Student Preview

Access student preview, to review the course content from a student’s perspective.

Click on the “Student Preview” (dot with arrow on top and bottom of dot) icon to access the student preview. You will see an orange banner appear at the top of your screen indicating you are in Student Preview. 

Student preview icon

yellow/orange student preview banner

While in student preview mode, you can do these student activities:

  • Submit assignments
  • Take tests
  • Create discussion posts
  • Create journal entries
  • View student tools, such as My Grades

As a preview user, all the data associated with your activities are captured by Blackboard, such as submitted assignments and discussion posts. 

When you exit the student preview, you’re asked if you want to keep or delete the preview user and all associated data.

In the Exit Student Preview window, the radio button defaults to: Delete the preview user and all data.

You may wish to retain the preview data, in which case, click on Keep the Preview User.

To save this selection you can check the box for: Remember this choice and do not ask me again. 

  • Delete the preview user and all the data (Recommended)

If you choose this option, all activity conducted as this user would be permanently removed from the course. This includes test and assignment submissions, discussion forum posts, and grades. If there were any interactions from student participants with this preview user, their discussion posts would also be deleted.

  • Keep the preview user and all data

Select this option if you need to keep the user data to see how student activity is presented to the instructor such as assignment or test submissions, grade calculations. The preview user will appear in the Grade Center. The preview user will display your last name and NetID followed by “_preview” (i.e. Smith_preview, ams9999_preview).

Student Preview Video