Guest post by Dr. Deborah Everhart, Chief Architect in Product Management, Blackboard Learn and Adjunct Assistant Professor, Georgetown University.

As a Director in the Exemplary Course Program, I have the privilege and pleasure of reviewing dozens of course submissions each spring. Every year the Directors see course innovations that we’ve never seen before, and I’m personally gratified to see how faculty and instructional designers are using Blackboard Learn in ways that effectively address the needs of students. It expands my understanding of how we can continue to evolve our products, as well as giving me best practice ideas for my own course!

Leslie Koberna

Delving a little deeper into the ECP experience, I interviewed Leslie Koberna from Texas Woman’s University, one of the 2011 ECP winners. When I asked her what makes her Oral Radiology course exemplary, she described her methodology for getting students engaged during the first week of the course. They are expected to complete activities that acclimate them to the course and familiarize them with the course materials and objectives. For example, they take a practice quiz based on the syllabus, which not only demonstrates that they’ve read and understand the syllabus, but also introduces them to the structure of Blackboard quizzes that they will be taking throughout the semester. Leslie makes sure every student is engaged from the very beginning, greatly improving their opportunities for success in the course.

A “Course Tour” guides students through the structure of the course and explains how “all assignments are designed around the module objectives to help you learn and apply the material.” Each topic includes both textual and video materials to help the students learn the material from different perspectives. Such a well-organized course makes even a challenging topic like oral radiology approachable. (more…)

Super Bowl XLVI got me thinking about an important annual event covered by the NFL Network in recent years.  Since 2005, Rich Eisen (NFL Network Host) continues to try and set a personal record running the 40-yard dash.

Here’s my favorite coverage of his results from 2010:

I love how they start comparing Eisen’s speed to others by superimposing simultaneous 40-yard dash sprints of NFL favorites Tim Tebow, Terrence Cody and Jacoby Ford. Watching Jacoby Ford fly by Rich Eisen over and over again got me thinking about a metaphor associated with our latest release of Blackboard Learn.

If Rich Eisen represents the Blackboard Learn of yesterday (Release 9.0, circa 2009), then Jacoby Ford represents the Blackboard Learn of today (Release 9.1 SP8, circa 2012).

SP8 is all about Superior Performance

Hands down, everything educators rely on their learning management system for is just that much easier and faster on Blackboard Learn, Release 9.1 SP8.  And being able to do things faster and easier across core workflows is where it really counts.  That’s why the ongoing investments made in the design and functionality of Blackboard Learn focus on the tasks and activities that are used most frequently.  Here are four short videos that demonstrate time saving additions to SP8 that will make instructors feel like they’re flying through common tasks: (as fast as Ford flies by Eisen.)

Delight in a modern experience with the SP8 Theme

Get around faster with Task Based Navigation

Change it once and it updates everywhere with Automated Regrading

Edit files in one place with Easy Edit with Blackboard Drive

Now is your chance to start taking advantage of an improved experience with the same tools you love.  Start getting things done faster, way faster, in SP8.  So, what are you waiting for?

Learn more about Blackboard Learn’s latest release, SP8

I’ve been using course management software for a long time. As early as 1994, I was involved in a project called “The Virtual Classroom” at the University of Connecticut, trying to figure out how to supplement the course experience with online components. Our tools were Gopher, NCSA Mosaic, and a small web server. At the time, most students had to visit the library or a computer lab to even get online. I later started using WebCT at the University of Denver in 1997 and soon joined the company as an employee in 1999. I may have left teaching, but educational technology has been my profession and passion ever since.

My career has given me the opportunity to work with lots of educational software over the years, and in my role in Product Marketing here at Blackboard, I am closely involved with the evolution of the Blackboard Learn Platform. So it is with great anticipation that I look forward to my first peek at a working build of each new release. The excitement of seeing named features in working code for the first time remains a true joy of this job, but with Service Pack 8 I couldn’t believe my eyes. I knew we were updating the user interface and continuing to improve core workflows, but the actual working product was beyond my expectations. I knew then that this was more than your average service pack.

I enjoyed working in the new software so much that I decided to do a product launch video for it. This would be too much fun to outsource. I dove into our demo course and recorded my actions with screen capture software. It didn’t take me long to figure it all out. Everything is still just where you expect it to be, but the user interface is so much cleaner that it truly feels new. Edit controls just get out of your way when you don’t need them, workflow improvements make it easy to hop from one course to another, and it all just looks so good. Speaking of looking good, there are over fifty course themes that you can apply to personalize your course or make it match your subject.

The more I used it, the more I loved it, and I couldn’t wait for the day when we could release it to all of you. Well, that day is here and I hope you will take this opportunity to try SP8 for yourselves. You can see more in the video below and you can learn more about the release at http://blackboardlearn.com/new where you can also sign up for webinars and upgrade cohorts. I’m confident that SP8 will save you time, make you more efficient, and make your time spent in Blackboard Learn more enjoyable.

While you are at it, take a look at how you, our clients, influenced this release with the Client Impact Report.

I hope you enjoy working with Service Pack 8 for Blackboard Learn as much as I do.

The use of Blackboard Collaborate’s web conferencing opens many opportunities for learners to come together online to expand their knowledge and expertise.  Unfortunately, mischief can happen in the virtual classroom just as in the physical classroom.  Advantage Collaborate!  Collaborate makes it easier and quicker to put a stop to unwanted, inappropriate behavior.  You can send a disciplinary warning via private chat or private announcement to the bully.  If that does not stop the disruptions then the moderator can easily remove that bully and lock him/her out of the room.

Private chat is a direct channel to the instructor that is ALWAYS there for students.  Even when the chat permission is off, participants can still use chat but only moderators will see the message.  This will keep bullies from sending hurtful messages to other students in Collaborate web conferencing.  Additionally, teachers can rest assured that students in need will always be able to inform them immediately via chat if bullying is taking place.

Virtual Time Out can be easily made by creating a breakout room and loading it with sensitivity training materials.  It’s easy to preload a variety of engaging content in your Virtual Time Out breakout room.  For instance, you could load this PPT I found on the North Carolina Juvenile Justice website. (more…)