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My grandmother likes to remind
me that to her it seems like yesterday that she attended
college - something virtually unheard for women of her
generation to do. In fact, she and I went to the same
university, even studied in the same buildings. But
despite those college experiences we share, something
makes me think that the way college works now is
remarkably different than the way it did when she was
there. It seems that the old adage of “Reading, Writing,
and ‘Rithmetic” should be reworked to say
“Downloading, Typing, and eBay.”
If you find yourself
wondering about what changes might have come about since
you yourself attended college, allow me to explain one
tool that has been developed to take advantage of new
technologies to help teachers teach better and help
students learn better. It’s what could be called
“Blackboard Learning.”
Features of Blackboard
Learning
Blackboard technology is an
online resource where teachers and students may exchange
resources, interact, and find information regarding
courses in which they are enrolled. When a student enrolls
in a course making use of Blackboard learning, they are
given access through their university or college’s
website to a customizable portal page that lists the
courses they are enrolled in. Each course includes several
separate online resources that students can use to succeed
in the course.
In the past teachers either
had to make copies of all their handouts to give to
students or put whatever the students needed to know up on
the blackboard and students were responsible for copying
it down. The former option is a waste of paper and ink,
while the latter is a waste of time. Blackboard technology
now allows teachers to upload digital copies of handouts
which students can download and, if they choose, print.
Class notes, PowerPoint presentations, video and audio
clips, pictures, and other resources can be made available
to the entire class simply by uploading them to
Blackboard. This virtually eliminates the problem of
students losing the syllabus or other important class
document because there is always a copy online that they
have ready access to.
Blackboard learning
includes an online grade book. Professors simply update
the students’ grades each time a new quiz, test, or
assignment is graded, and the tallied scores are made
available to the students. This feature allows students to
keep tabs on exactly where they are throughout the
semester, and the teacher saves time from having to answer
questions about what students got on homework assignments.
The grade book also allows students and professors to
double check their records to ensure the proper grade for
each assignment is recorded.
Between classes, homework,
extracurricular activities, and road trips, students
can’t always find a time to meet on campus and study or
work on group projects. Online forums, discussion groups,
and chat rooms add a humanistic touch to Blackboard
learning. Students make post questions they have about
different assignments or concepts, and other students or
the professor can respond. Professors may lead
out-of-class discussions online to help round out the
lectures given during class time.
Why Blackboard Learning?
If you were to turn in a
handwritten financial report or used a hand drawn graph in
a sales pitch, you very likely would not receive the same
response as if you had typed the report or designed the
graphic with a computer. Whether we like it or not
(personally, I like it!) technology is not only here to
stay but it is fully integrated into nearly everything we
do – and education is no different. Papers are typed.
Research is done online. PowerPoint has replaced overhead
projectors.
Students and teachers have
to take advantage of technological advances in order to
stay afloat in the information age. Blackboard Learning is
a resource that helps students stay organized and succeed.
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