how to use blackboard to simultanously cater for different learner backgrounds in computer skills
DESCRIPTION
Rhyme Setshedi's presentation at the first CPUT Teaching with Technology DayTRANSCRIPT
1
Setting up a multi-levelled course
on Blackboard
Rhyme Setshedi
Standard Curriculum Programme
Electrical Engineering
2
Content
• Background
• Challenges
• Multilevel grouping
• Implementation through Blackboard
• Preliminary Feedback
3
Challenges we/they all face
• Time
• Work load
• Background
• Relevance
• Resources
• Language
• Level of
complexity• ….
• Feedback
“A teacher is one who makes himself progressively unnecessary. “~Thomas Carruthers
4
INTRODUCTION TO END
USER COMPUTING
CMS101s, KOR1e2x,KOR112x,KOR1m2x…
5
6
7
Are you teaching
your course at the
right level?
8
Are you teaching
your course at the
right level?
Students
9
Are you teaching
your course at the
right level?
Beginner Intermediate Advanced
10
Are you teaching
your course at the
right level?
Beginner Intermediate Advanced
11
Are you teaching
your course at the
right level?
Beginner Intermediate Advanced
12
Used Blackboard to create
learning environments where
students mental abilities were
challenged at the correct level of
complexity and difficulty.
13
Multi-Level Grouping
Beginner
• Attends all
classes and
tutorials
• More tasks and
submissions
• Assigned
tutors
Intermediate
• Attends all
classes and
tutorials
• Moderate
submissions
• Helps the
beginners in
class
Advanced
• Do not have to
attend all
classes
• Few
submissions
(project type
questions)
• Elected as
tutors
14
Adaptive releasing of
assessments and tasks based
on group affiliation and
progress marks
OPTIONS: Grade, Membership, Review Status & Date
15
Sample Size
Advanced8
33%
Intermediate4
17%
Beginners12
50%
“Tell me and I’ll forget, show me and I may remember, Involve me and I’ll understand”-Chinese Provebs
16
Questionnaire results
Strongly
agreeAgree Neutral Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
1 The group I chose
enabled me to learn at
the relevant pace.
2 I was challenged at the
right level for the group
I chose
3 I have advanced my
computer skills to a
higher level
4I was assessed in a fair
manner irrespective of
the group I belonged to.
17
Questionnaire results
Advanced Students
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Strongly Agree
Agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree
32
3
0 0
23
2
10
13
4
00
1
6
1
00
Assessment
Advancement
Challenge
Pace
"Good teaching is one-fourth preparation and three-fourths theater. " ~Gail Godwin
18
Overall Questionnaire
Intermediate
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Strongly Agree
Agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree
4
0 0 0 0
3
10 0 0
4
00 0 0
3
1
0 0 0
Assessment
Advancement
Challenge
Pace
"If you would thoroughly know anything, teach it to others. " ~Tryon Edwards
19
Overall Questionnaire
Beginners
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Strongly Agree
Agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree
3
8
0 0 1
8
2
20
0
4 5
3
00
4 5
3
00
Assessment
Advancement
Challenge
Pace
"A master can tell you what he expects of you. A teacher, though, awakens your own expectations." ~Patricia Neal
20
Overall Questionnaire
All students
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Strongly Agree
Agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree
10 10
3 1 1
13
6
4
0 0
9
8
7
0 0
8
12
4
0 0
Assessment
Advancement
Challenge
Pace
"I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think. ~Socrates
21
What student requested..
• Fast internet
• Updated computer hardware and
software
• Less/no restrictions at the lab (facebook, games,..)
• Unlimited availability of PC Labs
• Increased internet access
22
I wish that computer
skills can
accommodate a variety
of chapters, not just
Microsoft
What they said
23
24
Other outputs
• Linux machines (running MS Office)
• Registration software(MySQL
Database, PHP, Visual Basic)
• Gala Evening (exhibition platform
for innovative ideas)
• Blogging, Facebook, MXIT…
25
Conclusion
• A multi-level course was
successfully implemented
• Learner/problem oriented teaching
and learning
• Subject integration and
collaboration with others
• Technology/Blackboard’s adaptive
release feature