The Wikification of Blackboard

1. The Wikification of Blackboard
In pursuit of a better way?
(Steve Mackenzie -24/01/08)

2. The Motivation, The How and The Why?
• To provide a better service to students
– Reduce the time it takes to develop and
maintain a blackboard module
– Reduce searching time for students
• Achieved by
– Using the blackboard wiki tool as the
primary navigation interface
– A navigational strategy of wide and shallow
as opposed to the current deep folder style
(hierarchical) navigation.
• Perceived Benefits
– Less time consuming to create, maintain and
develop a Blackboard Module
– Students have all resources on a single page

3. For 2 or more closely related programmes
(Relieving the burden of duplication)
The Plan in Action
One place to update general Information
Community
Module linked
to all individual
modules and
vice-versa
Blackboard Community
Support Material & Programme Level Information
Year 1 Cohort
Blackboard
Module
All Module
Resources Listed
on a single page
Blackboard
Module
Year 2 Cohort
Blackboard
Module
Blackboard
Module
Year 3 Cohort
Blackboard
Module
Blackboard
Module
Pre – Reg
Students
Blackboard Modules all follow the same navigational style as the community module and each other

4. Creating a Wiki Home page
•
From Scratch
–
–
•
Control Panel > Manage Course Menu > Add Tool Link > Select
Wiki Tool > name it ‘Home’ OR
Control Panel > Use copy course option from another module
(wiki text is not transferred)
And Then Some Technicalities
–
–
Wiki page is used to store all Module Resources (docs and Links)
Left hand menu is reserved for Communication features or
other blackboard tools
•
•
Tidy up Left Hand Menu
–
–
–
–
•
e.g. On one module a turnitin link has been added
Manage Course menu > remove or hide all menu options
Include Home, Announcements, Discussion Boards and Send
Email ONLY
Other tools can be added as desired
Course Design > Manage Menu Display Options > Select Quick
VIEW and don’t show both views
Slight Issue
–
If Announcements are made – an Announcement Alert is added
to the wiki page – Announcements are still listed as normal.

5. Copying the Format and Web Links
1.
2.
Copy HTML Source from one wiki page to another
Relatively Easy to upload Documents to correctly customize the new wiki page
2
1

6. Demonstration
• Talk you through the Blackboard Community Module
• Will build a new module now (10-15 mins)
– ASCS5211-2008-X ASP 2 - DEVELOPING AND
DISSEMINATING BEST PRACTICE (ASCS5211_2008_X)