What Is Blackboard & Why Would I Want

What is Blackboard & Why Would I Want to Use it?
South East Saskatchewan Teachers’ Convention
November 9 – 10, 2009
Peggy Lawson
Instructional Technology Consultant
South East Cornerstone School Division
This presentation is available at
www.cornerstonesd.ca/convention

What is Blackboard?
A content management system (learning management system)
A way to deliver & receive content
Interactive
Other CMS - WebCT, Moodle

SE Cornerstone Uses Bb for . . .
Online Classes
Bb is the online classroom for both synchronous & asynchronous classes

Online Classes
F2F classes

Online Classes
F2F classes
Blackboard as school web site

Online Classes
F2F classes
School Clubs and Organization

Online Classes
F2F classes
School Clubs and Organization
Staff Communication
Post staff documents & discussions

Professional Development
SECSD Organizations & PLC Groups
Curriculum, Student Services, Administrators, . . .

Professional Development
SECSD Organizations & PLC Groups
Curriculum, Student Services, Administrators, . . .
Convention materials
http://www.cornerstonesd.ca/convention

What Can Blackboard Do for… Me?
Separate Bb class for each F2F class, or 1 Bb class with subsections for each F2F class
H1N1 – Keep absent students up-to-date
Repository for class handouts & other content
Multimedia presentations
Deliver and receive assignments

What Can Blackboard Do for… Me?
Create online assessments
Post web links for classes
Student blogs & journals & portfolios
Post materials for a substitute
Sharing class materials between teachers
Rethink how you spend your class time

Move lecture materialout of the classroom through online delivery.
Move “homework” into the classroom where the instructor can serve as “guide.”
Extend conversation outside of class through threaded discussion
Use opened up time for discussion and practice.
www.fontbonne.edu/downloads/TheClassroomFlip.ppt

What Can Blackboard Do for… Students?
Course material available 24/7
@ home & school
Review materials before tests
Online quizzes & tests can provide immediate feedback
Multimedia possibilities – increased engagement
Discussion boards, blogs & journals

What Can Blackboard Do for… Parents?
Communication!!
Upcoming events
School announcements & newsletters
Student homework
Showcase student work in a protected environment
Open organizations vs closed classes

Key Components – Content Delivery
Announcements
Course materials
External web links
Module pages
Calendar

Announcements
Course materials
class syllabus, notes, handouts, other content
External web links
Module pages
Calendar

Announcements
Course materials
External web links
Module pages
Calendar

Announcements
Course
External web links
Multimedia presentations - sample
Module pages
Calendar

Announcements
Course materials
External web links
Module pages
Can contain a variety of modules – Alerts, dictionary, calculator, What’s New, My Tasks, Needs Attention, Thesaurus, Report Card, To Do
Calendar

Announcements
Course materials
External web links
Module pages
Calendar

Key Components - Assessment
Tests & Surveys – sample
Some question types auto correcting
Assignment tool
electronic distribution & receiving assignments
Self & Peer Assessment
Safe Assign (Plagarism checker)
Grade Center

Key Components - Assessment
Tests & Surveys
Some question types auto correcting
Assignment tool
electronic distribution & receiving assignments
Self & Peer Assessment
Safe Assign (Plagarism checker)
Grade Center

Key Components - Collaboration
Discussion Boards - sample
Give more time for reflection prior to posting
Encourages greater feedback from other students
Encourages students who don’t normally participate in classroom discussions to have a voice
Blogs & Journals
Provide opportunity for students to express ideas & develop writing skills
Other enrolled members can read & comment
Groups
File exchange; private discussion boards

Key Components - Collaboration
Discussion Boards
Give more time for reflection prior to posting
Encourages greater feedback from other students
Encourages students who don’t normally participate in classroom discussions to have a voice
Blogs & Journals
Provide opportunity for students to express ideas & develop writing skills
Other enrolled members can read & comment
Groups
File exchange; private discussion boards

Key Components - ePortfolios
Currently a pilot project for Grade 9 Career Education

Other Components
Learning Modules
allow you to define the flow of content released to the student
a structured path – can be sequential or non-sequential
Adaptive Release
Performance dashboard
Tracking statistics
Early warning system

Other Components
Learning Modules
Adaptive Release

Rules you create to control release of content
Great potential for differentiated instruction

Tracking statistics

Other Components
Learning Modules
Adaptive Release
provides an up-to-date report on the activity for all students
Last class access & days since last class access
Review status & Adaptive release
Discussion board & View Grades
Early Warning System
Tracking statistics

Other Components
Learning Modules
Adaptive Release
Tracking statistics
provide information about Student activityActivity is tracked for the entire Class and can be viewed as a whole or for the following individual areas:
Content Areas, Groups, and by Topic

Other Components
Learning Modules
Adaptive Release
Tracking statistics
a rule-driven communication tool that sends email messages to Students and their Parents when the criteria for the rule is triggered. Rules can be based upon a test score, a due date, or Class access. Each notification message is fully customizable.

How Might I Use It?
1 Bb class for all F2F classes, with sections for individual subjects or 1 Bb class for each F2F subject?

How Might I Use It?
Should course be “open” or “closed”?

How Might I Use It?
Pros – just 1 Bb class for all F2F & Open
Easier to maintain, especially if just starting out
Can be “open” so students don’t need to be enrolled
Parents can more easily access
Cons
Cannot really use the Grade Center
Cannot use many tools such as discussion boards, blogs or journals, or groups
Privacy concerns

How Might I Use It?
Pros – just 1 Bb class for all F2F
Easier to maintain, especially if just starting out
Can be “open” so students don’t need to be enrolled
Parents can access
Cons
Grade Center only useful for receiving assignments
Cannot use many tools such as discussion boards, blogs or journals, or groups if students not actually enrolled
Privacy concerns

What Do I Need to Get Started?
Free Bb account
Student accounts
1 or more Bb classes
Content for your classes
For accounts & class creations contact your regional IT consultant (SECSD) or follow links from http://www.centralischool.ca for other school divisions

How Can I Learn to Use Bb?
Training from your IT consultant
SECSD Instructional Technology Bb Org –Online Learning in South East Cornerstone
http://www.cornerstonesd.ca/onlinelearning
Blackboard Resources section
Blackboard Quick Tutorials
http://www.blackboard.com/quicktutorials/quicktutorials.htm

Sample Classes
IP 10 - student checklist of assignments
Life Transitions 30– discussion boards, assignment tool
Math 20–
Math B30 - Lessons > Chapter 2 Data Analysis >Graphing Calculator Tutorial
Physics 30 - Unit 3C. Use of multimedia
Chemistry 30 -

Questions?
Presentation available for downloading from the convention website -
http://www.cornerstonesd.ca/convention