Posters and Slides from the 2011 Blackboard World Conference

At the Blackboard World conference in July 2011, several of the e-Learning Center’s staff, along with other Northern Arizona University colleagues, gave poster sessions or presentations that were well received and generated a lot of interest among conference attendees. By request, we’re making the posters available in a downloadable size (17 x 11 inches, .pdf). Click on each small poster image below to see the larger .pdf version. The posters were created by the e-Learning Center’s Creative Design Group. PowerPoint slides (.pptx) are also available for one presentation.

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Listening to Student Voices: Assessing and Responding to Students’ Experiences with Blackboard Learn

A poster session by Dr. Sue Pieper, Coordinator of Assessment,
and Don Carter, Director

Last year, as part of a pilot project in which Northern Arizona University investigated Blackboard Learn for possible adoption as the university’s learning management system, we surveyed our students, asking them about their experiences in using Blackboard Learn in the pilot courses. The results of that survey are summarized on the poster along with recommendations for Blackboard and for other institutions that are considering using Blackboard Learn.

Complete survey results are available in the full research report.

View the poster (17″ x 11″ .pdf).

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The Pedagogical Opportunities of Mobile Technologies: iPads and Kindles in the Classroom

A poster session by Dr. John Doherty, Instructional Designer,
and Kevin Ketchner, Librarian, Cline Library

With mobile devices beginning to enter the classroom, students are only two finger-swipes away from the game Angry Birds Rio, or YouTube, or any number of other popular diversions. Ketchner and Doherty describe how to use mobile apps and tools in ways that engage students in class and encourage student interaction with peers, instructors, and content. They provide examples of appropriate and effective choices that can enhance learning.

View the poster (17″ x 11″ .pdf).

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(R)eflective Learning: The Experience of Journaling from Campus Edition to Bb Learn

A poster session by Dr. John Doherty, Instructional Designer,
and Kevin Ketchner, Librarian, Cline Library

This poster is organized around Dee Fink’s Creating Significant Learning Experiences (Jossey-Bass, 2003). Ketchner and Doherty deconstruct Fink’s model, presenting an application and example of how online journaling can enhance students’ critical
reflection, self-reflection, thinking, and metacognition. They contend that reflective learning through journaling leads to insight and significant learning experiences for students.

View the poster (17″ x 11″ .pdf).

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From Vista 8 to Blackboard Learn 9.1— Lessons
Learned and Tips for Success

A presentation by Dan Stoffel, Assistant Director,
and Erin Shelley, Blackboard Learn System Administrator

Northern Arizona University has just made the transition from Blackboard Vista 8 (formerly WebCT Vista) to Blackboard Learn 9.1. The process of moving to a new learning management system includes the migration of nearly 2000 courses from the old system to the new. This presentation describes NAU’s course migration process and suggests strategies for other institutions who are following a similar path.

Download the PowerPoint slides (.pptx).

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Pedagogy and Online Learning: Training Users on Backward Design

A presentation by Dr. John Doherty, Instructional Designer,
and Wally Nolan, Instructional Designer

The design and development of online content is sometimes too focused on the learning management system rather than on students’ learning. The backward design approach, described well in Understanding by Design by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe (Pearson, 2006), helps instructors begin with the end—learning—in mind. This presentation described self-paced online tutorials that guide instructors and course creators to align their learning objectives, assessments, and learning activities independent of a learning management system.

A Tweet a Day Keeps the Swine Flu Away

by Lorraine B. Elder

Okay, Twitter is not really the new Tamiflu, but educational technology and social media are useful tools in combating the effects of sweeping illness. The World Health Organization has declared a flu pandemic, meaning widespread human H1N1 infection is occurring. Many colleges are bracing for large numbers of flu-related absences among staff and students. Wise faculty members are planning ahead to ensure continuity of classes in the event that either they or their students are felled by flu. Here are some steps you can take.

Use Officially Supported Tools

First, try using officially supported tools at your campus. At Northern Arizona University, we recommend using Blackboard Vista for posting class materials, iTunes U for distributing podcasts, Elluminate for live web conferences, and classlists.nau.edu for sending bulk emails to all students enrolled in a class.

Use Social Media

Then in addition to those tools, consider using social media—your blog, a class wiki, Twitter—to communicate frequently with your students if you or a large number of them are ill and can’t come to class. Just be sure to tell students which social media you’re using. Blogs are good for pushing information out to students while also giving them a mechanism for offering comments and feedback. Wikis are especially good for allowing students to complete group projects even if one or more group members get sick, and by collaborating online, sick students reduce the risk of infecting their classmates. If you designate a hashtag for your class, Twitter can serve as a chat tool and discussion board.

Use File Formats Accessible to All Students

Students don’t all have access to the same versions of software that you do, so avoid posting your class materials in formats that require proprietary software. For example, you might have the latest version of Microsoft Word, but your students might have an older version or no version at all, which means they won’t be able to open your .docx files. Instead, convert your class materials to web pages that students can view in a browser. In a pinch, you can convert documents to PDFs, which students can view using Adobe Reader or other free PDF viewers. But keep accessibility in mind for students who use screen readers or other assistive technology.

Record Short, Targeted Podcasts or Webcasts

While we don’t advocate recording entire class-length lectures, we do suggest scripting and recording short (no more than 5–10 minutes each) talks or demonstrations focused on a single key point or topic in your course. Audio recordings are fine for some subjects. Others, particularly demonstrations, lend themselves to video recordings. Be sure to include transcripts, and tell students where to find the recordings. If you have access to iTunes U, post them there. If not, post them in your learning management system or on your blog.

Communicate

At the outset of your class, tell students how you will communicate with them if you become ill, and tell them which communication channels they should use to let you know when they’re sick. Take a look at the Communication Toolkit for Institutions of Higher Education. Above all, be flexible and understanding with your students. Remember that the H1N1 virus seems to affect younger people more strongly than older people, so instead of giving students grief for missing class, send them some virtual chicken soup.

Ask for Help

Most campuses have support organizations that can help you figure out which kinds of educational technology are appropriate for you and your students. Don’t hesitate to ask for guidance.

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