Supplementing your Course With Blackboard -- Day 5

[We've had a decade of cool dates, but there's only 1 more time, Nov. 11th, is the next 11 years that we'll be able to see a cool date like this again. So here's to 1.11.11!]

On Day 5, you strive for perfection. It's like putting all of the decorations on the Christmas tree, taking a few steps back and saying: "What else can I add without this thing toppling over?"  

First, think information literacy. Like education in general, the library has also transformed with the advent of the Internet and other educational technologies. Consider embedding an information literacy component to a project and critical response paper.  

Expect some hiccups ... though realize the experience of utilizing a 21st century digital library may be new to some of our students. Gaining the experience will be an asset for your students. (see the Partnership for 21st Century Skills for a framework on 21st century learning)

From part 1 of our Information Literacy Series, with guest blogger Prof. Rachel Jorgenson:

…information flows in all directions and does as it pleases, for better or for worse, serving no masters and obeying no party line. -- Walter Kim “Little Brother Is Watching.” New York Times Magazine, October 17, 2010, p. 18.

In essence, information literacy describes a set of skills that allow you

• a) to collect information, b) critique that information, c) use the information for a specific purpose.

Many institutions and organizations have created their own definition of information literacy, but these definitions, when compared, are very similar to each other. (link to the full post)

The Learning Resources Division at UDC offer services to faculty which include:

• Information Literacy Instruction 
• Orientation services for the First Year Experience program.
• Curricular Support
• Individual tutoring sessions for students.
• Professional development opportunities to faculty
• Information Literacy Program website

Use this form to make a request for their services. 
Information Literacy Services

MASHUPS
One of the best additions to Blackboard are the mashups. While the term mash-up doesn't really fit, as implemented in Blackboard, it gives you an opportunity to add content from Slideshare (it's a .net, not a .com), Youtube, or Flickr. Check out this interesting webpage on "The Use of Digital Media in Blackboard"

Never heard of these?

• Flickr: a site for viewing and sharing photographic images.
• Slideshare: a site for viewing and sharing PowerPoint presentations, Word documents, or Adobe PDF Portfolios.
• YouTube: a site for viewing and sharing online videos.

Augment your lectures with existing content from these services. I especially like Slideshare [see blog post

] as there are many quality presentations which can provide background to students.  Don't forget to share your presentations too!

BLACKBOARD SCHOLAR
Also check out Blackboard Scholar, which is a social bookmarking tool (Educause's 7 Things You Should Know About Social Bookmarking). It allows you to effectively share links with the class and the outside world.  According to their site wiki:

[Scholar] provides an exciting new way for students and instructors to find educationally valuable resources on the Web. Using the knowledge and power of [a] network of educational users, Scholar will make it easier for instructors and students to find relevant resources on the Internet for courses and research. Furthermore, by storing and sharing associated information with each resource such as tags, disciplines, other users who have tagged and more, Scholar will allow users to evaluate the resources and find the most relevant and reliable.

Related Blog Posts:

Stepping Up Your Web 2.0 Game

Online Tools for Educators -- and a Diigo demo