Laura Blankenship September 4th, 2008
While we have our own wiki with plenty of step-by-step instructions, we may not be covering everything you want to know. Here is a list of 100 Blackboard tips, some for students, but most for instructors. They’ve been collected from colleges around the country and cover everything from how to set things up in Blackboard to how to use the wiki tool effectively.
Laura Blankenship September 2nd, 2008
It’s over now, the first day. I’m sure there were things that went great and things that did not go so great. Here in the ETC, we’re sorting out how to work our newly refreshed computers in the New Media Lab, helping people with Blackboard, fixing things with video, and trying to put the last finishing touches on summer projects. My favorite thing that’s happened so far has been the many emails I’ve received asking how to do something that are followed almost immediately with another email that says “Never mind, I figured it out.” It’s true that many things about using certain applications are not obvious or maybe it’s a new application to you, but it’s also true that, unlike in times past, you probably won’t hurt anything by trying out a few options. I remember too well the days of pressing the wrong button sending your paper into the trash forever. I can also remember the days of the “sad mac” and the “blue screen of death” when it was likely you’d never turn your computer again, much less retrieve any data stored on it. These days, with the ability to store data on a server that’s backed up instead of a hard drive, means that even if your computer does die, you won’t lose your files.
Maybe technology has gotten a bit more complicated, which makes it more likely that you will need to call for help or search Google for the answer, but it’s certainly more stable in many areas. I can’t even remember the last time I’ve lost a file or had a computer crash so badly, nothing was recoverable. I even dropped my computer down the stairs and it was fine! But technology also changes more rapidly than it did in the past. Small updates to most software happens almost weekly. New web applications come out every day. People browse the web on iPhones and iPods. Wifi is almost everywhere. So, in that sense, technology might seem unstable. One day, you’re using an application and the next thing you know, it’s obsolete or has changed so dramatically as to be barely recognizable. I personally like change. I like that applications get better (as most do when they change). I like seeing new capabilities, new ways to do my work, or keep up with my kids, read the news, or even be entertained. If you’re not like that, it’s okay. I’ll try to serve as a guide, to provide insight into the new, directions for navigating the change. But don’t be afraid to try some things yourself. Really, you can’t break anything. And if you find something cool, please share!
Laura Blankenship July 17th, 2008
Why use social software?
For me as a writing instructor:
Anne Dalke
- “There’s a sharp contrast between the traditional way of producing academic writing and the current way a number of us here go about inviting students to publish their writing on the Web,” said Dalke. “Our mode tells students, from the get-go, that they are participating in larger debates on the topics they are studying.”
Blogging within Blackboard: the Plant Blog
Software environment and details matter. Take advantage of technology to create the environment you want.
Laura Blankenship March 26th, 2008
We successfully recorded the Information Management Workshop. It ended up in two parts.
We covered using Google Reader and RSS Feeds generally, EndNote Web, del.icio.us, and Zotero.
Laura Blankenship March 4th, 2008
This is primarily for all the local faculty. Here are the instructions for archiving your courses in Blackboard.
I. EXPORT PACKAGES
A Blackboard course or organization can be exported into a .zip file which can be downloaded to the instructor’s computer. The export file can be used as a vehicle to transfer content to another course, and as an archive of all files associated with the course. This export file created by Blackboard (named something like ExportFile_sc.BIOL.150.F06.zip) contains copies of all the documents and files in the course which can be opened and used in their corresponding applications (Acrobat, Word, etc.) The exported .zip file is not a “stand alone” site in the sense that it can be viewed in a browser as a functioning Blackboard course — for that, the export file would have to be loaded back up onto our (or another school’s) Blackboard server. You can use Bfree to view your zip file and export to other formats (such as a stand alone web page). See the Bfree site for documentation.
To form a Course Export, go to
After you’ve submitted your export request, it will be queued on the system and you will receive an email when the process is complete. As soon as you get that email, return to the Control panel for the course you’re explorting out of.
Next, go to the new course where you want to import the materials
II. ARCHIVES
The other downloadable package format is the course archive
A course archive is similar to a course export, but it is a complete record of the course, including user information and user-specific contributions like discussion board posts and uploaded files.
The archive file created by Blackboard (named something like ArchiveFile_sc.BIOL.150.S05.zip) can be downloaded and saved by the instructor following the same instructions as above for a course export. A .zip archive can be used to create an exact replica of a course including all user-specific information, but only if/when it is loaded onto a Blackboard server by an administrator. Note that an archive of each course is formed as the course is removed from the system (after three full semesters, see Course Archive and Removal Schedule for details.)
NB: When a student account is deleted from Bb, all their posts and uploads are dropped. This removes any/all contributions to a course (file uploads, discussion board comments, etc.) To avoid losing these items, instructors may want to get in the habit of forming their own archive to preserve a “snapshot” of the course with all students (and their contributions) at the end of the semester. They can download this archive to their own computer and save it in case you need to bring anything back.
Retrieved from “http://wikis.swarthmore.edu/~wikis/bbwiki/index.php/What%27s_the_difference_between_a_course_export_and_a_course_archive%3F“
Laura Blankenship March 3rd, 2008
I’m watching the video from Abilene Christian University about how their new iPhone initiative might be used academically. I’m thinking about the infrastructure necessary for implementing such a program. I like the way surveys can be sent in class, but what apps are they using? What’s the back end?
Laura Blankenship February 25th, 2008
Here is the presentation from our session on using blogs. It’s also available as a video from iTunes U.
Laura Blankenship February 6th, 2008
Google has announced the ability to use spreadsheets combined with a form to collect data. Let’s try it out. Here’s a link to my form.
Laura Blankenship November 9th, 2007
Via the Wired Campus Blog, I found Pronetos, a facebook-like app for sharing research and connecting with scholars. I like the look and feel of it. It’s missing some of the more fun elements of social networking, but it’s definitely got potential. Of course, I set up an account. Like I needed another social networking account . . .
Laura Blankenship November 8th, 2007
Via eHub, I found this great source for documentaries online. Many documentaries don’t make it to local theaters, only playing at film festivals or in large metropolitan markets. This gets those films out there.