The Student Preview feature in Blackboard allows instructors to see the course exactly as a student would. While turning the Edit Mode off in Blackboard shows content areas as they would appear to students, this does not allow the faculty to view groups from a student view, to view the My Grades link, submit assignments, or to view assigned grades. Please check out this link for more information and a demonstration of this feature. The student preview account can be identified in your course roster with a username using the following format: _previewuser.  In addition, it is listed by name using the following format: Yourfirstname Yourlastname_previewuser.

Instructors can choose to keep or remove the student preview account from the course.  For more information, refer to the step labeled "Exiting Student Preview" below.

Instructors can use the student preview in the following ways:

  1. Use the student preview account to take tests and submit assignments.
  2. Leave the student preview account in the course and use it to test grade center calculations and visibility of grades to students.
  3. Assign the student preview account to a group, and use it to preview group activities and assignments. Note: The student preview account is not assigned to a group - You will need to add your preview account to a group.
  4. Use the account to check the availability of content items and files to identify file permission issues.

You will need to switch to the student view in each course in which you want the _previewuser account to be enrolled.

A Accessing Student Preview

To access the Student Preview mode in Blackboard, click on the Student Preview mode button at the top of the page, indicated by two curved arrows surrounding a dot.

A  Accessing the Student Preview

whenever the Student Preview mode is on, you will then see a yellow banner at the top of the screen with a message reading Student Preview mode is ON. You can now access the course in a similar fashion as a student. For example, you can take any available tests, view available content areas, and view your grades in the My Grades link.

After you are finished, click the Exit Preview button to exit.

E  Exiting the Student Preview

Image of the student preview dialog box with the following annotations: 1.Delete the preview user and all data (Recommended): Choose this option to delete the student account in its entirety, including any data submitted using the student preview account.2.Keep the Preview User and all data: This option will store the student preview account and all data associated with the account. Note: the student account still resides in the course, so this account may affect course availability and scoring.3.Remember this choice and do not ask me again. Select this option to save you selected choice.4.When finished, click the Continue button at the bottom of the page

After clicking the Exit Preview button, you will then see a dialog box similar to the one above with the following options:

  1. Delete the preview user and all data: Choose this option to delete the student account in its entirety, including any data submitted using the student preview account.
  2. Keep the Preview User and all data: This option will store the student preview account and all data associated with the account. Note: the student account still resides in the course, so this account may affect course availability and scoring.
  3. Remember this choice and do not ask me again. Select this option to save you selected choice.
  4. When finished, click the Continue button at the bottom of the page.

These options can also be changed by clicking the Settings button that appears at the top of the page while in the student preview.