Blackboard Teaching and Learning Enhancements

This Teaching Tip will focus on the new and enhanced features in Blackboard 8.0 and how these tools can be used to enhance teaching and learning.

What’s New?

The new Blackboard has the same look and feel as the old one, so faculty and students will have little trouble transitioning to the new version. On the other hand, Blackboard 8.0 as many useful new features and enhancements to facilitate teaching and learning. A few of the new features include a much more user-friendly grade book (now called grade center), self and peer assessment tools, and e-portfolios. Other features have been enhanced, including group management tools and enhanced discussion board features. The information below provides additional information as well as screen shots and video tutorials on these new and enhanced features.

Features	Description & Teaching and Learning Use	Screenshots	Video Tutorials
Grade Center	The grade book was completely redesigned based partly on feedback from BYU. You will find the grade center easy to use because it works more like a spreadsheet. You can customize the grade book’s content, as well as filter all visible content. You can filter visible assignments by grading periods and assignment types and filter students by student groups or other characteristics that you designate (such as under-performing students). You can also e-mail students directly from the grade center.	Gradebook Features	Add Grade Column Add Weighted Column Grade Center Navigation Grading Periods Live Cell Editing Organize Grade Center Grade Reports Smart Views
Self and Peer Assessment Tool	This feature will be especially useful in any course that values peer feedback of writing, performance, and other creative endeavors. You can use this feature to help students improve their work before final submission, or you can automatically enter grades based on the feedback. This is a great way to enhance student engagement.	Not Available	Blackboard Tutorial (no sound)
Group Management Tools	It is now much easier to create groups and assign students to groups. You can do so manually, or using a randomization process.	Sample Screen	Not Available
Discussion Board Features	Discussion boards are great for extending classroom discussions and activities so that learning can continue throughout the week. Discussion boards are also a prime location for sharing insights and research between class members. It is now possible to grade participation on the discussion board and faculty and students can subscribe to discussion groups, so that participants will receive an e-mail alerting them to new activity on the board.	Sample Screen 1 Sample Screen 2	Blackboard Tutorial (no sound)
E-mail	Instructors sending e-mail through Blackboard can request return receipts, use integrated spell check, and click a box to e-mail all students when they post a course announcement. You can also easily e-mail students from within the grade center.	Not Available	E-mail in Grade Center
Early Warning System	Instructors can be notified when students fall below designated performance criteria. Grade Rule: Identifies when student performance on an item is equal to or below a certain level. Due Date: Identifies when a student does not complete course work when it is due Last Access: identifies the last time a student accessed the course online.	Sample Screen	Blackboard Tutorial (no sound)
Web Browser Compatibility	Blackboard is now certified for IE 7 and Firefox 2 for Microsoft Vista and XP and for IE 6 and Safari 2 on Mac OS 10.4.
Languages	In addition to the languages already available in Blackboard (English, Spanish, Italian, French, German, Portuguese, and Dutch) simplified Chinese and Japanese will also be available.

Turnitin Will Continue To Be Available

Turnitin will continue to be available on campus for plagiarism detection. Grademark, however, will not be available. If there is significant demand for it on campus it may be relicensed.

The link to Turnitin in Blackboard is not currently operational. You can still use Turnitin via the Web site: http://www.turnitin.com. Call 422-5008 to get the information you need to set up your account.

Continuing Improvement in Campus Technology

A faculty questionnaire about campus technology needs will be distributed during fall semester 2008, to assess campus demand for various technologies. Please share your opinion if you are selected to participate in this survey as the results will be used in the resource planning process. If you are not chosen to participate in the random sample, you can still contact your Teaching & Learning Consultant to share your opinions about campus technology needs.

ADDITIONAL VIDEO TUTORIALS FROM BLACKBOARD

http://www.blackboard.com/quicktutorials/quicktutorials.htm

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Mind over matter: Transforming course management systems into effective learning environments. by Carmean, Colleen and Haefner, Jeremy

Ten Principles of Effective Teaching and Practical Examples for the Classroom and Blackboard. by Barbra Kerns, et al

Teaching with Blackboard Podcasts from Northern Illinois University.

Best Practices from the BYU Center for Teaching & Learning.

General

• Explain use of Blackboard for your class in your syllabus.
• Plan and organize material before uploading to Blackboard.
• Create FAQ for your class.
• Consider technical requirements when uploading PowerPoint or WordPerfect, not all students will have access.
• If you create a document on a Mac, add the appropriate extension when you name a document (syllabus.doc).
• Demonstrate navigation of your Blackboard if you have access in your classroom.
• Answer student’s technical questions ASAP.
• Use Virtual Classroom (or Lightweight Chat) to hold virtual office hours for students who need extra help.
• Provide example essays, papers, or assignments.

Discussion Board

• Students may post questions/comments regarding any topic discussed in class.
• Can use board for “getting to know you” greetings and responses.
• Create a Questions board so students can ask about the policies and procedures in class.
• Let students know you will comment occasionally.
• Thank students with insightful responses publicly.
• Students can get to know each other on the discussion board, pictures may also be used.

Groups

• To reduce postings on the Discussion Board, divide class into groups. Their consensus will then be posted on the general board.
• Group members should rotate being the moderator and synthesizer.
• Create an individual group for each student so they may reflect on their learning with only the teacher being able to see it.

Announcements

• Post general, timely feedback about quizzes and exams.
• Post “administrative” information (changes to assignments, due dates, etc.) to save class time.
• May include “teasers” or “leads” for next class (next class you’ll find out…).

E-mail

• State in syllabus how often you check your e-mail.
• Send personal e-mail to students before class begins.
• Ask students to e-mail their own definitions, concepts, or ideas regarding the next topic.
• Students e-mail about what was difficult to understand or if they have personal insights from a textbook.
• Keep a file of all e-mails and ask students to do the same.
• Use auto-response so students know their e-mail was received.

External Links

• Make external links open into a new browser window.

Digital Drop Box

• This area does not allow comments. To provide feedback on student papers, use Track Changes in Word.
• Order cannot be changed.

Exams/Quizzes

• Set a time limit if you don’t want students using their books. Create a penalty if they do go over time.
• Give partial credit by typing 0.5 in the Gradebook.

Examples of Great Blackboard Use

• Secret Partner: German students were assigned a partner from their class whose identity they didn’t know. On the discussion board, they asked their partner questions (in German) to discover their identity.
• Mock Constitutional Convention: In a history class, an imaginary country was created. Students were assigned different roles of people who were creating the government for the country. They would “debate” their position on various topics on the discussion board.
• Virtual Magazine: One professor used the discussion board as a virtual magazine. The students were assigned to attend one live concert during the semester. They later wrote a review of the concert and posted it on the discussion board. The students enjoyed reading and responding to each others’ reviews–especially when there were two opposing views on the same concert.
• Diagnosis Practice: For a pharmacy class, the students were presented with a clinical complaint. They used the discussion board to assess the patient and post an appropriate treatment plan.
• “Pulse” Survey: One professor uses the assessment manager to create a “pulse survey.” He posts a single survey question at the end of each week asking students to rate, on a scale of one to ten, how life in his class has been that week. Low numbers mean the students feel that the pace of the class is too slow. High numbers mean that things are out of control. A number slightly above the middle means that students feel challenged but not overwhelmed. If the professor notices that students are feeling overwhelmed with his course, he discusses the situation in class and makes appropriates modifications or provides necessary help.