Instructional Technology Services

Why did you choose to use Blackboard?

I have used various approaches to impart information and materials to my students. Among those various options, I have found that Blackboard works as well, if not better, than all the others. The success of this approach is primarily due to the easy access all students have to Blackboard and the fact that many other faculty are using Blackboard, making it even more user-friendly to students. I have always provided students with various software programs I have personally developed, but delivering these files to students was problematic, due to the various media options, students’ familiarity with the media, their lack of access and their lack of capacity to receive large files, etc.

How have you integrated the technology into your teaching?

All students are expected to check Blackboard regularly for a variety of information, including: practice problems and answers, information about review sessions and exams, and instructions and equations for their calculators. Because I can access Blackboard in the classroom, I can post copies of materials I share in class such as PowerPoint presentations and overheads I have created “on the fly.” I also use Blackboard for general communications and to post Excel macros and statistical software I have designed.

How is your use of the technology innovative or different?

Blackboard allows me to share my Excel macros in a safe, efficient way that is easy for the students and me. The macros are very innovative and valuable to my students. These macros are “protected” so the students cannot accidentally delete crucial information, contain “buttons” that allow them to clear all old data before using the programs again, have color-coded tabs for “Information,” “Data,” “Results,” “Additional Information,” and “Credits.” All my macros are set up in the same format for ease of use. They go well beyond what is built into Excel. The package includes many statistical procedures that eliminate the necessity of students having to buy larger statistical programs in many cases. Examples include a basic statistical analysis macro for one-sample problems that yields approximately 70 statistical results for a given data set, a two-sample independent and dependent z-test and t-test macro, a chi-square test for normality macro, a test for independence and goodness of fit macro, a one-way ANOVA macro, a one-way ANOVA macro based on summary data taken from sources without the actual data base intact, a two-way ANOVA macro, a Treatment-by-Subjects macro, a Bivariate Correlation and Regression macro, a Two-Predictor Variable Regression macro, a Multiple Regression macro, a Statistical Process Control macro, as well as others.

What parts of Blackboard have worked the best for you? What hasn't worked?

All of the features of Blackboard have worked well for me. It has simplified the process of communicating with students and providing them information in a timely manner.

It is too bad the email feature does not have editing built in, as does Eudora, Word, and other software. We have to trust ourselves to have carefully edited our documents before sending them to the students. We also cannot use other features such as underlining, italics, bold, color fonts, etc. I typically create my emails in some other software that has editing capabilities, then cut and paste the document into Blackboard’s email communications. One other shortcoming is that if I am in the midst of composing an email to my students from the “Communication” menu and want to look at various documents I have posted for the class while creating the email, I cannot do so without terminating, finishing and sending, or losing the partially completed email. My current alternative is to open two sessions of Blackboard simultaneously so I can view the folders in one session and compose the email in another session.

How has Blackboard changed the way you teach and manage a classroom? And how has it improved your students' ability to communicate and learn?

I have received very positive comments from the students showing their appreciation for posting numerous additional practice problems. It has also saved the department a great deal of time and money, since materials now do not have to be printed and distributed to the students. I can post .pdf documents to Blackboard and the students can print them as needed. My teaching style now has more flexibility, giving me a wider range of tools I can incorporate into my lectures. I use Blackboard on the overhead sometimes, the old fashioned overhead projector at other times, and the chalkboard or whiteboard at still other times; and I can easily transfer media approaches, thus keeping the students’ attention without becoming too locked into one approach. Classroom management has become much easier due to the ease in distributing materials. The communication is much enhanced. Since I typically exchange between 500-1000 emails with my students per class each semester, I need all the ease in communication I can get. This enables me to send blanket emails to all my students, specific emails to various individuals, and emails to various team members within the class all from the same place.