Presentation during OOFHEC2018 Conference (10-12 October 2018) at Aarhus University in Aarhus, Denmark

1. The Learning Management System as
Hauptbahnhof
– or the joy finding an embed code
Karen Louise Møller & Birthe Aagesen
Aarhus Universitet

3. Research on Learning Management Systems
Learning Management Systems has been criticized for preventing teachers and students at universities
and colleges to choose freely among learning technologies.
LMS’s has also been criticized in order to especially support teachers who focus on broadcasting
instead of supporting cooperation among students
(Sclater 2008, Dron 2006, Dalsgaard 2006)

4. Research on learning
Clarity and structure supports learning (Meyer 2008)
Variation supports learning (Hattie 2009)
Scripted collaborative learning has reportedly resulted in improved learning outcomes
(Papadopoulos 2013)

5. Our solution
... to use the LMS as a hub (Hauptbahnhof) for
student centered learning activities; learning activities which uses digital tools
in and outside the LMS.
…always be looking for embed codes
…to give some ”muscles” for the students in Bb:
students can embed there own choice of
external tool in the editor in Blog, Discussion Board and Wiki

7. How does it look?

8. ?

9. 19 participants in teacher training Course on Edu it
Anynomous Questionaire (19 respondents)
1.Have you used the embed option via the HTML
button or weblink opportunity in your Blackboard
courses to show and / or access external digital
services? (yes/no)
2.What digital tools have you added to Blackboard
courses via web link or embed option? (multiple
choice)
3.Other digital tools than the ones mentioned
above? (text)
4.To what extent do you agree that the ability to
create a web link or the ability to embed other
digital tools in Blackboard expands your
possibilities to freely choose technologies in your
teaching? (likert scale)
5.Comments (text)

10. Findings
19 participants in teacher training Course on Edu it
1.Have you used the embed
option via the HTML button
or weblink opportunity in
your Blackboard courses to
show and / or access
external digital services?
(yes/no)

11. Findings:
19 participants in teacher training Course on Edu it
To what extent do you
agree that the ability to
create a web link or the
ability to embed other
digital tools in Blackboard
expands your possibilities
to freely choose
technologies in your
teaching?

12. Findings, comments
“It is convenient "
"The embedding opportunity has made
Blackboard much more flexible”
"It is very useful"
"I have recommended it to many colleagues"
"It seems a bit tricky to do it .. (..) .., so I just
use the digital tools without embedding them"
"I'm still insecure of many of Blackboard's
features, including the embedding
opportunity"
"I have tried and failed"
".. makes teaching technically demanding
and takes up too much space and time .."
"The only problem is that there is often no
time to get used to embedding new digital
tools"

13. Conclusions
Some teachers use the embed and weblink in the LMS.
They are able to:
• Choose digital services freely and provide a clear structure in their courses
• Establish greater openness to the outside world in their courses
• Let students select external digital services they would like to use and share in
the LMS

14. Conclusions
Some teachers find it time consuming and technical demandingto embed or use
weblinks in the LMS
Should it be easier to embed or use external tools- through the LMS?
Should we provide more assistance?
Any comments? own experiences?

15. References (Full Paper)
Dalsgaard, C. (2006). Social software:E-learning beyond learning management systems. European Journal of Open, Distance and E-
Learning,
Dalsgaard, C., & Thestrup, K. (2015). Dimensions of openness: Beyond the course as an open format in online education. . The
International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 16(8)
Dalsgaard, C., & Paulsen, M. F. (2009). Transparency in cooperative online education. International Review of Research in Open &
Distance Learning, 10(3), 1-22. Retrieved from
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=48657073&site=ehost-live
Dron, J. (2006). Any color you like, as long as it's blackboard. E-Learn Conference, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Dron, J., & Anderson, T. (2009). Lost in social space: Information retrieval issues in web 1.5 . Journal of Digital Information, 10(2)
Dron., J., & Bhattacharya, M. (2007). Lost in the web 2.0 jungle. 7th IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning
Technologies, Niigata, Japan.
HATTIE, J.A.C., 2009. Visible learning : a synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. London: Routledge.
Meyer, H. (2008). Hvad er god undervisning?. København: Gyldendal.
PAPADOPOULOS, P.M., DEMETRIADIS, S.N. and WEINBERGER, A., 2013. 'Make it explicit!': Improving collaboration through
increase of script coercion. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 29(4), pp. 383-398.
Sclater, N. (2008). Web 2.0, personal learning enviroments, and the future of learning management systems. Research Bulletin, (13)