Configuring Your Browser for Timed Tests

Occasionally, faculty members will create tests or quizzes in Blackboard that are timed. In other words, your instructor has set a time limit for the test, requiring you to submit the test before the time runs out. He or she will usually let you know in advance what the penalty is for not submitting the test on time. Once you begin the test, you'll see in the information at the top of the test that it is a Timed Assessment, along with the time limit for the test. At the bottom-left of your browser window, in the Status Bar of the browser, you should see an indicator of how much time has elapsed since you began the test. These instructions explain how to configure your browser to make sure that the time indicator does indeed appear as you are taking the test. Please choose the section of these instructions based on your preferred browser:

Windows Browsers

• Internet Explorer
• Firefox
• Mozilla

Internet Explorer

In Internet Explorer, the timer displays in the Status Bar in the bottom-left corner of the browser window:

To make that timer available, you need to add our Blackboard server to your list of trusted sites, and you also need to make sure that the Status Bar is currently being displayed:

1. Within Internet Explorer, click on the Tools menu, and click on Internet Options:

   

2. In the Internet Options dialog box that appears, click on the Security tab, click on the icon for Trusted Sites, and click on the Sites button:

   

3. In the "Add this Web site to the zone:" window, type http://www.bb.bucknell.edu, and click on the Add button. Then click once again in the "Add this Web site to the zone:" window, type https://www.bb.bucknell.edu (note the https this time), and click on the Add button:

4. When you are done typing in the two URLs, click on the OK button to close out the "Trusted sites" dialog box - marked as step 5 in the figure just above (the right-hand image). Then click on the OK button again to close out the Internet Options dialog box.

5. By default, the Status Bar does appear when you launch Internet Explorer. To double-check that you have the Status Bar displayed, click on the View menu, and make sure there is a check mark next to the Status Bar in the menu that drops down:

   

   If there is no check mark to the left of "Status Bar", click on Status Bar in that View menu to display the Status Bar for your browser.

   You have now configured Internet Explorer so that it works well with timed tests in Blackboard.

Last revised April 5, 2006. Please send questions or comments to itec@bucknell.edu.