Rochester Public Schools

1

• Rochester Public Schools

2
Top Training Hot Zones

• Effective course design principles
• Managing the Course Menu and design
• Working with Assignments
• Making the Gradebook work for you

3
Course Banner Resources

• http//www.flamingtext.com
• http//www.3dtextmaker.com

4
Determine a Course Architecture
By Default
By Subject
By Time
By Functions
5
Navigation Bar Tricks Add a Hotlink

• Manage Course Menu
• Add Course Link
• Browse to find Link Location

6
Navigation Bar Tricks Inserting Dividers

• Manage Course Menu
• Add Tool Area
• (use Announcements)
• Use lthrgt for Area Name

7
Navigation Bar Tricks Link of the Week

• Manage Course Menu
• Add External Link

• http//memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/today.html
• http//www.historychannel.com/tdih/tdih.jsp?catego
  ryleadstory
• http//todayinsci.tripod.com/
• http//camel.math.ca/Kabol/
• http//www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/bluewebn/hot.cfm
• http//www.eduhound.com/weeklyspotlight.cfm

8
Gradebook Same Course, Multiple Sections
9
Change Item Name to Change Column Width
10
Show Current Grade

• Create a new gradebook column (add item OR upload
  from excel)
• Make Total and Weighted Columns unavailable

11
What is Effective Course Design?

• Formal planning of a course and the creation of
  activities and events, with a focus on effective
  learning outcomes, that will help your students
  to learn independently and collaboratively.
• A plan to create activities and present your
  content in ways that motivate your students

Source You Can Teach Online Building A Creative
Learning Environment. by Gary S. Moore, Kathryn
Winograd, Dan Lange
12
People remember.
90 of what they DO

• Simulation

• Games

70 of what they SAY or WRITE

• Live e-class

• Interactive e-Course

50 of what they HEAR and SEE

• e-Course with audio and video

• Online Self-Study Guide

30 of what they SEE

• Video

• PowerPoint

10 of what they READ

• e-mail

• e-documents

• e-whitepaper

e-Reading
e-Learning
Level of Course Design
Low
High
Source Charles Merrill, 1960 Educational Media
13
Sample Content Strategy
Announcements Reminders Notices
Course Information Syllabus Course
Policies Assignment Schedule
Staff Information  Instructor Bio Contact
information
Course Documents Lecture Notes Handouts
Assignments  Project Specifications Lab work
Resources Recommended Reading
Communication Discussion Board Chat Drop
Box Groups
External Links Relevant Links
Assessment Create Assessments Online Gradebook
Pool Manager
14
Sample Concept Map
Taxonomy of Dolphins
Biology of Marine Mammals
Taxonomy of Whales
Related Readings
Handouts
Cetacea
Behavior of Marine Mammals
Related Links
NOAA
Population Biology
Smithsonian site
Exercises
Assessments
Pre-Unit Assessment
Web Research Exercise
Self-Assessments
Marine Mammals
Post-Unit Assessment
Lecture Material
Lessons
NOAA
Three Orders
PowerPoint Presentation
Feeding and Ecology
Hearing and Echolocation
Discussion Board
Overview
Collaboration Tools
Drop Box
Introduction
Groups
Objectives
Chat
15
Sample Unit Outline
Overview
Related Readings

• Introduction
• Objectives

• Biology of Marine Mammals
• Behavior of Marine Mammals
• Population Biology

Lessons
Related Links

• Three Orders
• Hearing and Echolocation
• Feeding and Ecology
• NOAA

• Cetacea
• NOAA
• Smithsonian How Deep can they go?

Assessment
Lecture Notes

• Pre-Unit Assessment
• Self-Assessment
• Post-Unit Assessment

• Overview Marine Mammals - PowerPoint

Handouts
Collaborative Tools

• Taxonomy of Dolphins
• Taxonomy of Whales

• Discussion Board
• Digital Drop Box
• Groups
• Virtual Classroom - Chat

Exercises

• Web Research Exercise

16
Organize Learning Materials
17
Follow a Consistent Structure
18
Blackboard Component Announcements

• Welcome messages
• Course policies and critical information
• Time-sensitive updates to course materials,
  deadlines
• Student Technical Support Information The number
  for the Computer Services Help Desk is 555-1234.
  It is staffed twenty-four hours a day. If you are
  having difficulty accessing course materials,
  they are there to assist you. Don't hesitate to
  take advantage of this service.
• Tips
• Keep it short and specific (and use time/date
  release)
• Create links inside announcements to encourage
  instant access of new/important material

19
Blackboard Component Course Information

• Explicit instructions for navigating your course
  structure
• Course description
• Syllabus or class schedule
• Required texts, lab materials, and other
  necessities
• Attendance, participation, and grading policies
• Tips
• Organize your documents (by projects or by
  topics)
• Provide information in chunks
• Utilize One Stop Shop idea
• Use color coding to group items together

20
Blackboard Component Assignments

• Written assignments
• Journals and response papers
• Maps, data sets, images, charts, video/audio
  clips
• Tips
• Provide clear instructions on completing and
  submitting the assignment, as well as a reminder
  on where/when students will find their posted
  grades
• Specify the types of files you will accept
• Prepare students for receiving feedback

21
Blackboard Component Discussion Boards

• Tips!
• Explain facilitator role and participant
  expectations
• Consistently follow pre-designed guidelines
• Provide discussion board instructions for
  participants
• Create multiple forums that are specific sub
  components of larger goal balance between depth
  and breadth
• Avoid using just one forum, or threads become
  buried
• Clearly present topic for forum and specific
  thread expectations
• Allow participants to create new threads and
  attach files to threads
• Avoid allowing editing of posts once posted

22
Blackboard Component Surveys

• Tips
• Select topic areas where all participants would
  be interested in results
• Clearly present how and when the data will be
  used/shared
• Stress the anonymous nature of surveys
• Choose topics that are relevant to daily practice
  and debatable
• Offer incentives for completion
• Limit number of questions make time commitment
  minimal
• Limit number of open-ended questions selectively
  use short answer and essay question types
• Present results in Bb to encourage return visiting

23
Always About Accessibility

• Dont forget the importance of font readability!
• SIZE
• COLOR
• STYLE
• Use ALT Tags with images, audio and video
• A picture may be worth 1000 words . . . but 1000
  words downloads faster!
• Tips
• Take a course on Barrier-Free Course Design
• http//easi.cc/workshops/easiweb.htm
• Follow Blackboard guidelines
• http//www.blackboard.com/products/access/coursebu
  ilder508.htm

24
Dont Make Yourself Crazy

• Develop a routine for updating course materials
• Determine an email management strategy
• Consider your own assignments for each section
  and each initiative, and set expectations
  accordingly.
• Do you want to respond to every students every
  discussion posting?
• Do you want to post items over the weekend?
• How quickly will you grade papers?
• Can you identify mentors within the class, and
  delegate some ongoing responsibilities?
• Can you allow students to post and police their
  own participation?

25
To Learn More http//behind.blackboard.com

• http//www.behind.blackboard.com

26

• Thank you!