Chalkboard to Blackboard in 8 Months-Strategies for

Faculty and Instructors

Kenley Obas &

Agnes Helen Bellel, Ph.D.

Alabama State University

Located in Montgomery, AL Historically Black Institutions Total Enrollment: 5,666 Produces the largest number of African

American teachers in the nation. 328 faculty members

The Dilemma

No Campus-Wide Course Management Software College of Business running Bb Basic 5 for

their Students only Students and Faculty frustrated with lack of

CMS Many students entering with CMS experience

Too many renegade course web sites .com sites

Our Needs

Full Integration Need to integrate with SCT plus and Active

Directory System that Allows Faculty to focus on

teaching and content Not managing a roster and enrollment

Ease of use

Possible Solution

Do Nothing? Purchase a CMS

WebCT Many Faculty used previously

Moodle Free Open Source

Blackboard Recommended by our Distance Learning Committee Already being utilized on campus

Our Selection

Blackboard Host ourselves Hire Global Services

Integration of SCT Integration of Active Directory

Conduct a Pilot Participant Selected by Deans of College

Bb Roll-out Timeline

9.1.20049.1.2004

8.8.20058.8.2005

10/14/2004

Rec’d Blackboard Server

9.17.2004

Signed Contract

12.2.2004

Finalized Bb Pilot Participants

12.14.2004

1st Pilot Faculty Training

12/2/2004 - 5/13/2005

Blackboard Pilot11.7.2004

Worked Onsite with Global Services

4.14.2005

2nd Pilot Faculty Training

5.10.2005

Issued Bb Pilot Survey

5.24.2005

Bb Go-Live Campus Wide

8.8.2005

Installed Bb Portal

The Pilot

30 members Member from each college Appointed by Dean Would become Blackboard Liaison

Survey Based on instrument used by UT at Austin 30 page report for University Administration

The Pilot

Participated in a Blackboard course Included two 3 hrs Training Sessions Posting to Discussion Groups Using collaboration tools Reviewing Documentation

Training and Documentation

Training Session 2.5 hour training session Conducted by College

Documentation Collaborated with other institutions Why re-invent the documentation Create Support Website

System Status

Running Learning System 6.3 Window 2003 8000 users 3521 course

Bb Integration Workflow

21 3

4

SCT Mainframe ExtractsBb Controller

Bb Database

1 – SCT generates the FOCUS/Report.

2 - Uses a transfer utility to deliver the files to the Blackboard Server on a shared drive

3 – The Controller then locates the ‘pushed’ files on the Blackboard server 4 – The Controller integrates the information nightly into the Blackboard database

Bb Integration

Snapshot Imports SCT SIS data in Blackboard

Courses Users Catalog

Runs once a day FTP’ed to Blackboard Server from SCT

Blackboard Spearheading Change

Student Email Wireless Access Increase in Computer Labs Digital Storage

Challenges

Faculty acceptance Don’t see the need

Storage Only 60 GB

Support Help Desk not ready to support Lack of Blackboard System Admin

Challenges

Still have not fully integrated Active Directory

Removing other Blackboard System

The Future

Purchased and Installed Community/Portal

Working with Library to Purchase Content Management System

Current Look

Considerations Before Planning

-Adult Learners -Curriculum Development -Instructional Techniques to meet all

learners -Assessment and Evaluation Strategies -Teaching Adults

“Online” Adult Learners

Online adult learners bring a diversity of perspectives and abilities to the class.

Strategies to Motivate Online Learner

Strategies include: method of instruction, using peer reviews and group activities that may be with the students in the course or in the educational communities, which will enhance interactive social skills as well as comprehension of subject matter.

Strategies for Online Instructions:

Course Design

-Give thought to the overall design for the course

-Work backwards- clearly define what is expected of the students to learn by the end of the course.

Course Design (cont.)

-State the departmental expectations of your course.

-Begin planning well in advance to work around problems

-Goals should be planned at three levels

-Goal Levels (essential, desirable, and optional)

-Must achieve the goals to meet the faculty’s/instructor’s responsibilities

-Note: If you fall behind, you may delete optional or desirable.

Course Design (cont.)

Permit students to bring life experiences into the online learning environment. Most students tend to perform best when content is related to previous or personal experience.

Course Design (cont.)

-Design a procedure to evaluate whether the students have attained the course goals and objectives

-Determine the testing procedures and grading policies

-Make sure the course meets ADA approval and Section 508 for students with disabilities.

Consideration of Student Population:

-Character of the student population of the course.

-Schedule of the course (time of the course, season, and time of the year)

-Course required or elective Students’ motivation for taking the course -Students’ background and their learning style

and study habits -Faculty’s/Instructor’s teaching style.

Consideration of Student Participation

Are the students used to working independently?

-Collect work/assignments frequently and respond/give feedback quickly to ensure that students will have success in the course.

-Conduct summative and formative evaluation -Construct a flexible plan which can

accommodate surprises that may arise

Course Outline

-Students learning should build on itself -Reading materials should be more than

textbook. Other material may include articles that further illustrate applications or offer alternative points of view. Use the virtual library.

http://www.lib.alasu.edu/library/virtual_ref.html

Course Outline (cont.)

-Study the academic calendar.

-Develop a week-by-week sequencing of topics, readings, assignments, quizzes and examinations.

-Check for school holidays and other events.

Course Outline (cont.)

-Have a colleague give feedback on your online course .

Is there enough material to challenge the students intellectually and keep their interest?

Is there flexibility for students to make suggestions and be incorporated in the course?

Course Outline (cont.)

Is there recognizable relationship between internet topics, lectures, assigned readings, and student assignments?

Syllabus

-Make sure all or part of the syllabus is available to the students at all times.

-State at a minimum, course description, goals, objectives, course prerequisites, hardware and software requirements, a list of assignments and due dates, notice of exam and their dates, grading with detailed explanation on submission of (late) assignments and penalties, bonus points (optional) as incentives, other policies, virtual office hours, location, email, emergency contact, telephone number (s), mail address, address of the course web site, and helpdesk contact

-State policies for “make-up”, “resubmit”, or no submission of assignments

Self-Reflection on the Facilitation of Learning

Were my goals reached for this course? Were the instructional strategies clear? Did the students have a clear understanding of

the content? How satisfied am I with their progress?

What key areas should I target for improvement?

What can I do to improve the online teaching of this course- content- online support-course design?

Resources

http://ctl.standford.edu/teach/handbook/design.html

http://www.worldwidelearn.com/online-courses/teaching-online.htm

http://jjconline.jjay.cuny.edu/faculty/teachonine.html

http://www.byu.edu/fc/fds/pycguides/pycguide.html

http://depts.washington.edu/cidrweb/TLBulletins/2(3)Discussion.html

Contact Info

Kenley Obas Academic Computing Coordinator kobas@alasu.edu

Dr.  Agnes Bellel Associate Professor of Instructional

Technology abellel@alasu.edu