--- Forwarded Message from "Tommy B. McDonell" <[log in to unmask]> ---

>From: "Tommy B. McDonell" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: "LLTI-Editor" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: RE: #6184.1 blackboard class (!)
>Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2001 17:55:40 -0400
>In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Importance: Normal


Perhaps we can all get together after. I will be piloting my course for Pace
from July 16-August 29th.

Did you or have you used the whiteboard part of BB?

Or have any of you?

Thanks to you all, This is such a helpful board!

Tommy

Ms. Tommy B. McDonell
Adjunct, Marymount Manhattan College
La Guardia Community College and
Online Developer for Pace University.
Click On @ the Library Instructor
[log in to unmask]
h:212-358-1233 before 9:30 PM
f:212-358-1230

-----Original Message-----
From: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of LLTI-Editor
Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2001 1:37 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: #6184.1 blackboard class (!)



------------------
Tommy,

I taught a short summer course in blackboard on integrating technology into
the FL classroom. I will be teaching it again this summer in July. The
biggest disappointment my first time around was in trying to get them to
have small group discussions. As much as I encouraged them to share with
each other and I gave them specific topics to discuss, it seemed that they
would all write to me and not respond to each other although I had
specifically asked them to do so. I have decided this time around to
actually make it part of their grade, similar to a participation grade which
is common in a language class. It seems odd to do this with adults but I'm
not sure how else to get them to talk with each other. I also asked them to
do their final projects in groups but found that the only ones who really
worked together were those who lived near enough to each other to meet in
person. That was fine but I would have liked more of them to work in groups
over the network. I believe if the course were longer and they had more
opportunity to really meet each other over the web, that might have fostered
better communication.

I found blackboard itself easy to work with and I did use the quizzing and
survey features to collect data along the way. Many of my students were not
hardly familiar with email when they started the course, much less a system
such as blackboard, but they seemed to do fairly well with it anyway. I also
held online office hours through instant messenger where some of my students
contacted me.

Posting their profiles in the beginning worked well for getting them used to
posting materials to blackboard. Also using the assignment area for
attaching word documents that were their worksheets as well as describing a
daily calendar worked well. I didn't use all the features as I think it
would have become confusing in a short course to implement everything at
once. I did find myself sending them email messages telling/reminding them
where in Blackboard they needed to go to do the required work for that
day/week.

I'm not sure of all the changes I will make between now and July as it was
my first time doing the course online last year and it was a last minute
decision to do it that way. Feel free to contact me in August after I have
been through it again and I might have some more feedback for you.

Lauren

Lauren Rosen
Collaborative Language Program Coordinator
University of Wisconsin
618 Van Hise Hall
1220 Linden Drive
Madison, WI  53706

[log in to unmask]
608-262-4066 (voice)
608-265-3892 (fax)

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On 6/18/01 8:31 AM, "LLTI-Editor" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> --- Forwarded Message from "Tommy B. McDonell" <[log in to unmask]> ---
>
>> From: "Tommy B. McDonell" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: "Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum"
>> <[log in to unmask]>
>> Subject: blackboard class
>> Date: Fri, 15 Jun 2001 20:17:25 -0400
>> Importance: Normal
>
> ------------------
> Hi. I'd be interested in hearing from those of you who have taught a
totally
> online class, especially if it was on blackboard.
>
> What were some of your successes and failures. What do you wish you had
> known before you did it?
>
> What specific suggestions would you make for those of us who do it?
>
> Thanks for any help. I'm developing a business writing class for Pace
> University that will be piloted this summer and taught in the fall.
>
> Tommy McDonell
>
> Ms. Tommy B. McDonell
> Adjunct, Marymount Manhattan College
> La Guardia Community College and
> Online Developer for Pace University.
> Click On @ the Library Instructor
> [log in to unmask]
> h:212-358-1233 before 9:30 PM
> f:212-358-1230

--- end of quote ---