Lessons Learned: Implementation of a Virtual Classroom at USM Amy Thornton, M.S. Mary Nell McNeese, Ph.D. The University of Southern Mississippi

The University of Southern Mississippi Approximately 16,000 students covering all campuses Hattiesburg and Gulf Coast campus 4 satellite campuses Course Management System Blackboard Learning System CE 6 (formally WebCT) Hosted Off-site

Approximately 16,000 students covering all campuses

Hattiesburg and Gulf Coast campus

4 satellite campuses

Course Management System

Blackboard Learning System CE 6 (formally WebCT)

Hosted Off-site

Why do we need a virtual classroom? Distance Learning program growth Long Beach campus wiped out by Katrina (no meeting space) Online enrollments up: Fully online courses (Spring 08): 225 Students enrolled in fully online courses (Spring 08): 4927 (38% growth from Spring 07) Course Supplements (Spring 08): 288 Students enrolled in course supplements (Spring 08): 5150 Totals: 513 courses using distance learning tools

Distance Learning program growth

Long Beach campus wiped out by Katrina (no meeting space)

Online enrollments up:

Fully online courses (Spring 08): 225

Students enrolled in fully online courses (Spring 08): 4927 (38% growth from Spring 07)

Course Supplements (Spring 08): 288

Students enrolled in course supplements (Spring 08): 5150

Totals:

513 courses using distance learning tools

Wimba Classroom Hosted off-site Integrated with Blackboard PowerLink

Hosted off-site

Integrated with Blackboard

PowerLink

Wimba Classroom Fully featured live virtual classroom that supports: Audio Video Application sharing Content display Interactive Polling Breakout Rooms E-board

Fully featured live virtual classroom that supports:

Audio

Video

Application sharing

Content display

Interactive Polling

Breakout Rooms

E-board

Phased Pilot Fall 2006 “Pilot” 1 course - managed outside of Blackboard Spring 2007 Pilot - 12 courses 10 inside Blackboard; 2 per college as selected by Deans 2 outside Blackboard Received all-day training by Wimba Added more faculty in March by invitation Summer 2007 - offered university-wide

Fall 2006 “Pilot”

1 course - managed outside of Blackboard

Spring 2007 Pilot - 12 courses

10 inside Blackboard; 2 per college as selected by Deans

2 outside Blackboard

Received all-day training by Wimba

Added more faculty in March by invitation

Summer 2007 - offered university-wide

Lessons Learned from Pilot Have faculty sign a contract to participate in the pilot Give the faculty your expectations at the beginning of the pilot and expected outcomes Provide incentives to the faculty (“goodies”)

Have faculty sign a contract to participate in the pilot

Give the faculty your expectations at the beginning of the pilot and expected outcomes

Provide incentives to the faculty (“goodies”)

Issues Do we integrate into Blackboard or use as a stand-alone product? How do we handle requests to use as a meeting room outside of courses? How do we handle guest presenters not affiliated with our institution?

Do we integrate into Blackboard or use as a stand-alone product?

How do we handle requests to use as a meeting room outside of courses?

How do we handle guest presenters not affiliated with our institution?

Authentication Manual account management Approximately 16,000 user accounts in Blackboard Privacy Course content delivery through e-mail Do we integrate into Blackboard?

Authentication

Manual account management

Approximately 16,000 user accounts in Blackboard

Privacy

Course content delivery through e-mail

Meeting Room Requests Use in Blackboard Activate Guest Access URL Request Form http://www.usm.edu/lec/des/forms/live_classroom_meetings/index.php

Use in Blackboard

Activate Guest Access URL

Request Form

http://www.usm.edu/lec/des/forms/live_classroom_meetings/index.php

Guest Presenters Used until ‘Promote to Presenter’ added in last upgrade Non-USM affiliates Privacy Statement Request Form http://www.usm.edu/lec/des/forms/live_classroom_guest_presenter/index.php Now… Faculty enable guest access Promote the guest presenter

Used until ‘Promote to Presenter’ added in last upgrade

Non-USM affiliates

Privacy Statement

Request Form

http://www.usm.edu/lec/des/forms/live_classroom_guest_presenter/index.php

Now…

Faculty enable guest access

Promote the guest presenter

Policy Training is not required but strongly recommended Faculty Support is provided by the Learning Enhancement Center Student Support is provided by iTech (IT Department) & Wimba 24/7 support line Rooms are only to be used within Blackboard (must have Bb account to use) There is no limitation on the amount of rooms a faculty member can create Provide listserv for communication and collaboration Guest Presenter Access Meeting Room Access

Training is not required but strongly recommended

Faculty Support is provided by the Learning Enhancement Center

Student Support is provided by iTech (IT Department) & Wimba 24/7 support line

Rooms are only to be used within Blackboard (must have Bb account to use)

There is no limitation on the amount of rooms a faculty member can create

Provide listserv for communication and collaboration

Guest Presenter Access

Meeting Room Access

Faculty Support & Training Started with one 3-hour session Offered Practice sessions Changed to 2 back-to-back sessions 1-hour Intro. 2-hour Advanced Current training 1.5-hour Intro. 2-hour Advanced 1-on-1 instructional design assistance In class instruction Training materials on Web site - http://www.usm.edu/lec

Started with one 3-hour session

Offered Practice sessions

Changed to 2 back-to-back sessions

1-hour Intro.

2-hour Advanced

Current training

1.5-hour Intro.

2-hour Advanced

1-on-1 instructional design assistance

In class instruction

Training materials on Web site - http://www.usm.edu/lec

Student Support Student FAQ Online Video Tutorials (in process) iTech helpdesk Wimba 24/7 Support Line

Student FAQ

Online Video Tutorials (in process)

iTech helpdesk

Wimba 24/7 Support Line

Best Practice Tips: To Get Started Letter to Students (good for fully online classes) Live “Reception” Start Slow Include Technology Requirements in Syllabus Be Prepared (plan ahead) Be flexible and adaptable Practice!!!

Letter to Students (good for fully online classes)

Live “Reception”

Start Slow

Include Technology Requirements in Syllabus

Be Prepared (plan ahead)

Be flexible and adaptable

Practice!!!

Best Practice Tips: In-Class (virtual) Lay out the ground rules Provide an agenda Give your students an opportunity to get used to the new class environment

Lay out the ground rules

Provide an agenda

Give your students an opportunity to get used to the new class environment

Best Practice Tips: Engage your Students Keep it Interactive Use polling questions Ask students to participate vocally Allow students to brainstorm in groups Give students something to do Require them to facilitate the discussion Require students to take turns taking notes on the whiteboard Require them to make a presentation

Keep it Interactive

Use polling questions

Ask students to participate vocally

Allow students to brainstorm in groups

Give students something to do

Require them to facilitate the discussion

Require students to take turns taking notes on the whiteboard

Require them to make a presentation

Best Practice Tips: Engage your Students Use videos, music, etc. Use Internet materials (e.g., virtual field trips, online museum exhibits, simulations Ask students to discuss their own experiences Invite industry professionals to be guest speakers

Use videos, music, etc.

Use Internet materials (e.g., virtual field trips, online museum exhibits, simulations

Ask students to discuss their own experiences

Invite industry professionals to be guest speakers

Best Practice Tips: Ways to use the eBoard Have students doodle before class Create a matching exercise Create a slide with a blank grid. Assign each student to a grid and perform a brainstorming exercise with the Text Tool Add an image of a map and ask students to use the Arrow Tool to indicate where they’re from. Invite students to be guest presenters. You push out the slides and they use the eBoard tools.

Have students doodle before class

Create a matching exercise

Create a slide with a blank grid. Assign each student to a grid and perform a brainstorming exercise with the Text Tool

Add an image of a map and ask students to use the Arrow Tool to indicate where they’re from.

Invite students to be guest presenters. You push out the slides and they use the eBoard tools.

Best Practice Tips: Group Work Tips Use the Break-Out Rooms Restrict to small groups (2 to 4 students) Assign a specific task Allow breakdown time Ensure participants have access to the break-out room Keep breakout sessions short Give precise instructions Assign specific projects or goals Assign a student as a Breakout Leader, to keep order and manage the agenda Give students a specific time when they should return Visit each breakout room to check on progress and answer any questions

Tips

Use the Break-Out Rooms

Restrict to small groups (2 to 4 students)

Assign a specific task

Allow breakdown time

Ensure participants have access to the break-out room

Keep breakout sessions short

Give precise instructions

Assign specific projects or goals

Assign a student as a Breakout Leader, to keep order and manage the agenda

Give students a specific time when they should return

Visit each breakout room to check on progress and answer any questions

Best Practice Tips: Break-Out Rooms Uses Bring back for a short presentation by group spokesperson Have group lead class discussion Discuss assigned topics Brainstorm in smaller groups Work on a specific project or assignment Work in a ‘lab’ environment Develop problem-solving skills

Uses

Bring back for a short presentation by group spokesperson

Have group lead class discussion

Discuss assigned topics

Brainstorm in smaller groups

Work on a specific project or assignment

Work in a ‘lab’ environment

Develop problem-solving skills

Best Practice Tips: Video Keep in mind your student’s connection speed Web cam (live video) Make the most out of it Train yourself to look at the camera Use gestures and motions the same way you would in a f2f environment If not using, post still pictures to get that human connection Recorded Video Require to watch before hand Take a break to allow to watch

Keep in mind your student’s connection speed

Web cam (live video)

Make the most out of it

Train yourself to look at the camera

Use gestures and motions the same way you would in a f2f environment

If not using, post still pictures to get that human connection

Recorded Video

Require to watch before hand

Take a break to allow to watch

General Best Practice Tips Have required & optional chats Have optional sessions for extra credit Get student feedback Limit sessions to 12 or less students Beware of dead air Students get nervous when they can’t see or hear anything Keep the class moving…always have something going on

Have required & optional chats

Have optional sessions for extra credit

Get student feedback

Limit sessions to 12 or less students

Beware of dead air

Students get nervous when they can’t see or hear anything

Keep the class moving…always have something going on

Academic Uses Make-up credit Prep for midterm/final exams Student “group work” Guest Speakers Ask-a-librarian session Office hours Accommodate different learning styles

Make-up credit

Prep for midterm/final exams

Student “group work”

Guest Speakers

Ask-a-librarian session

Office hours

Accommodate different learning styles

Academic Uses Cont. Recording of presentations (live and pre-recorded) Make portable with downloadable mp3 Office Hours IVN Integration During and after disasters (e.g. Katrina) F2F integration

Recording of presentations (live and pre-recorded)

Make portable with downloadable mp3

Office Hours

IVN Integration

During and after disasters (e.g. Katrina)

F2F integration

Non-academic Uses Staff Meetings Orientations (e.g., Residence Life, Library) Social Networking Meetings w/ non-affiliates Professional Presentations Training and Professional Development MS Wimba User’s Group Student Organizations Faculty/Staff Interviews

Staff Meetings

Orientations (e.g., Residence Life, Library)

Social Networking

Meetings w/ non-affiliates

Professional Presentations

Training and Professional Development

MS Wimba User’s Group

Student Organizations

Faculty/Staff Interviews

Evaluation Review your archives to see what worked and didn’t work and what improvements can be made Ask your students what they liked and didn’t like during the session (use an anonymous poll question) Always be open to change and improvement Don’t be afraid to ask for help!

Review your archives to see what worked and didn’t work and what improvements can be made

Ask your students what they liked and didn’t like during the session (use an anonymous poll question)

Always be open to change and improvement

Don’t be afraid to ask for help!

Where are we now? Working on: Providing more online support materials for students Using Wimba Classroom to conduct workshops for our faculty at our other campuses Research Project – surveying 20 institutions on “Use and Impact of Wimba Classroom in Higher Education” Approximately 90 faculty & staff have used Wimba Classroom Inserting into IVN rooms to incorporate others types of video and for archiving Mississippi Wimba User’s Group

Working on:

Providing more online support materials for students

Using Wimba Classroom to conduct workshops for our faculty at our other campuses

Research Project – surveying 20 institutions on “Use and Impact of Wimba Classroom in Higher Education”

Approximately 90 faculty & staff have used Wimba Classroom

Inserting into IVN rooms to incorporate others types of video and for archiving

Mississippi Wimba User’s Group

Questions

Contact Information Amy Thornton, M.S. 601-266-6197 [email_address] Mary Nell McNeese, Ph.D. 601-266- 4562 [email_address]

Amy Thornton, M.S.

601-266-6197

[email_address]

Mary Nell McNeese, Ph.D.

601-266- 4562

[email_address]