1. School of Medicine FACULTY OF MEDICINE AND HEALTH SMS Announcements in the Blackboard Learning Environment (SABLE) Scott Hennessy

2. Text s hennessy & your message to 01133 201 210 Please Switch Your Phone ON Text a message with the keywords s hennessy to: 01133 201 210

3. Text s hennessy & your message to 01133 201 210 About the SABLE Project To trial an SMS building block within the Blackboard VLE Aims To address the priority T7 of the Strategy Map (Deliver excellent and inspirational learning and teaching): Support face to face teaching by communicating supplementary and timely information Build on previous experience of SMS in Learning and Teaching Identify the diversity of applications that SMS can be used for in the support of learning & teaching and students.

4. Text s hennessy & your message to 01133 201 210 What are SMS Announcements Text messages sent individually or to a group using a software application instead of a phone. Similar to VLE / Portal announcements, or email Messaging application used by staff only Students can text in using a keyword

5. Text s hennessy & your message to 01133 201 210 Two ways of SMS messaging Blackboardtxt Building BlockTxttools Standalone Service

6. Text s hennessy & your message to 01133 201 210 How it Works Blackboard TxtTools Service Student Information Systems

7. Text s hennessy & your message to 01133 201 210 Importing Mobile Numbers In Medicine students asked to opt in by keyword Numbers collected in Txttools inbox and exported to a spreadsheet In Nuffield and Healthcare numbers were imported from Banner and students given the option to opt out (none did) VLE team uploaded the numbers into Blackboard The ideal approach would be to ask students to update their numbers in the Portal and export from Banner

8. Text s hennessy & your message to 01133 201 210 Case Studies Faculty wide trial: International Health BSc Students (Nuffield Centre) MBChB Year 1 & 2 medical students (Medicine) Pharmacy prescribing module (Healthcare)

9. Text s hennessy & your message to 01133 201 210 Uses of SMS MedicineInternational HealthPharmacy Reminder to complete tutorial form Request for questions prior to a tutorial Pointers to VLE announcements SSC Assignment choicesExam mark feedbackPreparatory information before a lecture Room reminder for student appraisals Follow up message to student to respond to staff email Follow on to Digital Story presentation Last minute change to appointment time Feedback /survey reminder Contact staff member Appointment reminder (occupational health time) Reminder to students to get ethical approval first before going on project Assignment submission reminder

10. Text s hennessy & your message to 01133 201 210 Other Intended Uses of SMS To support students on placement To support discussion in tutorials To notify students on occupational health appointments

11. Text s hennessy & your message to 01133 201 210 Student’s Views on SMS “As someone who travels from home everyday I can't access my emails any later than about 7:30 so if there are any cancellations or anything its handy via text.” “Good way to get last minute info - avoids the frustration of turning up somewhere and being told there was an email sent when you had no way of checking”

12. Text s hennessy & your message to 01133 201 210 Email the Preferred Channel “Emails are best for important and big amounts of information, they are less likely to get lost than text messages. Quick reminders or urgent things are good with texts.” “Emails are better overall, but text messages have a definite role when the information needs to be given at short notice (eg room change/cancelled lecture).” “For notices that give information at short notice txt message is best. For info that has a longer time to respond email is much better. A combination is the best. Putting information in the portal is not very helpful.”

13. Text s hennessy & your message to 01133 201 210 Students Use of Mobile Email

14. Text s hennessy & your message to 01133 201 210 Email vs SMS I tend to consider text messages as more urgent than emails and check them more regularly. However this impact might be lost if routine messages were sent this way. Therefore I think it would be most effective if routine communications were sent using emails, and text messaging reserved for times when students need to be contacted urgently.

15. Text s hennessy & your message to 01133 201 210 Staff Views Very useful for certain times & situations (assignments, assessment, Timetable cancellations) Usage limited to certain times in the academic year Need for a process to deal with timetable changes Additional Requirements More refined group management beyond modules Support for organisations as well as modules Need to share account Way of seeing which students have opted in Alternative email option

16. Text s hennessy & your message to 01133 201 210 SMS/VLE Integration Elsewhere InstitutionSMS SystemFunded/Managed University of SalfordBlackboardtxt/TxttoolsBy IT service & recharged to depts University of BrightonBlackboardtxt/TxttoolsBy Blackboard team & recharged to depts Southampton Solent University Moodle VLE and JanetTXT via Page One By Telephone admin & recharged to depts Harper-Adams University College Txttools with Moodle plugin Through L&T budget Manchester MetropolitanWebCT &TxttoolsProject funded University of EdinburghWebCT &TxttoolsCentrally and recharged to depts JISC MeLAS project (2007-08), Wolverhampton Bespoke software with Edutxt JISC funded

17. Text s hennessy & your message to 01133 201 210 Summary Tool needs further development before it can be implemented fully within the VLE SMS has a specific use for time sensitive information, such as lectures, appointments and assessment deadlines

18. Text s hennessy & your message to 01133 201 210 Discussion Would this be of use to your school/department & how might you use it? Would an SMS service be of use as a campus wide system and, if so, how should it be funded?