Off the ground: getting Blackboard working in an art and design college

Why have a VLE or online learning?

To develop independent research skills

Increase flexibility of provision Enhance capacity of integrating

study with work and leisure. On screen learning can be made

visually exciting Opportunity to share knowledge

with peers…..

What is e learning?

“Learning facilitated and supported through the use of information and communications technology” JISC

“The use of ICT in learning whether it be a virtual learning environment, the intranet, communication technologies or specialist software tools……”Mike Pringle, Director, AHDS Visual Arts

What do students want?

Seamless links to information (not too many passwords and clicks!)

Easy contact with their tutors Opportunities to share and discuss

ideas One place to find all the information

they want Virtual access to information at

times they want.

What do they get?

Blogs Student Portals VLE’s Email Pigeon holes

….and often at the same time!

Some examples at the University College for the Creative Arts

http://www.blackboard.kiad.ac.uk/webapps/login

Why is takeup of e learning in art and design so small?

Lack of time to develop programmes

Misconception that e learning is a replacement for studio teaching

No technical support Confusion of communication

channels

Feedback from students

“Create more forums.We have only one place to post, which limits the effectiveness of what can be said, as we have to trudge through all topics to find any information we want! It is an unfriendly interface and system.”

“More tutor input on the forums” “Useful place to interact with other students to see each others work

and ideas.” “Perhaps access can be given to the visual theory lecturers as well or

anyone else with an opinion?” “What I’m really interested in is the views of other students and what

they think of my work. Why not involve students from other courses too?”

“ My major beef with blackboard is that the thread system used is about 5-6 years old, this isn’t particulary a big problem, it just makes everything harder to read. If you look at modern forums like the Concept art forums that use the vbulletin system, the threads are much easier to read there. I realise that it's a lot to ask, but I feel that this is the direction KIAD should be going if they want to implement Blackboard on a larger scale.”

Projects at UCCA

BA Fine Art – development of online tutorials and reading lists using CLA Scanning Licence

College Communication page at Maidstone

PDP Blogs

Pilot projects

BA Fine Art

Future directions

Blended learning E Learning Strategy Rewarding teaching excellence Employ a consultant to encourage cultural

shift Appoint an e learning facilitator Develop and share pilot projects Develop a Centre for Learning Technology

(LSE model)

Tips for Librarians

Get more involved with projects Find out how much money your

institution has put aside for e learning – put in a bid!

Use the CLA scanning licence to post scanned chapters on a VLE

Develop your own VLE as a communication tool.