Using Google Assignments with Blackbaud

Google Assignments integrates Google Workspace for Education with Blackbaud Learning Management System, allowing teachers to seamlessly grade, review, and comment on assignments in Google from assignments within Blackbaud. Grades added in Google pass through to the teacher's Gradebook and students can view their submitted work with any grades or comments provided by the teacher. Teachers can also check for plagiarism on assignments submitted to Google Assignments.

Note: To learn more about Google Assignments, check out their site.

An Integration Manager must set up the Google Assignments integration for their entire school. First, sign into your school-issued Google account and select Generate New Pair followed by Other LMS to get the Consumer key and Shared secret.

In Blackbaud Education Management, select Core, then Settings, Integration settings, Learning tools. Select Add provider and enter the following information:

  • Provider type: Other provider

  • Select LTI 1.1 tool

  • Provider name: Google Assignments

  • Description: optional

  • Status: Active

  • Available on: Google Assignments can be used for Assignments and Topics.

  • Returns grades: Yes

    Note: Gradepass will only work for Assignments.

  • Display Setings: Select Displays in new window or Display in iFrame for teachers and students launching the tool fro assignments.

  • Connection information: Fixed

  • Launch URL: https://assignments.google.com/lti/a

  • Consumer key: From Google Assignments

  • Shared secret: From Google Assignments

  • Privacy settings: Must be set to Always or Https Only

  • Given name: Choose to send Preferred name sent, if available or First name, always.

When creating an assignment, a teacher can select Google Assignments under the Learning tool section of the assignment settings to link the assignment to Google Assignments. The first time a teacher assigns a Google Assignment, they will need to link their Blackbaud account to their Google account. To do this, the teacher can save the assignment, then select the assignment name to open the assignment details. In the assignment details, selecting Launch opens the prompt to link the teacher's Blackbaud account to their Google account.

Note: Teachers do not need to enable In-system submission under File submission in the assignment settings within Blackbaud Learning Management System. Enabling this option in Blackbaud allows students to upload file submissions that are not linked to the Google Assignment.

Once students have submitted their files in Google Assignment, the teacher can review, comment, and grade the assignment in Google from the Assignment detail page in Blackbaud. From the Assignment Center or the class Assignments tab, the teacher selects the assignment name and then selects Launch to open Google Assignments. From here, the teacher can select a student's submitted work to review, comment and grade the assignment. When finished, the teacher selectsReturn to return the assignment to the student.

Tip: The first time a student accesses a Google Assignment, they will need to link their Google account to their Blackbaud Education Management account. We recommend students use their school-issued Google account if available.

From the Assignment Center or the class Assignments tab, a student selects the assignment name, then Launch to open the assignment in Google Assignments. From here, the student selects Add files to open their Google Drive and choose from existing files or upload new ones. The student selects a file they want to submit, then selects Add, followed by Submit.

Note: Students can Unsubmit files if needed.

Yes! Grades pass FROM Google Assignments TO Blackbaud. The sync does not work the other way around. If you are not seeing grades pass from Google to Blackbaud, it is most likely due to one of the following reasons: 

  • The Integration Manager did not select Return grades when setting up the learning tool.

  • Your school may be using a firewall that blocks grade passback requests from assignments.

  • The grade was updated directly in Blackbaud and you need to update the grade in Google Assignments.

The first time a teacher sets up a Google Assignments assignment, they need to select the title for the assignment and then select Launch on the Assignment details page. They will need to link their Blackbaud account to their Google account before they are dropped into Google Assignments. If a teacher hasn't connected their Blackbaud account to their Google account, students may receive this error.

Students can submit and resubmit assignments as often as needed until the assignment due date.