaps) that you have a recent version of Java loaded on your browser. If you are a Windows user you can go to http://www.java.com/en/download/windows_automatic.jsp. On a recent version of Internet Explorer you can check what Java version you have by going to Tools > Internet Options > Advanced, and scrolling down to the Java section.
- Check that your "Pop-up Blocker" is turned OFF.
CHECKING YOUR GRADES: On any of the Mathematics Entrance Tests sites, click on the "Your Grade" button at the left of the screen. Then, click on the "My Grades" Blackboard link you will see. Your grade record will show the date and time of your "Highest Attempt", as Blackboard sees it. But unfortunately, Blackboard interprets the symbol "!" (which indicates you exceeded the 35 minute time limit on an attempt) as "higher" than any numerical score. So, if you ever went over-time, the only grade that will ever appear is "!". To see all your previous attempts, click on whatever score appears as your grade. (You will see an underline under the grade indicating it is a link!) If any one of your attempts is 15 or more, then you have passed the Entrance Test. Academic Advisors also know how to look for such a score.
6 April 2006
Internet Explorer has a new update. Once that update is installed on your computer, the first time you access something using Active-X on Blackboard (such as all mathematical expressions in any of the Mathematics Entrance Tests), you will get a message asking if you want to activate or permit the content to be displayed. During an Entrance Test, this message will appear when the first question loads. You should permit display of the content (otherwise, none of the questions or answers will display!) Once you do this, the approval seems to be saved, so that in the future, you will not have to give this approval again. (If you use Firefox or other browsers, you will not be affected.)