Hi Eddie,
At the moment I am looking at improving our offering of online support through our VLE.
My initial investigations are focusing on how the whole approach can be adapted to utilising online support more thoroughly. The key thing to remember is that Blackboard is just a tool, and the education delivered is not driven by the tool, but driven by the content of the course. The course content should use the VLE to engage students.
I know this sounds obvious but you would be surprised how often this can be lost in the development of VLE projects where the focus can be primarily on the technology rather than the learning.
Integrating a VLE into a course requires joined up thinking and contribution on all parties taking part in the learning (tutors, students, management, IT and other stakeholders)
To ensure that the tool is correctly used by the course the students and lecturers must see the value and what it can do for them. Primarily it will be the tutor who will drive home the use and value of the VLE, the tutor must be supported in this delivery.
Blackboard is one of many VLE's and a good choice as its simple and easy to use, from what I can gather it has good community support, and is continually being revised and modified, which is important as you don't want to invest in a product which months or years later turns out to be a 'dead duck'. The one fault I would point is lack of UI customisation, however that said if you want to go for a totally custom portal to learning you would be investing in a bespoke Intranet.
Its main strength is familiarity, speed in which you can set up information, the backend database uses an industry standard, (SQL/Oracle).
I would say the main pitfall to avoid, and I have seen this happen a few times, is that it becomes a repository for information that is already available elsewhere, and that the focus becomes on how it can help lecturers. VLE's should not just be an information store. They are a tool to help students learn and should provide interactive experiences.
I hope this helps Eddie, what you are doing sounds interesting and I would like know how your report is received.
Regards
Paul
-----Original Message-----
From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Eddie Tulasiewicz
Sent: 04 December 2008 17:11
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: HEFCE - Universities' CPD VLE Portal Project
I am contributing to a report commissioned by HEFCE through
its Strategic Development Fund to enable Universities to mount a more
thorough offering of online professional development courses.
Blackboard is one of the VLE's which we are exploring. I would be interested in
getting your perspectives on their VLE offer.
In particular I would value having your opinions as to how you
think learners and lecturers experience Blackboard, its strengths and
weaknesses and any known or likely future developments likely to affect it.
Naturally, any information you would provide would be confidential, and
any of your views would be anonymised in the report.
I am on a very tight timescale, and need to deliver an interim opinion by
Friday 12th December.
I am employed freelance on this project, which is being managed by
Tinopolis Interactive.
Eddie Tulasiewicz
Tinopolis Interactive
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