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Information Technology Services

Increasing Class Communication and Interactivity in Blackboard

Communications Button Communications Area

The communication areas are located under the communication button in Blackboard courses.
E-mail
  • E-mail lists exist for each course at Bethel. You can find the e-mail address for your course at http://lists.bethel.edu/courses.html . These lists are automatically updated daily and your message is sent to each registered class member.
  • Send E-mail

    Blackboard e-mail lists allow you to target messages to all or part of your class.

  • You can also use e-mail attachments to share documents back and forth, but need to remember to remind your students to only used Microsoft office or other approved format, to always append the file type to the name (.doc, .ppt, .xls), and to always name the file with their name (JodyCPaper1.doc)
  • Make your communications not only informative, but personal. Connectivity, individual attention, and rapid response is a major key to the success of an online course.
Dividing the class into Groups

Blackboard groups are accessed via the groups button, but must be set up by the faculty member in the User Management / Manage Groups area of the Control Panel.

Groups Button
  1. Add Group ButtonUser Management

    Click the Add Group button to add a new group.
    Fill in the Group Name. In the Description box list the names of the group members. Choose the options you wish for the group and submit. You will add the group members in the next step.

  2. Once the group has been created you must Modify the group to Add Group members.Click on the Add Users to Group link. Then if you click on the Search button you will get a list of all class members and you can check the members you want in that group. Then Submit and your first group is complete. Continue to add more groups.

    Group Options
Asynchronous Discussion

Access the discussion board via the discussion board button or the instructor can also set up and access the Discussion from the control panel. See the Blackboard Discussion pages for more detailed information.

discussionbutton

  1. Add a forum where your discussion will take place by clicking the Add Forum button.

    Add Forum Button
  2. Title the forum and use the description box to define the purpose of the forum or the rules and expectations. This is not the place to write a question or assignment (unless you wish, but you will do this with your first post most likely).
  3. Select the parameters that you wish for the forum. Submit.

  4. Click on the Link-Forum Name to enter the forum and you can then begin the discussion by creating a new thread or topic for the discussion.

    Add New Thread Button
  5. Type the first message of the thread to define the topic for discussion. Students will then enter the discussion forum, click on your topic thread message and REPLY to your message to create a "threaded" discussion. You may want to restrict the ability to create threads so that the students stay on topic. Students can however also reply to other students' messages as well as to your original thread message.

  6. Use the options to read sort and manage messages.

    Discussion Options

    One handy tip is to click the select all button and then click the collect button and all the messages will be organized in a nice linear format based upon the time the message was posted. One disadvantage is that the threaded nature disappears, but you don't have to click each message to read the discussion either.

  7. Groups can set up discussions for just their group if they (or you wish).
Synchronous Discussion

The virtual classroom provides a place for the class to meet at the same time or for groups to meet at the same time. You and your students can enter the virtual classroom from the Communications button, from the Virtual Classroom button, or instructors can enter throught the control panel. Groups enter through the group pages links.All Virtual Discussions are logged and dated and via the Browse Archives link you can review these discussions.

Virtual Classroom ButtonVirtual Classroom Screen
  1. Start via the Enter Virtual Classroom link.
  2. Type in the "talk" space at the bottom of the virtual classroom and hit the enter/return key to send your message.
  3. Use the Location bar to show slides or webpages to the class.
  4. Use the white board as your classroom chalkboard.
  5. When all quit the virtual classroom the talk and url's visited all show up in the Archives.
Document Sharing
  1. Microsoft Word has wonderful tools for sharing and grading student papers. See the Grading papers in Word documents on the Bethel MS Word support site.

  2. Blackboard Digital Dropbox. The digital drop box is accessed via the control panel (instructors Course Tools/Digital Drop Box) or the Tools button (Students).

    Tools Button
  3. Use the Add file button to add files to the drop box, but you must use the Sent Button if you want to send the files to class members. The send button both adds and sends the file.When students (except in groups) send files, they go only to the instructor's drop box, while the instructor can choose all students or specific students to receive files. The advantage of this type of document sharing is that files do not fill up email systems and virus transmission is more difficult.
  4. Use email attachements to share documents.
On-Line Grading
  1. See the Bethel MS Word support site for how to use Word to grade documents that you can then return to students.
  2. Check Grade

    Blackboard can be used to share grades with your class. Students access their grades via the Tools button. Instructors access and enter grades via the Assessment area of the Control Panel.

    Asessment


    The spreadsheet view provides a spreadsheet like environment for grade entry and is a secure environment with students only having access to their grades.

On-Line Assessment The assessment manager can be used to give exams for distance education sessions or courses. Exams can be time limited and made available only during a limited time window if the instructor wishes. Multiple choice questions are graded and feedback can be built in. Essay questions can not be computer graded (although students sometimes wonder why they get 0 score for essays after submitting their exam. Essay scores must be entered by the instructor and then they add into the student score in the gradebook.