Want to encourage more student participation using the threaded discussions in Blackboard 8?  Take a look at some of the pedagogical strategies offered by Professor Klemm of Texas A&M.

1. Require participation.
2. Form learning teams.
3. Make the activity interesting.
4. Don’t settle for just opinions.
5. Structure the activity.
6. Require a hand-in assignment (deliverable).
7. Know what you are looking for and involve yourself to help
make it happen.
8. Peer grading.

http://resources.blackboard.com/scholar/general/pages/ictraining/Eight_Ways_Engage_Conferences.pdf

The Blackboard upgrade is planned for January 2 through 7. During this time, Blackboard will be unavailable.  Courses requested and created before the upgrade will be available after the upgrade is complete as well as uploaded content.  Therefore, feel free to begin preparing spring semester courses now.

We will continue to post guides to help make the migration as easy as possible for faculty, staff, and students.  We are also planning short workshops for instructors, and we are intending to offer some before winter break (week of January 5).  These workshops would via demonstration rather than hands-on since the Blackboard upgrade will not yet be available to the audience.

Please pay attention to announcements in SpiderBytes.

Here are some great Powerpoints DePaul put together concerning the most salient features of BB8. These would be really great as screen casts! Stay tuned. 😉

http://www.itd.depaul.edu/website/blackboard8.asp

Training Materials

Blackboard 8 Hands On Training   [PPTX 49 slides, 5mb]

Blackboard 8 Show and Tell Training   [PPTX 39 slides, 4mb]

Blackboard 8 Advanced Training   [PPTX 47 slides, 4mb]

Take a look at some of the great, animated Gradebook tutorials that the Instructional Technology team at the University of Illinois at Chicago put together:

http://www.uic.edu/depts/accc/itl/blackboard/v08/

Want to know: How do I email selected students from the gradebook? Click and see!

Indiana Wesleyan University has a few good tip sheets on Blackboard 8’s new features.  Make sure you have MS Word installed to view them.