Blackboard 4: Interactive Tools

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This handout corresponds to the fourth and final workshop on teaching with Blackboard. Blackboard's integrated interactive tools give you the ability to facilitate interaction and collaboration with and amongst your students. In this workshop, you will learn about the basics of creating and using:

1. Discussion Boards Create Forums • Create Threads • Deploy • Manage • Grade

2. Journals and Blogs Create • Deploy • Review/Grade

3. Wikis Create • Deploy • Review/Grade

4. Achievements Create • Define Triggers • Select Reward

5. Groups Create Groups • Access Groups

For more information on Blackboard workshops or to register for one, log into the ACC Workshop Database: https://www3.austincc.edu/it/workshops/www/login.php To begin, login to Blackboard at http://acconline.austincc.edu using your ACCeID and password.

1. Discussion Boards Discussion boards can be used to facilitate student-student and instructor-student interaction within your course. Forums group together one or more topics, or Threads. You and your students exchange Posts that everyone in the class can read, thus facilitating a dialogue on a range of topics related to your course.

1.1. Create Forum Go to Control Panel > Course Tools > Discussion Board > select a Discussion Board > click Create Forum.

Enter a Name for the Forum that indicates the general subject to be addressed. Optionally, you may add a Description of the Forum in the text box. Set Forum options according to your preference > Submit. You will return to the Discussion Board screen, where all Forums are listed. Forums with unread Posts appear in bold. Details on the number of posts, unread posts and total participants for each Forum are also listed.

1.2. Create Thread A Thread is a series of posts related to the same subject. Threads provide organizational structure within a Forum. Creating a thread posts the first message.

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Select Forum > click Create Thread.

Enter the Subject of your post > type your post into the text box > click Submit.

You will be returned to the Forum, where all Threads will be listed. Your Thread is now available for students to read and post replies.

1.3. Deploy Discussion Board You must create a Tool Link to the discussion boards page in the course menu or deploy the discussion board to a Content Area for students to access it.

Create Tool Link: Click at the top of the course menu > select Tool Link. Enter a Name > open the Type menu and select Discussion Board > check Available to Users > Submit.

Deploy to Content Area: To create a link to the discussion board page or to a specific forum directly in a Content Area, go to the Content Area > click Tools at the top > select Discussion Board > select the destination for the link (choose a specific forum, or link to the discussion board page where student can access all forums) > Submit.

1.4. Manage Discussion Board

Manage Forum: Click the action button next to a Forum name to open a list of options:

Open all Threads within the Forum.

Edit the Forum name and/or description.

Manage users to determine their role and level of access to the Forum (e.g. Participant, Grader)

Copy the Forum settings, or the entire Forum.

Delete the Forum, including all posts.

Manage Thread: Open a Forum. A list of all Threads within that Forum will display. Click on the name of a Thread to read and reply to posts.

1. Check the box next to post(s) to execute Message Actions (mark as read/unread, set/clear flag, or collect). You can also Expand/Collapse all posts.

2. Use the buttons in this bar to Reply, Quote the original post in your reply, Edit posts you have authored, Delete a post, or Email Author of a post.

3. Search for posts using keywords or dates. 4. Click OK to return to the forum.

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1.5. Grade Discussion Board You can choose to grade Forums or Threads. Setting up a Graded Forum/Thread automatically creates a column in the Grade Center.

Grade Forum: Blackboard will collect all posts within the Forum for each student, allowing you to provide an overall grade for each student’s participation in the discussion.

Go to the graded Forum > click Grade Discussion Forum.

The Grade Forum Users page will appear, displaying a list of students. Click Grade to review a student’s posts and enter a grade.

The Grade Discussion Forum page will appear, as shown below:

1. All posts the student has

made in the forum are collected on this page.

2. Click Forum Statistics to show details on the student’s forum activity (date of last post, average, minimum, and maximum post length).

3. Enter the Grade. 4. Enter Feedback (shown to

student). Click Add Notes to include grading notes (private to instructor). 5. Click Submit when grade has been entered. Click OK to return to the Grade Forum Users page. Click Grade again to edit the grade or comments.

Grade Thread: If you choose Grade Threads, only the instructor(s) will be able to create Threads within the Forum, and students are graded on their replies to those Threads. Each time you create a new Thread you will be prompted to enter the number of points possible for that particular Thread.

Go to the Forum with graded threads. A list of Threads will appear. Click the Grade Thread button to the right of a Thread name.

The Grade Discussion Thread Users page will appear, displaying a list of students. Click Grade to review a student’s posts and enter a grade. The Grade Discussion Thread page will appear; it is identical to the one used in grading forums (see above).

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2. Journals and Blogs Journals are a self-reflective tool that allows students to post their personal reflections about the course or discuss and analyze course-related materials. Blogs are an open communications tool for Students to share their thoughts. A blog consists of entries posted by students as well as comments made by others. Journals and Blogs may be graded.

2.1. Create Journal Go to Control Panel > Course Tools > Journals > Create Journal.

Enter a Name and detailed Instructions explaining the journal assignment.

Set Journal Availability to Yes for students to access the journal. Set Date Restrictions if needed.

Under Journal Settings, indicate if journal entries will be public (viewable by other students) or private (viewable only by the instructor and author), and if the journal will be graded. If graded, enter Points Possible and a Due Date if applicable. Click Submit to make the journal available.

2.2. Deploy Journal You must create a Tool Link to the journals page or deploy journals to a Content Area for students to access them.

Create Tool Link: Click at the top of the course menu > select Tool Link. Enter a Name > open the Type menu and select Journal > check Available to Users > Submit.

Deploy to Content Area: To add a link to the journal page or a specific journal assignment directly in a Content Area, go to the Content Area > click Tools at the top > select Journals > select the destination for the link (choose a specific journal, or link to the journals page where student can access all journal assignments) > Submit.

2.3. Review/Grade Journal If a journal is graded, a column in the Grade Center will automatically be created. Follow these steps to review journal entries and to assign grades, if applicable.

Go to the journal assignment (Content Area > click on journal name, or Control Panel > Course Tools > Journals > click on journal name). The page pictured to the right will appear:

1. The first student’s journal entries are collected and displayed.

2. Click Comment to leave comments on a journal entry.

3. Click Journal Details to show the number of entries and number of comments posted on other student’s journals.

4. Click to collapse the grading panel and expand the student’s journal entries to full screen.

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5. Click the student’s name to expand a list of all students; click on another name to view that student’s entries. You can also use the arrows to advance to the previous or next student.

6. Enter a Grade. Note: If the journal is not graded, items 6-8 will not appear. 7. Enter Feedback (shown to students) and click Add Notes (to add grading notes, private to instructor). 8. Click Submit to save grade and feedback.

2.4. Create and Manage Blogs There are three different types of Blogs you can create:

Course Blogs: All enrolled users are able to post blog entries and leave comments.

Individual Blogs: Only the owner of the blog is able to post blog entries. All other users enrolled in the course are able to view and add comments.

Group Blogs: If the instructor enables the blog tool for the group, all group members can post blog entries and make comments on blog entries. Any course member can view group blogs, but can only add comments.

Blogs are created, deployed, and reviewed/graded in the same manner at journals. Follow the steps as outlined above, selecting Blogs rather than Journals where appropriate.

3. Wikis Wikis are used to create a collaborative where all students can view, contribute, and edit course-related content. Wikis can be created for your class as a whole, or facilitate smaller group projects. You have the option to grade wikis.

3.1. Create Wiki Go to Control Panel > Course Tools > Wikis > Create Wiki.

Enter a Name and detailed Instructions describing the wiki assignment. If you are grading the wiki, indicate the number of points possible under Wiki Settings > set a Due Date if applicable > Submit.

3.2. Deploy Wiki You must create a Tool Link to the wiki page or deploy wikis to a Content Area for students to access them.

Create Tool Link: Click at the top of the course menu > select Tool Link. Enter a Name > open the Type menu and select Wiki > check Available to Users > Submit.

Deploy to Content Area: To add a link to the wiki page or a specific wiki assignment directly in a Content Area, go to the Content Area > click Tools at the top > select Wiki > select the destination for the link (choose a specific wiki, or link to the wikis page where student can access all wiki assignments) > Submit.

3.3. Review/Grade Wiki If a wiki is graded, a column in the Grade Center will automatically be created. Follow these steps to review wiki entries and participation, and to assign grades if applicable.

Go to the wiki assignment (Content Area > click on wiki name, or Control Panel > Course Tools > Wikis > click on wiki name).

On the Wiki Assignment page, you will find the following:

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1. Wiki content appears in the center of the screen. The wiki home page displays by default. 2. Click Comment to leave comments on the wiki page. 3. If the wiki contains multiple pages, navigate using the list of pages in the right side menu. 4. Click Participation Summary (ungraded) or Participation and Grading to view student contributions and enter

grades.

The Participation Summary displays details on each student’s contributions to the wiki, such as the number and percentage of words modified and the number page saves.

To view an individual’s contributions, click on their name in the Participation Summary or in the View Contributions By menu in the right side bar.

The Participant’s Contribution screen displays details of each student’s wiki activity. You can see versions of the wiki page after each contribution, compare versions, find the dates of modifications, and the number or words modified each time. Click on a link in the Page Version column to open the specified version of the page in a new window. Click on a link in the User’s Modifications column to open a new window showing the changes from one version of the page to the next. The Legend tab explains the changes indicated by each marking.

To enter a grade, make sure you are on the student’s Participant’s Contribution screen > click Edit Grade > enter a point value > click Save Grade. Use the arrow keys under View Contributions By to navigate to the previous or next student’s contributions.

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4. Achievements An achievement is an indicator of an accomplishment, skill, competency, or interest students can achieve, that takes the form of a certificate or badge. Create achievements for course completion, a milestone or create a custom achievement.

4.1. Create Achievement Go to Control Panel > Course Tools > Achievements > click Create Achievement. From the dropdown menu, select the type of achievement you want to create: Course Completion, Milestone, or Custom (you will be able to define specific triggers for each type). Enter a Name for the reward. Select the Achievement Location. Click Browse to select a Content Area where the reward will appear. Indicate whether the reward should be visible to students before they meet the criteria (it will be grayed out, but they will be able to see there is a reward available to be earned). Add a Description of the reward. Click Define Triggers to set criteria.

4.2. Define Triggers Enter a Rule Name. Next you will specify a trigger for the achievement, which can be any combination of the following:

Date: The reward is released at a set date and time.

Membership: You can specify individual student(s) or groups of students to receive the reward.

Grade: Specify a Grade Center Column and the Condition their score must satisfy to receive the reward.

Review Status: Indicate an item that must be marked as reviewed in order to release the reward.

Once the criteria for the rule have been selected, click Add Another Rule at the top to create an additional rule, or click Select Reward to continue.

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4.3. Select Reward Enter the Issuer Name (this could be your name, the name of the department, etc.). You have the option to set an Expiration Date or define the Number of Days for which the Reward is Valid. After the date or number of days passes, the reward will no longer be visible. Select your Reward Options. Certificates are available for Completion; Badges are available for any achievement type. You can select from the existing Badge Images; if you have created your own badge, click Browse My Computer to attach the image file. Click Save and Exit. You will be returned to the Achievements page, which displays all achievements for your course and the number of recipients. The rewards appear for students in the designated Content Area.

5. Groups The Groups tool allows you to organize students into groups of any size. You can create group assignments and provide communication and collaboration tools – such as Wikis, Blogs or Discussion Boards – that only group members can access.

5.1. Create Groups Go to Control Panel > Users and Groups > Groups. You may create a single group or a set of groups. You have the following options for enrolling users:

Self-Enroll allows students to add themselves to a group via a sign-up sheet.

Manual Enroll allows the Instructor to assign students to a group.

Random Enroll allows the Instructor, when creating a Group Set, to determine the number of groups or number of students per group. Blackboard then randomly assigns students groups according to your criteria.

Select the appropriate type of Group > enter a Name and optional Description. Tool Availability allows you to determine which communication and collaboration tools are available to the groups. By default all options are made available; click in a box to uncheck any options you would like to hide from the Groups. Here you will also assign point values for any collaboration tools that will be graded.

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The procedure for assigning students to groups varies for the different enrollment methods:

Self-Enroll: Define parameters for a Sign-Up Sheet.

Enter a Name for the Sign-up Sheet > indicate the Maximum Number of Members for each group > enter the total Number of Groups (if creating a Group Set) > click Submit. Students will be able to view the Sign-Up Sheet and enroll themselves in a Group. Blackboard will close enrollments for a group once the maximum number of members has been met.

Manual Enroll: The instructor determines group membership and assigns students to groups.

Select a name > click to enroll the selected user > click Submit when enrollment is complete. For a Group Set, you will first indicate the number of groups > click Submit. Then follow the steps above to assign students to each group.

Random Enroll: Define the parameters for enrollment and Blackboard assigns students to a Group.

Indicate either the number of students per group or the number of groups > choose how to distribute remaining students > click Submit. Enter a Name for the Sign-up Sheet > indicate the Maximum Number of Members for each group > enter the total Number of Groups (if creating a Group Set) > click Submit.

5.2. Access Groups To view information about the groups (e.g. list of members and to access any group assignments or communication tools, go to Control Panel > Users and Groups > Groups > click on the name of a Group. To edit group names, details, or membership, go to Control Panel > Users and Groups > Groups > click next to the name of a Group > select Edit.

Student Access: For students, a My Groups area is added below the course menu if groups exist for the class. Students can access all group tools and assignments through this My Groups area.