Blackboard

The new server is in place, the software has been installed and all systems are go for staff and students to start using the new virtual learning environment.

Two members of staff have just been appointed to provide full time support for the VLE - Blackboard. Dr Richard Parsons, co-ordinator of innovative learning technologies and Margaret Adamson, educational systems technologist are based in the learning enhancement unit on the ground floor of the tower building.

All lecturers are now welcome to start to use features of the VLE to support their existing courses. This may involve quizzes, active discussion groups, course documents and lecture material. This will all be available to students via the web. To do this you should register as a course instructor by going to www.dundee.ac.uk/learning/vle. Once registered on this site, staff can create a course site and direct students to these online resources. This site also includes a link to see what the Blackboard set up looks like and a dummy run to test how your course would operate from the VLE.

Several staff development courses are available to train for the VLE and are designed to suit the beginner, those with some prior experience of a VLE and those wishing to get hands-on experience. These courses, and all the staff development courses are available on the web www.dundee.ac.uk/staffdvpt/courses.htm

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