A few items for your review this week:
Instructional Videos
This article from Educause summarizes a study on the use of instructional videos in classes. Two key takeaways for me: The average viewing time was 4 minutes and students were more engaged with videos that had a human dimension – the instructor used humor or wit. Yes, even online, instructor presence makes a difference! Next week, I'll discuss some easy screencast options available to you.
Atomic Learning – in Blackboard!
Last week I wrote about using Atomic Learning for your personal learning about technology. It's a website with 1000's of videos, tutorials and tips on technology and online learning. There is also an Atomic Learning plugin in Blackboard – with it you can add Atomic Learning videos to your Blackboard shell. One professor, for instance, embedded a playlist of videos on APA format in her English class. Log in to Atomic Learning and search for Blackboard Atomic Learning to find the tutorials on how to add Atomic Learning to Blackboard.
My Blackboard Discovery
I learned a new thing (for me!) about Blackboard this week. One can set up a discussion board so that the students don't see the posts from the other students until after they post. To set this option, when creating the forum, in section 3, click the radio button "Participants must create a thread in order to view other threads in this forum."
So if you want students to post original work, this may be the route to use. When this option is selected, Blackboard gives you and your students notice about it. Here is a student's view when clicking the forum link. After the student submits, she can see the other post(s)
Commit to Your Calendar
This article on time management from Prof Hacker suggests blocking out time in your calendar for important things- research, planning, etc., rather than letting them happen haphazardly (or not, unfortunately) in your day. You can use our Exchange/Outlook calendar to track your appointments. You can access this calendar on your smart phone, computer, iPad, etc. Here's one more plug for Atomic Learning. Learn about it in Atomic Learning.
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