Inspiring a Sense of Educational CommunityB S Becker, J R Gilbert & A A WatsonLibraries & Learning Innovation, Leeds Beckett University
@bsbecker1, @adlab
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Leeds Beckett University
• Two campuses based in Leeds, Yorkshire, UK
• Tertiary education provider for over 100 years
• University status granted in 1992 - we’re ‘New’!
• Staff and students access our learning platform from 161 countries
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The Concept…Inspiring a Sense of Educational Community
At the beginning…
Classroom Based at home institution Standard Student
Classroom Based at another institution Franchise Student
Independent study from homeDistance Learning Students
Independent study for workContinual Professional Development (CPD)
So one size fits all?
What if?
Our University Perspective…
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Inspiring a Sense of Educational Community
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Current University Context
~94% of users, login at
least once during the
year ~69% of Courses being taught use the
VLE
40% of visits last at least ten minutes
4 out of 5 users have
downloaded / used the
Mobile App
Staff: 2,900
Academic: 1,500
Students:29,000
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Portal & VLE Timeline
Portal VLE
2001 – WebCT Campus Edition2003 – Sungard HE (Ellucian) Campus Pipeline
2008 – WebCT VISTA
2010 – Blackboard Learn 9.1
2011 – Blackboard Learn 9.1
2016 – Learn 9.1 October 2014
2004 – Sungard HE (Ellucian) Luminis
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Typical Student Layout
The Plan…
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Inspiring a Sense of Educational Community
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Standard
Franchise
Distance Learners
CPD
• Is the learning platform content relevant and targeted to the right group of students?
• Are all students entitled tosee all the resources that we provide?
• Are the student’s actually engaging with the services provided through the learning platform?
Our questions…
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Out of the Box 2010
Standard Brand2014-15
Customised2015 →
The Technical Bit…
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Inspiring a Sense of Educational Community
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Personalisation Tools
• Blackboard Learn 9.1 Communities
• Institution Roles – 20 Primary System Instruction roles – 8 of which are reserved e.g. Staff, Student, Alumni etc.
• Brands – Associate a Brand with an Institution Role– Create custom Brand Themes
• Themes & Colour Palette– Create CSS hacks to modify look & feel
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Planning Process
Request for a new User brand
What Tabs are required ?
What Theme is required ?
What Modules are required ?
Final Content Plan
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Typical Content Plan
Content Plan: Leeds International Study Centre (Study Group)
General Information Theme Tabs Available Tabs Required Modules Available Modules Required Number of Students: 200 Number of Staff: 20
To match colours used on the Leeds ISC website.
Collaboration No Employability No Files Yes Webfiles
Google Drive Yes Yes
Groups Yes Help Yes Home No IT Support Yes Library Yes Library Website
Search Using Discover Skills for Learning My Library Account Offsite
Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Modules Yes My Modules Academic Regulations Results Online Exam Papers Online
Yes Yes No No
My Account No Research No Timetables No Welcome No
New Requirements: New Tab called Leeds ISC with new Modules with link to Study Group Timetables, Attendance Policy, ISC Announcement Panel
Role ID: Role_20 - ISC Student Primary
Brand Name / Reference Leeds ISC / BKT-ISC-FEB16
Draft
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Technical Process
Final Content Plan
Create a new Institution
Role_ID
Assign new Role_ID to
required users
Create a new Brand
Assign Brand to Institutional
Role
Create a new Theme
Assign Theme to new Brand
1. Snapshot Flat Files2. Create user - layout owner
1. Develop CSS hacks 2. University Colour Palette
The Results…
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Inspiring a Sense of Educational Community
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Example 1 – Distance Learning
Highlights
• No Timetables Tab!
• New Collaboration Tab
• New module to link to Google+ Community
• On Modules tab - Module to alternative VLE platform!
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Distance Learning – Collaboration Tab
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Example 2 – Franchise Courses
Highlights
• 9 x Global Franchise Partners
• Very limited Tabs!
• Note VLE dropped from Brand as Module to alternative VLE platform run by Franchise
• Tailored Library access to electronic resources
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Typical Franchise Layout
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Example 3 – CPD
Highlights
• 1700 students
• Specialist CPD courses for Heads of School & Teachers
• Limited Tabs!
• 9 x modules all relating to this particular student cohort including Course list
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Typical CPD Layout
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Special Case 1 – Research Students
Highlights
• Standard Brand
• No Timetables Tab!
• New Research Tab
• New Module to link to Portfolio tool
• New Module to provide Thesis plagiarism check
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Typical Research Tab Layout
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Special Case 2 – Leeds ISC
Highlights
• Partner to Leeds Beckett University and Leeds University
• No Timetables Tab!
• New Leeds ISC Tab
• Branded to match Partner logo
• In development
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Has it worked?
2014-15
• 94% users logged in at least once
• 4.5m visits
2015-16
• 96.8% users logged in at least once.
• ~ 4.7m visits forecast
Have we created learning environments that will inspire a sense of educational community?
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Anecdotally… Yes!
International Student Barometer September Wave 2015. This is an independent survey of 69 institutions worldwide of which 51 are in the UK.
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