Blackboard LTI 1.3
This article contains information for educators using Top Hat with Blackboard via the LTI 1.3 integration type.
The following instructions in this article assume that the required administrative work has been completed by your school's LMS team prior to connecting your course. If not, please refer your LMS Admin team to Request a New Integration first.
Table of Contents
Connecting to Blackboard (Learn)
Missing Tool Link? Instructions
Connecting to Blackboard (Ultra)
Deep Links (Automatic Grade Syncing)
Creating Deep Links - Blackboard Learn
Creating Deep Links - Blackboard Ultra
To start, ensure the course is not currently connected to an existing Blackboard course by navigating to the Top Hat course settings > LTI 1.3 or Legacy LMS Sync tab and press "Disconnect".
(You will only be required to do this if the course has previously been connected to Blackboard. If this is a brand new course that has never been used before, you can safely assume that this step will not be needed.)
Note: Your LMS admin team may make updates to the LTI integration on the backend and this may cause unexpected behaviour such as failed grade syncs. A disconnect and reconnect typically resolves most issues.
The following Top Hat LTI 1.3 Course Launch Link (also referred to as just "Launch Link") is required for the following:
- Educators: To establish the connection between your Blackboard and Top Hat course
- Students: To establish the connection between their Blackboard and Top Hat accounts (for grade syncing)
Please keep this link available to students. Removing it will prevent students from fully enrolling into the Top Hat course.
Connecting to Blackboard (Learn)
Navigate to your Blackboard course.
Click on the + icon on the top right corner of your course page and select "Tool Link"
In the window that appears enter the following:
Name: Top Hat LTI 1.3 Course Launch
Type: Select "Top Hat LTI 1.3 Course Launch"
Important!
If you don't see "Top Hat LTI 1.3 Course Launch" from the drop down menu. Review the steps "Add the Top Hat LTI 1.3 Course Launch Link - Content Builder flow".
Ensure the link is visible to students below, locate the link on left hand side and press the down arrow to expand the options. Select "Show Link"
Press the "Top Hat LTI 1.3 Launch Link - Course Launch" button you just created to be directed to Top Hat.
If prompted, select "Open in a new window" to be directed to Top Hat if you aren't directed there automatically.
Select the course you wish to connect to
(ensure you are logged into your Top Hat account associated with your school and course, some educators may have multiple Top Hat accounts for different institutions. You may be automatically directed to the last Top Hat account you logged into).
Select the course and select next to complete the course connection process using Blackboard Learn LTI 1.3.
Add the Top Hat LTI 1.3 Course Launch - Content Builder flow
These instructions are only for educators who's Blackboard course does not have a "Top Hat LTI 1.3 - Course Launch" link option in the Tool Link drop down menu as stated in the instructions above. If you have now connected your course using the instructions above, skip this step.
Locate and find "Content" from the left panel and then select 'Content Builder".
From the drop down menu, select "Top Hat LTI 1.3" (this may be named differently depending on how your school's LMS admin team has named this.
If you are unsure of which link it is, please connect with your school's LMS admin team for clarification.
From the window that appears, ensure the fields are as follows:
Name: Top Hat Course Link
Enable Evaluation: Yes
Visible to students: Yes (Students will need to click this link to enrol fully)
Points Possible: 1
Press "Submit"
Press the "Top Hat Course Link" you just created to be directed to Top Hat
Select the course from the list available
Press "Continue" to confirm the course selection and connect the course
The courses are now connected!
Connecting to Blackboard (Ultra)
Note: Your LMS admin team may have set-up the integration slightly differently, we have provided two sets of instructions below (View 1 and View 2). Please review your Blackboard Ultra course to identify which instructions to use below:
View 1:
Navigate to your Blackboard course.
Click "Tools & Books" from the left side panel.
From the panel that appears on the right, select "Top Hat LTI 1.3" to be directed to Top Hat.
Important!
You must add the course launch link so that students can find it. Press the "+" as shown in the image below to add it to your course content. This may also be located in the Build Content menu if it is not located in "Books & Course Tools".
If prompted, press "Open in new Window"
Select the course you wish to connect to from the list and press "Continue" to finish the connection process.
The courses are now connected
View 2:
The second option for creating the Top Hat course launch link (if the above flow is not available to you) is:
Navigate to your Blackboard course and select "Content"
From the centre of the screen, select "+" or "Add Content" and then choose "Content Market"
From the new window that appears, locate the "Top Hat - Course Launch" link (your LMS team may have named this differently).
If prompted, press "Open in new Window"
Select the course you wish to connect to from the list and press "Continue" to finish the connection process.
The courses are now connected
Syllabus Insert
"In addition to using Blackboard as our Learning Management System, we will be using Top Hat (https://tophat.com) for class participation. Top Hat is an educational platform that integrates interactive features into learning materials, enhancing class engagement and comprehension.
For instructions on how to download the Top Hat app, please refer to our Student's Getting Started Guide online.
Getting Started:
Enrolling into your course:
Do not enrol into the Top Hat course directly. To enrol correctly into your course, you must click the Top Hat Link in your course in Blackboard. Locate the link "Top Hat" or "Top Hat LTI 1.3" or "Launch Link" in your Blackboard course.
Pressing the Top Hat link in Blackboard directly will ensure you are enrolled into the correct course or course section in Top Hat.
Once you have clicked the Top Hat link in Blackboard, you will be directed to Top Hat automatically (turn off any pop-up blockers). You will have the option to either create a student account or log in to an existing Top Hat account.
If you are signing up for Top Hat the first time, please use your official school email address and use a web browser to complete the process.
Important! Use your school issued email address to create your Top Hat account.
Please note! You cannot create a Top Hat account or make the required course purchases through the mobile applications. You may see the message "Account not active or Additional Materials Required" when attempting to enrol in the Top Hat Course via the mobile app.
To resolve this, please first enrol and purchase the required content (when prompted) on a web browser (Google Chrome or Firefox is recommended for the best experience).
Once you have successfully linked your Blackboard and Top Hat account, you may log-in and access Top Hat directly using the mobile application.
If you do not click the Top Hat link:
- You will be shown a pop-up message in Top Hat instructing you to do so (web browser only)
- You will be removed from the Top Hat course during the nightly roster sync (if you enrolled in Top Hat directly, which we don't advise!)
If you're removed from the Top Hat course, please review the above steps again.
https://support.tophat.com/s/article/Student-LTI-Course-Enrollment-Blackboard
Grade syncs from Top Hat to Blackboard:
Grade sync settings are determined by your course educator. For clarification on when to expect your grades to appear in Blackboard, please connect with your educator directly.
Some helpful Top Hat lingo to know:
Join Code / JC : The unique 6 digit code specific to your Top Hat course. (Top Hat Support will ask for this when you reach out!)
LMS: Learning Management System (Blackboard, Canvas, D2L...).
Course Content: Anything in your course such as questions, readings, exams, assignments, presentations, discussions...).
Top Hat Access Key: A unique code issued by Top Hat to redeem on your account for a specific product such as an eTextbook (purchased through an external vendor only). Purchases made directly on Top Hat will be applied to your account. No codes or access keys are provided by Top Hat if buying on Top Hat directly)
Bookstore Redemption Code: Purchased through your campus bookstore and is valid for a Top Hat product such as an eTextbook, which must first be exchanged for a Top Hat Access Key (typically completed on the campus bookstore website) before redeeming it on the Top Hat course check-out page.
Secure Attendance: Requires you to confirm your device location within proximity to the classroom.
Homework: Submissions are saved and graded.
Review: Submissions are not saved and not graded. Intended for revision purposes.
Some Top Tips if you're reaching out to Top Hat Support:
- Provide your Top Hat account email address (or email us directly from the email address associated with your Top Hat account!).
- Provide Top Hat with the following information
- 6 digit Course Join Code, Name of your course educator, Question titles, Links / URLs, Screenshots , Submission / Access method (Top Hat App, Web Browser or Text Message), Time and Date the issue occurred
Contact Top Hat Support:
- Press "?" in your app or upper right corner of your screen or visit our Support Site Articles: https://support.tophat.com/s/
- Through our contact form: https://success.tophat.com/s/contact-main
Top Hat Student Roster
Creating a Deep Link - Build Content Flow (Ultra)
Navigate to your Blackboard course and select "Content" from the menu.
As a co-ordinator, when you click on any deep link from within Blackboard you will be brought directly to the base content section of the Top Hat multi-section course. You can choose which section to navigate from the Section Manager tab.
As An Instructor
As an instructor and teaching multiple sections of the course, when you click on a deep link from within Blackboard, a popup modal will open in a new tab to determine which section you wish to be brought directly to.
If you wish to switch between sections at any time, you can use the newly opened tab (if you have left it open) to continue to switch between the sections you teach.
Grades are synced automatically for deep-linked content, just as with standalone courses. Note the following regarding MSM courses:
Deep links can only be created by course coordinators; this is a Top Hat user that has the "course coordinator" role.
A deep link can be created in the LMS and used for all MSM sections.
Grade Release Events
Grades are synced to the LMS after they are released to students in Top Hat. Grades are "released to students" in the following circumstances:
When a student re-enrols in a course or switches sections, and they already have released grades.
When live gradebook is enabled and a student answers a question. This is true whether the question is standalone or embedded in another content type.
When the assignment's due date passes or the educator unassigns content.
When grades have been released for content in the folder, that content is moved.
When a grade is entered manually in a gradebook.
When attendance is entered manually in the gradebook.
When the instructor edits a grade that has been released. Either the instructor manually edits the grade or causes the point value to change.
When the educator excuses/unexcused a grade that has been released.
For items that have not been deep linked, you can manually sync the grades to Blackboard.
The follow records can only be manually synced:
Attendance
Course Aggregate Grade
Manually Entered Grades
Step 1: In the Top Hat Gradebook, click the "Sync" button and select which grade columns you wish to sync to Blackboard. Click Sync with LMS to confirm.
To learn more about connecting Blackboard Merged/Sectioned courses to Top Hat please visit: https://support.tophat.com/s/article/Educator-LTI-1-3-Multi-Section-Course-Management-Blackboard
