Deleting Old Archives and Exports From Your Course

We are happy to see that so many of you have archived and exported your Fall 12 courses for safe keeping. We ask that once you download the archives and exports, to please take another minute and go back into your Fall 12 courses (or any others that are still on your list) and delete the archives and exports from the course.

Archives and exports can use a lot of storage space on Blackboard and we need these removed before we install sp10 starting Dec. 14.

More information and detailed instructions for End of the Semester processes can be found under Blackboard on KOLTS.

Need more help? All Blackboard functional questions, technical support, and performance issues are best resolved by calling the helpdesk or filing a ticket on our help desk site. When filing your ticket, it is very important to capture as much detail as possible in order for either Bb Support or eLearning Services to troubleshoot. Helpful details include screenshots, student id, course id, navigation path, error messages, etc. 

When the Semester Ends, It Isn’t Really Over

Figuring out final grades feels like closure. It’s the last time we think carefully about each student we’ve had in this set of classes. Some of them have done so well, and if they are students we’ve had in multiple courses, we feel such satisfaction as we watch what they are becoming. They make teaching worth the work. But then there are other students—the ones who failed because it just wasn’t the time in their lives to learn this content, the ones who didn’t have the skills they needed to make it, and the ones who passed the course but never connected with the content, the teacher, and sometimes, not even with their classmates. These are the students who some days make us wonder why we even bother. Read more...

Designing Assignments that Accomplish Course Goals

I’m betting that many of you are in the midst of grading a large stack of papers, projects or other final assignments. Too often these end-of-course pieces of work don’t live up to our expectations or students’ potential. It’s easy for us (especially the elders among us) to bemoan the fact that students aren't what they used to be. It’s better to use our discontent to consider whether our course assignments are effectively accomplishing our course goals. Read more...

How Much?! Calculating the Cost of Online Education

Is an online education a better bargain financially than a traditional program? There are conflicting reports and old assumptions may not be accurate anymore. For-profit and not-for-profit, four-year and two-year, changes in the economy are affecting all sectors. It's important for you to do the math on your own, comparing the schools and programs you are interested in, and ultimately choose a program that meets your career and education needs, and is within your budget. Read more... and feel free to share with students.

End-of-Course Evaluations: Making Sense of Student Comments

At most colleges, courses are starting to wind down and that means it’s course evaluation time. It’s an activity not always eagerly anticipated by faculty, largely because of those ambiguous comments students write. Just what are they trying to say? Read more...  

How to Design a Digital Media Assignment

Each year, faculty members would like to assign students a digital media project as an alternative to a formal written paper. Often their first thought is a video, but project ideas have also involved academic posters and podcasts. When it is designed well, a digital media assignment can be an excellent learning activity for students. This article provides a summary of best practices, some ideas for projects, and a list of resources to get you started. Read more...

Creating an Engaging Student Experience: SP10 Global Navigation and My Blackboard Webinar Event

Live Webinar Event: Thursday, December 6 @ 1:30pm Eastern Time 

By now you’ve heard the news – Blackboard Learn SP10 has been released and it is getting rave reviews.  Frankly it’s just SIMPLY. BETTER. And KCTCS will be installing SP 10 December 14 (5:00 p.m.) to December 18 (7:00 a.m.).

Learn how to put it into practice for you.  This training webinar will explore the new Global Navigation elements of SP10.  This navigation provides an entry point to My Blackboard and other Social Learning elements of Blackboard Learn.  In this training, we will explore the key components of Global Navigation and My Blackboard and look at ways that an instructor can build a more engaging learning space. Read more and sign up...