In this guide, instructors will learn how to troubleshoot common Blackboard integration issues in Gradescope, including roster syncing, grade posting, and embedded-window access.
In this guide:
Roster-Syncing Issues
I can only sync part of my roster.
If some members of your course can’t be synced with the rest of your roster, it is likely because they do not have an email address associated with their Blackboard account. To fix the issue, either ask the course members or your Blackboard admin to add the email addresses to the accounts in Blackboard. Then re-sync the roster.
I can't sync my roster at all.
Please contact help@gradescope.com.
After I unlink a Blackboard course from Gradescope, the initially synced roster remains even after linking a new course.
Please contact help@gradescope.com to have the excess students removed. Alternatively, if there are no assignments within the course, you can delete it and create a new one to link with Gradescope.
This icon on the roster indicates that the student has not been synced with your LMS/integration.
If a student record has been added to Gradescope manually, and the roster has not been synced, then this is expected. However, if the roster has already been synced and this icon next to the user remains greyed out, please review the steps below. Make sure that the student’s email address in the LMS/integration matches what is on the Gradescope roster; if it does not, then this record will remain unlinked. If you have synced the roster and the records (email addresses) match, then the record should become linked.
If the record remains unlinked even after reviewing the email address and details in both Gradescope and your LMS, please contact help@gradescope.com.
Tip: Preventing users from signing up to courses using enrollment codes, when using an LMS, and instead only allowing them to be added through the LMS, can help minimize the risk of linking issues (as some users may sign up with an alias or alternative email not listed in your institution’s LMS).
Grade-Posting Issues
I can't post grades from Gradescope to Blackboard.
Re-sync the roster in Gradescope.
Next, go to your Review Grades page in Gradescope. Make sure a teal checkmark appears for each student in the Graded column. If a student is missing a checkmark but has submitted work, go to Manage Submissions, open their submission, and ensure you gave them a score on every question.
Then click Post Grades to Blackboard again. If that doesn't work, please contact help@gradescope.com.
Any grade posting issues may be due to the school now using LTI 1.3, and not LTI 1.0.
On LTI 1.0, instructors can link assignments from the Gradescope Assignment Settings page by clicking “Link” and then selecting the relevant assignment on the LMS. However, with LTI 1.3 the assignment-linking must start from the LTI side (no longer possible from the Gradescope Assignment Settings).
Embedded-Window Issues
Gradescope doesn’t appear in the embedded window when I use the Safari browser.
To use Gradescope in an embedded window within Blackboard, select Preferences from Safari’s settings and then ensure Prevent cross-site tracking is unchecked.
Gradescope doesn’t appear in the embedded window when I use Chrome in incognito mode.
Third-party cookies may be blocked, which will prevent this functionality.
To temporarily enable third-party cookies, select the eye icon on the right of the URL address bar when you attempt to launch Gradescope LTI. A modal will appear where you can select “Site not working?” and then Allow cookies. This setting will reset when you restart your browser.
To permanently allow third-party cookies, go to https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647. Select Privacy and security, then Cookies and other site data. Here you can allow all cookies. This setting will remain until you disable it again.