Web 2.0, Mashups, and other Integrative Technologies to use in Blackboard.
Katherine Spradley
Director of Distance Education
Campbell University
Monthly Archives: June 2012
Course Design
DE Fall I & II Registration
DE Fall I & II registration begins July 16th. Main Campus students will need to use the new Approval Form. Registration will end for Fall I and II on August 3rd.
Click here for AY 2012-2013 DE Dates
New Tool for Blackboard:
You Can Count On It
Sometimes giving a word count requirement makes it easier for students to understand the expectations that a faculty member has for them for Discussions, Wikis, Journals, and Blogs. The issue is how to get the word count once the assignment is complete.
Question: How do you find the word count for assignments?
A: Copy and paste into Word. Highlight all the text. Click Review tab. Click Word Count.
B: Just eye it.
C: Use the new add-on tool for Mozilla Firefox.
Answer: Although each of the options are feasible, the one that creates the least amount of work and allows for the greatest accuracy is option C.
Click the following link to download the Mozilla Firefox add-on:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/Word-Counter-Bb
The add-on only works in Mozilla Firefox and must be installed on each computer that you plan to use to grade Discussions, Wikis, Journals, and Blogs.
Once the add-on is installed, the faculty member can highlight the text and click Word Count in Blackboard.
*A special thank you to Jamie Kipfer for sharing this tool.
Katherine Spradley
Director of Distance Education
Campbell University
TechKnow June 2012 Edition
Benjamin Bloom:
Inspiring Higher Learning?
Maybe you have heard of Bloom’s Taxonomy and maybe not.
What can it do for you?
Bloom’s Taxonomy identifies and classifies levels of learning cognition. In a nut shell, this diagram shows a theoretical order in which we process information and learn.
Alternatively, some faculty choose to be rebels and dive head first into the higher levels of cognition. The concept of turning this diagram upside down is called “flipping” (a concept for another day).
Instead of using Bloom’s Taxonomy as a ‘rule of thumb’ for a hierarchy of learning, why not explore other ways to use it?
For instance, in creating learning outcomes and weekly outcomes, use an action verb that can be measured. Bloom’s Taxonomy can be a good place to begin looking for those action words such as list, name, explain, organize, categorize, construct, and critique. What about active learning? Again, Bloom’s Taxonomy (in the diagram above) shows different activities that can result in a more engaging lesson such as watch a video, draw a model, forecast, graph, create a game, and make a recommendation.
Katherine Spradley
Director of Distance Education
Campbell University