Data from the final Tool Evaluation Form (Grade Center) completed by committee members was distributed. Please take a look at what committee members thought about Grade Book Tools in Moodle and Blackboard 9.1.
The Committee met today to finalize a recommendation for the next LMS at Massasoit Community College. Members voted 15:1 to recommend Blackboard 9.1 as a manged hosting solution with Blackboard Inc. The finalized recommendation will be posted here once all signatures have been acquired.
Members of the committee expressed an interest in continuing to meet through the spring semester as the pilot of Blackboard 9.1 gets under way.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Monday, December 6, 2010
Meeting 6: Grade Book
The LMS Review Committee met on Friday, December 3rd to examine the Grade Book feature in Blackboard 9.1 together. The Grade Center (new terminology) in Blackboard offers m any enhancements to what is currently available in Blackboard CE8. The Grade Center allows you to easily add and modify grades; create weighted, averaged, min/max columns; view portions of the grade book (e.g. assignments only); set warning systems (color coding for grade criteria - e.g. less than a 50% displays as red); run reports; and much more! The Grade Center replaces the Assignment Dropbox and Assessment Drop Box so all grading is done through the Grade Center. While rubrics may be associated with an assignment or assessment and can be viewed from a grade book column, grading forms as we know them (interactive, room for comments) do not exist. You can learn more about the Blackboard Grade Center by visiting The Blackboard On Demand Learning Center to view brief tutorials.
Committee members' evaluations of tools examined during the last meeting may be found here:
Tool Evaluation: Assignments
Tool Evaluation: Assessments
Our final meeting will be held on December 17th, at which time we will finalize a recommendation for the next LMS at Massasoit Community College.
Committee members' evaluations of tools examined during the last meeting may be found here:
Tool Evaluation: Assignments
Tool Evaluation: Assessments
Our final meeting will be held on December 17th, at which time we will finalize a recommendation for the next LMS at Massasoit Community College.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Meeting 5: Assignments & Assessments
Data from the fourth Tool Evaluation Form (Communication Tools) completed by committee members was distributed. Please take a look at what committee members thought about Communication Tools in Moodle and Blackboard 9.1.
During our fourth meeting, members were surveyed (see results here) about the review process to date in efforts to best focus our remaining meetings this semester. This will facilitate the committee in making a solid recommendation for an LMS to carry the Massasoit community forward in teaching and learning online. Members chose to turn our focus to the examination of Blackboard 9.1 tools at this point in the review.
During the fifth meeting, participants looked at the Assignment and Assessment tools within Blackboard 9.1. Participants walked through the Assignment creation steps as well as the Assessment creation steps. Many of the the features are similar to Blackboard CE8 with some added options and changes in organization. For example, there is no "Assignments" section rather Assignments are created in a Content Areas (weekly, chapter, topic folders/learning modules). Another example is that the creation of Assessments is more seamless with questions being created within an assessment rather than in a separate question bank and then associated with an assessment. There are also new question formats, including ordering and quiz bowl.
During our fourth meeting, members were surveyed (see results here) about the review process to date in efforts to best focus our remaining meetings this semester. This will facilitate the committee in making a solid recommendation for an LMS to carry the Massasoit community forward in teaching and learning online. Members chose to turn our focus to the examination of Blackboard 9.1 tools at this point in the review.
During the fifth meeting, participants looked at the Assignment and Assessment tools within Blackboard 9.1. Participants walked through the Assignment creation steps as well as the Assessment creation steps. Many of the the features are similar to Blackboard CE8 with some added options and changes in organization. For example, there is no "Assignments" section rather Assignments are created in a Content Areas (weekly, chapter, topic folders/learning modules). Another example is that the creation of Assessments is more seamless with questions being created within an assessment rather than in a separate question bank and then associated with an assessment. There are also new question formats, including ordering and quiz bowl.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Meeting 4: Communication Tools
Data from the third Tool Evaluation Form (Quick Communications) completed by committee members was distributed. Please take a look at what committee members thought about Quick Communication Tools in Moodle and Blackboard 9.1.
During the fourth meeting, participants looked at the more robust communication tools within each LMS:
One feature of Blackboard CE8 contains that many faculty use and like is the Mail feature. This internal, or walled, email system allows faculty and students to communicate via an email tool that is only available within the course space. This allows for easy management of communications related to a course.
In Moodle, there is no internal mail feature. There is an Instant Messaging feature which facilitates one-to-one communication, but it is not course specific (you can IM across courses) and notifications would be sent to your Massasoit email inbox. Blackboard 9.1 has an email feature which would be linked to your Massasoit email as well as a Message Center which is very similiar to the Mail feature in Blackboard CE8.
During the fourth meeting, participants looked at the more robust communication tools within each LMS:
- chat
- forum (discussion)
- wiki
- blogs
- messages
One feature of Blackboard CE8 contains that many faculty use and like is the Mail feature. This internal, or walled, email system allows faculty and students to communicate via an email tool that is only available within the course space. This allows for easy management of communications related to a course.
In Moodle, there is no internal mail feature. There is an Instant Messaging feature which facilitates one-to-one communication, but it is not course specific (you can IM across courses) and notifications would be sent to your Massasoit email inbox. Blackboard 9.1 has an email feature which would be linked to your Massasoit email as well as a Message Center which is very similiar to the Mail feature in Blackboard CE8.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Meeting 3: Quick Communications
Data from the second Tool Evaluation Form (File Management) completed by committee members was distributed. Please take a look at what committee members thought about File Management in Moodle and Blackboard 9.1.
This week we examined the Quick Communication Tools in each of the Learning Management Systems. These are the tools available that allow instructors and students to quickly communicate about course content and/or student status in a course. Blackboard 9.1 offers a feature, The Notification Dashboard, that provides students and instructors with a quick glance of where things stand in a given course. Announcements, "What's New," "Needs Attention," "To Do," "Alert," "Report Card," and "My Tasks" are all blocks that can appear as part of the Dashboard. The Calendar continues to be a way to quickly communicate to students deadlines and events in a course.
Moodle offers a default forum entitled "Latest News" where instructors can post announcements for students. A Latest News" block can also be displayed along the side of the main course page highlighting the most recent news through a live link that, when clicked, brings users to the full Latest News forum. Moodle also has a Calendar which allows for the posting of student deadlines and events. An "Upcoming Events" block can be displayed along the side of the main course page highlighting immediate upcoming events through a live link that, when clicked, brings users to the full Calendar. Moodle also include a Choices activity which allows instructors to post a single question poll for quick student feedback.
If you wish to learn more about Quick Communication Tools in either LMS, please post a comment here or contact a LMS Review Committee Member.
This week we examined the Quick Communication Tools in each of the Learning Management Systems. These are the tools available that allow instructors and students to quickly communicate about course content and/or student status in a course. Blackboard 9.1 offers a feature, The Notification Dashboard, that provides students and instructors with a quick glance of where things stand in a given course. Announcements, "What's New," "Needs Attention," "To Do," "Alert," "Report Card," and "My Tasks" are all blocks that can appear as part of the Dashboard. The Calendar continues to be a way to quickly communicate to students deadlines and events in a course.
Moodle offers a default forum entitled "Latest News" where instructors can post announcements for students. A Latest News" block can also be displayed along the side of the main course page highlighting the most recent news through a live link that, when clicked, brings users to the full Latest News forum. Moodle also has a Calendar which allows for the posting of student deadlines and events. An "Upcoming Events" block can be displayed along the side of the main course page highlighting immediate upcoming events through a live link that, when clicked, brings users to the full Calendar. Moodle also include a Choices activity which allows instructors to post a single question poll for quick student feedback.
If you wish to learn more about Quick Communication Tools in either LMS, please post a comment here or contact a LMS Review Committee Member.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Meeting 2 of the Committee
Data from the first Tool Evaluation Form (Log In & Navigation) completed by committee members was distributed. Please take a look at what committee members thought about Log In Procedures and Navigation in Moodle and Blackboard 9.1.
During today's meeting, committee members worked in both Moodle and Blackboard 9.1 to examine file management in each LMS. Members spent time locating the file management section of each LMS, creating folders, uploading files, renaming files, deleting files and trying to make files available to students. Some members ventured into creating files within the LMS as well.
Data from member evaluations of File Management will be shared once members not in attendance have had a chance to submit evaluation forms.
During today's meeting, committee members worked in both Moodle and Blackboard 9.1 to examine file management in each LMS. Members spent time locating the file management section of each LMS, creating folders, uploading files, renaming files, deleting files and trying to make files available to students. Some members ventured into creating files within the LMS as well.
Data from member evaluations of File Management will be shared once members not in attendance have had a chance to submit evaluation forms.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Meeting 1 of the Committee
Members of the LMS Committee met today to begin a review of Moodle and Blackboard 9.1. Committee members have access to Moodle and Blackboard 9.1 courses. Today, members spent time examining the access and navigation of each LMS. Members of the committee observed that a significant aspect of the learning curve for each LMS is a shift in terminology from CE8. A wiki has been created and linked (see right also) to this blog to chart the differences in terminology.
The next LMS Review Committee Meeting will be held Friday, October 8th.
The next LMS Review Committee Meeting will be held Friday, October 8th.
Blackboard 9.1 Demo
Yesterday we had a team from Blackboard (Cathy Mertz, Deanna Nelson, Liam Ferris, & Todd Zick) visit campus for a presentation about, and demo of, Blackboard 9.1. For any interested parties who missed the session, look for the video recording to be posted soon. You can also learn more about Blackboard 9.1 at the Blackboard Learn for Higher Education site. If you are interested in exploring a course site within Blackboard 9.1, you can request a preview site, available to you for 30 days at Test Drive Blackboard Learn.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Blackboard 9.1 Demo Tomorrow
The Learning Management System (LMS) Review Committee
will be hosting a
vendor demonstration of
Blackboard 9.1
on Thursday, September 23, 2010
from 2:00 - 3:30 pm
in B336
Moodle Demonstration
Yesterday we were fortunate to have Cindy Stillwell from Remote Learner join us to provide an overview and demonstration of Moodle. The demonstration was a great introduction to the tools available in Moodle as well as the layout and navigation of the LMS. If you were unable to attend the demonstration and would like to learn more about Moodle, you can sign up for a free Introduction to Moodle Webinar at: http://www.remote-learner.net/moodlewebinar.
If you would like to get into a sample Moodle course space, go to: http://demo.moodle.net/.
If you would like to get into a sample Moodle course space, go to: http://demo.moodle.net/.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Moodle Demo Tomorrow
Please join us for a demonstration of:
Moodle
on Tuesday, September 21, 2010
from 2:00 - 3:00 pm
in B336
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Vendor Demos next week
The Learning Management System (LMS) Review Committee
will be hosting vendor demonstrations
of potential Learning Management Systems
during the week of September 20 - 24, 2010
Please join us for a demonstration of:
Moodle
on Tuesday, September 21, 2010
from 2:00 - 3:00 pm
in B336
AND
Blackboard 9.1
on Thursday, September 23, 2010
from 2:00 - 3:30 pm
in B336
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Faculty LMS Survey
Welcome back! As the semester kicks off, The Office of Online Learning is preparing to kick off our search for a new Learning Management System. There is still time to join the Committee to Review LMSs! If you are not able to join the committee, we'd still like to hear from you. Please take a few moments to complete this survey to let us know what you are looking for in a Learning Management System.
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