1 The Future of Course Management Systems Dr. Deborah Everhart, Sr. Architect, Blackboard Inc. Adjunct Assistant Professor, Georgetown University At Blackboard, Dr. Everhart provides leadership in product strategy and development. Her responsibilities include researching, analyzing, and designing features and functionality for new products, including the next generation of Blackboard and WebCT integrations. She teaches in Georgetown University's Medieval Studies program. She received her Ph.D. in English from the University of California, Irvine. Dr. Everhart has been using computers in the classroom since The Labyrinth, the medieval studies Website that she co-directs with Martin Irvine, was the first Web project at Georgetown University. She served for six years as the Sr. Internet Development Coordinator in University Information Services at Georgetown University, where she acted as Internet2 Applications Representative, coordinated the University's Web development and policies, and implemented and supported Blackboard.

2 Yesterday—Inefficiencies and Lost Productivity No such thing as online Manual processes Walking to offices to fill out forms Waiting in line for course registration Ordering textbooks on hardcopy forms Typing the syllabus and other handouts Photocopying

3 Yesterday—Limited Access to Content Only hardcopy Students lost the syllabus Difficulty adjusting the syllabus Out of date textbooks No good way to make “links” between the materials Books checked out of the library Interlibrary loan

4 Yesterday—Few Communication Methods Classroom After class Office hours

5 Yesterday—Knowledge Sharing and Creation Faculty to student knowledge sharing outside the classroom—office hours, mentoring Student to student knowledge sharing—study groups Student knowledge creation—solitary, often unverified

6 Today—Efficiencies and Improved Productivity Materials can be always available online, anytime, anywhere Processes and services can be delivered online Syllabus and assignments are online Auto-grading of quizzes and tests Online Gradebook Performance Dashboard to monitor student progress and participation Online calendar, tasks, contacts Full environment of supporting services to enable success

7 Today—Access to Content Always available online Links to library materials Online journals (and entire books) Online course reserve readings Rapid updates in textbooks Online connections to supplementary textbook materials and tools RSS subscriptions for personalized delivery of updated information Real time news connections

8 Today—Communication Methods Discussion boards Chat IM Who’s Online Online presentation tools Conference calls Virtual Classroom

9 Today—Knowledge Sharing and Creation Faculty/Student knowledge sharing via collaboration online without physical barriers Feedback instantaneous Online testing Self-testing Student to student knowledge sharing organized both by faculty and by the students Student group work in online private spaces

10 Near Term—Efficiencies and Improved Productivity Web 2.0—inline editing, personalization, memory of recent actions and preferences Early notifications of student progress Efficiencies of online evaluation and continuous improvement processes Online tools for institutional surveys, course evaluations, and other feedback mechanisms

11 Near Term—Access to Content Learning Object repositories Unbundling content Static content => Collaborative content development Wikis Blogs Podcasts Online => untethered

12 Near Term—Communication Methods Increasingly portable IM and on cell phones Forwarding services

13 Near Term—Knowledge Sharing and Creation Course-centric => learner centric Faculty-centric => Empowering students ePortfolios Solitary learning => Social learning and peer review Notes to oneself => social tagging

14 Future Think— Efficiencies and Improved Productivity Proximity alerts Ubiquitous wireless Access to the Web of global information from any device Search agents

15 Future Think—Access to Content Augmented reality Global online libraries with full content digitized and highly hyperlinked

16 Future Think—Communication Methods Ubiquitous real-time communication and collaboration

17 Future Think—Knowledge Sharing and Creation Vast networks of socially constructed knowledge Bookmarks and tagging/commentary of peers-- folksonomies Subscriptions to follow the paths of others