Flipgrid Text Comments

Earlier this month, Flipgrid released a text comments feature for replying to video responses with text. Text comments include Immersive Reader to ensure that Flipgrid discussions remain inclusive. Students can now respond to other students using video and text comments, video comments only, or text comments only. This article is a repost from the November 2019 article, “Using Flipgrid for Student Engagement and Assessment.”

Educators seek apps for the intended purpose of enhancing student engagement and varying assessment. The most effective apps improve learning experiences by seamlessly connecting students, content, and the instructor. A careful examination of Flipgrid (www.flipgrid.com) revealed a user-friendly app that permits instructors to engage students in their own learning by giving students a voice. Flipgrid creates an opportunity for students to participate in video discussions and provides instructors with an alternative assessment tool. The purpose of this article is to discuss Flipgrid and provide some uses of the app.

What is Flipgrid?

Flipgrid is an asynchronous video discussion platform designed to foster social learning both inside and outside the classroom (Green & Green, 2018). Developed at the University of Minnesota and launched in 2015, Flipgrid is now a part of the Microsoft. Flipgrid is designed for the educator community and allows for the creation of short videos around topics for sharing with others. Flipgrid is a 100% free cross-platform web-based and mobile app for educators and students.

So, how does it work? Instructors create a grid to present the topics (discussions) for a class or course. Topics serve as the stimulus for students’ video responses and include written text, video or images. Each topic is a discussion prompt. Students respond to the topic (discussion prompt) via an audio and video recording and reply to other students’ videos. Also, there are options for uploading an existing video and for adding stickers and drawings to videos. There are additional features ranging from privacy settings for a grid to automatic transcription of audio (Green & Green, 2018).

Flipgrid in Action

One use of Flipgrid is for authentic assessment of student performances in music classes. Performance assessment is one of the best ways to determine students’ understanding of music concepts. Through video responses, Flipgrid captures what students do in music. Topics for the grid are for either individual or small group performances. Video responses are 5 minutes in length. Optionally, students record, trim, and rerecord video before final submission. Flipgrid makes it possible for students to record video responses at home or in school. Recorded videos are seen by others in the class unless the instructor or student hides them (Dunbar, 2019).

Another use of Flipgrid is for students to become better acquainted with fellow classmates. In an online class, students create and share introductory videos and collaborate with each other to grow the online learning community. After posting a video response to the self-introductory topic, students view and respond to at least two other students with thoughtful and thorough responses. As a graded assignment, the video introduction replaces the typical text-based self-introduction discussions (Casarez, Agan, Self, Anderson, Atwood, & Heron, 2019).

Conclusion

Flipgrid is ideal for online classrooms or face-to-face classes that integrate technology. Flipgrid, a video discussion platform, provides greater opportunity for expression with the addition of audio and video capabilities. Flipgrid connects students, content, and the instructor visually and audibly. Student engagement, experiences and outcomes are enhanced in any classroom environment, particularly in online settings.  Flipgrid has the capacity or bringing greater opportunities for collaboration. Try it out and post a comment to let me know what you think about Flipgrid.

References

Casarez, L., Agan, T., Self, R., Anderson, D., Atwood, A., & Heron, A. (2019). Flipgrid to enhance communication in distance education. Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 85(4), 35–37.

Dunbar, L. (2019). When responses cannot be written down: Video submission possibilities in the music classroom. General Music Today, 32(3), 29–30. https://doi.org/10.1177/1048371319832880

Green, T., & Green, J. (2018). Flipgrid: Adding voice and video to online discussions. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 62(1), 128–130. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-017-0241-x

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Cite this blog: Washington, G. (2020, October 31). Flipgrid Text Comments [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://pedagogybeforetechnology.blogspot.com/

Image source: http://blog.flipgrid.com/downloads

Using Audacity for Audio Feedback

Do you provide feedback to your students? Feedback given by instructors leads to increased student engagement and higher quality learning (Sarcona, Dirhan, & Davidson, 2020). There are different ways to provide feedback to students. Typically, instructors use hand-written, or typed text to provide evaluative remarks and suggestions for improvement. One alternative is audio feedback. The purpose of this article is to discussion audio feedback and highlight Audacity as a technology for making audio recordings.

Sarcona, Dirhan, and Davidson (2020) explored the use of audio and written feedback. The qualitative study comprised 116 undergraduate university students. Instructors alternated between written and audio feedback for two major projects: writing a personal statement assignment and conducting nutrition counseling sessions. These were scaffolding assignments with formative feedback on each task and a summative assessment for the final assignment. Students implemented the instructors’ audio feedback from the summative assessment as part of the final assignment. Most students appreciated the personal nature of hearing the instructors’ voice in the audio feedback.   

In a three-year longitudinal study, students indicated a preference for audio feedback over written feedback. The study comprised students enrolled in nine postgraduate Computer Education units of study and took place over a three-year period across five teaching sessions. Instructors provided audio feedback as mp3 files for all assessment tasks across all nine units. Students had the option to download or listen to the mp3 files uploaded in the learning management system. As with similar studies, the results showed that most students found audio feedback to be both clear and easy to follow and more personal than written feedback (Parkes & Fletcher (2017).

Audio feedback can be given using such software as Audacity. Audacity is a free, open source, cross-platform audio software for audio recording and editing that is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. The software has advanced features, but using the basic features will work well for recording audio feedback. Once you get into Audacity, you simply click the record button to start recording. Export the finished recording in MP3 format to upload in a learning management system as feedback to a student’s assessment (Audacity, 2020).

In conclusion, using audio feedback for comments to students on assessments is an alternative to the traditional written or text-based responses to student performance. The ability to provide audio feedback through an online platform is an innovative technology. As with any other technology, using audacity is an available option. Think about how you can incorporate audio feedback in your courses.

References

Audacity. (2020). About. Retrieved from https://www.audacityteam.org/about/

Parkes, M., & Fletcher, P. (2017). A longitudinal, quantitative study of student attitudes towards audio feedback for assessment. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 42(7), 1046–1053. doi:10.1080/02602938.2016.1224810

Sarcona, A., Dirhan, D., & Davidson, P. (2020). An overview of audio and written feedback from students’ and instructors’ perspective. Educational Media International, 57(1), 47–60. doi:10.1080/09523987.2020.1744853

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Cite this blog: Washington, G. (2020, September 30). Using Audacity for Audio Feedback [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://pedagogybeforetechnology.blogspot.com/

Image source: https://www.audacityteam.org/

Blackboard Learn: Professional Development

According to Wichadee (2015), “Instructors act as drivers in the effective integration of technology, both for teaching and learning in educational settings” (p. 54). As an important aid in promoting this integration, adequately preparing faculty to use technology, especially Blackboard Learn, is a crucial factor for faulty adoption of this learning management system (LMS). This article discusses the last of five themes, “professional development,” that emerged from the analysis of data collected from participants in the recent research study, “Learning Management Systems in Traditional Face-to-Face Courses: A Narrative Inquiry Study”.

Participants in this study were instructors who used Blackboard Learn in face-to-face courses as a platform for teaching and learning at the research university where they worked. When asked about what methods they used to master the different tools and features of Blackboard Learn, all the participants cited some form of professional development. In this study, Professional Development referred to the different ways that participants learned about how to use the Blackboard Learn LMS. Based on the findings, knowledge of Blackboard Learn came in multiple forms: pedagogical and technological training, help desk support, websites, and colleagues. However, all participants in the study attended several of the training sessions at the university’s Center supporting teaching and learning, where they found classes designed to inform instructors about practices specific to pedagogy. The present study found that all participants used information learned from professional development training that targeted course design, development, and delivery. Participants agreed unanimously that by using the training they received at the Center, they became much better able to implement Blackboard Learn into their teaching and learning processes. Participants also applied learning gained from attendance at training sessions that specifically targeted techniques on how to use features and tools in Blackboard Learn. However, the participants emphasized the difference between this type of training, which only focused on how to use the features and tools, and those other training sessions that addressed the application of Blackboard Learn to their courses.

In addition, participants also sought help from the Blackboard support team on campus, the official Blackboard help website, colleagues, and through Google searches. The Blackboard support team on campus offered telephone as well as service ticket support. Participants received assistance on features and tools specific to their courses, including such matters as the grade center, rubrics for grading, setting up groups, and test creation for assessments. Some participants also expressed the important role of their more experienced colleagues in providing support on how to use features and tools in Blackboard Learn. Other participants expanded their knowledge of Blackboard Learn by using the official Blackboard Inc. website, in conjunction with various other websites that offered technological instruction. From time to time, participants used Google to search for additional help. It should be noted that the participants seeking human support and additional websites for support were also the instructors who used all or most features in Blackboard Learn.

In summary, professional development plays a key role in the adoption and use of technology, specifically the Blackboard Learn LMS, by faculty in higher education. Instructors in the study discussed in this article participated in pedagogical and technological professional development and training offered at the University. As a result, the instructors became much better able to integrate effectively the features and tools of Blackboard Learn into their teaching practices. The findings concur with other research regarding professional development. Wang, Chen, and Anderson (2014) suggested training for instructors to implement the use of LMSs into teaching practices in face-to-face courses. Wichadee (2015) found that instructors were able to transfer knowledge learned about technology to enhance teaching and learning in both online and traditional classroom settings. In addition, Alshalan (2019) suggests that instructors may need pedagogical training to effectively use a learning management system. Lastly, Nkonki and Ntlabathi (2016) found that many experienced instructors still need training and support to reach advanced levels in the use of learning management systems for teaching and learning.

References:

Alshalan, T. (2019). The adoption of learning management systems (LMS) among faculty members at Kansas State University and King Saud University (2382994172) (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (2382994172).

Nkonki, V & Ntlabathi, S. (2016). The forms and functions of teaching and learning innovations on Blackboard: Substantial or superficial? The Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 14(4), 257-265. Retrieved from www.ejel.org

Wang, Z., Chen, L., & Anderson, T. (2014). A framework for interaction and cognitive engagement in connectivist learning contexts. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 15(2), 98-118. Retrieved from www.irrodl.org

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)

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/

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Cite this blog: Washington, G. (2020, August 31). Professional Development [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://pedagogybeforetechnology.blogspot.com/

Blackboard Learn: Teaching Models and Methods

How do you plan to teach this Fall? Will you teach face-to-face, online, or a blend of both face-to-face and online? Administrators in higher education finalized decisions for the return of faculty, staff, and students to the overall learning experience. The same is true for primary and secondary education as well. Now, faculty at all levels are faced with adjusting their teaching approaches to meet the threat of the COVID-19 virus and to engage their students more meaningfully with their studies. Given some recent, cutting-edge research on how students learn, several studies argue that it may be wise to approach both teaching and learning from a student-centered perspective. The teacher-centered approach is the traditional scenario in which the teacher is in control of the content and delivery while the students passively receive instruction (Deksissa, Liang, Behera, & Harkness, 2014). In contrast, a student-centered approach encourages students to play a more active role in their learning (Brown, 2014). This article briefly discusses the student-centered approach in conjunction with different teaching models and methods based on recent research.

The many virtues of a student-centered approach to teaching and learning have been discussed and evaluated positively in several recent studies. They reveal that a student-centered environment is a student-driven, collaborative, and more problem-focused classroom that is rich with interactive technologies (Thiele, Mai, & Post, 2014).  Instructors using a student-centered approach give students an opportunity to be active participants in the construction of knowledge (Deksissa et al., 2014). One positive outcome of this approach is that students become responsible for their learning in an interactive environment where instructors act more as facilitators who guide and support their students’ engagement with the working dynamics of the material (Toven-Lindsey, Rhoads, & Lozano, 2015). Using learning management systems, such as Blackboard Learn, instructors can shift their efforts away from a traditional, teacher-centered approach in the teaching and learning environment and toward a more student-centered learning experience (Foroughi, 2015).

In a recent, qualitative research study, participants discussed changes in their instructional approach and adopted features and tools in Blackboard Learn for use in the traditional face-to-face environment in higher education (Washington, 2017). Participants specifically mentioned team-based learning, blended learning, and flipped classroom/learning as teaching models and methods that provided a student-centered approach for teaching and learning. Participant P3 switched instruction to a team-based learning (TBL) format where students read something outside of class. Back in the classroom, students took individual and group quizzes and worked through cases and problems together. Also, P3 gave a mini-lecture that focused on concepts with which students struggled the most and later posted them in Blackboard Learn. Participant P3 was the ‘guide on the side’ verses the ‘sage on the stage’.

Other participants shared their experiences with using Blackboard Learn to support blended learning and flipped classroom/learning. Participant P12 felt that the blended learning approach did not constrain students to a certain time frame to get their learning done. Instead, “It just allows them more flexibility to be able to do that in a blended class and that’s important.” Participant P9 viewed technology as a new and refreshing way to teach and now posts her lecture and the repetitive information on Blackboard Learn. She shared, “I know much more about what Blackboard can do to support my teaching and my students’ learning. I am now totally bored by teaching a traditional face-to-face class and find lecturing a complete waste of my time.” Participant P9 also said that “Blackboard allows flipped learning. I would not know how to do flipped learning without Blackboard.” Participant P18 now tends to do less lecturing in class and hold more open discussions of the content. Using a flipped classroom frees time up for more questions and answers in class versus pure lecture because “a lot of the content, the pure book content, or the content that I want to cover, can be delivered through PowerPoints, through additional readings, and through articles that I may post on Blackboard.”

In summary, using Blackboard Learn as a teaching and learning platform allowed instructors to change from traditional, face-to-face teaching methods and to embrace the student-centered approach. The instructors participating in the study conducted by Washington (2017) used different types of delivery methods and student-centered models to enhance learning in the traditional face-to-face environment. Features and tools in Blackboard Learn were necessary for providing teaching and learning opportunities beyond the traditional classroom environment. The findings in the current study align with findings by previous researchers related to student-centered learning and learning management systems.

References:

Brown, L. (2014). Constructivist learning environments and defining the online learning community. I-Manager's Journal on School Educational Technology, 9(4), 1. Retrieved from http://www.imanagerpublications.com/

Deksissa, T., Liang, L. R., Behera, P., & Harkness, S. J. (2014). Fostering significant learning in sciences. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 8(2), 12. Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/ij-sotl/

Foroughi, A. (2015). The theory of connectivism: Can it explain and guide learning in the digital age? Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, 15(5), 11. Retrieved from http://www.na-businesspress.com/jhetpopen.html 

Thiele, A. K., Mai, J. A., & Post, S. (2014). The student-centered classroom of the 21st century: Integrating web 2.0 applications and other technology to actively engage students. Journal of Physical Therapy Education, 28(1), 80-93. Retrieved from http://www.aptaeducation.org 

Toven-Lindsey, B., Rhoads, R. A., & Lozano, J. B. (2015). Virtually unlimited classrooms: Pedagogical practices in massive open online courses. The Internet and Higher Education, 24, 1-12. doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2014.07.001 

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)

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Cite this blog: Washington, G. (2020, July 31). Blackboard Learn: Teaching Models and Methods [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://pedagogybeforetechnology.blogspot.com/

Blackboard Learn: Communication and Interaction

Communication and interaction are important in teaching and learning environments. In this blog article, I continue to provide the findings from the narrative inquiry research study which explored experiences of instructors using Blackboard Learn in traditional face-to-face courses (Washington, 2017). The findings, based on the original Blackboard Learn platform might assist instructors with course design, development, and delivery for face-to-face, online, blended, and hybrid courses.

Communication and Interaction emerged as a theme related to communication, collaboration, and interaction outside the face-to-face classroom environment. The Announcements feature was considered a feature for instructors to communicate with students, while Send Email was a communication tool for instructors to connect with students and for students to connect with the instructor and other students.  The Discussion Board was considered a collaboration, communication, and assessment tool. Although blogs, wikis, and groups were also considered interaction and collaboration tools, few participants used them.

Posting announcements and sending email messages within Blackboard Learn were therefore the most popular tools used by participants in the study (Washington, 2017). Participants identified the Announcements and Send Email tools as being ideal ways for instructors to communicate with students. Instructors reported posting announcements for general reminders of due dates for assignments, projects, tests, and exams; for changes to the syllabus and content; and for ongoing communications outside the face-to-face classroom.  Participant P2 posted announcements as mostly communications for the entire class.  When needed, participant P2 used the Send Email tool outside announcements to send supporting information, such as attachments.  Participant P7 posted announcements to give students information about supplemental instruction and other tutoring opportunities and a grade calculator so students could figure out where they stood in the class.  Participant P10 changed from mainly communicating through only email using the Send Email tool to posting more information through Announcements after hearing from students about the best way to communicate.  P10 stated, “If it’s a class thing, I put up the announcement and mark send it [email] to everybody.  So then, if they [students] don't get the email, they can see the announcement.”

Most participants required students to participate in discussion boards after reading required chapters from the textbook and other sources. Participant P17 set up small group discussion boards to support and expand what students learned in class each week. Participant P9 used discussion boards within groups to engage the students in conversations (debates). Participant P3 used the discussion board to post information for clarification from the reading material before students took quizzes. Participant P2 believed “A true virtual discussion is interactive.” Participant P2 used discussion boards for small group discussions but opened it up to the entire class in cases where some wanted to read all the posts from all the students. Participant P10 used discussion boards to flip the classroom and check student learning. Students watched videos on Fridays and then used the discussion forum to discuss some of the major points from the videos. Although the discussion board feature was mainly used for collaboration and interaction, some participants mentioned using them to share information with students. Students posted questions and the instructor responded through discussion board threads so all students would see questions and answers about the course and course readings, assignments, and tests.

In addition to the Announcements, Send Email, and Discussion Board tools, blogs and wikis are also incorporated into LMS’s such as Blackboard Learn. Blogs and wikis are set up by instructors for students to create, share, and collaborate online, anytime, and anywhere. However, only a small percentage of the participants in the present study used blogs and wikis to extend interaction and collaboration outside the classroom, despite the availability of these useful interactive features. For one example, Participant P9 used groups for blogs. The number of students varied per group and the group membership assignment was random. Within each group, students collectively wrote a blog about some major disaster, something recent or historical but something that did not really fit into the lectures. Then, students posted comments to each group to evaluate their blog entries.  Another participant used an ungraded wiki for student interactions: “My students have wikis where they can get to know the other students and post comments. I don’t use the wiki for any sort of content or course material related work at all. So, this is really just a personal who’s who in the class opportunity.”

In summary, the use of communication, interaction, and collaboration tools in Blackboard Learn can provide a connecting thread to what happens in face-to-face classroom environments, both in terms of reinforcing important material and in developing a sense of community.  In addition to the findings in the current study, Walker, Lindner, Murphrey, and Dooley (2016), and Lento (2016) also found that announcements, email, and discussion boards are still the most frequently used communication and collaboration tools for student interactions with the instructor, the content, and other students.  While the use of wikis and blogs to enhance the learning experience remains limited,  Almarashdeh (2016) and Walker, et al. (2016) found that they not only extended learning outside the face-to-face classroom but also enriched the teaching and learning process through their ability to stimulate student engagement. 

References:

Almarashdeh, I. (2016). Sharing instructors experience of learning management system: A technology perspective of user satisfaction in distance learning course. Computers in Human Behavior, 63, 249-255. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2016.05.013

Lento, C. (2016). Promoting active learning in introductory financial accounting through the flipped classroom design. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 8(1), 72-87. doi:10.1108/JARHE-01-2015-0005

Walker, D. S., Lindner, J. R., Murphrey, T. P., & Dooley, K. (2016). Learning management system usage: Perspectives from university instructors. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 17(2), 41-50. Retrieved from http://www.infoagepub.com/quarterly-review-of-distance-education.html

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)

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Cite this blog: Washington, G. (2020, June 30). Blackboard Learn: Communication and Interaction [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://pedagogybeforetechnology.blogspot.com/

Blackboard Learn: Instruction and Assessment

The focus of this month’s blog article is on the use of learning management systems for instruction and assessment. The theme, Instruction and Assessment, emerged from the analysis of data in the narrative inquiry research study discussed in the March and April blog articles this year. Participants in this study (Washington, 2017) reported on their success when using the original platform of Blackboard Learn for instruction and assessment.

Like other, similarly designed learning management systems, Blackboard Learn provides instructors with a central location for both instructional materials and assessments. Participants in the study discussed access to course resources and materials, posting PowerPoint documents from lectures, the use of supplemental instructional materials, online learning activities, preparation for class, online quizzes and tests, and assignment submissions. The following are some quoted responses and discussion from the participants related to instruction and assessment (Washington, 2017).

P1: “When we had inclement weather recently, rather than falling behind in pacing, I created and uploaded a voice-over PowerPoint.  It was a short one with an assignment embedded in there.  The students viewed a PowerPoint lecture and completed an assignment posting on Blackboard.  I made a separate tab that said makeup assignment or something that’s what I usually do now that we have had three major catastrophe events.”

P5: “[I] add voiceover narration to PowerPoint presentations in order to help students focus on the content.”

P5: “All my essay assignments and reflection assignments are graded through Blackboard so that I can use the rubric.”   

P7: “My student use course documents to access handouts or weekly assignments.  Students must print a blank weekly worksheet from Blackboard, complete it by hand, and submit it in person.”

P9: “Learning opportunities outside the classroom is where they [students] build in my notes for each chapter.  For example, I would use a traditional textbook with notes that I have written highlighting what I consider the most important outcomes in the chapter as to what I think they need to know.”

P11: “Even in the course that I do use a textbook.  I still summarize the information from that textbook in PowerPoints and pull out those key features that they will further examine when they do the additional reads they have to do in conjunction with a textbook reading.”

Participant P16 used the Test tool in Blackboard regularly to get the students to look at the material before it was covered in class. The open book quizzes were opportunities for students to spend time with the material independent of the instructor and a way to encourage students to interact with the information outside of class. Participants P16, P3, and P5 used SafeAssign with students’ written assignment submissions to check for plagiarism. In addition, many of the other participants frequently praised Blackboard rubrics as useful tools for grading assignments of many differing types. All participants reported consistently high levels of success in their use of Blackboard Learn to post materials that support and expand on what students learn in the classroom, and they endorsed it as a useful, central location for assignment submissions, quizzes, and tests. The participants’ satisfaction with Blackboard Learn for instruction and assessment supports previous, positive research findings on the pedagogical benefits and advantages of using learning management systems (Davis & Surajballi, 2014; Wichadee, 2015).

In summary, assessments are an integral part of instruction. Providing students with learning opportunities outside the face-to-face classroom enhances instruction and helps students accomplish course learning outcomes. Through the use of learning management systems, instruction and assessment do not have to happen only when students are in a face-to-face environment.

References
Davis, R., & Surajballi, V. (2014). Successful implementation and use of a learning management system. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 45(9), 379-381. doi:10.3928/00220124-20140825-12

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)

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/

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Cite this blog: Washington, G. (2020, May 31). Blackboard Learn: Instruction and Assessment [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://pedagogybeforetechnology.blogspot.com/

Blackboard Learn: Course Administration and Management

In continuation from March’s blog article, this article focuses on course administration and management features and tools within the original platform of Blackboard Learn learning management system (LMS). Teaching in face-to-face, blended, and fully online environments involves delivering content, but it also involves course administration and management as well. The findings presented in this article represent the overall usability of LMSs for course administration and management. As face-to-face instructors move into preparing for summer courses online, there is time to rethink teaching and learning.

Based on a qualitative, narrative inquiry research study on the use of Blackboard Learn in face-to-face courses, five major themes emerged from the analysis of data. Course Administration and Management was one major theme. Participants included instructors at a primarily residential university in the southeastern United States. Participants discussed using features and tools in Blackboard Learn for storing and organizing content, getting to know students, setting up the grade center, and copying content from one course to another (Washington, 2017).

Blackboard Learn features and tools for course administration and management pertained to Course Documents, Content Folders, Photo Roster, Grade Center, Course Calendar and Course Copy. Participants shared the benefits of having a centralized location for courses.  Course Documents referred to a feature in Blackboard Learn for delivering learning content to students in one location for anytime access. Course Documents also served as a repository for course resources and materials. Content Folders functioned as organizational structures for courses. Participants used Content Folders for breaking the instructional materials, activities, assignments and assessments into smaller chunks of content. In addition, the course menu provided further course organizational structure with consistent navigation for students to find course materials, assignments, discussions boards, and assessments, which led to an improved learning experience for the students. The Photo Roster was considered a course administration tool for instructors to identify students in face-to-face courses. The Grade Center classified as both a course administration and feedback tool. Participants discussed using Course Copy to easily copy course content and course settings from one Blackboard Learn course to another. Few participants mentioned using the Course Calendar feature for due dates. The following are some quoted responses from the participants (Washington, 2017): 

P11: “Blackboard Learn holds everything, so I really couldn’t do without it. I pull it up every day. Anywhere I can access the internet, I can get access to the materials.”

P2: “I like having a central repository for everything that’s course related, because the courses I teach most times don’t have a textbook. So, everything is posted under the Course Documents except for what I want students to find themselves.”

P7: “Blackboard allows me to make folders in the Course Documents section, so when you're looking for a particular course document it is very easy to find. That's where you find worksheets, worksheet solutions, quiz solutions, pretest, pretest solutions, and the study material for the final exam.”

P8: “Photo Roster has helped me to identify students right away and personalize my classes because I can match the name with face from week one.  So, I've used that a lot since I found out it existed.”

P2: “It [Blackboard] allows me to organize the grading so that the grading matches the syllabus.”

P4: “It’s just a very nice place to kind of collect everything. Once you have it there you don’t have to keep recreating it you can just copy it forward the next semester.”

P10: “The course calendar automatically fills in if you set the due date.  For any submission due date that’s on there they get the reminders.  So, I go in and make sure everything's on the course calendar.”

The findings of the present research were consistent with an earlier research study. Hodges and Grant (2015) investigated the potential benefits of using course administration and management tools, including the module structure of LMSs for organizing and sequencing content into units and the course calendar for organizing due dates for learning activities and assessments. These researchers found that the use of course administration and management tools helped students with organization, time management, and content knowledge. By using these features and tools, instructors became better able to draw their students’ attention to the topics at hand, which is important from the cognitivist perspective.

In view of the practical advantages offered by the course administration and management features and tools in Blackboard Learn, educators who use this LMS are now much better prepared to move forward into developing and designing their summer online courses. Course structure and organization play important roles in improving student success in locating and interacting with course content, the instructor, and other students in the class. Blackboard Learn serves as a repository for course materials, such as the syllabus, PowerPoint presentations, and video lectures, giving students access to a full range of their course materials in one central location. This ease of centralized access helps students to stay more focused and remain on track with due dates for assignments and assessments.

References:

Hodges, C., & Grant, M. (2015). Theories to support you: Purposeful use of learning management system features. In T. Bastiaens, & G. Marks (Eds.), Proceedings of Global Learn 2015 (pp. 481–486). Berlin, Germany: Association for the

Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved from https://www.editlib.org/p/150895/

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)

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Cite this blog: Washington, G. (2020, April 30). Blackboard Learn: Course administration and management [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://pedagogybeforetechnology.blogspot.com/