Building Community with
Blackboard Collaborate
TWU Regional Supplemental Instruction Conference
Heidi Collins
Managing Limited Cognitive Resources During Learning
PRINCIPLES AND PROCESSES OF LEARNING
Knowledge Construction
Based on three principles from research in
cognitive science:
• Dual channels
• Limited capacity
• Active processing
Demands on Cognitive Processing Capacity
Challenge
Description
Solution
Examples
Too much
Extraneous
Processing
The mental load
exceeds mental
capacity
Decrease
extraneous
processing
Use audio to
describe complex
visuals
Too much Essential
Processing
The content is
complex and
exceeds mental
capacity
Reduce content
complexity
Segment content
into small chunks
Insufficient
Generative
Processing
The learner is not
engaged in
sufficient
processing
Promote
psychological
engagement
Add practice
activities
Principles of Multimedia Learning
•
•
•
•
•
Coherence Principle
Signaling Principle
Redundancy Principle
Spatial Contiguity Principle
Temporal Contiguity
Principle
• Segmenting Principle
•
•
•
•
Pre-training Principle
Modality Principle
Multimedia Principle
Personalization
Principle
• Voice Principle
• Image Principle
Multimedia Learning (Cambridge Press, 2001)
Poll
The Pre-Training Principle is:
A. People learn better from words and pictures than
from words alone.
B. People learn better when extraneous words,
pictures and sounds are excluded rather than
included.
C. People learn better from a multimedia lesson when
they know the names and characteristics of the
main concepts.
Blackboard Collaborate Example
CREATING A LEARNING COMMUNITY
Blackboard Collaborate Sessions
Typical scenarios where Blackboard Collaborate
can be used to support learning and
assessment:
• Instructor-led presentation sessions
• Student presentation sessions
• Conference presentation sessions
• Private sessions
Step 1: Define purpose and outcomes
Create a virtual classroom to review a concept or a tool that
includes one or more:
• Student engagement around content
• Presentations and demonstrations
• Students collaborating in groups
• Students creating content and building on shared content
• Student reflections
Step 2: Align with purpose
Example - Introduce students to Blackboard Collaborate:
1. Provide students with an introduction to Blackboard Collaborate
that includes an overview and how to install the Blackboard
Collaborate Launcher
2. Schedule and record a Blackboard Collaborate Introduction
Session
Blackboard Collaborate Course Module
Blackboard Collaborate Course Module
Step 3: Structure, plan, prepare and design
Example: Consider the activities to complete in Blackboard Collaborate for
participants to become familiar with the feature and allowing them to practice
various tasks.
Blackboard Collaborate Course Module
Step 4: Define roles and responsibilities
Example: Knowing that students will not have reviewed all the
Blackboard Collaborate material and training guides there will need
to be time devoted to technical support, answering questions, and
to demonstrating Blackboard Collaborate features. The moderator
(instructor) will lead and facilitate the entire session.
Blackboard Collaborate Course Module
Schedule the Blackboard Collaborate Introduction session to review
Blackboard Collaborate functions with students. Post an
announcement with the day and time that the Blackboard
Collaborate Introduction session will be held. Students will be able
to join the session from:
1. The link in the Announcement
2. The Scheduled Session from Tools > Blackboard Collaborate Page
3. The Course Link in the Blackboard course (see example above)
Step 5: Ensure processes exist
There are several components that are working together in the Blackboard
Collaborate example:
1. The Blackboard Collaborate Course Module is available in the Blackboard
course and all the links work as expected
2. The Blackboard Collaborate Introduction session has been created and
scheduled
3. An announcement has been sent to students about the Blackboard
Collaborate Introduction session
4. The Blackboard Collaborate Introduction session is recorded
5. A course link is added to the Blackboard Collaborate Course Module to the
Blackboard Collaborate Introduction session for students who were not able to
attend to watch.
Step 6: Be creative and innovative
Spend some time reviewing the results of the Blackboard
Collaborate session and consider:
1. What questions did students ask frequently?
2. Were students able to complete the pre-session activities?
3. Were students able to participate effectively in the live session?
4. Were students able to review the recording?
5. What would you do differently next time?
Blackboard Collaborate – Integrated into Blackboard Learn @ TWU
Heidi Collins – hcollins@twu.edu
THANK YOU