Paul wrote, " the main pitfall to avoid..... is that (the VLE) 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."
Thanks, Paul, for crystallising a fear that has been stealing up on me.
We have been moderately successful in embedding Blackboard but I
recently did a health check on our courses and discovered that while
over 80% of staff regularly upload their stuff, only 10% (max) are
actively using the features that promote better learning or
collaboration.
Fortunately, in Blackboard, we do seem to have a company who are alert
to the learning agenda and by all accounts the Next Generation offering
will shift further that way but the imperative is still with us to use
the VLE to maximise the interactive opportunities.
Regards to all,
John Green, Northbrook College, Sussex
-----Original Message-----
From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Paul Rettey
Sent: 05 December 2008 09:12
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: HEFCE - Universities' CPD VLE Portal Project
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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