Category Archives: Uncategorized

Recently, we reviewed how to upload a video to YouTube. A useful next step, is to know how to embed a video from YouTube into your Blackboard course. I have created a short video that will show one of the ways to do this. What is an embedded video? Simply, the video on this webpageContinue reading “How to Embed a Video in Blackboard”

What is screencasting? Why use it? A screencast is a digital video recording of your computer screen and usually includes audio narration. This video aims to share some ideas for ways to use screencasting to enhance online teaching and learning including: Creating lectures Providing feedback Orienting students to your online course Creating “how to” guidesContinue reading “Using Screencasting to Create Instructional Videos”

Blackboard provides a number of options to choose from when determining test conditions. These include limiting the time students have to complete an exam and how the exam will be displayed for students. Test conditions have a great impact on how students are able to perform on an exam. Restrictive test conditions can result inContinue reading “Adjusting Test Conditions in Blackboard”

Why post a video on YouTube? What are the concerns? What are the advantages? This video attempts to address these questions and will also show you how to post a video on YouTube. Watch on YouTube

This short video reviews assumptions, contexts and strategies for class discussions. Watch on YouTube Jay Howard, How to Hold a Better Class Discussion The Chronicle of Higher Education Mark Lieberman, Discussion Boards: Valuable? Overused? Discuss The Chronicle of Higher Education

As you begin to populate your Blackboard course site with content, you may find that you need to develop some structure to help you and your students find things. This video will provide some suggestions for how to organize your site as well as a tutorial for some basic Blackboard functionality. Watch on YouTube

A learning strategy you might find effective is an adaptation of the Jigsaw approach. Jigsaw was developed in the early 1970’s by Elliot Aronson. This short video describes a version of the Jigsaw approach adapted for live online sessions. It requires less movement between groups and includes an optional assessment step. The Adapted Jigsaw canContinue reading “Groups in Live Sessions: Adapted Jigsaw”

Concept Attainment is an instructional strategy in which verbal or graphical examples are presented and students figure out the common attributes between, say, linear and non-linear functions or a villanelle and a sonnet. . This process enables to students to develop a set of attributes to clarify a concept. Procedure: Use pictures, words, and/or actualContinue reading “Concept Attainment”

There is a luxury in self-reproach. When we blame ourselves we feel that no one else has a right to blame us.  – Oscar Wilde Self-assessment -filling out self-evaluation forms, journaling, surveying, writing revisions, asking questions, and discussing to determine what students know and want to know. This practice helps learners clarify their own beliefsContinue reading “Self-assessment”

“Reflective practice is a dialogue of thinking and doing through which I become more skillful.” – Donald Schon Reflective practice is a commitment on the part of the instructor to engage in the continuous improvement and refinement of teaching. Reflective Practice is a well-established component of effective teaching (Mezirow, 1991). It requires a commitment onContinue reading “Reflective Practice”