Collaboration Tools - Best Practices

As we wrap up our month of blog posts on collaborative tools within Blackboard, we would like to focus on some of the best practices for implementing these tools, as outlined within the official Blackboard Help pages (linked within each title below), as well as sharing some additional resources that offer ideas for effectively using these collaborative tools within your courses.

Best Practice: Interactive Tools in Action - Visit this link for lists of suggestions for using each of the collaborative tools, as well as ideas for using the tools in combination.
Effective use of interactive and collaborative tools is essential for developing a successful online community.  While "students report that their satisfaction with online courses relates to instructor presence, and the collaboration and sense of community they experience" (goo.gl/MwySFF), these tools can serve effectively within traditional face-to-face courses as well.  Choosing the right interactive tools, based on course goals, can help to effectively build community by encouraging interaction and development of ideas.  

Best Practice: Grading Reflective Writing
There is much debate over whether instructors should grade reflective writing.  Some give points for completion, rather than assigning a grade to students' ideas.  Instead of assigning a score, they provide feedback to students' ideas in the form of comments.  This helps students to value the writing process, rather than focusing on details for the sake of earning points.  For those who choose to assign grades, it can be very helpful to include a rubric within the tool, and use this as a guide for evaluating the content.  

Best Practice: Commenting on Reflective Writing
"Good job" doesn't provide helpful feedback for students.  Instead, it is important for instructors to focus on providing specific and meaningful comments that will "encourage students to write more, examine their own writing and learning, and feel comfortable when sharing their thoughts and opinions" (goo.gl/hYDvfE).  It is also essential to focus on the big idea and provide positive comments regarding the student contributions.  Since the Blackboard tools allow students to comment back, this allows for dialogue and opportunities to continually encourage students with their writing.

Additional Resources

• Generating and Facilitating Engaging and Effective Online Discussions
  University of Oregon, Teaching Effectiveness Program
• Online Discussions
  Cornell University, Center for Teaching Excellence
• Improving the Use of Discussion Boards
  Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Teaching with Technology Collaboratively
• Effective Discussion Prompts for Online Discussion Boards
   Check out Galina Culpechina's video (linked above and embedded to the right) for tips on asking effective questions, sample question starters, and alternatives to the question-and-answer format.

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For additional assistance with Blackboard collaboration tools, contact the TLC at tlc@icc.edu or (309) 694-8908, or visit us in room 240A on the East Peoria campus.

Next week our Blackboard Users' Group will meet in the TLC on Wednesday, December 2 at 12noon or Thursday, December 3 at 3pm - participants may attend either session.

There will be no ICC Blackboard blog series during the month of December.  Our January blog series will focus on assignments and will include topics about inline grading, SafeAssign, and rubrics.