Background The Team Dr Delene Heukelman ROLE: Course Designer Subashnie Soobramoney ROLE: Blackboard Classroom Designer

Computer Skills 1 Pathfinder Project

Background What is Computer Skills about?  Basic computing, Word, Excel, Powerpoint  Servicing Applied Sciences, Health and Engineering  6 months duration offered bi-annually  400 – 700 students per semester  Total of 55 lecture periods/week needing staff allocation.

Background What are our Challenges?  Resources – Labs, Staff  Different skills levels of students  Ensuring a uniform standard of teaching  Testing/ marking  Capturing of marks  Communication

Pathfinder How did Blackboard help? Communication Address different skills levels of students- more learner centred Uniform standard of teaching Videos and presentations allow for students to follow while listening. Online Assessments

Pathfinder What Challenges did Blackboard bring? NON Believers First year student’s access and enrolment Batch enrolment of first year students Late Registrations Online Assessments and network dependance

ESKOM

Shortfalls Blackboard Scalability Issues? Small scale testing works well Infrastructure becomes more volatile as the numbers increase. DUT is currently dedicated to upgrade Blackboard infrastructure and Blackboard services

Student Lecturer Blackboard ITS Registration Confirmation of e-classroom enrolment Notification of student added Submit student details for auto-enrollment Auto Enrollment

Student Lecturer Blackboard ITS Student completes assessment Creates assessment Gradebook uploaded Online Assessments MYITLAB Selects assessment Assessment generated Auto graded

MYITLAB Online Classroom Licences per student Dedicated e-book of your choice Generates tests Grades tests Student feedback indicated that students enjoyed the package and the testing mechanisms The Good

Learning Experiences Integration with blackboard - 6 weeks prior to beginning the course. Enrolment is done by Pearson. Password settings also Pearson Late registration - delay Simulator testing environment very specific Overall pass rate was maintained compared to previous semesters with this group of students. MYITLAB

Going Forward Auto Enrolment – huge time saving Pearson MYITLAB for GEN-ED ICT module Best Practice