DCAD Digital Help Guides

How to submit a video assignment in Blackboard

This guide explains how to submit a video/audio to Blackboard Assignment using Panopto (also known as Encore). 

Before you start recording your video, start by checking the assignment brief and instructions set out by your instructor.This will likely contain key details such as the video length, format, number of attempts, and any file naming conventions. Make a note of the deadline and ensure you give yourself plenty of time to submit.

It’s good practice to upload your video to Panopto first, not at the point of submission. This will mean that when you start your assignment attempt, all you need to do is to embed your video and click submit. This process will be explained fully in the guidance below.


Quick links

Creating your video/audio

There are many ways to record videos, but if all you need is a way of recording your screen, webcam and voice, perhaps the simplest way is to use Panopto (Encore). Panopto has two options for recording:

  1. Panopto Desktop Recorder – available for Windows and Mac.
  2. Panopto Capture – a web-based recorder that can be accessed by logging into the Encore website then selecting the Create button, followed by Panopto Capture. You may also find it useful to visit the guidance on using Panopto Capture.

Using either of these options will allow you to record directly into a private area called your Panopto ‘My Folder’.

You can of course create a recording outside of Panopto. If you’re producing a recorded presentation, you may find it easier to record using PowerPoint. If you’re doing a group presentation, you may find it easier to record in Teams or Zoom. Or you may prefer using a screen recorder such as Quicktime, or even your smartphone. There’s no right or wrong answer, just make sure you export your video, ready to upload to Panopto.

If your assignment brief requires you to create a recorded presentation, you may also find it useful to read our guide to producing recorded presentations that outlines some of the key considerations.

a screenshot of the Panopto launch window showing the options to choose upload or create a new recording
Clicking on the Encore (Student Submission Tool) presents you with the options to upload a video or make a new recording.

Uploading your video/audio

The next step is to upload your video into Panopto. If you’ve used either the Panopto Desktop Recorder or Panopto Capture to record directly into your My Folder, you can skip this step and go straight to the submit your video assignment step.

  1. Export your video from the application used to do the recording, such as PowerPoint or Quicktime. This will likely be an MP4, MOV, or WMV file.
  2. Save this to a location that is easy to access, such as your desktop, or documents folder.
  3. Login to Panopto either via the Books & Tools link in your Learn Ultra Course, or by going directly to Panopto’s website.
  4. Click on the link to your My Folder, then upload your video file.
  5. Once your video has finished processing, you can edit your closed captions to ensure your video is accessible to everyone.
the panopto file upload interface
You can upload files either by dragging and dropping them onto window, or by manually choosing them from your computer.

Submitting your video/audio assignment

When you are ready to submit your assignment, follow the steps in this section.

  1. Open the Assignment in your Blackboard Course.
  2. Click Insert Content (the plus icon) link in the text editor and select Content Market from the drop-down menu.
    Submission view in Blackboard Assignment with the Insert Content icon is selected with Content Market option highlighted in red

  3. You should see two Encore tiles. You must use the ‘Encore (Student Submission Tool)’ option when submitting media files for assessment.
    a screenshot showing the option to select the Encore student submission tool. This is what students choose to upload video and audio files to the correct folder
  4. When Encore (Student Submission Tool) opens, you will be presented with three tabs. Select:
    • Choose: If you have pre-uploaded your video to Panopto/Encore, for example in the My Folder area. Use the drop down/search for My Folder and select your video
    • Upload: If you have a video saved on your device, select the Upload tab, drag to drop or browse to select the file from your device
    • Record: You also have the option to record your video using the Panopto app/capture at this point if you haven’t already done so
  5. With your video selected, click Insert.
    The Panopto Assignment area, with Upload tab selected and a video titled 'student' uploaded and the Insert button at the bottom right corner highlighted in red.
  6. The file name will automatically be pre-populated as the Display Name. You can change the display name if you wish. Click Insert. You should see your video embedded in the submission window.
  7. If your assignment brief requires you to add your original slideshow or other supporting documents , please follow the steps in the section below. If not, confirm your submission, by clicking Submit, then Submit again.
  8. You will see a submission receipt appear as a pop-up. It’s advised that you download a copy of your receipt for future reference.

Attaching supporting or additional documents

You can use the editor to attach supporting documents to your video/audio assignment.

  1. Click Attachment (the paper clip icon) in the text editor.
  2. Select a document from your device and click Open to confirm.
  3. The document will upload and if it’s in a supported format such as PowerPoint, Word, or PDF a preview will also be generated.
  4. With your document attached, you can now submit your assignment.
Blackboard assignment submission editor showing the location of the attachment link
You can use the attachment icon to upload supporting files to your video / audio assignment.

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