Empower and Enhance with Blackboard Course Templates and Community Modules

Editor's Notes

• #2 Image Credit: Tavis Murray BA (Hons) Graphic Design New Media, UCA Epsom
• #3 UCA came about in 2007 with the merging of: Kent Institute of Art & Design – KIAD Surrey Institute of Art and Design
• #6 2 learning technologists have been in place since 2007 We have moved around since 2010… Began in the Faculty of Learning & Teaching (until that was disbanded 2012) Moved into the Library’s ‘Central Service’s department for 1 year Currently in the Centre for Digital Scholarship (another Library Department) Either way, we still do the same thing – enhance learning with technology and manage the VLE
• #7 Each of the 7 schools are scattered across all or some of the campuses FE has courses in each location whereas Architecture is taught at Canterbury and Farnham Fashion at Epsom and Rochester….. As so on… This logistical model means we work across all schools Practice is very much a joined-up and agreed process. Innovation is tried, tested and implemented Successful outputs are often multiplied across courses through recommendations at school boards
• #9 Helps advocate minimum requirements Helps staff upload content in a more ordered and structured way Helps with consistency across courses and units so both staff and students become familiar with a pattern of information finding Prompts and guides staff where information should be located (esp. new staff and sessional lecturers) Students arrive at university expecting to find everything they need from one central point… and get annoyed when this doesn’t happen
• #10 Helps advocate minimum requirements Helps staff upload content in a more ordered and structured way Helps with consistency across courses and units so both staff and students become familiar with a pattern of information finding Prompts and guides staff where information should be located (esp. new staff and sessional lecturers) Students arrive at university expecting to find everything they need from one central point… and get annoyed when this doesn’t happen
• #11 Preloaded L&T resources ensure: Teaching staff find relevant ‘point of need’ material Ideas and case studies of using technology to enhance learning Content only visible to instructors they need from one central point… and get annoyed when this doesn’t happen
• #12 Preloaded L&T resources ensure: Teaching staff find relevant ‘point of need’ material Ideas and case studies of using technology to enhance learning Content only visible to instructors they need from one central point… and get annoyed when this doesn’t happen
• #14 As a consequence students can often feel overwhelmed and lost if they arrive directly to the library website
• #15 There are a wealth of resources for students at UCA, including: eBooks, journals, images, online resources and TV broadcasts
• #17 Module content is tailored to the course’s subject area The bank of library modules cover the 12 creative disciplines taught at UCA A oneClick approach has addressed student’s concerns about too many clicks in the VLE Having direct links to library resources ensures students find them – last year’s library strategy was to make ‘Library Resources Discoverable’ Hopefully students have no more excuses for not finding the Library resources The Library Modules are completely sustainable - as they are managed centrally by the Library Being centrally located eliminates room for error and duplication, so the same module may be pinned to 10 courses and updated centrally in one place The efficiency of Library Modules have strengthened relationships and opened doors between academics and the Library
• #18 The Learning Tools modules can be: Updated centrally in Blackboard (not in the course areas) allowing all 1000 instances to be changed with one edit. Induction videos can be placed at the top of the module at the beginning of the year and move to the bottom after Xmas New tutorials/ learning packages can be featured very simply with immediate effect – using the announcement/course link tool to create awareness Address new trends in technology/learning university wide A reference point staff can direct students to – and a place staff can also learn! Provides a basic tool-kit for our creative students – as needs dictate Students get sense of value for money with the provision
• #19 Usage has shot up There was an increase of 19.5% in the usage of online resources from the autumn term in 2012/13 to the autumn term in 2013/14
• #20 The modules have provided clear benefits to staff and students Staff Quotes – Blue Student Quotes - Orange
• #22 Collaborative document provides: Game plan & inventory A sense of ownership & responsibility A snapshot of who’s doing what so people can work together building resources Identifies shortfalls in subject areas Documented management process https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uj5flX-GIoVb7qyMdBsf2u0-JuLrrdPUU_vGeC0HlLc/edit?usp=sharing
• #23 Collaborative document provides: A game plan and sense of order A sense of ownership and responsibility A snapshot of who’s doing what so people can work together building resources Identifies shortfalls in subject areas Much needed documentation for staff turnaround/organisational changes https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uj5flX-GIoVb7qyMdBsf2u0-JuLrrdPUU_vGeC0HlLc/edit?usp=sharing
• #25 Each year we audit every course’s engagement with learning technology Categorised into 4 distinct areas Comments to record distinct activity Snapshot of how each course uses the VLE and engages with technologies Allows us to pinpoint (& document) activity across all UCA’s courses
• #26 Demonstrate real one
• #27 Ask audience how they manage template content Ask audience how they use course modules Ask audience if they have any questions