APM Welcome, APM North West Network Conference, Synergies Across Sectors
Want to know how to use Blackboard? Use Blackboard.
1. Want to know how to use Blackboard?
Use Blackboard.
How do you use
Blackboard?
You just use Blackboard.
2. The problems BA
Some new staff can’t
make it to face-to-face
training sessions
Some new staff don’t
[think they] need
formal training
Some new staff only
need Blackboard for
specific tasks
All staff seemed to lack
awareness about the
online help available
3. The proposed solution
Self-guided
introduction to
duo course
GO
Options to develop competencies
step-by-step or dip in and out
Demonstration of
Blackboard tools in context
All staff who joined since July
2017 enrolled as Students
4. Learning design: experiential learning
Kolb (1984)experience reflective
observation
conceptualisation
active
experimentation
Hello to John Dewey
7. Structure and organisation: experiential learning
experience
as a student
reflective
observation
conceptualisation
active
experimentation
Avoided using complicated
functionality or hacks so that
most features could be replicated
Informed by University minimum
standards for module sites
Demonstrated good practice
Prompts to consider how
experience as a student
could be applied to practice
as a staff member
on their own,
hopefully!
Frequent opportunities to try
things out on Sandpit site
8. Structure and organisation: self-directed learning
Follow learning pathway
or dip in & out
Consistent
structureSignposting
icons
Try it out
Unit
completion
confirmation
12. Connections
Guides and videos on our
Digital Learning & Teaching site
Guides and videos on the
Blackboard Help site
Guidance & resources on
University and external sites
Research and scholarship
14. Development, production and launch
Production Launch
Audit of
resources
Producing
new
resources
Constructing
pages
Testing
as
student
Thinking
Rough
outline
Sample
pages
Team
feedback
University-
wide email
Development
Green is not a
creative colour
15. What the users did: course stats
Launch
25 Sept
Email
6 Oct
1 Nov Survey sent
1 Dec
Wow look, a
line graph!
16. What the users did: course stats
62 visited more than
just the first page
18 return visitors
4 more than twice
0 posts
on blog, journal, wiki, discussion board
296 hits in
content areas
79unique
visitors
12% of enrolled users
17. What the users said: survey
8 didn’t know it was there
Wow look, a
bar chart!
1 was browsing
was looking for something & trying activities
4felt they didn’t need an introduction
How long did you spend on the Self-guided introduction to duo site in total?
18. What the users said
No ‘Disagree/Strongly disagree’ for any of the quality questions.
One person asked for closed captions rather than transcripts.Survey
One ‘Very useful’ vote on the site itselfEvaluation
One face-to-face session attendee said ‘The self-training
made this session somewhat redundant.’Feedback
19. Lessons learnt
Welcome page could be more inviting
Some elements of Blackboard just aren’t very nice to look at
As topics got more complex, the pages got messier
Digital style!
THE
UGLY
20. Lessons learnt
Staff awareness seemed to be quite low
…email communication helped but obviously wasn’t enough
…we can’t easily tell which new staff members need to use duo
THE
BAD
Should caption all videos
21. Lessons learnt
Opportunity to check completeness of existing resources
…which helped to fill in gaps
…and avoid replication
TH
E
Those who engaged found it useful
Using only resources available to all University staff
meant that it was low-cost and less time-intensive
GREAT
ER
GO
OD
22. Questions
References
Knowles, M. (1975) Self-Directed Learning: A Guide for Learners and Teachers. New York: Association Press.
Kolb, D. (2015) Experiential learning : experience as the source of learning and development. 2nd edn. Upper Saddle River,
New Jersey: Pearson Education.
Seimans, G. (2005) ‘Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age’. International Journal of Instructional Technology
and Distance Learning, 2(1).
Images
Computery guy: Deviant Art/CoolioArt
Lego figure: Flickr/Andrew Becraft (edited: transparent background)
All of other images sourced from copyright- and attribution-waived sites
@crnolangrant
Notes de l'éditeur
Connectivist
Perpetual site for staff to access whenever they need to
Flags where guidance for using the current item can be found
Points to practical guidance on our blog
Points to further scholarship and advice
Connects new staff across the institution (theoretically!)
University colour palette
Icons
Images
White space
BUT…Blackboard
Video
Interactive video
E-learning
Text items mostly reserved for important advice
Quiz
change in category didn’t seem to make a difference (but would they know how to sort by term anyway?
Also we couldn’t automatically choose to enrol staff who would use duo and those who wouldn’t