Adding BioSig-ID to Your Course(s)

Adding BioSig-ID to Your Course(s)

Introduction

The Biometric Signature ID (BSI) Building Block for Blackboard Learn 9.1 provides a mechanism to require a user/student to validate their identity when needed. This process is split between enrollment for the user to create their initial profile, and subsequent times when they need to validate themselves. Validating can be configured for three scenarios. Before a course can be opened, right after the “Begin Quiz” button is clicked, or as any other content item via adaptive release conditions.

Activating BioSig-ID

The Blackboard system administrator might not have activated the BioSig-ID building block by default.

This can be verified by looking at the “Tools” drop-down menu to see if “Biometric Signature ID” is listed near the bottom. To adjust the availability at course level the following steps can be used:

  1. On the left side menu in the Course Management section expand the Customization entry
  2. Select the Tool Availability option
  3. Locate the Biometric Signature ID entries and activate their respective checkbox options as desired.
Tool Availability

Introduction & Enrollment


Tool Menu Dropdown



BioSig-ID requires users/students to create their initial profile via enrollment.  This process takes roughly 2 -5 minutes, and is best served with an explanation as to why this is required.  Many examples are available including videos that detail the process.

For detailed instructions on how to create enrollment instructions in your course please communicate with your BSI contact or consult:  Blackboard Learn (Enrollment Instructions)

The enrollment instructions can be adapted to fit your institution's needs.  Please feel free to modify the word or other aspects.  It is advisable to add the enrollment process in a place easy for your users/students to find. 

Creating the enrollment link within Blackboard is easy as adding a course instance.  From the Tools menu drop down, Choose Biometric Signature ID .






A new page opens where a title and description can be provided:
Save and Close Button



Click the Submit button to add the BioSig-ID instance to the course.
If a user/student does not have a BioSig-ID profile they will be asked to enroll.  The same enrollment link can be used to practice an existing profile.  BioSig-ID is extremely intuitive but still requires practice by most some users before it becomes second nature to them. 
After roughly three successful validations with some time in between such as a few days the clear majority of your students will be well prepared when they are required to validate their identity for a quiz item.
We recommend that BioSig-ID enrollments and validations take place early and often in the course.



To allow the student unlimited opportunities to practice their validation, place a check mark next to "Enable unlimited retries if already validated".



Validating Identity

There are three methods available to request a student to validate their BioSig-ID password.
  1. Adaptive release on any Blackboard course content item using a grade column
  2. Course Intercept
  3. Quiz Intercept

Each method will be explained in separate detail.  The recommended method is to use Quiz Intercept by itself or in conjunction with the other methods.

Adaptive Release (AKA: Tool Instance)

Any Blackboard course content item that has support for adaptive release conditions can be configured to be "gated" by a BioSig-ID validation.  This is easily added using the same method we used previously to add the enrollment/practice validation.

  1. Using the Tool menu, select Biometric Signature ID
  2. Name the instance a descriptive name so that it references the item you are gating.  For example, if you are gating Week 1 Discussion, you would want to name this instance "BioSig-ID Validation-Week 1 Discussion. 
  3. Provide a good description that explains what the user/student must do to open the item.  For example, "Please validate your BioSig-ID to access the Week 1 Discussion"
  4. Click Submit
  5. Drag the instance you just created to a position directly above the item it is "gating"

In the previous sets we created the tool instance to "gate" an item.  Now we need to set the adaptive release conditions. 

  1. Click the chevron next to the item you are gating.
  2. Select Adaptive Release
  3. Scroll to the Grade area
  4. In the Select a Grade Center column , use the drop down menu to locate the corresponding BioSig-ID instance that you created
  5. Selection Condition select the radio button for User had at least one attempt for this item
  6. Click Submit

Note:   If the instructor has dates of availability set and the student completes the BioSig-ID validation prior to the display date, they will not be able to access the item even if they validate successfully.   Likewise, if the user/student validates successfully when the item is no longer available they will not see the item. 

Adaptive Release Settings

 The result will look like:

Adaptive Release Settings

Course Intercept

To make the course only accessible after a successful BioSig-ID you may follow these steps:

  1. Under Course Management section expand the Course Tools entry
  2. Select the Biometric Signature ID option

Course Tools

  1. Select the checkbox for Enable Course Intercept
  2. Click the Submit button

Enable Course Intercept

Quiz Intercept

It is very easy to activate BioSig-ID for a quiz or any other item that is supported.  Click the Chevron next to the quiz item to see if it is currently intercepted.  If (Disabled) shows next to BioSig-ID options then the quiz is not intercepted.  If (Enabled) shows next to BioSig-ID options then the quiz will be intercepted and the user will be required to validate prior to accessing the assessment.

Quiz Disabled
Quiz Enabled

Changing the status of a quiz intercept is as easy as clicking on the Chevron and toggling between the two options. 

Quizzes can also be "gated" by adaptive release or the course intercept options.  However, it is important to not burden the student with too many validation requests.  Usually once a day or weekly is more than sufficient.  

Please consult your institution's policy on the recommended guidelines for BioSig-ID validations.

Converting from Adaptive Release to Quiz Intercept is easy. Simply delete the BioSig-ID instance attached to adaptive release and activate the Quiz Intercept (Enabled). 



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