DL Tip of the Week - Using Word Count

This week’s tip is about WORD COUNT in Blackboard.

 

Over the last 2 years we’ve noticed that many of you have started to explore different methods of assessing your online students and we’re excited about that!  Assignment variety is a great way to determine understanding of content that can also be used to help you “get to know” your students.  

Two of these tools, Blogs and Discussion Boards, are much more prevalent today than ever before.  These can be powerful additions to your course because they provide students the opportunity to express themselves in their own words.  Some of you have already started to use these in conjunction with specific guidelines (like requiring a specific number of words) for grading purposes.  Before, you might have copied the text and pasted it into Microsoft Word to complete the count.  If so, you’ll be interested in this week’s DL Tip of the Week!  It should make things a little easier than you think.  

We’ve created this guide to help you get started.

If for any reason the links appear broken, or if you have an idea for a DL Tip of the Week, please email us at HCTC-DL@kctcs.edu.

Remember if you need assistance; please let a member of the DL Team know.

• Brad Roberts, DL Specialist (Faculty/Student Support) – Lees
• Paul Currie, DL Specialist (Faculty Support) – Hazard, Knott, Leslie, Tech
• Wendy Davidson, LoD Program Coordinator (LoD support and Student Support) 

Digital Literacies I - Free Digital Literacy course

What’s in your digital teaching toolbox? 

Do you have the tools you need to reach 21st century learners? This course will introduce you to digital technologies and show you how to integrate them into your classroom/webspace. Learn how to combine pedagogy and technology to create a more effective educational experience for students.

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Prerequisites: Students should be familiar with fundamental computing skills such as:-cut/copy/paste-functions of mice (i.e. double click, triple click, etc...)-basic operation of web browsers (e.g. bookmarking, refreshing)-saving content to various locations on a device-standard use of productivity programs (e.g. Microsoft Office). Note: There is the option to receive 2 CEU credits with San Diego State University at an additional charge of $295. Instructor will provide details during the course.
Enrollment: Free

DL Tip of the Week - Messages versus Email

This week’s tip is about using Messages versus Email in Blackboard.

Blackboard has two features that can be confusing to you as the instructor and to your students. Both come available in your course shell and may be seen by your students. But what are the differences between the messages and email feature in Blackboard.

Messages and Email both allow you to communicate with your students and for your students to communicate with you. The differences are that Messages stay within the course and Email utilizes your KCTCS email address. As an instructor, you need to decide how you plan to communicate with your students, by using one or the other, or both, and then communicate that directly to the students. And if you plan to only use one or the other, turn the availability of the one you do not plan to use off. If you plan to use both, don't forget to check both for student communication with you.

Often times, I have seen that students use the Messages feature because it is there, but instructors do not necessarily realize that students have used Messages instead of Email. I hear from students "I sent my instructor an email and I haven't heard back". I often ask how they sent the email, because sometimes they are confused. But instructors do not necessarily make it easy because they mislabel Messages as email in the course by having a menu options that says Send Email (but it actually goes to Messages). So be cautious how you use Messages and/or Email.

Watch the Video
Read the Handout
*You will have to enter your KCTCS username and pword to access the video and handout.

If for any reason the links appear broken, or if you have an idea for a DL Tip of the Week, please email us at HCTC-DL@kctcs.edu.

Remember if you need assistance; please let a member of the DL Team know.

• Brad Roberts, DL Specialist (Faculty/Student Support) – Lees
• Paul Currie, DL Specialist (Faculty Support) – Hazard, Knott, Leslie, Tech
• Wendy Davidson, LoD Program Coordinator (LoD support and Student Support) 

Blackboard Survey on Course Availability

 SURVEY: Course Availability

The Blackboard User Experience team is researching how and why instructors make their course available to students. We are looking for input on how instructors think about access to their course.

·         Who's invited?   Faculty at any Blackboard institution

• Deadline?            The survey will close on Wednesday, February 19^th
• Survey Link        Take the Survey

Get Involved! Thank you for being a part of the BIE and helping make Blackboard the best it can be! If you know someone at your institution who may want to participate in any of these activities, please forward this email to them! If this email was forwarded to you and you'd like to receive BIE communications directly, please register here. Stay in touch @Blackboard.

DL Tip of the Week - New Features!

This week’s tip is about New Features in Blackboard.

Where did that come from?!?  What does that mean?!?  Have you ever noticed something inside your course shell and wondered what it is?  Maybe it was a new button that wasn’t there before, or a shiny new icon located in the Course Tools or Grade Center section that just “popped” out at you.  

Updates to Blackboard are happening more frequently now since our service host has changed and that trend will likely continue.  Additionally, many items come in as building blocks that can be applied during maintenance instead of waiting for full upgrades. So, how do we keep up-to-date on the latest and greatest features?  It might be easier than you think.

We’ve created this 3 step guide to help you get started (remember you will have to type in your KCTCS username and pword to access the guide).

If for any reason the links appear broken, or if you have an idea for a DL Tip of the Week, please email us at HCTC-DL@kctcs.edu.

Remember if you need assistance; please let a member of the DL Team know.

• Brad Roberts, DL Specialist (Faculty/Student Support) – Lees
• Paul Currie, DL Specialist (Faculty Support) – Hazard, Knott, Leslie, Tech
• Wendy Davidson, LoD Program Coordinator (LoD support and Student Support) 

DL Tip of the Week - Discussion Boards

This week’s tip is about the improved Discussion Board tool.

Did you know that with the upgrade in Blackboard SP 13 there was improvements made to the Discussion Board Tool? 


Discussions have been updated in two primary ways: the “Thread Detail” page has been thoroughly redesigned while maintaining all of its current functionality. We have also added new functionality to support specific pedagogical needs for the use of discussions. Selected highlights include:

• All Posts on One Page and Instructor Highlighting - all of the posts in a thread are now visible at the same time on one page. Posts now also contain the users’ course role and forum role.
• Inline Replies - when replying to a post, the content editor used to write a response appears on the same page, in the context of the discussion.
• Post First Discussions – This setting allows instructors to require students to post to a discussion before seeing other students’ posts.

Blackboard has a series of short videos called Quick Hit Videos that provide an overview of new features in Backboard Learn. 

Here is the Quick Hit Video for Discussion Boards.

The most requested option to be added to the discussion board is the Student Post First Option. Below is a screen shot in the discussion board area where in the Forum setting you would select the Participants must create a a thread in order to view other threads in this forum. This will make students think and have a more genuine response instead of formulating responses by looking at others. 

If for any reason the links appear broken, or if you have an idea for a DL Tip of the Week, please email us at HCTC-DL@kctcs.edu.

Remember if you need assistance; please let a member of the DL Team know.

• Brad Roberts, DL Specialist (Faculty/Student Support) – Lees
• Paul Currie, DL Specialist (Faculty Support) – Hazard, Knott, Leslie, Tech
• Wendy Davidson, LoD Program Coordinator (LoD support and Student Support) 

Changing Classroom Cultures Conference

Bluegrass Community & Technical College’s 8^th Annual Conference

View Conference Program

A FREE CONFERENCE open to all

KCTCS full-time & adjunct faculty and staff!

Friday afternoon, February 21

BCTC’s Newtown Campus, Lexington

Noon – 5:00 pm

 AND

Saturday, February 22

8:00 am - 2:15 pm

BCTC’s Leestown Campus, Lexington

We are pleased to announce as our keynote speaker

Georgia Green Stamper

Renowned Southern writer;

author of  Butter in the Morning and You Can Go Anywhere

Blackboard Innovative Teaching Series

We are happy to report that the 2014 Blackboard Innovative Teaching Series (BITS) will be kicking off on February 13th! BITS brings together educators to learn from each other and share best practices. As always, all webinars are free and recorded. We hope you can join us! 

Upcoming webinars include:

• Writing Objectives and Goals presented by Sandra Bennett, Wilmington University, on February 13th at 11am EST
• How to Engage Students from the Start presented by Miles McGeehan, Bozeman School District, on February 20th at 1pm EST
• Revenge of the Vendor-Turned-Instructor and his Collaborative Technologies presented by Matt Wasowski, Blackboard & Holmes Community College, on February 27th at 1pm EST

Authentic Assessment - How Do They Really Know? presented by Dr. Karen Kellison, Lord Fairfax Community College, on March 6th at 1pm EST