Tools for Teaching

Blackboard Discussion Boards

Discussion boards or fora are one of the most common ways of using Blackboard where students create content online. FET have some great guidance on how to get the most from discussion boards . If you need support please contact your HAS TEL support team not the FET team.

We have synthesized the article ‘When the VLE becomes your campus: some thoughts on engaging learners‘ by Anne Hole into a shortened ‘Tips for Discussion Boards‘ document . Both in long form and short form this is a useful source of guidance for your use of social tools on the VLE.

There is of course the official Blackboard Discussion guidance but please be aware this addresses different versions of Blackboard in the same place. So not all guidance will be relevant.

Blackboard Tests

Blackboard Test is the test system within Blackboard. We use it within the Faculty for formative and summative tests. Blackboard Test could be described as a quizzing tool as it allows the instructor to assemble question types such as Multiple Choice (MCQ), Short Answer etc into a test with the results feeding through to Blackboards Grade Centre. This way the instructor can see student performance and provide feedback.

Tests can be used on online courses to: measure engagement; test knowledge before and after an activity; & at a cohort level see whether there are particular areas that everyone is struggling with.

Blackboard has a really simple introductory video on tests  which is really helpful. With formative assessment it is tricky knowing how much feedback to give students and to navigate the options of types of feedback. This ‘Feedback help sheet for staff‘  covers how the feedback options you are given when setting up a Blackboard Test actually manifest themselves to students.

For anyone who is new to making Panopto recordings at UWE Bristol we have the following support resources:

• How to get started Installation guides for new users.
• Introduction and how to use Event Capture Medium length ‘how to’ video.
• Doing a Piece to Camera at your desk Advice for recording at your desk or home office.
• Things to think about when recording from your desk Short activity about your recording environment
• Putting recordings on your Blackboard . How to put your recordings on Blackboard.
• Logging into Panopto Cloud . How to access Panopto Cloud.
• Finding and editing your recording. If there are sections you want to clip or snip.
• Copy recordings . From Panopto Cloud Copying old content to then.
• Move recordings From older modules to newer modules.
• Webcasting – (Pending)

Moving student focus to Blackboard Collaborate might highlight how little experience of using Blackboard students have. If you feel it would be beneficial we have a Blackboard Collaborate Participant Tour Video for student inductions which you are free to use how you see fit.

For those looking to get started with Collaborate the LDC host a comprehensive guide on using Collaborate on Blackboard Train .

• Document on ‘Practical preparations’ for your first Blackboard Collaborate session.
• Crib sheet for Blackboard Collaborate made by Tom Buckley. Good resource for learning technologists supporting their first webinar.
• Using Blackboard Collaborate with people external to UWE. This resource will come in useful for those of us who use Collaborate with people outside of blackboard / student groups.
• With Blackboard Collaborate it is good practice to put up slides to ‘induct’ people into the session. Feel free to use this Generic Session Induction slideset for this purpose. Ammend as neccessary.
• ​Blackboard Collaborate guidance is also available from the help.blackboard site.

Mentimeter

Mentimeter is an audience response tool that doesn’t require clicker handsets. It is accessed via a browser and stores information and activities online. We have an institutional license which means you already have access to this service. As it is cloud based we are able to use it within our online teaching through Collaborate. You may have seen it used within the School of Health and Social Care engagement sessions over the summer of 2020.

Some good starter resources can be found below:

• Getting started with Mentimeter  UWE has adopted Mentimeter as the new polling tool for the university. Here is a quick guide to help you find your way around.
• Mentimote: control your Mentimeter slides from your mobile device Learn how to use Mentimote to control your Mentimeter presentations remotely from your smartphone.
• Tests and quizzes in the (virtual) classroom Options for running a synchronous test or quiz in a classroom or webinar.