Blackboard Breeding – Case
Study on Strategic
Development – Multiple
Websites
Paul Worthington
Mark Graber
Curtin University
School of Information Systems
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Agenda
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Presenter Background
Introduction
Course Overview
Perceived Benefits
Potential Issues
Course Pedagogy
Administration Strategies
Lessons Learned
Future Directions
Questions
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Presenter Background
Paul Worthington
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Lecturer
Unit Controller
PHD Candidate
WEBCT / Blackboard
Administrator
Computer Security
Auditing
Web Designer / Master
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Presenter Background
Mark Graber
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Lecturer
Unit Controller
Web Designer / Master
Mathematics Educator
WEBCT / Blackboard
Administrator
Commencing Phd
Candidacy
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Introduction
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Some things are just too important to ignore
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Anticipating lecturer needs as an online instructor and the
student’s needs as an electronic learner will provide for a
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more efficient educational experience.
Integrate high levels of interactivity Students work
collaboratively, cooperatively on assignments. Online should
not mean correspondence.
Have a complete course curriculum and orientation that will
insure students get off to a good start.
Central management of the network – A technical support
resource team is available for troubleshooting. An ideal support
system includes help lines for students provided by the host
institution, standardised software, and skilled systems operators
supporting electronic learning. No use having help desks that
“don’t” or only available 9-5pm (Blackboard open 24/7/365)
It doesn’t hurt for you to be technologically efficient also!
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Course Overview
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Information Systems 100
Core Unit Undergraduate Bachelor of Business
Degree
Curtin Business School located in the Information
Systems School
Enrolment 4000 students per annum
Multiple Unit locations;
Bentley, Canning College, Curtin International
College, AIUS,Metropolitan College (Kuala
Lumpur), Miri (Sarawak), Medan (Sumatra),
African Virtual University (Ethiopia, Tanzania,
Rwanda, Kenya), Binus NuSantara –(Jakarta),
Columbo (Sri Lanka) Marketing Institute Of
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Singapore
Overview IS 100
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1. Introduce information systems
and its relevance to commerce
2. Introduce the concept and
phases of a systems development
life cycle
3. Provide an environment for
students to attain a basic level of
skill in office application software
4. Introduce the IS professions
5. Introduce the IS courses
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E-Learning - Definition
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E-Learning technologies can provide:
Exposure to international experts and
researchers –which can be incorporated
into the curriculum.
Also opens up opportunities for global
research collaboration
Eliminate the time an expense required to
travel
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Strategy Development: Perceived
Benefits
Reflective
thinking
Integration
learning
environments
Anytime,
anyplace
Active
participation
Giving
competitive
edge
Transferable
skills
New forms of
learning
IMS compliant
and joined up
Building
Sage on the stage to
virtual online
guide on the side
communities
Enhancing the
Access to a wealth
learning experience
of resources
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Strategy Development:
Potential Issues
Transmission
mode
Standardised
environments
Isolation
Restricted
access
Peripheral
participation
Everyone’s
doing it
Confusion of roles
Information overload
and portal wars
Basic ICT skills
Same forms of
learning
Management of
the learning
process
Student back-lash
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Strategy Development: Cognitive Maps and
Strategic Option Development Analysis
(SODA)
*Session Exercise Time Permitting
Goals
Issues
Goals
Issues
Goals
Issues
Options
Options
Options
Professor Colin Eden, University of Strathclyde
Eg Secured System
Eg Security Data
Eg: Authenticated
Users
Options
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Strategic Development:
Getting The Right Balance
Active,
Transmission,
Collaborative
Pedagogy
Individual or aggregate
Synchronous or asynchronous
Push or pull
Tools
Reference & course
materials, questions,
examples, interactive
Resources
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Pedagogy
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Chickering and Gamson
SEVEN PRINCIPLES FOR GOOD PRACTICE IN
EDUCATION (1987)
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Encourage contact between students and faculty,
Develop reciprocity and cooperation among students,
Encourage active learning,
Gives prompt feedback,
Emphasize time on task,
Communicate high expectations, and
Respect diverse talents and ways of learning.
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Possible Blackboard
Administration Strategies
Scenario: Multiple classes – requiring same material , different
time schedules, different tutors and different locations.
There are three basic options available
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Ten separate course websites created, and upload all of the
course materials to each one.
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One course Web site created, upload all of the course
materials to that course, and have sections copied from that
course Web site.
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One main course web site – where all the course materials
common to all courses can be uploaded. The other course
web sites would be location specific course web sites.
Section specific would be stored in those course web sites
as well as providing a space for section-specific user
interactivity. The students would be enrolled in both the main
course and the appropriate section-specific course Web site.
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IS100 Blackboard
Administration Solution
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Blackboard for Tutors
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Communication tool
Collection of Resources
Student support tool
Blackboard for
Locations
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Assessment / Grading
Instruction
Demonstration
Communication
Support
Time Management
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Before Blackboard Strategy
Tutors
Students
Lecturer
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After
Tutors
Students
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Blackboard Features
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E-mail forums
On-line chat
Course Calendar
Group Collaboration
On-line test/quiz/survey/
feedback
Student webpages
Student progress
tracking,
And Much more !
Pros
Cons
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Blackboard Technical
Considerations
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Platform – Stability , Data
Management
Version / Portals – Web
Access
Security – Access Levels /
Roles / Access to Function
Areas – Content , Tools,
Options, User Management,
Assessment
Instructor, Teaching
Assistant, Grader, System
Administrator
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Future Directions : Where we want to be heading?
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Student Management Tips
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Plan for problems: Murphy’s Law runs rampant in
cyberspace and students are notorious enforcers of
Murphy’s Law.
Develop a peer support system to facilitate student selfhelp.
Help your students to understand that the online skills they
are learning in your course are transferable to other
situations such as work and home.
Limit and manage student email by establishing ground
rules. Make it clear, for example, if you wish that you won’t
answer email on weekends.
Direct your students to other self-help resources relating to
basic computer competencies eg video tape tutorials,
websites – tutorgig.com
Create an email / ICQ emergency system: designate a
special phrase to be used in email headers when the
situation is urgent.
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Lessons We Have Learnt
1. No vision.
2. Equating technology with strategy.
3. Putting Learning at the centre of a strategy.
4. Looking at development and delivery rather than
the bigger business picture.
5. Focus on creating a traditional training offer online.
6. Failure to reach consensus.
7. Misreading executive support.
8. Thinking this is part-time or short-term work.
9. Ignoring weakness and threats.
10. Failure to manage change.
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Future Administration Model
IS100 Main
Location C
Location A
Location B
Location E
Location D
Tutors
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How to Link Sites BB4,BB5
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Creating links between course Web sites in Blackboard CourseInfo
4 In Blackboard CourseInfo 4, the format for the URL of a course
will be: http://server.yourinstitution.edu/courses/courseid
Click <A
HREF="http://courses.yourinstitution.com/courses/Spanish101sec
1"> HERE </A> to go to section 1 of Spanish 101. Click <A
HREF="http://courses.yourinstitution.com/courses/Spanish101sec
2"> HERE </A> to go to section 2 of Spanish 101. Click <A
HREF="http://courses.yourinstitution.com/courses/Spanish101sec
3"> HERE </A> to go to section 3 of Spanish 101.
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Assume User Authenticated to Main Course and
AppropriateSection
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www.su.edu/staff/alycan/facTR/Level2Docs/BBD%20training/
BBD%20tips/Webpages/MultSections.htm
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Future Challenges
• Is the Internet changing teaching and
learning practice?
• What is good e-learning practice?
• What is e-learning ?
• What is an online knowledge base?
• What is a community of practice?
• How do schools plan for e-learning?
• What are the assessment and evaluation
issues?
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Harder Challengers …
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Will you start with the use of technology or with
vision?
Can you admit you do not know all the answers?
Can you trust learners to know what they need to
know?
Do you have the energy and commitment to take
this on?
What kind of support can you find in your
community?
What are the evaluation and assessment issues?
When should this process be started?
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Questions
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