Interestingly I have just been giving this very thing a bit of thought.
The other week George Kroner from blackboard visited our Uni (well worth
speaking to him if you are thinking of Blocks or other development work)
and gave a pretty inspiring demo. So when our techy guys set up a
development area and IF I get some time, im going to try experimenting with
making some blocks.
So idea is that a Blackboard course is created for each cohort every year
for each degree unit that we run (normally the content is copied over from
the previous year).
Most students are doing a 3 year course with 8 units. Currently they only
see the "live year" so this means 8 units in their "My Courses" module.
However it would be really useful for a number of students to be able to
refer back to old units (ie 2nd year units may well build on knowledge
developed in 1st year units). So what we might do is keep the old courses
available to students as support materials (I know some Uni's already do
this).
The big problem is that this means Students will see 24 blackboard courses
in their final year (more if longer courses). So they may click on the
wrong course.
And the situation will be even worse for staff.
There are 2 solutions
1) low tech - Do a handout and video guide that explain to students (and
staff) how they can hide courses on "My Courses" and heavily publicise
this. Then rely on staff and students to keep only what they need to see
visible.
2) Building Block "This Years Courses" is put on the home page just above
the normal "My Courses"
Building Block "This Years Courses" module
The block would take the "My Courses" functions and extend them so that it
contained the SQL logic
Where data_source_key = "whatever number you are using for this year"
OR
Where course_id like '%AY10_11'
Now depending on how much effort each takes the building block would either
just hard code the variable and compile it each year to make it work for
the current year OR have the variable something you could change in the
properties of the module.
So that's what I want, I think a lot of other Uni's would also like it.
I might even try to make one myself, but my coding skills are a little
rusty these days and its not a priority for my current job so I would be
doing it as a weekend project so it might never get done.
Still - someone else on the list might see this as something they want to
do.
Joseph Gliddon
--On 03 March 2011 15:58 +0000 Tyrone Knight <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Hi Dominic
>
> I think one thing to ask here, to give a better response from us, is -
> What is it they need to see separated? e.g. content available, own work
> submitted etc.
> So what are the factors they are not likely about the current process?
>
> As I may only be speaking for myself, but a lot of colleges /
> universities have so many little different ways of doing things that it
> is difficult to picture your current methods, which could be so
> different from my own.
>
> For example, Where I am based we have cohort courses on Bb which equal
> our MIS system each year, so each year there is a new version, but
> potentially same content. As well as modules which equal more than one
> related cohort, for different reasons.
>
> I hope this is clear
> Regards
> Ty
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Dominic Gore
> Sent: 03 March 2011 15:29
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Seperating current courses from archived
>
> Hi All,
>
> I am wondering if anyone has developed and is willing to share a
> building block that allows seperation of modules for current year and
> previous years delievered. At UCB we have had feedback from students
> suggesting that it would be good if we could have the My Courses module
> just display current years delieverd modules, and a seperate blackboard
> module for previous/archived courses.
>
> I am aware that this is a similar request to the one not so long ago
> about course console, but if anyone knows of a solution or has
> implemented this i would be very interested to hear.
>
> many thanks
>
> Dom
>
>
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Regards
Joseph
----------------------
Joseph Gliddon
e-Learning Implementation Officer
Education Support Unit
University of Bristol
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