Instructors can use Student Preview to review the course content or validate the course behaviors, such as those that control course content availability. While in Student Preview mode, you can do these student activities:
- View available and conditional released course materials
- Submit assignments
- Take tests
- Create discussion posts
Student Preview mode is active only in the course where you enable it.
Show Me
Video - 01:16
Tell Me
- The Student Preview tool from Details and Actions in the left navigation menu. Click Enter student preview mode to activate the tool.
- Click Start Preview from the small overlay appearing on the screen.
- A gray bar appears at the top of your course to indicate you are in Student Preview mode. The student preview avatar is purple and cannot be changed.
- You can now interact with the course as a student.
About Student Preview
The Student Preview user will appear in the course roster and in the course gradebook. It is easily identified by the purple avatar. Both its name and username will be the same as yours, but appended with _previewuser.
As a preview user, all the data associated with your activities are captured by Blackboard including submitted assignments and discussion posts. Other students can interact with your preview user; for example, they can reply to your posts as though you were another student enrolled in the course.
Student Preview Tools
Click the (...) menu in the top right corner of your purple avatar:
- Exit Preview stops the Student Preview tool.
- Reset Preview removes all course activity in the Student Preview.
- View Gradebook will retain the Student Preview user, exit the tool, and immediately open the gradebook. The preview user is located at the top of the gradebook.