Creating and Sustaining Groups in Blackboard Jason Rhode, Assistant Director Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center

Agenda Brief introduction to Wimba Classroom collaboration tool Getting acquainted Principles of successful group collaborations in online learning environments Steps to configuring virtual groups in Blackboard Recommendations for success

Brief introduction to Wimba Classroom collaboration tool

Getting acquainted

Principles of successful group collaborations in online learning environments

Steps to configuring virtual groups in Blackboard

Recommendations for success

Session Objectives Discuss pitfalls and possibilities of online group collaborations View examples of virtual group configurations in Blackboard Explore the various group tools available in Blackboard Consider the advanced possibilities available when incorporating adaptive release rules

Discuss pitfalls and possibilities of online group collaborations

View examples of virtual group configurations in Blackboard

Explore the various group tools available in Blackboard

Consider the advanced possibilities available when incorporating adaptive release rules

Why Groups?

Questions to Consider What is the biggest challenge to using groups in the face-to-face environment? What do you suspect would be the biggest challenge in fostering group collaboration in the online learning environment?

What is the biggest challenge to using groups in the face-to-face environment?

What do you suspect would be the biggest challenge in fostering group collaboration in the online learning environment?

7 Problems Student antipathy towards group work The selection of groups Lack of essential group-work skills The free-rider Possible inequalities of student abilities The withdrawal of group members The assessment of individuals within the groups (Roberts & McInnerney, 2007)

Student antipathy towards group work

The selection of groups

Lack of essential group-work skills

The free-rider

Possible inequalities of student abilities

The withdrawal of group members

The assessment of individuals within the groups

Recommendations Provide clear expectations for participation (roles & rubrics) Have groups set and agree to expectations Sequential progress checks rather than final deliverable only Be prepared for free-riders Watch the size – not too large or too small

Provide clear expectations for participation (roles & rubrics)

Have groups set and agree to expectations

Sequential progress checks rather than final deliverable only

Be prepared for free-riders

Watch the size – not too large or too small

Recommendations Assess both individual and collective efforts Use self, peer, & group assessment techniques

Assess both individual and collective efforts

Use self, peer, & group assessment techniques

Setup in Blackboard Creating groups Adding members to groups Examples of advanced group setups

Creating groups

Adding members to groups

Examples of advanced group setups

Sources / More Information http://www.citeulike.org/user/jrhode/tag/groups http://www.niu.edu/blackboard/groups

http://www.citeulike.org/user/jrhode/tag/groups

http://www.niu.edu/blackboard/groups