On-line Course Delivery Options – Blackboard, WebCT, eCollege or Build

Your Own - A Panel Discussion

On-line Using eCollegeOn-Ground Supplement Using Blackboard

By

John H. Reynolds, Ph.D., CCP

Grand Valley State University

eCollege Course Background

• 6 sections taught from 2000-2002

• Limit of 25 students per section

• No direct contact with students

• All exams “open book”

• All assignments were homework

eCollege Course Main Page

eCollege Reflections

• Unit structure difficult to use• No export function for grade book• Access time very slow• Unsupervised tests/homework encourages

academic dishonesty– 11 of 44 students copied database assignments

in Summer 2002 course – all given Fs (all but one upheld on academic appeal)

Blackboard Course Background

• 8 sections each year over 3 years

• Courses ranged from intro to graduate

• Advanced courses utilized groups function

• Used for in-class tests

• Digital Drop-Box used for assignments

• Student files posted – convenient access

Blackboard Control Panel

Blackboard Course Reflections

• Digital Drop Box has confusing menu and no ability to sort/organize contents

• Control Panel easy to use• Customizable Menu Options• Performance depends on whether server is

housed on campus or outsourced• Students like the convenience of

files/assignments available 24/7

Respondus BB – test utility

Respondus BB Reflections

• Great utility to convert Test files from text format for import into Blackboard

• Defaults to “A” as the correct answer when the answer is not specified in the text file

• Import is very easy to do and is very quick

• No more cumbersome importing or typing of test banks in Blackboard