Blackboard Learn, like other learning management systems, matters in face-to-face courses. Prior to COVID-19, much of teaching and learning happened in a physical classroom. In light of this pandemic, the coronavirus is credited for increasing online use exponentially (Hechinger & Lorin, 2020). Face-to-face courses in higher education and K-12 schools are left with no choice, but to be taught in virtual environments. Until this pandemic is controllable and people are safe for physical interactions, virtual instruction will be the method for teaching and learning. Discussed in this article are results from a qualitative narrative inquiry research study on the use of Blackboard Learn original in face-to-face courses. Results from the study might help instructors realize the educational potential of Blackboard Learn for teaching and learning to enhance traditional face-to-face courses.
Although a learning management
system (LMS) is at the center of online courses, it is not a given in traditional face-to-face
environments. Researchers analyzed the uses for an LMS in face-to-face courses in higher
education and consistently found instructors
used an LMS as a course management and administrative tool, rather than pedagogically,
for the transformation of face-to-face courses (Adzharuddin, 2013; Bousbahi & Alrazgan, 2015; Wichadee, 2015, &
Washington, 2017). Many instructors lacked knowledge of effective
ways for using an LMS, and they found it challenging to implement in
face-to-face courses to enhance teaching and improve learning (Wichadee, 2015; Washington, 2017). A narrative inquiry design was used
for the qualitative study summarized in this article. Narrative inquiry is a
way of understanding and inquiring into experience through life stories told by
individuals (Clandinin, 2013). Stories and
narratives served as the primary means of understanding individual instructors’
experiences with using Blackboard Learn in traditional face-to-face courses in
higher education (Washington, 2017)
As such, the researcher captured a
first-person account of each participant’s experiences from the instructors’
points of view. The study was conducted on the main campus at a major
research university in the southeastern United States. The university was
primarily residential, offering traditional face-to-face, asynchronous, and
synchronous instruction. All instructors had access to Blackboard Learn and a course site was
generated for every course offered through the University system. Participants
included twenty instructors
who taught traditional face-to-face courses at the main campus, utilized the university’s central
professional development center for teaching and learning, and implemented
Blackboard Learn LMS into at least one face-to-face course. Participants were selected using purposive,
non-probability and snowball sampling methods and were diverse based on current academic rank and primary
teaching discipline.
To collect the data for the study, 16 interview questions were designed
to explore, understand, and describe the experiences of instructors using
Blackboard Learn LMS in traditional, face-to-face courses in higher
education. There were embedded opportunities for
observations of the Blackboard Learn LMS environment used to solicit responses
aligned to the primary research question: What are the
experiences of faculty and adjunct instructors concerning the use of Learning Management Systems
(LMSs) in traditional face-to-face courses in higher education?. Data collection was conducted using in-depth, face-to-face semi-structured interviews with
participants who met the criteria for the study. Thematic narrative analysis
served as the systematic process for data analysis and included three steps:
organizing the data, placing the data into themes, and interpreting the data. The
following table shows
features and tools used most often by participants in their face-to-face
courses.
Use of
Features and Tools
Blackboard Learn Features/Tools
|
Not aware of the feature
|
Never use it in traditional course(s) but
aware of the feature
|
Use only once in traditional course(s)
|
Use multiple times in traditional course (s)
|
Use regularly in traditional course(s)
|
Test
|
1
|
4
|
2
|
3
|
10
|
Assignment
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
4
|
13
|
Discussion Board
|
0
|
3
|
1
|
6
|
10
|
Announcements
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
20
|
Send Email
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
18
|
Photo Roster
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
12
|
Grade Center
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
19
|
In summary, the study results identified the features and tools used most frequently in Blackboard Learn LMS. All participants used Blackboard Learn in their traditional face-to-face courses to post announcements and send email. Course management tools and features were used to support administrative practices specific to organizing course content unrelated to teaching and learning processes. Only participants with extended knowledge of Blackboard Learn used features and tools specifically for teaching and learning purposes. This study sheds light into the importance on virtual instruction, then and now. The pandemic has given greater understanding as to why educators are rapidly understanding the importance of learning management systems. In next month’s blog, I will discuss the results based on the themes that emerged from the analysis of data collected from the participants and provide some practical applications of LMSs that would be of use for educators during this crisis, such as Blackboard Learn, for teaching and learning in traditional face-to-face courses.
References
Adzharuddin, N. (2013). Learning management system (LMS) among
university students: Does it work? International Journal of e-Education,
e-Business, e-Management and e-Learning, 3(3), 248-252. doi:10.7763/IJEEEE.2013.V3.233
Bousbahi,
F., & Alrazgan, M. S. (2015). Investigating IT faculty resistance to
learning management system adoption using latent variables in an acceptance
technology model. The Scientific World Journal, 2015, 1-11.
doi:10.1155/2015/375651
Clandinin, D. J. (2013). Engaging in narrative inquiry. Walnut
Creek, CA: Left Coast Press.
Washington, G. Y. (2017). Learning management systems in traditional face-to-face courses: A narrative inquiry study (10639584) (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (10639584)
Hechinger,
J., & Lorin, J. (2020, March 19). Coronavirus Forces $600 Billion Higher
Education Industry Online. Retrieved from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-19/colleges-are-going-online-because-of-the-coronavirus
Wichadee, S. (2015). Factors related to faculty members' attitude and adoption of a learning management system. TOJET : The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 14(4), 53-61. Retrieved from http://www.tojet.net/
Wichadee, S. (2015). Factors related to faculty members' attitude and adoption of a learning management system. TOJET : The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 14(4), 53-61. Retrieved from http://www.tojet.net/
Cite this blog: Washington, G. (2020, March 31).
Blackboard Learn matters in
face-to-face courses [Blog post]. Retrieved
from https://pedagogybeforetechnology.blogspot.com/
