1. Embedding Academic Supports in Blackboard for Student Success
Southwest Teaching and Learning Conference
Texas A&M University-San Antonio April 4, 2014
Faculty, Mishaleen Allen, Ph.D.
Librarian, Deirdre McDonald
E-Book Coordinator, Michelle Martin
Academic Tech. Manager, Sherita Love
Instructional Specialist, Ursula Knoch

2. Embedding Academic Supports… A Faculty’s Perspective
Why Change Something that’s not Broken???
: All assignments are submitted to Blackboard (Grading/Archive)
Increase rigor and expectations for student research and quality of work submitted
Increase student independence in activity completion and submission
Increase ease of access to support services
Library
E-Book
Blackboard

3. Embedding Academic Supports… A Faculty’s Perspective
Why Change Something that’s not Broken???
: All assignments are submitted to Blackboard (Grading/Archive)
Decrease student frustration accessing support services
Decrease student dependency on faculty to resolve issues
“I can’t … so I am just going to put it under your door.”
“I can’t … so I am just going to it to you.”

4. Embedding Academic Supports… A Faculty’s Perspective
Previous System
Contact information in syllabus
Contact information on Schedule of Assignments (bottom page for support when submitting all assignments into Blackboard for grading/archive purposes)
Verbal Referrals in class and Referrals in web mail in response to questions
Contact information on TAMU-SA Websites
Contact Information on Blackboard links to TAMU-SA Websites pages

5. Embedding Academic Supports… A Faculty’s Perspective
Student Comments:
“I wish this had been in every class!”
“No more voic !”
Embedded System
Includes all previous modes of communication AND
Creation of “Ask Your ….!” Threads within Discussion Board
Students post questions which go directly to support personnel
Support personnel receive notification by and provide response within class discussion board (viewable by other students)
Student are referred to reach out to the specific support personnel within Blackboard Discussion Board thread when asking/ ing questions

6. Embedding Academic Supports… A Faculty’s Perspective
Loaded into all Undergraduate & Graduate Courses

7. Embedding Academic Supports… A Faculty’s Perspective
Access of “Ask Your …..!” Threads by Course
Ebook/
My Ed Lab
Library
E-Book
Inst. Spec. Specialist
EDSE (Development)
(30 students - hybrid)
Y/N
0 posts
0 students
3 posts
2 students
EDED 5363/4 (Development)
(25 students - hybrid)
4 posts
4 students
EDSE 5301 (Research)
(10 students - hybrid)
Y/Y
23 posts
6 students
17 posts
6 posts
3 students
EDSE 5353 (Autism)
(21 students – online)
1 post
1 student
32 posts
9 students
EDSE 5374 (Assessment)
(8 students – f2f)

8. Library Research Guide: College Specific
Loaded into all Education Graduate Courses

9. Library Research Guide: Program Specific
Loaded into all EDSE Graduate Courses

10. Library Research Guide: Course Specific
Loaded into specific EDSE Graduate Courses

11. Embedded Academic Support Services: Library Services
Create and update Library Research Guides and get code to developer for Blackboard (Pre-semester)
Research Support: Discussion section in Blackboard, in-person instruction, individualized meetings, telephone and support
Resource Access: Online resources, Interlibrary Loan, print resources. Troubleshooting role.

12. Embedded Academic Support Services: Library Services
Results: The three Special Education Guides have over 1400 views this semester so far.

13. Embedded Academic Support Services: Library Services
Very effective for research courses, writing-intensive courses, and courses that require ongoing library support throughout the semester
Demonstrates librarian availability and willingness to help
Surprise! Discussion thread in Blackboard just a start. Many more in-person appointments and exchanges with students from the embedded courses.

14. Embedded Academic Support Services: E-Book Services
Digital Library
How to register
New code registration
How to access content for specific course(s)
Print Options
My Education Lab
Access Code
Accessing Content
Submitting assignments
EBook
Single ebook link embedded in Bb
How to access
Access Codes
Print Option
These were the types of questions asked for each main category. They are listed here in order. New registration code is listed in Bb allowed other students to see the access code needed to complete registration so they didn’t have to contact me. 31 discussions ocurred for ebook support.
Would like to improve turnaround time in responding to students-since our school is more non-traditional students are online in the evenings- have to be cognizant

15. Embedded Academic Support Services: E-Book Services Lessons Learned
Remember to subscribe to each class to receive timely notifications from students who posted a thread.
Centralized contact information and answers - making sure responses were generalized so that it could assist other students as well.
Phone calls to students still necessary to get clarification on questions asked or walk students through the process
University has non-traditional students – had to be cognizant of response times especially at the beginning of the semester.

16. Embedded Academic Support Services: Instructional Specialist Services
Instructional Technologist works with student & Faculty to resolve issue
Assigned to Instructional Technologist
ITS Helpdesk
Academic Technologies - Organizational/Workflow Model:
An instructional technologist (IT)dedicated to every college (Education, Arts & Sciences and Business)
IT responsible for providing Blackboard support for Faculty, Students and Staff
Student issues are normally routed through the following origination points
The ITS helpdesk & assigned to academic technologies
Direct contact via phone or
Walk-ins/Hallway conversations
Time to completion – 1-5 days depending on frequency of communication
ITS Help Desk Origination Workflow Model

17. Embedded Academic Support Services: Instructional Specialist Services
Instructional Technologist works with student & Faculty to resolve issue
Blackboard Course
This method lessens…
Information gathering time (e.g. class ID, student ID, specific information)
Time & frequency of communication dialogue w/Faculty, Instructional Specialist & Student
This method increases…
IT Productivity (in some cases)
Speed of resolution (in some cases)
Student awareness (e.g. picture tutorial post)
Blackboard Course-level Origination Workflow Model

18. Embedded Academic Support Services: Instructional Technology Services
Typical questions included:
Uploading Assignments/ Location in Class
Incorrect Assignment submitted/ Resubmissions
How to submit multiple attachments for one assignment
I need to submit certificates in blackboard but the folder is closed because it’s past the due date. I spoke with my professor and she told me to contact you guys’…Can you please help me?”
“Who do I call if I can’t upload an assignment?”
Hi! I submitted an assignment without all the documents. My professor told me to contact you to find out how to resubmit that. Thanks for your help!

19. Embedded Academic Support Services: Instructional Technology Services
Lessons Learned:
It can be difficult to diagnose an issue without all of the correct information first; communication can be easier through Blackboard
In the beginning…some students did not always know the appropriate discussion board for their issue
The Blackboard Discussion Thread “Subscribe feature” helped tremendously; but still important to check your often
Change in procedures; Additional departmental steps for the IT process; Creating helpdesk tickets in our internal ITS tracking system once the issue has been resolved
Face-to-Face student visits & phone consultations still occurred

20. Embedded Academic Support Services: References

21. Embedding Academic Supports in Blackboard for Student Success
Faculty, Mishaleen Allen, Ph.D.
Librarian, Deirdre McDonald
E-Book Coordinator, Michelle Martin
Mgr. Academic Technologies, Sherita Love
Instructional Specialist, Ursula Knoch