Our guest in session #16 was Yasemin Tunc, Director of Learning Technologies Consulting and Support, Unified Technology Support.
Yasemin began with an overview of the assessment tools in Blackboard. She demonstrated how to design, announce, and link a test in a course.
Next, Yasemin shared how the assessment tools and the assignment tools interact in Blackboard.
Finally, the group had a discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of rGrade, the Web Gradebook, and the Blackboard Gradebook.
Thanks to all who participated in the session.
I will announce the November LTTO Session soon.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Session #16: Using the Assignment and Assessment Tools in Blackboard
In Session #16 we will be exploring how to use the Assignment and Assessment tools in Blackboard. This will be a helpful session for you especially if you have materials in inQsit that you need to transfer to Blackboard for course facilitators to use.
The session will be led by Yasemin Tunc, Director of Learning Technologies Consulting and Support, Unified Technology Support.
Please join us in TC 217 on October 19th at 11:00.
The session will be led by Yasemin Tunc, Director of Learning Technologies Consulting and Support, Unified Technology Support.
Please join us in TC 217 on October 19th at 11:00.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Session #15: Summary
Course Materials Transfer
Session #15 began with the introduction of Joel Whitesel, Associate Director of Students Services, Online & Distance Education in the School of Extended Education. Joel explained that the best way for us to transfer our online course materials would be for us to make sure that all of the course materials are in Blackboard. That way, the SEE can help the course facilitators with any problems, and there would be some consistency from one course to another.
There was a concern that we may not have much time to prepare our materials for transfer, so we will devote our next meeting to how to use the Assignment and Assessment tools in Blackboard.
Faculty Stipends
The faculty who attended the meeting agreed that they would like the stipends that will come to the department for each online course to come to them. That is, all of the $1000 per course would be given to the faculty member who is responsible for mentoring the facilitator. This stipend might be considered as payment for the use of faculty members' course materials as well as payment for mentoring the facilitator. If the faculty member does an unsatisfactory job of mentoring, the chair would not assign that faculty as a mentor in the future, and thus, would not generate additional sections of that faculty member's courses.
Ten Week Semesters
The group discussed having 10-week semesters for the online courses. The Fall Semester would begin after Labor Day and run for 10 weeks. The Spring Semester would start at the regular time in January and include 10 weeks of class. Faculty could decide if they wanted to take BSU's Spring Break or hold class during that time. The Summer Semester would start at the regular time and run for 10 weeks. It is believed that even though this does not shorten the program for students, the idea that the courses are 10 weeks long may assist in marketing the program.
Policy Change
Whether to change the department policy to allow people with Master's degrees to serve as course facilitators was discussed. The group was in agreement that we will need to change this policy, or we will not be able to find people to teach the online courses.
Next Meeting
The next meeting will be on October 19th at 11:00 in TC 217.
Session #15 began with the introduction of Joel Whitesel, Associate Director of Students Services, Online & Distance Education in the School of Extended Education. Joel explained that the best way for us to transfer our online course materials would be for us to make sure that all of the course materials are in Blackboard. That way, the SEE can help the course facilitators with any problems, and there would be some consistency from one course to another.
There was a concern that we may not have much time to prepare our materials for transfer, so we will devote our next meeting to how to use the Assignment and Assessment tools in Blackboard.
Faculty Stipends
The faculty who attended the meeting agreed that they would like the stipends that will come to the department for each online course to come to them. That is, all of the $1000 per course would be given to the faculty member who is responsible for mentoring the facilitator. This stipend might be considered as payment for the use of faculty members' course materials as well as payment for mentoring the facilitator. If the faculty member does an unsatisfactory job of mentoring, the chair would not assign that faculty as a mentor in the future, and thus, would not generate additional sections of that faculty member's courses.
Ten Week Semesters
The group discussed having 10-week semesters for the online courses. The Fall Semester would begin after Labor Day and run for 10 weeks. The Spring Semester would start at the regular time in January and include 10 weeks of class. Faculty could decide if they wanted to take BSU's Spring Break or hold class during that time. The Summer Semester would start at the regular time and run for 10 weeks. It is believed that even though this does not shorten the program for students, the idea that the courses are 10 weeks long may assist in marketing the program.
Policy Change
Whether to change the department policy to allow people with Master's degrees to serve as course facilitators was discussed. The group was in agreement that we will need to change this policy, or we will not be able to find people to teach the online courses.
Next Meeting
The next meeting will be on October 19th at 11:00 in TC 217.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Session #15: Preparing Digital Course Materials for Transfer
Under the new rapid growth model for graduate courses, in the Spring 2010 Semester, some online courses may be taught by course facilitators. In Session #15 we will discuss how best to prepare our digital online course materials for future transfer to course facilitators. Our guest will be Joel Whitesel, Associate Director of Student Services, Online and Distance Education (Extended Education).
In addition, we will discuss guidelines for distributing the stipends faculty members will receive for managing course facilitators under the new model. This is an important topic, so I hope you can join us for this session.
The session will be in the 2nd floor conference room on September 21st at 11:00.
In addition, we will discuss guidelines for distributing the stipends faculty members will receive for managing course facilitators under the new model. This is an important topic, so I hope you can join us for this session.
The session will be in the 2nd floor conference room on September 21st at 11:00.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Session #14 Summary
Yasemin did a great job of previewing Blackboard 9 for us. It looks like there are a lot of wonderful new features. The new version should be available in early June. In the interim there is a test environment in which you experiment. Please do not put any work there that you would like to save; it is only a test environment.
After the preview, the graduate faculty members had a discussion about the rapid growth of the graduate online program. Please plan to attend the meeting on June 4th from 2:00-3:00 in TC 211A for another extensive discussion about our growth. We really need input from as many graduate faculty members as possible.
After the preview, the graduate faculty members had a discussion about the rapid growth of the graduate online program. Please plan to attend the meeting on June 4th from 2:00-3:00 in TC 211A for another extensive discussion about our growth. We really need input from as many graduate faculty members as possible.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Session #14: Blackboard Version 9
Yasemin Tunc will provide a preview of the new version of Blackboard for our department on May 26th at 10:00 in TC 211B. If you cannot attend this session, there are many other opportunities for you to see the new Blackboard at the library.
The new version of Blackboard should be available for use by faculty by the end of May.
The new version of Blackboard should be available for use by faculty by the end of May.
Session #13: Summary
In Session #13 Nancy Melser began by talking briefly about her evolution as an online teacher.
Next, Nancy gave ideas for teaching online. Some excellent advice included:
Thank you for participating in this year's LTTO sessions. They were a great success because of your contributions as a presenter and/or participant.
Next, Nancy gave ideas for teaching online. Some excellent advice included:
- give prompt and specific feedback,
- use a rubric to evaluate discussion group participation and let students know exactly what your expectations are,
- offer students templates for lesson plans and assignments,
- provide exemplars that are grade-level specific (i.e. primary & intermediate),
- "touch" each assignment or e-mail only once,
- tell students when you will not be online (i.e. weekends/holidays),
- have all course materials available when the class starts,
- make a video to introduce yourself and the course,
- don't be afraid to be human in your interactions with students, and
- keep a running list of revisions for the next time you teach the course.
Thank you for participating in this year's LTTO sessions. They were a great success because of your contributions as a presenter and/or participant.
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