Using Blackboard to Support Users

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Using Blackboardto Support Users

• William Vilberg
• University of Miami
• Coral Gables, FL

bill.vilberg_at_miami.edu
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Location of Slides

• http//www.miami.edu/iac
• People
• William Vilberg
• Using Blackboard to Support Users

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Presentation

• Background about UM
• Four Practices at UM
• ARCS Model of Motivation
• Discussion

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Background

• University of Miami Specifics

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Technical

• CourseInfo 4.08 on Windows NT
• Production and testing servers
• Dell Poweredge 4300
• Dual processors
• 2 GB RAM
• 60 GB HD (RAID 5)
• Daily backup

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History at UM

• Summer 1998 Pedagotechnocrat hired
• Spring 1999 Acquired CI 2.0
• Summer 1999 Tested w/ 12 courses
• Fall 1999 Rolled out w/ 120 courses
• Spring 2000 220 courses
• Summer 2000 upgraded to 4.0
• Fall 2000 350 courses

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Staffing at UM

• 1/4 of a position in IT
• Manages the system management
• 3/4 of my position
• Technology Specialist in the Instructional
  Advancement Center
• 5 student assistants
• 10-15 hours/week each

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My role

• User (faculty and staff) support
• NOT system support

What do you do?
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Uses of CouseInfo at UM

• MAJOR Web enhanced courses
• Document distribution and Announcements
• Grades, discussions, drop box, groups, etc.
• MINOR Web based materials
• non-credit material
• NONE Web based degree programs

How is your system used?
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UM Processes

• Accounts created by users
• Course Web sites created on request
• Categorized by departments
• Identified by course code (MGT120G)
• Differentiated by semester (MGT120G-011)

How do you do these?
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Best Practices

• Four things I am proud of

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Faculty Support Site

• UM information
• Questions and answers
• Getting Started handout
• Bb information
• Manuals
• Enroll all instructors

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Faculty Support Site Demo

• http//guestguest_at_www.courses.miami.edu/courses/f
  acsupport/
• Go into Course Documents
• Go into the Guides and Materials from UM
• Examine the Questions and Answers folder
• Look around the rest of the Faculty Support site

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Student Support Site

• Troubleshooting guide
• Accounts and passwords
• Enrolling in a course web site
• Browser versions
• External links
• Download sites
• Placed in Campus Center

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Student Support Site Demo

• http//guestguest_at_www.courses.miami.edu/courses/s
  tsupport/
• Go into Course Documents
• Examine the Troubleshooting Guide
• Go into External Links
• Note the resources available

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Courses-Announce listserv

• Subscribe all instructors
• Service announcements
• Announce maintenance and upgrades
• Explain failures
• Community
• Winning team
• Feedback requests

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Modified CI screens

• Login screen
• Added contact information
• http//www.courses.miami.edu
• 401 error screen
• Added enroll information and contact info
• http//guestguest_at_www.courses.miami.edu/courses/
  um101, then click on Communications

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ARCS Model of Motivation

• Attention (Awareness)
• Relevance
• Confidence
• Satisfaction (Success)

http//ide.ed.psu.edu/idde/ARCS.htm
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Awareness Activities

• Courses-Announce list
• Ed-Tech list
• e-Veritas Cutting Edge
• Lunch and Learn sessions
• Mailouts
• Meetings with chairs, departments, colleges

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Relevance Activities

• Listening
• Valuing
• Suggesting

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Confidence Activities

• One-on-one training
• Phone and e-mail support
• Trust building

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Satisfaction Activities

• Student surveys
• Praise in public and private
• Good practices

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Using Blackboardto Support Users

• QA / DISCUSSION