eLearning Technologies

Active learning methods engage students in the learning process by encouraging them to discover, process, and apply information in a variety of ways. Inclusive of students’ diversity, talents, and ways of knowing.

How can you do this?

• Include varied student activities and assignments. (e.g., Syllabus, Discussion Board, Assignments/Assessments, Content Area)
• Make writing, speaking, and presenting purposeful parts of your course. (e.g., Assignments, Discussion Board)
• Create collaborative learning activities for students. (e.g., Assignments, Course Content, Discussion Board)
• Provide alternative assignment options or student choice in completing assignments. (e.g., Syllabus, Assignments)
• Offer students supplemental online learning materials for those who are interested. (e.g., Content Area)
• Make sure students receive timely, corrective feedback for online activities. (e.g., Discussion Board, Grade Center)
• Provide accommodations and support resources for students with disabilities. (e.g., Syllabus, Course Content, Technology)
• Use gamification techniques for assessment and delivering content (e.g. Kahoot).

Ensure appropriate amount of time to complete online content and assignments. Refer students toward available resources. Design online experiences that allow for flexibility and universal design principles.

Features in Blackboard that can help:

• External Links
• Providing Estimated Times on Activities in Content Areas & Assignments
• Extend Classroom-based Activities Online
• Adaptive Release
• Due Dates/Deadlines/Availability of Content
• Assignments

The "traditional" model of higher education places a lot of emphasis on instructors. Students will be more engaged in the learning process and in your course content when you actively make them the center of the learning process.

• Provide students with structured reflective opportunities to think intentionally about the cycle of learning. You can use the Ultra journal tool, an online assignment, Padlet, or even a Google form to allow students to share and reflect on their learning and the what/why/how of their knowledge creation. 
• Ask students to think about their goals and expectations for your course. Encourage students to share that with you at the start of the course and then to reflect upon those goals in the middle of the semester and then and again at the end of the course.  These can be structured as an journal, an online assignment, Padlet, or even collected in a Google form. 
• Provide directions often and in various ways. Be clear and concise with your directions and expectations. Also provide your directions in multiple ways and if you create a video with instructions on how to complete a task, be sure to provide the same directions in text.
• Provide effective and timely feedback. Make your presence known in a discussion forum by getting involved early and asking questions that keep the discussion going. Students should also be aware of their progress throughout the duration of the course. Blackboard Ultra’s  Grade Center can help you communicate student progress and offers text, oral and video feedback options . Tell them what they did well, and what needs improvement.
• Coach student success by encouraging and rewarding hard work. Summarize online discussion and reference specific discussion board threads in your Weekly Announcements and/or during synchronous meeting opportunities.
• Give students voice and choice about which assignments they complete—and how. This is a good principle of Universal Design for Learning. This might even include allowing students to create course content, classroom policies, establish assignment deadlines within a given time window, and opportunities to create assessment criteria.

Leverage different methods of learning through visuals and well-organized narrative. Establish course tasks requiring analysis, synthesis, and evaluation, with application to real-life situations. Encourage self-reflection and self-evaluation. Assess student learning styles and tailor the educational experience. Facilitate student collaboration and group problem solving. Provide opportunity for empathy for students with different levels of technology literacy using universal design principles. 

Recommended Blackboard Tools

• Embedding Videos and Digital media
• Creating Animations
• Group Work
• Discussion Board
• Journals and Blogs
• Offering Choice in Assignments/Assessments

Read a "Theory in Practice" (TIP) sheet on a motivational framework for culturally responsive teaching

When designing your Blackboard discussion postings, be sure to create open-ended questions that learners can explore and apply the concepts that they are learning.  Make sure to also stagger due dates of the responses and consider mid-point summary and/or offering encouraging comments. 

How can you do this?

• Within your syllabus, provide guidelines and instruction on what you “expect” when responding to other students. For example, suggest a two-part response: (A) what you liked or agreed with or what resonated with you, and (B) a follow-up question such as what you are wondering about or curious about, etc.
• Share a rubric with your students as to how they will be assessed on their assignment and discussion board activities.
• Create a private journal in Blackboard to enable students to use reflection practices in their learning.
• Post discussion summaries.  Rather than trying to respond to each student’s posts, create a final post or weekly Announcement that summarizes the discussion and acknowledges their contributions.
• Coach student success by encouraging and rewarding good discussion board posts.   Highlight specific student’s discussion board threads in your Blackboard Announcements and during synchronous or in-seat meeting opportunities.
• Give students opportunities to be in charge of leading a discussion, including replying to other students and posting summaries of their assigned forums. 
• Have students collaborate within their group discussion board and then have group members take turns, posting their summaries and highlights to the main discussion board where you can point out differences, similarities and common themes.
• Embrace student diversity and unique perspectives.  Encourage students to share their personal experiences and how their experiences can also connect and support what they are learning and to your course content.

Read a "Theory in Practice" (TIP) sheet about using reflection to promote student engagement