Assessment attempt details are not available because the underlying content item has been undeployed.
"Undeployed" is a very bad word that should strike fear in the heart of every instructor who did not download the results of the exam before accidentally undeploying that exam.
Here's my story ~
This semester I tried to use computers to record my students' written exams. For the midterm, I checked out older Mac laptops from the OUP Lab. I didn't want the students to be able to cut-and-paste answers during the exam. By using computers that the students didn't own and that didn't have internet capability, I thwarted any cheating in that way.
We struggled for the first 30 minutes of our exam session because WORD would not open properly on any of the machines even though it appeared in the Applications folder. After several attempts, we tried AppleWorks for word processing and then were good to go....until I realized that my new "Rich Media" computer doesn't include AppleWorks. This wasn't too hard of a fix though - you can save AppleWorks documents in a WORD format so that's what students did. I used a USB mini-drive to save the exams as the students finished. All was well in the end.
For the final, I decided to try another way of administering the exam. Students could take the exam paper-pencil (which 5 out of 20 chose right away) OR students could take the exam via Blackboard. If they used their machines, they sat with their backs to me so that I could see the screens to monitor that only a web-browser was open AND only the Blackboard exam was viewed. For my exams, the students are given 7-8 questions of which they choose 5 to write essay responses. I embedded google docs slides so that they could choose a question:
For only 1 student did the embedded slides not work - he suspected the web filter on his machine interfered so he changed to paper/pencil. Everyone else did great!Now for the undeployment.
The Monday after the Thursday evening exam, I tried to make some changes to the course menu on the class Blackboard site. The content area in which the link to the exam wasn't showing up in the order I wanted. I tried to move it again and again through the control panel. I decided to just delete the content area and just recreate it again. I thought that since the Gradebook was linked to exam responses, the link in this particular content area wasn't THE link to the exam.
I was wrong...
That content area link was THE link to the exam. When I went to download the exam responses, this terrible response appeared:
Assessment attempt details are not available because the underlying content item has been undeployed.
Content area links are NOT like short-cuts on your desktop. Get rid of the link to a test - get rid of the test results. ARGH!
I sent a plea for help to the UAF support for Blackboard. Martin Miller replied promptly that they'd try to help. Here were his responses throughout the next THREE (yes, three!) days:
Day 1
Diane,
I am working on the problem. More news as it develops.
You may see my name (username msmiller-cadmin) as an instructor in the course as I am troubleshooting.
Cordially, Martin
(Sounds like it can be fixed...my heart is beating again...)
Dianne,
I am checking the backup schedule, and to find out exactly what was backed up.
I'll let you know what I find out.
Cordially, Martin
(I'm still hopeful - isn't it nice how he signs off with "cordially?")
Diane,
We are narrowing the possible data locations down, still no promises that it will work.
Can you tell me the date and time that you undeployed the exam?
Cordially, Martin
(Uh oh..."no promises" doesn't sound good...)
Diane,
We have opened a trouble ticket with Blackboard to make sure our intended approach to restoring your data will work, without unpleasant side effects.
Cordially, Martin
(Uh-oh....having to go to the national support team does NOT sound good....)
Day 2
Hi Diane,
I just got word that the recomendation is to restore the data backup from Sunday evening.
Cordially, Martin
(I am so glad that the university backs up their systems! Be sure to back up your systems!)
Hi Diane,
I spoke with the manager for Core Applications (the department that handles the Blackboard program)>He called the director of the folks who handle the database (Technical Services), who authorized the Database administrators to do the restore on a priority basis.
We should have more news for you in the morning.
Cordially, Martin
(Oooo, I am very hopeful now - maybe I'll wake up and the exam responses will be restored!)
Day 3
8:35am
Diane,
The extract ran overnight (and took all night).
The programmers are working on creating the area into which it can be restored.
I will let you know as soon as I have more news.
Cordially, Martin
(Overnight??? Yikes! I check in about every hour with Martin but he doesn't know a thing all morning...not good...)
2:00pm - A response from a NEW person (Jo Knox):
Diane,
After some fits and starts, we have managed to get a new database set up and the Sunday Blackboard backup restored into it. This database is currently hooked up to the machine http://classes-test.uaf.edu and you should be able to log on to that machine with your regular classes account and password (we think)! We're hoping that you'll be able to find your classes' final grades in there, if nothing else but to print out a copy! (I wouldn't try copying the course or anything, because it won't have any of the supporting files outside of the database!)
Please let us know how that goes!
jo
I go to the site listed above and find a "parallel universe" Blackboard:
And I also find the "Sunday backup" of my class site!
Eureka! I can download the exam responses!
Whew!
Whew!Now I wonder...
Do the tech folks hate me for all the work that went into finding my small piece of the Sunday night backup OR do they love me for giving them a fun challenge????
Either way, I am VERY appreciative of their work and told them so!
Moral of the story ~
Links in content areas on Blackboard ARE not like short-cuts on your desktop -
"Don't delete content areas with important links!"
AND
"Always back-up your computer!"
1 comment:
Diane, I am trying not to crack up as I read your tale of woe. I know, it's not funny, but you did such a good job re-telling it! Thanks for the cautionary tale!
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