|
|
|
|
Blackboard Upgrade to Version 6 Incorporating web based learning tools is becoming increasingly common at Trinity. One example of this would be Blackboard, Trinity’s course management tool. Most academic and even professional organizations have found that incorporating web-based learning tools can offer many pedagogical benefits, as “the web provides significant new functionality in transmitting information to the student and providing forums for exchange” (qtd. in Educational Benefits of Online Learning, 1998). Thus, implementation of an e-learning system, or any educational technology for that matter, is not to replace traditional methods of teaching, but to provide educators with alternative means of communication and collaboration with their students.Recently Trinity has upgraded its E-learning system to Blackboard 6, which provides all the functionality of the previous version with a few enhancements. Which tools are used in any given course varies depending on the course and the instructor. The particular components selected should be carefully thought out, however, to decide which ones could be useful and which would not. Many course sites are set up to simply reduce the administrative demands on the instructor and students. For example, using Blackboard to post syllabi and assignment details can greatly reduce the amount of time the instructor and student must focus on the distribution and collection of this information. Also, necessary changes are made once by editing the information contained in the course site, which is then immediately available to the students. Aside from making student and instructor communication easier, Blackboard allows for continuation of discussions outside of class time through the use of the course site’s discussion board. No longer restricted to class sessions, students have an expanded opportunity to hear perspectives from their peers, which is not always possible in larger classes. There is also an equal opportunity for everyone to share their opinions, without the concern of being put on the spot or the anxiety of speaking up in class. Instructors can use the student’s posted responses to gauge their grasp of concepts, and determine if some concepts need to be explained further. These are just a few of the tools available in Blackboard that may be used to augment more traditional learning methods. Other tools, such as the Gradebook and Assignment Manager, make it possible to collect assignments, insert comments and provide feedback directly, grade them, and return them to the student, all through the Blackboard interface. If you would like to learn more about the features and how to set up your Blackboard course site, please visit Trinity’s Blackboard Help page at http://www.trincoll.edu/depts/cc/documentation/Blackboard/Blackboard6/, or contact your Academic Computing Resource Specialist for more information.
Source: Blackboard Incorporated. Educational Benefits of Online Learning. Washington, D.C.: Blackboard Inc., 1998. August 2004 |
