"I was not too happy about the testing that was done before I could get to the course. It seemed to be an intelligence test, and with the demographic questioning that preceeded it, I am wondering how the data will be used. I'll tell you more after I have had time to go through all the units."
My response:
- I noticed that too.
- I didn't give "real" info... I used one of my alternate emails.
- I didn't like the questions so I answered one and skipped the rest and it let me in to the tutorial.
- The tutorial (after the info) was in QuickTime and loaded so slowly that it made me think it wasn't worth it.
- It was okay once it was loaded but definitely not worth the hassle and the questions.
- I'm surprised that the VCCS disseminated that tutorial and I'm sorry I disseminated it without trying it first.
- I'm going to forward this to the Bb group (I'll strip off your name).
From: traci-sitzmann@utulsa.edu [mailto:traci-sitzmann@utulsa.edu]
Sent: Monday, February 21, 2005 1:01 AM
To: Carole Schultz; David Carter-Tod; Sue Ann Curran; Robert Vawter; Timothy Tirrell; Glenn DuBois; Rose Johnson; Leonard Sledge; Gloria Westerman; Elizabeth Creamer; Mindy Fast; Heather Felts
Subject: Free Online Blackboard Training
For my dissertation I designed a Web-based Blackboard Release 6 course to test a theory of learning. I am now trying to locate schools or organizations that would be interested in providing Blackboard training to their employees or graduate students free of charge.
I have attached an announcement that provides information about the course and the steps for completing the training process. The course takes about 2-3 hours to complete and covers many of the features of Blackboard including placing course materials online, adding users to a course, adding course announcements, creating and using Lightweight chat, etc. The course will be available online until at least March 11. In exchange for the participating in the course, instructors need to spend 20-30 minutes filling out surveys before beginning the course and complete a test at the end of training.
Feel free to forward the announcement to anyone who may be interested in receiving training or who may be able to help me recruit schools or individuals who may be interested in training. Any assistance you can provide will be greatly appreciated.
Traci
*****
Traci Sitzmann
I/O PhD Candidate
University of Tulsa
Lorton Hall Rm. 303
600 S. College Ave.
Tulsa, OK 74104
traci-sitzmann@utulsa.edu
Phone: 918-631-3105
Fax: 918-631-2833Overview
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There are many tools available to help its instructors be more effective and more efficient in their classes. One such tool is Blackboard, a class management system that allows you to disseminate handouts and readings to students, conduct tests online, maintain gradebooks, organize chat rooms, and more!
If you have never worked with Blackboard, you will find it a very effective method for communicating with students and helping you focus on the aspects of teaching you like best. If you have used Blackboard in the past, you may be surprised by the vast numbers of tasks you can perform in the system.
Blackboard Training Available
To help you master Blackboard Traci Sitzmann, a training expert and a doctoral psychology student at the University of Tulsa, designed an online course as part of her dissertation research. The course can be accessed at any time and will be available online until March 11th.
I strongly encourage you to register and complete the training. The course is free, and your time spent in training will save you many hours in the future in working with Blackboard or communicating with your students. In addition, your participation in the course will provide necessary input to help the course designer, Traci Sitzmann, complete her dissertation requirements. Many of you have advanced degrees and can appreciate the difficulties in data collection. Traci has worked hard to develop a useful, professional training program; it would be great to provide her with data that helps her complete her degree.
Getting Started
Before you can access the Blackboard course, you will need to spend about 20 minutes completing a survey to indicate your beliefs about learning and cognitive ability. This information is completely confidential and will not be shared with anyone at your school. To access the survey, click on http://www.attitudeingenuity.com/TSdissertation/bills_index.htm
Once you have completed the survey, you will receive a Web address to access the Blackboard training course. The training is designed to take 2-3 hours, but you will have control over the amount of time spent reviewing the material. Please note that the training course includes videos demonstrating skills in Blackboard. Thus, to access the training you will need to have high-speed internet and a computer with sufficient RAM. After training there will be a brief test over the material. Completing the test is critical to testing the theories underlying the course design.
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