A Student

1
A Students Journey

• Promoting Independent Learning using Blackboard
• Foundation Degree in Child and Youth Studies

2
Overview of the aims of the presentation

• Explore the context of learning
• Indicate stages of development in the use of
  technology
• Highlight the increasing emphasis on pedagogical
  development
• Illustrate the developing skills of tutors and
  students
• Show how this is supported by the institutions
  e-learning strategy

3
Introducing Jane Average

• Age between 25 40
• Work TA for ten years
• Family married/separated with 2 children
• Education left school at 16
• Training some INSET and NVQ3
• Why now? Decided time for her
• Ambitions keen to do well, go for a first
  degree, perhaps teaching
• Fears plenty! Self-esteem related to learning
  very low!

4

• Why use Blackboard whats in it for Jane?
• How can we encourage her to get started?
• How can we keep her interested as she develops
  her skills?
• How will it help her with her studies?
• How can it make life easier for the tutors?

5
Blackboard in Action (a few months in the life
of Jane Average)

• Learning to navigate the blue buttons
• downloading resources
• reading and leaving messages
• finding information
• engaging in study materials
• sending emails
• engaging in group discussion
• sharing ideas, resources and work

6
Steps to interaction

• we made it/what computer wizards we are
• Beverley
• Tell me about it.  Computers are here to terrify
  us I truly believe.  They plot when we are
  asleep, I'm sure of it.
• Mahalah
• I am only just finishing the first course on the
  FD but have used Bb loads already. I especially
  like reading the words of encouragement the other
  cohorts give each other and to see how the course
  develops. quite daunting but exciting at the same
  time.
• Claire
• I've only been using Blackboard for a short time
  but I already use it on a regular basis. It is a
  very useful tool when you feel as though you're
  banging your head against a brick wall! It's easy
  to navigate and have found chatting with others
  extremely helpful.
• Sharon

7
Moving towards a supportive community of learners

• Hi Could somebody please tell me how do i
  reference a powerpoint in Bibliography I am
  struggling with this. A reply would be greatly
  appreciated as I have gone through lots of notes
  and cannot find anything.
• Cheers Caroline.
• Just a couple of questions ...
• Is it a tutor powerpoint?  In which case you
  reference it as unpublished.
• Why do you need to reference the powerpoint?
• Is what has been said in the powerpoint recorded
  elsewhere so that you could use a more formal
  book reference?
• As you progress the tutors begin to steer you
  away from using unpublished work so if you can
  get in the habit of looking for more formal
  references now it might help. X
• Juliette

8
The supportive community

• Hi Juliette
• Stella XXX here (XXX's mum from rainbows).  Am
  entering 2nd year of course under Cohort 2 after
  Christmas and am panicking big time (really big
  time) as we have discovered the first course is
  the one with the seen exam!  Am managing to keep
  up with course but thought this course would be
  further down year two.  Am extremely worried
  about not passing this exam.  Can you give any
  more info. on exam as to what we are to expect? 
  How do you remember all the info. to write?  At
  present, when I write assignments, I have books
  right across the table!!!
• Help!  Many thanks.  Stella
• Hi Stella!
• First thing - don't panic.
• Seen exam was worrying but NOT impossible.
• Am just preparing for an exam myself in January
  (Curriculum Studies) and have the same panic 
  feelings that I had before!  But in my heart I
  know that it won't be as bad on the day as the
  anticipation!
• Firstly some practical reading  Paul Thomas and
  Christine Ritchie have written a student support
  book.  If you can get hold of the exam chapter
  you will find it very useful.  I also have some
  other exam technique preparation papers that I
  will e-mail to you.
• More in next message. Juliette

9
The Learning Community
Informal sharing of views and information across
the programme
private discussion in groups
posting of work (file exchange) seminar notes,
group email news
interacting with self-audits for graduate (key)
skills
using tutor resources, including web links
set activities from tutors
celebration of success
Tasks set / research data collected by students
friendly, idle chit-chat
encouragement to persevere succeed
Development of ICT other skills
Announcements and news items
10
Janes still here!
11
Story of Growth Sept 2004 Jan 2005
22,000 hits
52 hit discussion board
28 hit learning resources
Regular use between 5am 1am
Sunday Monday most popular hit days
12
Jan 1 2006 Jun 3 2006
160,00 hits more!
Plus information learning hits
74 hits for discussion boards
14 hits for announcements
13
Jan 1 2006 Jun 3 2006

• Blackboard has been accessed regularly during
  this time at all hours of the day, peaking
  between 8 pm and 9 pm (8 of accesses) the most
  popular period of the day was mid-afternoon to
  late evening

14
Jan 1 2006 Jun 3 2006

• Blackboard has been accessed regularly during
  this time on every day of the week with Monday
  to Thursday being the most popular (67 of
  accesses between them) and Saturday being the
  least (8 of accesses)
• Some students visit, but do not leave messages

15
Drivers and Barriers

• Institutional support
• the students
• the tutors
• the technology
• the time
• success

16
Where next?
I dont care what happens next just dont cut
me off Blackboard yet!