At many universities, the Blackboard subject site is the primary interface for the student learning experience. If the site is poorly organised, students do not know how to navigate the learning experience, such as when to engage with what content. If assessment criteria are minimally indicated, the quality of submissions suffers. If no tools are used to foster interaction, the learning experience becomes isolating. Conversely, when Bb sites are effectively designed and maintained, the quality of the student learning experience tends to be high. The quality of Bb sites varies across universities and within programs of study. Students who experience a well-designed site in their first semesters come to expect this standard in subsequent semesters. Bond University thereby undertook a whole-of-university strategic priority project to improve 180 Bb subject sites in 180 days. Associate Deans (Learning & Teaching) in each faculty selected the sites. The initial quality of the sites varied, with many assessed as initially high quality, meaning that improvement meant moving from strength to strength and focusing on elements such as increasing elements of technology enhanced learning. The co-facilitators of this presentation are the academic developers who worked one-on-one with each of the participating academics. Therefore, from their perspectives, the key takeaways for attending delegates will be: - Identification of challenges and stumbling blocks, as well as success strategies - Checklists and professional development materials - Illustration of before and after improvements as exemplars - Ideas for increasing elements of technology enhanced learning - Templates for emails, announcements and other communications

1. Sandra Thwaites – Educational developer – Bond University
180 sites in 180 days

2. iLearn Improvement Project – The plan
To improve 180 iLearn subject sites by end of 2016.
The main aims of the project:
• To improve and develop low-use and poorly rated iLearn sites,
• Assisting and upskilling of academics, enabling them to create a more interesting and
effective iLearn subject sites
• Ultimate aim of improving student experience.
2

3. iLearn Improvement Project – Delays
3
4 month delay on starting the project
• Insufficient appropriately qualified and experienced staff – 3 month delay
• Original scoping of the project was very loose – 1 month tight scoping and
project planning /development
• Communication filtering through the faculties was patchy, causing:
o Additional delays – between 1-3 months for 2 faculties
o Nervous academics – some refused to participate, not understanding what was being offered
o Lack of coordination within the faculties –
o Miscommunication between ADLT’s/supervisors and academics
o Incorrectly allocated subjects to academics
o Busy schedules, clashing timetables

4. iLearn Improvement Project - Implementation
• Academics/subjects chosen by faculty ADLT – 45 per faculty
• IIP Team members each allocated 2 faculties
• 3 X 1 hour, one-on-one sessions with each academic:
o Coaching in basic development skills as needed
o Supplying advice around content arrangement and suitability
• Production of a professionally produced video
• IIP Team development of:
o Learning modules from existing academic developed content
o Mini tutorials for specific tasks
o Presentation templates (PPT, docx)
4

5. iLearn Improvement Project – Specifics*
The IIP was designed to include a number of features in each iLearn site, including:
1. An introductory (or other) video for each subject.
2. Application of the Bond University iLearn template,
3. Ensuring the subject site content matches the approved subject outline.
4. Formatting of the content to create a visually pleasing
and logical arrangement of teaching material.
5. Technology enhancements to suit the subject/academic.
*Developed from a mini site evaluation audit
5

6. iLearn Improvement Project
6

7. Announcement page:
Personalised Banners
Visual improvements

8. Biomedicine Banner

9. Film and TV Banner

10. Biomedicine Banner

11. International Business Banner

12. International Relations Banner

13. Sports Management Banner

14. Criminology Banner

15. International Relations Banner

16. Criminology Banner

17. General Information display:
Subject overview
Contact details
Subject schedule
Additional resources
UX improvements

18. Introduction page – with image

19. Introduction page – with image

20. Contacts page

21. Contacts page

22. Subject Schedule

23. Subject Schedule

24. Textbooks and other resources

25. Textbooks and other resources

26. Presentation and Assessment:
Weekly content
Assessment overview
Content Restructure

27. Weekly content folders

28. Weekly content – Lectures, Tutorials, Readings, Labs etc.

29. Weekly topic folders

30. Weekly topics – Lectures, Tutorials, Readings, Labs etc.

31. Weekly content folder – graphic options

32. Weekly content – Graphic options

33. Assessment overview table

34. Assessment overview – Graphic option with image

35. Assessment overview – Graphic option with header bar

36. Embedded criteria sheet

37. Video and Podcast :
Introductory video
Audio podcast/screen recording
Skills training video
Other video components
Technological Enhancements

38. Introductory Video

39. Topic Specific Video – Assessment requirements

40. Topic Specific Video – Lecture information

41. Topic Specific Video – Concept explanation/skills training

42. Technological Enhancements:
Streaming video page
Choose your own adventure
Skills training video
Bonus Features

43. Streaming Video using Office 365 Video Channels

44. Choose your own adventure – Using Google Forms

45. Project status report:
Signoff process
Feedback
Scoping and real-life results
Current Status

46. iLearn Improvement Project - Sign off process
The first wave of iLearn sites are reaching the final stages:
• Each site goes through a 3 stage, 13 point checklist before
official sign off, in addition to written approval from the
academic involved.
• Participation is recorded for professional development.
• Each academic is formally congratulated when the sign-off
process is complete, initially via email, then awarded their
certificate of completion at an end of year event.

47. iLearn Improvement Project - Feedback so far
• Feedback from academics has been overwhelmingly positive.
• The faculties have embraced the project and are generating a positive buzz within the
University about the possibilities it offers.
• Many academics have taken advantage of the opportunity for subject renewal and are
rethinking some of their teaching approaches as well as the most suitable resources
needed for their subject.
47

48. iLearn Improvement Project - Feedback so far
This opportunity has allowed for other beneficial processes to begin, such as:
• Access of our videographers to create supplementary teaching videos.
• Learning new software to create podcasts and Camtasia videos.
• Creation of online criteria marking and rubrics.
• Reassessing the effectiveness of learning outcomes against teaching material
and student expectations.
48

49. iLearn Improvement Project - Analytics (A tiny sample)
49
BMED11-110:LAWS13-529:

50. iLearn Improvement Project - Real-life results
The 64 million dollar question… did we do it? 180 sites in 180 days...
•The short answer is:
•No 
•Not yet…
•But we’re not even half way there 
•At the 5 month mark we have just over 100 sites
in the project with 20% completed, and a
substantial number nearing completion (approx. 30%).
50

51. 51

52. 52
And finally…
Questions?